Local food and culinary traditions
The United Nations recognises ‘intangible culture’ as something to celebrate and safeguard.
Intangible cultural heritage refers to cultural elements that lack a physical form but are expressed through knowledge, skill or ritual are equally important to shaping living culture. These include artistic performances, festivals, social practices, oral heritage, craftsmanship, and gastronomic traditions.
Food and culture are interwoven. The processes involved in preparing, serving and sharing certain foods and drinks often carry important social and cultural significance and are handed down from one generation to the next.
Making and eating certain foods as part of a celebration can solidify social bonds. For travellers, getting to know the local food and culinary traditions is one of the best ways to enrich their experience.
As of January 2022, UNESCO recognises 25 food and drink-related traditions as part of its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists?term[]=vocabulary_thesaurus-10