French chefs are on a mission: to convince the United Nations to declare French cuisine a world treasure to be preserved.  (Man, would I want to be on the deciding committee there…)  This effort was announced by President Sarkozy himself in February, saying he wants France - a country with a long history of gastronomical pride - to be the first country in the world whose cuisine is recognized by UNESCO (other countries have been turned down for this honor).  Traditionally, the World Heritage List is reserved for important world locations, such as Stonehenge and Machu Picchu.  In recent years, however, the organization has taken to preserving more “intangibles,” such as events, rituals and festivals.  Read more… continue reading...