Chulpe Corn (Zea mays amylosaccharata)

Chulpe corn ((Zea mays amylosaccharata)): an ancient and prized variety, native to the inter-Andean valleys (grown between 2,000 and 3,000 meters above sea level), Colombia (where it is listed in the Slow Food Foundation's Ark of Taste), Peru (particularly in the Cuzco area), and Ecuador. Cultivation in Colombia has now been reduced to a minimum, while it remains more widespread in the other two Andean countries. The spadix has elongated kernels up to 2 cm in length, typical of more ancient corn. The cob has a small diameter where the seeds grow tightly packed with the cusps facing upward.
The flavor of this corn is very particular, with notes of hazelnut and a perfectly balanced sweetness.
For cooking, it is almost exclusively used toasted, sautéed with a little oil and salt, to become a snack, which in Peru is called Cancha Serrana, a splendid next to ceviche.
In cultivation the plant is large, we recommend using a very small spacing especially in windy areas.
Chulpe corn is very prone to hybridization, so keep this in mind if you want to reproduce it for seeds, respecting the spacing between varieties to avoid this.
An extraordinary corn for those who want to discover new flavors.