Tailin Whole Cane Sugar

A typical Latin American product, whole sugar cane is made from sugar cane juice, which is boiled and evaporated after extraction.
Tailin whole sugar cane is produced artisanally using only sugar cane grown at high altitudes (over 1,500 meters above sea level) in a small community in the northern Peruvian district of Montero.
The plant grows to over 3 meters high and has a yellow outer layer. After the mature stalks have been selected, they are cut by hand, then pressed in small mills (trapiches) to obtain the juice. This juice is then cooked down until it becomes a thick syrup. This is poured into metal basins and left to dry while being continuously stirred.
Tailin panela is unusual for its pale color, loose consistency and delicate flavor, particularly appreciated by chefs.
It used to be produced in blocks which would be wrapped in banana leaves. However, the processing took place in unhygienic conditions and the sales price was very low. Thanks to a series of training sessions and exchanges of experiences with producers from other countries (Nicaragua, Ecuador and Colombia), the Tailin community has started to produce granulated panela, using a traditional mill. This is the first example of such a production in Peru.
The whole sugar cane can be used in delicious dishes, like sweet zapallo (based on pumpkin and panela), toronche (a kind of yogurt with wild fruit, milk and panela) and lucuma juice, prepared with the addition of panela and milk.