Does Creme Brulee Qualify as a Global Treasure? UNESCO Says No.

UNESCO just inscribed 27 new sites to its World Heritage List— the usual mix of archaeological, architectural, ecclesiastical and ecological places. French cuisine didn’t make the cut, despite a campaign led by President Nicolas Sarkozy to enshrine it. Did the coq au vin fail to inspire?

Not exactly. A top UNESCO leader said recently that gastronomy simply didn’t qualify as a world heritage site, all but dooming (at least for now) France’s effort, as well as another by the foursome of Italy, Greece, Spain and Morocco to commemorate the Mediterranean diet.

Among the places making the cut: Berlin Modernism Housing Estates in Germany, Armenian Monastic Ensembles  in Iran, the historic cities of the Straits of Malacca in Malaysia, and Socotra Archipelago in Yemen.

Photo by austinevan via Flickr (Creative Commons).

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