The rise and fall of Chanco cheese in Chile (1860-1930)

Abstract

This paper studies the historical evolution of Chanco cheese during two very different time periods: 1860-1900 and 1900-1930. The former was characterized by a high presence of the aforementioned cheese in Chilean society, and the latter period encompassed a time of identity contamination. Unlike Pisco, which has been delimited and protected as an Appellation of Origin (AO), Chanco cheese has been a victim of dilution of its own identity and cultural value. We hypothesize that the dilution and devaluing of Chanco cheese was a result of the incoherent actions of the State, producers and merchants with respect to its assessment, protection and delimitation of its identity.