Three thin, flaky shortbread cookies layered with fruit jam to make a square cookie sandwich. This is the confection that was created by Kaupolin Koo Kau, an immigrant from Canton, China, and Petronila Bustillos Sandoval of the Valle de Pica, in 1920. The traditional chumbeque is lemon (limón), though these days other flavors also tempt the taste buds, like mango, papaya, passion fruit (maracuyá), guava (guayaba), orange, caramel (manjar) and chocolate.

The modern-day Rey del Chumbeque (King of Chumbeque) is Koo’s grandson, Arturo E. Mejía. He continues his abuelo’s tradition at the Fábrica de Chumbeques M. Koo (Monday-Saturday 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Ramírez 795, Tel.: 41-2532, E-mail: elreydelchumbeque@hotmail.com). Chumbeques are only available in Iquique, a secret for visitors to this port to discover when they stop by “La Esquina de Buen Sabor.”