Italian food is known and loved around the world for its fresh ingredients and palate-pleasing tastes, but the U.N.’s cultural agency is giving foodies another reason to celebrate their pizza, pasta and tiramisu by listing Italian cooking as part of the world’s “intangible” cultural heritage. UNESCO added the rituals surrounding Italian food preparation and consumption to its list of the world’s traditional practices and expressions on Wednesday. It’s a designation celebrated alongside the more well-known UNESCO list of world heritage sites. The citation didn’t mention specific dishes, recipes or regional specialties, but highlighted the cultural importance Italians place on the rituals of cooking and eating.
