Eating Pichuberries

Eating Pichuberries



Though the civilization of the Peruvian Inca reached a high-point centuries ago, the contributions of the region to world culinary development continues. There’s quinoa, chia, amaranath and now, Pichuberries (and by “and now,” I mean “and now, here, in the US of A” – apparently this fruit has been around for centuries in Peru and elsewhere).

Pichuberries are about the size of a large marble, yellow and filled with very tiny seeds (you can chew right through them, no worries). It’s also known as the “Inca berry,” but in Africa, where it was brought by the Spanish after they conquered Peru, it’s called the “Africa berry.”

Like other Peruvian “superfoods,” this fruit is reported to have many health benefits, including “powerful antioxidants” (the nutritional benefit du jour) and 20 times the vitamin C of an orange. There are also claims that it prevents cellular aging (that’s what antioxidants are supposed to do) and the onset of cancer (!).

We were recently sent a small box of Pinchuberries, unbidden, and the accompanying literature claims that Manuel Villacorta, a “nationally acclaimed dietician” and author of two books on Peruvian superfoods, attests that the fruit is “high in protein (1.7 grams per 3.5 oz. serving) but also heart healthy fatty acids.”

The Pichuberry company is rolling out the fruit in the United States, and my guess is that at least initially, it will be rather expensive.

So how’d it taste?

Lightly sweet, with slight tartness on the back end, making it workable for both sweet and savory dishes. The juice level was on par with kiwi or cherries.

We happened to have some quinoa on hand, so I sliced a handful of Pinchuberries into it on the principle that What Grows Together, Goes Together. It worked fine with just a little salt, which brought out the sweetness of the berry and rendered the quinoa – a grain I find more interesting than tasty – somewhat more dimensional. For a superfoods trifecta, I threw on some chia seeds, which basically added the crunchy texture absent from both Pichuberries and quinoa.

U.S. distribution starts in August of this year, and I’m guessing it will be available at Whole Foods and places like that. Once Pichuberries have established a foothold, Sacha Inchi cannot be far behind.