Thursday, December 9, 2010

Mexican Cuisine: World Heritage

Today, I am writing this post feeling very proud for what I'm about to tell you; recently, Mexican Cuisine was considered World Heritage by UNESCO. to be more exact, it is now on the United Nations list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, alongside the art of eating in France--oh la la!

Mexican food is much more than typical dishes from our Country, it is the reflection of a culture based in different things such as religious rituals, art, instincts and other stuff.
The corn is the ultimate representative item, it is more than seven thousand years old and, according to the Mayan Culture, it's a creation of the Gods and from which humanity was created. The origin and cultivation of this rich and nurturing element has been the base of nutrition of every culture in Mexico, for which it is a symbol of beliefs as well as cultural identity.

A lot of the main or most popular Mexican dishes are "corn based", such as the delicious Enchiladas, Chilaquiles and, of course, the ever-popular: Taco! If corn and chilies existed in countries outside Mexico, it'd be easier for them to mimic our food--and perhaps we wouldn't suffer as much when we go abroad hehe


Green Enchiladas--always better than the Red ones!

Chilaquiles--Yummers!

The UNESCO recognized everything from the growing of corn, beans and chilies to Mexican dishes prepared with grinding stones and mortars as an ancient process worth safeguarding in the face of encroaching global influences. Mole (love it!) and Chiles en Nogada (don't love them!) are two of the main dishes they took into consideration to include Mexican Food on the list.


Mole with Rice

Chiles en Nogada

The designation doesn’t come with any money or other type of protection--just bragging rights, especially considering that Mexican food was honored at the same time that France’s iconic, multi-course gastronomic meal was cited for “bringing people together for an occasion to enjoy the art of good eating and drinking”. At last, something to brag about (these days anyway)!!! lol

So, now I sort of hate myself coz I am practically drooling all over my keyboard just to think about all this delicious food and well, all these pictures are not helping much really...I think I'm cooking tomorrow!


Pozole

Sopa Azteca



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