ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the evolution of culinary routes, the links to identity and authenticity, as well as practices and trends along culinary routes using a variety of international examples. Heritage culinary trails not only preserve ancient foodways and cultural identity for future generations, they also represent opportunities for marketing culinary heritage through destination branding, thereby generating regional development. Europe's designation of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) is a significant step to protect heritage cuisines, cultural identities and natural environments in a specific area, yet it raises the possibility of constraining innovation and the evolution of foodways. Heritage and cultural trails highlights, first the organically evolved cultural routes which follows the track of an original historic trail or a more recent intentional corridor. The second is the purposive cultural route, or heritage trails that were not necessarily original paths or trails but have been intentionally developed and assembled for modern tourist and recreation use.
