Page 120 - STRATEGY Magazine

In 2010, traditional cuisine from Mexico, and especial- ly the state of Michoacán, was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. This distinctive food tradition was one of the first cuisines in the world to achieve this distinction.
versity of Mexico theorize that food tour- ism can make farming more sustainable while improving the quality of life of rural families, not to mention preserving historic foodways and ancestral collective practices.
FROM ATOLE TO MOLE
Traditional Mexican cuisine is based on corn, beans, and chilies, augmented with tomatoes, squashes, avocados, cocoa, and vanilla. It involves unique farming prac- tices such as milpas (rotating fields of corn and other crops) and chinampas (man- made islets in lake areas). Despite many common ingredients, however, one area’s food can vary widely from the next. To help gastro-tourists find their way, Mexico’s National Agreement on Tourism estab- lished 18 Gastronomic Routes that span all 31 states plus México City, visit 25 eth- nic groups, and sample more than 500,000 dishes and drinks.
Travelers to Oaxaca can discover The Thousand Flavors of Mole while partak- ing of locally distilled mezcal or the warm corn-based drink called atole. México City offers Taste of Today, a dazzling display of the nation’s best chefs, while a visit to Veracruz will include samples of coffee and the soothing scent of vanilla. The Yucatán reveals The Mysteries and Origins of the Maya, and scenic Chiapas sends travelers on The Cacao Route.
In 2015, President Enrique Peña Nieto announced the formation of the National Policy to Foster Gastronomy, noting that “the gastronomy industry is one of the main sources of income for Mexican house- holds countrywide and one of our main tourist attractions.” But more important than the economy, more important than tourism, is that, as many a philosopher has said, “Friendships develop over food and wine.” Go make some friends in Mexico.
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