© Getty Images

Cooking and eating Mulgi puder -

Mulgi puder is a traditional dish of mashed potato and barley accompanied by pan-fried pork knuckle that is consumed daily in the Mulgimaa region of Estonia. It was inscribed in 2024 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

© Shutterstock

Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity -

Serving and drinking Arabic coffee is a daily ritual observed by communities, groups, and individuals in Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. It's a time-honored practice associated with specific customs and rules of etiquette that are passed down informally from one generation to the next. It was also inscribed in 2024.

© Shutterstock

Ceviche, an expression of Peruvian cuisine -

Ceviche was recognized by UNESCO in 2023 as an expression of Peruvian traditional cuisine. The dish is prepared with raw fish marinated in lemon, seasoned with chili pepper and salt, and garnished with locally grown produce.

© Shutterstock

Culture of Ukrainian borscht cooking -

Borscht, a sour broth prepared using a combination of beetroot, sugar beet, or fermented beet juice, is a dish that dates back centuries. It was inscribed in 2022, but its cooking and consumption is currently restricted due to the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, specifically because destruction to the surrounding environment has prevented communities from accessing local products, things like vegetables, needed to prepare the dish.

© Shutterstock

Artisanal know-how and culture of baguette bread -

In 2022, UNESCO granted intangible cultural heritage status to the tradition of making the baguette. The consumption and lifestyle surrounding this iconic French product was also acknowledged.

© Shutterstock

Al-Mansaf, a festive banquet -

Also in 2022, the festive Jordanian dish known as Al-Mansaf was added to the list. Symbolic of a deep sense of identity and social cohesion, Al-Mansaf is a delicious combination of cubed lamb boiled with spices in a yogurt sauce and served with rice.

© Shutterstock

Traditional tea processing techniques in China -

China's traditional tea processing and associated social practices form the bedrock of the knowledge, skills, and methods around tea plantation management, tea leaf picking, manual processing, drinking, and sharing techniques. This cherished culture was recognized by UNESCO in 2022.

© Getty Images

Joumou soup in Haiti -

Joumou is an appetizing soup made from giraumon, a local pumpkin or squash. Originally a delicacy reserved for slave owners, joumou has been enjoyed as a traditional staple in Haiti since the islanders gained their independence from France in 1804. It was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2022.

© Getty Images

Truffle hunting and extraction in Italy -

Truffle hunting in Italy is a tradition that dates back centuries in regions like Piedmont, Umbria, Tuscany, and Emilia-Romagna. A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean fungus: edible truffles are highly prized in the culinary world. They are procured by knowledgeable locals with the help of specially trained dogs. The culture surrounding truffle hunting has been listed since 2021.

© Getty Images

Ceebu jën, a culinary art of Senegal -

The Senegalese dish known as Ceebu jën is a version of tiep, or thieboudienne, and prepared using fish, broken rice, onions, herbs, and tomato sauce cooked in one pot. It's also been listed since 2021.

© Shutterstock

Singapore's unique hawker food centers -

Hawker culture in Singapore mirrors the variety of food prepared and sold in the colorful and lively "community dining rooms" known as hawker centers. Diverse menus that showcase Malay, Nyonya, Indian, and Chinese cuisine reflect Singapore's multicultural society. This fun-packed community dining experience was added to the list in 2020.

© Shutterstock

Couscous production and consumption in North Africa -

Couscous, small steamed granules of rolled semolina, originated in the North African nations of Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Mauritania. In 2020, UNESCO recognized the dish and the knowledge associated with the harvesting of this important staple.

© Shutterstock

Il-Ftira, flattened sourdough bread in Malta -

Il-Ftira describes the culinary art and culture of flattened sourdough bread in Malta. Inscribed in 2020, Il-Ftira is made by hand and has a thick crust and light, fluffy interior. As a delicious sandwich option, the halved loaf is often filled with Mediterranean-type ingredients such as olive oil and tomato, tuna, capers, and olives.

© Shutterstock

Practices and traditional knowledge of terere in Paraguay -

Inscribed in 2020, terere is a traditional beverage using a special blend of Pohã Ñana medicinal herbs crushed and combined with cold water. It's the ancestral drink of Paraguay's Guaraní people and closely related to yerba mate, a popular beverage all across the South American continent.

© Shutterstock

Traditional technique of making airag in Mongolia -

Airag is a fermented beverage made from mare's milk and has served as a essential source of nutrition for Mongolia's nomadic communities for centuries. It's prepared using a khokhuur, a special vessel crafted from cowhide. Airag and its methods were inscribed by UNESCO in 2019.

© Getty Images

Neapolitan pizzaiuolo in Italy -

It takes great skill to become a pizzaiuolo—a pizza chef. Some of the most accomplished are based in Naples, where about 3,000 pizzaiuoli now live and perform. Listed since 2017, the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuoli relates to the preparation of the dough (a marvelous display of aerial antics) and its baking in a wood-fired oven, involving a rotatory movement by the baker.

© Getty Images

Nsima, culinary tradition of Malawi -

Nsima is the culinary tradition of Malawi and describes not just the thick porridge prepared with maize flour that often accompanies fish dishes, but the dietary tradition of Malawians as a whole, which was recognized by UNESCO in 2017.

© Getty Images

Dolma tradition in Azerbaijan -

Dolma takes its form as minced meat, rice, onion, and spices wrapped in a precooked vine leaf. A popular menu item in restaurants throughout Azerbaijan, dolma is made to time-honored methods passed down from generation to generation. The delicacy has been listed since 2017.

© Shutterstock

Beer culture in Belgium -

Belgian beer was inscribed by UNESCO in 2016 because it is part of the living heritage of many communities throughout the country. It plays an essential role in daily life, as well as most festive occasions.

© Shutterstock

Palov culture and tradition -

Afforded heritage status in 2016, palov is a traditional dish made and shared throughout rural and urban communities of Uzbekistan. Prepared using rice, meat, spices, and vegetables, and sometimes garnished with raisins and berries, palov is served as a gesture of hospitality.

© Shutterstock

Flatbread making and sharing, Eurasian continent -

Listed in 2016 and expanding upon the inclusion in 2014 of the thin bread known as lavash in Armenia, the culture of making and sharing flatbread in communities of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkey serves numerous social functions and remains a widely practiced tradition.

© Getty Images

Washoku in Japan -

UNESCO added washoku, or Japanese cuisine, to the list in 2013, as it represents a social practice based on traditional skillsets and dietary habits that need preserving. Washoku is also associated with an essential spirit of respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources.

© Shutterstock

Mediterranean diet -

The Mediterranean diet, inscribed in 2013, is representative of the dietary habits of several nations, including Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Morocco. These nations view food and diet as as a social ritual and place great emphasis on traditional markets as spaces for cultivating and promoting healthy foodstuffs.

© Shutterstock

Qvevri winemaking in Georgia -

Viniculture in Georgia dates back over 8,000 years. The traditional method of winemaking known as qvevri refers to the amphora-shaped earthenware vessel used for making, aging, and storing the wine. This ancient technique was acknowledged by UNESCO in 2013.

© Shutterstock

Kimjang, making and sharing of kimchi across the Korean Peninsula -

In late fall, Korean families gather for kimjang, the traditional process of making kimchi, preserved vegetables seasoned with spices and fermented seafood. The fact that the collective practice of kimjang reaffirms Korean identity across the entire peninsula prompted UNESCO in 2013 to include the dish on its coveted list.

© Shutterstock

Turkish coffee culture and tradition -

Inscribed on the list in 2013, Turkish coffee culture and tradition can be traced back to the 15th century and the Ottoman Empire. Drinking coffee is a symbol of hospitality, friendship, refinement, and entertainment, and permeates all walks of life and social occasions.

© Shutterstock

Ceremonial Keşkek tradition -

Keşkek is a traditional Turkish ceremonial dish prepared for wedding ceremonies, religious holidays, and other social get-togethers. The word keşkek refers to the huge cauldrons the wheat and meat is cooked in before being served to guests in small dishes. The tradition was acknowledged by UNESCO in 2011.

© Shutterstock

Traditional Mexican cuisine -

An early addition to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, having been listed in 2010, Mexican food is a delicious mix of Aztec, Mayan, and Spanish culinary traditions, but is recognized as an all-embracing cultural model comprising farming methods, ritual practices, ancestral cooking skills, community customs, and habits.

© Shutterstock

The gastronomic meal of the French -

The collective term gastronomic meal of the French refers to any culinary element of important family traditions in France. It's often a celebratory feast prepared using traditional family recipes and includes the pairing of food with wine. Ratatouille is a typical example of a gastronomic meal. This French social practice was also inscribed in 2010.

© Shutterstock

Gingerbread craft from Northern Croatia -

Gingerbread craft arrived in Croatia from European monasteries in the Middle Ages. Its introduction quickly prompted local communities in the country's north to become familiar with recipes and the manufacturing process. The gingerbread heart, or licitar, is the most common motif. The tradition was inscribed in 2010.

Sources: (UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage) 

See also: The best cuisines in the world, ranked

© Shutterstock