Last month, Mexico asked the United Nations to designate Mexican food a “cultural patrimony” that must be protected. Mexican cuisine dates back thousands of years to the Mayas and their diet based on diverse varieties of corn, beans and vegetables. Traditional Mexican cuisine should never be confused with what passes for “Mexican food’ in many U.S. restaurants and fast food joints. This photo shows 2 young women in Oaxaca enjoying a traditional chocolate drink called chocolate atole. Photo: Ginny Grossman

Here at Round Earth we believe that food is sometimes the best way to learn about a people’s history, culture and even politics. Just 2 of our stories about traditional Mexican food: Chocolate | Vanilla

UN officials are expected to decide in April or May whether to add Mexico’s food to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural patrimony.