The UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage has been expanded since 2008 (the convention for creating the list entered into force in 2006): it includes music, dances, crafts, knowledge, customs, holidays, traditions, and other attractions of various peoples and cultures. Therefore, when it comes to including something edible in the list of intangible heritage, often it is not a specific dish (although there is such in the UN list – Croatian licitar hearts made from flour, water, sugar, soda, and various spices), but a set of culinary principles and philosophy of food consumption.
Each year, different countries, or rather their ministries, submit applications to UNESCO proposing to include one or another phenomenon of local culture in the list of intangible heritage. Then the organization holds a special session lasting several days, after which it announces which 'candidates' have managed to officially enter the register of world significance traditions. Gastronomy was especially lucky in this regard in 2010, when several phenomena related to national cuisines were included in the list.
Among the 'winners' then, for example, was Mexican cuisine. The authors of the application described in sufficient detail what exactly should be understood by Mexican cuisine. According to them, it is not only specific dishes characteristic of it (such as tortilla or burrito), but also methods of processing products (for example, washing corn in limewater) and traditional kitchen utensils, among which, for example, were a millstone and a stone mortar for spices and herbs. Of course, specific ingredients characteristic of the Mexican culinary tradition were also listed: chili peppers, beans, tomatoes, avocado, vanilla, cocoa, and various extracts from fruits and vegetables.
As UNESCO representatives stated, the complex of traditions and recipes that distinguishes Mexican cuisine contributes to national development and strengthening regional ties between the country's residents, and also expresses the cultural identity of the community.
By the same principle, the French meal also made it onto the list. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and other family celebrations gather several generations of relatives at the table. During the meal, a certain order of serving dishes is observed (with at least four courses between the aperitif and digestif) and a transition from one drink to another. Preference is given to local products, which necessarily include cheeses that appear before dessert. The participants of the meal, savoring each dish, share their impressions with each other. Thus, members of a large family together meet the most important moments of their lives.
Noting this traditional component of the French lifestyle, UNESCO highlighted how important it is that all these unwritten rituals are not only carefully preserved by older generations but also passed on to young people.
The organization's representatives did not forget about the traditional Mediterranean diet – the diet of Spain, Greece, Italy, and Morocco made it onto the list in 2010. The set of products characteristic of this region: olive oil, grains, fish, dried vegetables and fruits, spices, as well as wines and tinctures – is not just unique. According to experts, it contributes to the transmission of knowledge about local lifestyles and common activities in the Mediterranean, as well as the preservation of legends, songs, and stories that are usually told at the table.
These culinary traditions certainly deserve to be on the prestigious UNESCO list – as do other, no less important examples of intangible heritage. This year, among other candidates, the culture of Turkish coffee consumption is vying for inclusion. By the way, in 2011, Turkey achieved the inclusion of keşkek – a traditional ceremonial dish made from chicken (or other meat) and wheat, which is prepared and served before a wedding.
Among this year's contenders is also the South Korean vegetable dish kimchi – fermented napa cabbage, generously seasoned with red pepper, onion, ginger, and garlic.
In addition, Japan is applying for a place in the 'hall of fame' of world food with its culinary traditions. This country asked to add its cuisine to the UNESCO list not only because it honors and observes its own gastronomic customs but also because sushi and sashimi have long become a tasty phenomenon on a planetary scale.
Lena AVERYANOVA,
'Lenta.Ru'.