Doctors believe that the set of products used to prepare food in 16 Mediterranean countries helps locals maintain a low incidence of cardiovascular disease.
Cultural phenomena included in UNESCO's intangible lists, such as the Neapolitan way of making pizza, are often not in danger of disappearing. Rather, the organization tries to remind people of the importance of traditions and roots. Although, for example, pizza has long been prepared and eaten all over the world in a variety of ways.
Some UNESCO-approved applications clearly have a political subtext. Thus, during a meeting held in early December of this year on the South Korean island of Jeju, the international organization added dolma to the list based on an application from Azerbaijan. At the same time, disputes between Azerbaijanis and Armenians about which of the two peoples first invented wrapping meat cabbage rolls in grape leaves have not yet subsided.
Another example: South Korea in 2013 "secured" for itself the regional custom of preparing pickled vegetables (primarily Chinese cabbage) for the winter, as well as passing this knowledge down in families from generation to generation. Later, the UNESCO committee approved a similar application from the DPRK concerning the preparation of the dish.
Recall that the division of Korea into North and South occurred in 1945. And Koreans began preparing pickled vegetables – the basis of kimchi – about two thousand years ago. The modern recipe for the dish, seasoned with red pepper, onions, garlic, and ginger for spiciness, was finally formed in the 19th century.
Many countries are not particularly active in replenishing the national part of the list. For example, Russia has only two items in it, concerning the cultural heritage of the Yakuts and the Transbaikal Old Believers, which are not directly related to food.
BBC presented what a cafe and its menu based on the list of dishes of UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage would look like.
APPETIZERS
• North Korean kimchi (DPRK)
Pickled vegetables (primarily Chinese cabbage) with spicy seasonings in accordance with the traditions and characteristics of the northern regions of the Korean Peninsula, which are part of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
• South Korean kimchi (Republic of Korea)
Pickled vegetables (primarily Chinese cabbage) with spicy seasonings and fermented seafood in accordance with the traditions and characteristics of the southern regions of the Korean Peninsula, which are part of the Republic of Korea.
• Lavash (Armenia)
Flatbread baked in a conical clay oven with a hole at the top – a tandoor, or as it is called in Armenia, a tonir.
• Flatbread (Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey)
Flatbread baked in a tandoor, also known in Asian countries as "lavash," "katyrma," "zhupka," and "yufka."
MAIN COURSES
• Dolma (Azerbaijan)
A filling of meat, onions, rice, pear, and spices is wrapped in leaves (usually grape leaves), or used to stuff vegetables and fruits.
• Neapolitan pizza (Italy)
Regardless of the topping, it necessarily includes the practice developed in Naples of preparing dough by spinning it by hand in the air and baking it in a wood-fired oven.
• Traditional Mexican cuisine dishes (Mexico)
Their basis is corn, beans, and chili peppers. Corn tortillas and tamales are used as bread (unlike the former, the latter is wrapped in corn leaves, which are removed before eating).
• Plov (Uzbekistan)
A traditional dish prepared and widespread in all rural and urban communities of Uzbekistan. It is made with ingredients such as rice, meat, spices, and vegetables.
FULL FRENCH MEAL
The set of dishes for a traditional French feast is prepared from locally produced products and washed down with local wine. A full meal includes:
• Aperitif (a serving of alcohol before the meal).
• Starter
• Fish and/or meat with vegetables
• Cheeses
• Dessert
• Wines
• Digestif (strong drinks – cognac, grappa, and so on – served after all dishes).
MEDITERRANEAN DIET MEAL
(Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Morocco, Portugal, Croatia)
Several dishes that vary depending on the day of the week. General principles of the diet: plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, baked goods, and olive oil; moderate amounts of fish, seafood, and poultry; little red meat and sweets.
TRADITIONAL JAPANESE MEAL
A set of seasonal dishes. Base: rice and soup with miso paste dissolved in it (misoshiru). Seafood, vegetables, and other seasonal local products are widely used, which are subjected to minimal processing.
DESSERT
• Gingerbread (Croatia)
HOT DRINKS
• Turkish coffee (Turkey)
Coffee beans are ground, poured with cold water, and boiled over low heat in a cezve. Coffee is served in small cups along with a glass of water.
• Arabic coffee (Qatar, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia)
The beans are lightly roasted in a shallow pan, then pounded in a copper mortar with a copper pestle. The coffee grounds are placed in a copper coffee pot, filled with water, and put on the fire. After the coffee is brewed, it is poured into a small coffee pot and served in small cups.
ALCOHOL
• Beer (Belgium)
You can choose from about 1,500 varieties of beer produced in the country.
• Wine (Georgia)
The drink is aged in qvevri – egg-shaped ceramic vessels similar to amphorae without handles.
• Omagongo (Namibia)
A seasonal drink made from the juice of the fruit of the Sclerocarya birrea tree.