The International Meeting “The Children of Corn, Cities, Creativity and Gastronomy” within the framework of the Mérida Fest 2022 “The City that Knows”, and in which representatives of Creative Gastronomic Cities of UNESCO from Peru, Colombia and Mexico participate.
(MERIDA, YUC. – MERIDA CITY COUNCIL), January 17, 2022.- For Abigail Mendoza, Traditional Cook of Oaxaca, the evolution of cuisine is a process that must take place, however, the original and authentic flavor of the traditional Mexican cuisine food must be respected. “Our ancestors represent great wealth and in the midst of evolution we must defend and protect what is ours, our roots.”
Cook Abigail, who is recognized for promoting traditional Zapotec cuisine, began working in this field more than 40 years ago, a heritage she learned from her mother. “With what you have at home, everything that mother earth gives you, be it chiles, grains, fruits of different colors, you can make a delicacy, thanks to the love you put into it.”
Carina Santiago Bautista, also a traditional cook from Oaxaca, explained that Oaxacan gastronomy is unique, as it has the largest number of endemic chili peppers in the country, “the inheritance of our ancestors of being able to cultivate the land, the seeds and the value that is given to the ingredients to achieve a great dish”.
She affirmed that cooking is a gift and heritage that must be protected and shared with future generations, whom she invited not to change the recipes and to pass on that love that one gives to gastronomy.
The academic day included the International Conversation “Corn and the management of gastronomic projects” in which the Focal Points of the three Creative Gastronomic Cities of UNESCO took part.
For Mérida, Mr. José Luis Martínez Semerera. Director of Economic and Tourism Development, stressed that cuisine is a reflection of our history, both individual and collective, and in the case of the Yucatecan, it is an inheritance from one generation to another. He recalled that Mérida was named a Creative City by UNESC0 in 2019, forming part of 49 locations, including Arequipa and Popayán.
He explained that gastronomy is not only a food but a way of making ancestral culinary traditions visible, opening doors and uniting peoples. He also spoke about the actions that are being undertaken to bring young people closer to this sector and revitalize actions with conservation practices of traditional gastronomy.
All the participants celebrated this type of exchanges, with the commitment to extend and make visible the gastronomic riches of their respective regions to other parts of the world.
During the day, Dr. Miguel Güémez Pineda, a researcher at the Autonomous University of Yucatán, participated with the conference “The Children of Corn. Domestication, Mythology and Current Affairs”, in which he highlighted that the boom in Yucatecan gastronomy is currently taking place in the country and in other parts of the world.
At the opening day, Lic. Celia Esperanza Rosado Avilés, General Secretary of UADY, was present, representing the Rector, Dr. José de Jesús Williams.
The meeting ends today Tuesday 18th, with the First Gastronomic Interpretation Contest that will be held by the ISIMA Culinary Institute.
The conferences, conservatories and talks of the meeting can be consulted on the midvi.mx platform.
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