Choclo, also referred to as Peruvian corn or Cuzco corn (after

Cuzco Cusco or Cuzco (; or , ) is a city in southeastern Peru, near the Sacred Valley of the Andes mountain range and the Huatanay river. It is the capital of the eponymous province and department. The city was the capital of the Inca Empire unti ...

, the capital city of the

Inca empire The Inca Empire, officially known as the Realm of the Four Parts (, ), was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The administrative, political, and military center of the empire was in the city of Cusco. The History of the Incas, Inca ...

), is a large- kernel variety of

field corn Field corn is a North American term for maize (''Zea mays'') grown for livestock fodder (silage and meal), ethanol, cereal, and processed food products. The principal field corn varieties are dent corn, flint corn, flour corn (also known as sof ...

from the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

. It is consumed in parts of Central America and South America, especially in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia. Choclo may also refer to common corn in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Choclo can be eaten raw when the ears are young, or cooked when the ears are more mature. It has a milder flavor compared to other varieties of field corn, and is better suited for human consumption. When compared to

sweet corn Sweet corn (''Zea mays'' convar. ''saccharata'' var. ''rugosa''), also called sweetcorn, sugar corn and pole corn, is a variety of maize grown for human consumption with a high sugar content. Sweet corn is the result of a naturally occurring rec ...

, the kernels are larger and chewier and have a starchy, hefty texture, rather than a sweet taste. The taste and appearance are somewhat similar to

hominy Hominy is a food item produced from dried maize (corn) kernels that have been treated with an alkali, in a process called nixtamalization ( is the Nahuatl word for "hominy"). "Lye hominy" is a type of hominy made with lye. History The process ...

. Choclo is used in the making of humitas in

Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...

, choclo arepas in

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

and for pastel de choclo. Peruvian corn is often white in color. The word ''choclo'' derives from the Quechua word ''choccllo'' and has since taken on a broader context within the Spanish language, often being used to refer to cobs of corn in general. Ceviche

In Peru, choclo is commonly served as an accompaniment to dishes such as ceviche, and its toasted, salted form, similar to corn nuts, are customarily given free to restaurant patrons upon being seated. Full ears of choclo are also a popular street food in Peru and other Andean countries, typically served with a slice of cheese as choclo con queso. While flavors vary greatly, finger foods like choclo con queso mirror the popularity of corn on the cob as a convenient street snack in Latin America.

References

{{Corn Maize varieties Crops originating from Peru

See also

References