Mexico already has many of its monuments on UNESCO's list of protected sites. Now the government is asking for international recognition for the country's cuisine. UN officials will decide in April or May whether to add Mexico's food to the organization's list of intangible cultural patrimony, Mexican cuisine expert Gloria Lopez said Friday. She said the methods of preparing traditional tamales and salsas should be protected as much as Mexico's recognized physical heritage, such as the pre-Hispanic city around the pyramids of Teotihuacan or Mexico City's historic center of colonial buildings and remnants of ancient structures. The triad of corn, beans and chiles form the foundation of Mexico's food, with each region of the country adding its own ingredients and seasonings to the mix, Lopez said. Traditional Mexican cuisine dates back 3,000 years to the Mayans, who based their diet on corn, beans and vegetables.
