Without much farmland around me, I didn't have a good understanding of where my food came from. This might not be the case in Nebraska, but for me it gave me a greater appreciation of how much work it actually takes to grow a potato and made me far more appreciative of getting the privilege to eat them every day. To learn more about the potato and its central part in the history and culture of Peru, I have linked two YouTube videos at the bottom for those curious.
The organ meat also made me a lot more appreciative of the meat we may take for granted every day in the States. It's a bit jarring at first when you come into kitchen for lunch and hear: "Yo maté a una oveja" ("I killed a sheep"), but when you actually see the hide and all the wool, all its organs and the meat that was taken from the sheep, you begin to understand how much these animals provide for people. Meat production, even more than grains or produce, is a much more industrial process in the United States. Most people are very disconnected from how these animals grow and the conditons they live in, let alone slaughter one themselves. Someone had to put in a lot of effort to grow and feed these sheep and maybe would've considered it like how Americans consider a dog or cat. Understanding more about where the food came from made me enjoy it more and feel much more grateful for all the work that went into preparing it.
Click here for a video on the ancient history of potato cultivation in South America
Click here for a video on different types of potatoes and other Peruvian produce
