World Culinary Heritage Sites

In response to a comment in my post on the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, suggesting that Tsukiji be a World Heritage Culinary Site. Geo wrote:

You know, it's not such an arcane idea, setting up a list of World Heritage Culinary Sites. GAF it's your brilliant concept, care to lead us in a round of suggestions, maybe on "Other Culinary Chat" ?

Science geeks know where to go in their travels, why not us??

Geo

Brilliant I don't know.

So here is the thread. Since Geo is from Kansas City and Montreal, I suppose that we should begin with Arthur Bryant and Schwartz's Smoked Meats respectively - and respectfully.

And Tsukiji.

I suppose we will also need WHC Endangered Sites.

Anyone wish to add?

GAF wrote:So here is the thread. Since Geo is from Kansas City and Montreal, I suppose that we should begin with Arthur Bryant and Schwartz's Smoked Meats respectively - and respectfully.
?

Since we have to be culturally correct, Schwartz's Smoked Meats is no more. It is now Schwartz's Chartcuterie Hebraique de Montreal (thanks to Quebec's language laws).

Agree with the sentiment/

GAF wrote:I suppose we will also need WHC Endangered Sites.

Two Endangered Sites:

Eastern Market, Washington, DC.

Il Vucciria, Palermo, Sicily.

Best,
Michael

Anybody want to take the questionable step of recommending what would qualify something for the list? To pick on GAF, eg, Arthur Bryant's certainly has history and character, but I don't think it's especially good. Whereas a place like Honey 1 might be especially good, but have little history. Of course, I'll ignore all that and start with some favorites that are basically providing quality traditional foods for the region they're in:

MARKETS/SHOPPING AREAS

Tsukiji - Tokyo
Aw Taw Kaw Market - Bangkok, Thailand
Mercado la Merced - Mexico City, Mexico
Mercado de Abastos - Oaxaca City, Mexico
Calle de los Dulces - Puebla, Mexico

Pike Place Market - Seattle, WA, USA

RESTAURANTS/SHOPS

El Bajio - Mexico City, Mexico
Pasteleria Ideal - Mexico City, Mexico
El Moro - Mexico City, Mexico
Dulceria de Celaya - Mexico City, Mexico
Hacienda Teya - Merida, Mexico
Tlayudas Dona Martha - Oaxaca City, Mexico
Super Tortas Puebla - Puebla, Mexico
Taling Ping - Bangkok, Thailand
Heun Phen - Chiang Mai, Thailand
CT Garden - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Black's BBQ - Lockhart, TX, USA
Smitty's BBQ - Lockhart, TX, USA
Cooper's - Llano, TX, USA
Las Manitas - Austin, TX, USA
Babe's Chicken Dinner House - Dallas, TX, USA
Al's Italian Beef - Chicago, Il, USA
Mario's Italian Ice - Chicago, Il, USA
Bortell's - Ludington, MI, USA
DiFara's - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Grimaldi's - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Patsy's - Brooklyn, NY, USA
Katz's - Manhattan, NY, USA
Yonah Schimmel's - Manhattan, NY, USA
Russ & Daughters - Manhattan, NY, USA
Barney Greengrass - Manhattan, NY, USA
Kossar's - Manhattan, NY, USA

I'd want to add Uno's as an endangered site.

Other places I'd nominate:
Bookbinders in Philly
Tujaug's (sp?) in New Orleans

There's a temptation to add all the great fast-food origins, like the first Kroc McD's, or Superdawg, but have they contributed to our culinary heritage?

What's old enough to be valued?
Chez Panisse? Topolobampo? Spiaggia? Maybe not.
El Bulli? Probably.

What's old enough to be valued?
Chez Panisse? Topolobampo? Spiaggia? Maybe not.
El Bulli? Probably.

These ones are tough. Do they really represent the heritage of their locales? Perhaps Chez Panisse as one of the founders of "California cuisine". And El Bulli is still the future more than heritage, isn't it?

I was trying to think of a place in Oregon that I could add and couldn't. We don't really have any true local food. You could make an argument as with Chez Panisse for a place like Higgins or Wildwood or for Jake's for its history (and the foundation for McCormick & Schmicks), but it largely stinks. Here in the NW it's all borrowed foods.

I nominate the site of the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines

Faidley's Seafood http://faidleyscrabcakes.com/ at Baltimore's historic Lexington Market http://lexingtonmarket.com/

I'm afraid I don't see how to keep this from being a popularity contest, but hey.

I'm a lifelong sucker for markets, so I'm going to think that places like my hometown West Side Market or the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto deserve recognition.

I haven't been most of the places listed above, so I don't feel at all qualified to judge whether these places "deserve" to be in the same group.
But I bet I hear about some places I'd like to visit in this thread, in any case!

extramsg wrote:I was trying to think of a place in Oregon that I could add and couldn't. We don't really have any true local food.

Mo's?

To all our journalists on this board, this might make a terrific piece for Gourmet, Bon Appetit, Traveler, or even The Atlantic.

Or a monthly column. The idea (brilliant or not) is yours for the taking.

Mo's: feh.

I think it would make a good independent website. Let people vote and nominate. Create maps and guides. Have a committee that reviews the nominations and makes their own recommendations. Etc.

mercado de la boqueria - barcelona
harrod's food hall - london
fauchon - paris
santa monica farmers mkt. - los angeles

i love that extramsg included al's and marios.

extramsg wrote:I was trying to think of a place in Oregon that I could add and couldn't. We don't really have any true local food. You could make an argument as with Chez Panisse for a place like Higgins or Wildwood or for Jake's for its history (and the foundation for McCormick & Schmicks), but it largely stinks. Here in the NW it's all borrowed foods.

Of course, Jake's is the first place to come to mind. I am not sure the place has to be good to qualify, just significant.

How about the Tillamook County Creamery, founded in 1909? It has to be one of the most successful farmer owned coops in the country.

On a general note, I think the sites would have to be categorized by type and function, because there are so many different places that have had a significant influence on how and what people eat. For instance, the Kellog's Factory has certainly had a tremendous impact on the culinary pop culture of the world. But where do you draw the line?

I am not sure the place has to be good to qualify, just significant.

Seems reasonable. I think cateogrizing them as to why, though, would be helpful for people who might use such a list.

btw, if anyone wants to truly develop this idea, I'll buy and setup the domain and develop the software to manage it. I can host it until it gets big (assuming it ever does). I just don't have time to edit/manage it after this September. I think it's a great idea, though.

Les Halles.

Perhaps we could take a collection for a monument. Anyway, here are 2 sure things that are still extant:

Philadelphia's Italian Market and Reading Terminal.

Philadelphia's Italian Market and Reading Terminal.

Just thinking about that! Where else can you find Scrapplefest in the US
on such a large scale?



I'd also suggest Boston's Haymarket.

germuska wrote:I'm a lifelong sucker for markets, so I'm going to think that places like my hometown West Side Market....

Funny how things work. Don't know why...I haven't been for more years than I care to think about, but the very first place that popped into my mind reading this thread was Cleveland's West Side Market. Unquestionably appropriate.

Would particularly old, iconic restaurants count -- such as Rules in London or Le Grand Vefour in Paris?

As for markets, I wouldn't want to leave out London's Southwark Borough Market.

The Southwark Borough Market, often now just called the Borough Market, was already well established when the Romans arrived in 43 A.D. By 1014, merchants from all over Europe were traveling to this market to trade. The market was acknowledged as an institution by 1276, and in 1754, it was officially recognized by Act of Parliament and its current 4.5 acres in Central London were permanently safeguarded.

It's a fabulous market, with gorgeous produce, seafood, game, and more. But even if it were slightly less fabulous than it is, a 2,000-year history might seem to make it qualify.

extramsg wrote:

What's old enough to be valued?
Chez Panisse? Topolobampo? Spiaggia? Maybe not.
El Bulli? Probably.

These ones are tough. Do they really represent the heritage of their locales? Perhaps Chez Panisse as one of the founders of "California cuisine".

I'd make the argument for Chez Panisse more on its wider impact on US dining than a particular representation of its locale.

In concert with Chez Panisse, I would add Niman Ranch.

Best,
Michael

d4v3 wrote:I nominate the site of the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines

Aside from your attempt at pot-stirring, you're causing my pedantic side to sizzle. It needs to be noted that the Des Plaines McDonald's is the first franchise that Ray Kroc opened, but it is not the first McDonald's. McDonald's corporate web site acknowledges Dick and Mac McDonald's origination of the restaurant idea and name. There's a Wikipediaarticle about them if you're inclined to trust such things [as I am to a limited extent].

Giovanna

Giovanna wrote:

d4v3 wrote:I nominate the site of the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines

Aside from your attempt at pot-stirring, you're causing my pedantic side to sizzle. It needs to be noted that the Des Plaines McDonald's is the first franchise that Ray Kroc opened, but it is not the first McDonald's. McDonald's corporate web site acknowledges Dick and Mac McDonald's origination of the restaurant idea and name. There's a Wikipediaarticle about them if you're inclined to trust such things [as I am to a limited extent].

Giovanna

Sorry, Giovanna, but I think Dave worded it right. The place he's referring to is truly the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines - there was no other McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines prior to that one. Me, I grew up eating at the first McDonald's franchise in Glenview (on Waukegan Rd.).

Yeah, dave definitely got it right. He said the first franchised location, it's the first franchised location.

Frankly, I think the first franchised location is far more significant, culturally, than the original store.

Actually, the first franchised location was in Arizona. The first franchise UNDER KROC was in Des Plaines.

oh, snap.