(Lima) UNESCO on Wednesday declared Peruvian ceviche, a dish made from marinated raw fish, an intangible heritage of humanity.
The dish, which can vary from region to region depending on the types of fish used, was first eaten more than 2,000 years ago in what is now Peru, according to local anthropologists .
At the center of Peruvian gastronomy, it is prepared on the coast with species from the Pacific Ocean, in the mountains with trout from rivers and lakes, and in the tropical forest with paiche or tilapia raised in lagoons. .
There are at least a thousand recipes or ways of preparing it in the country, according to renowned chef Javier Vargas, president of the Peruvian Seafood Restaurant Association.
“This inscription is the first for an element of traditional Peruvian cuisine and recognizes everyone involved in the value chain of this dish, including artisanal fishermen from the coast, the Andes and the Amazon, farmers and cooks,” welcomed the Peruvian Ministry of Culture.
The inclusion of ceviche in the intangible heritage of humanity has been validated by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage which has been meeting since Monday in Botswana.
Manouché, an “emblematic culinary practice” of Lebanon, Italian lyrical singing and even bolero, a musical genre from Cuba and Mexico, have also just been included on the UNESCO list.