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Do I really think it's "authentic" if a cook is right off the boat from the motherland but uses dried McCormick spices, Tyson chicken and canned Sclafani tomatoes grown in New Jersey? No. But apparently many people do. However, "traditional" would be apropos.
Sometime in 2015 Mexico will become the largest importer of chicken in the world with the majority of that chicken being from the U.S. So is a DF restaurant that uses American chickens not cooking authentic Mexican food?
How many FOB restauranteurs are using dried McCormick spices? Why do you think ethnic markets spring up and exist? The various Asian markets in the San Gabriel Valley, for example, are providing ingredients from the various lands or origin and the larger restaurants do their own importing through agents.
All that aside, you can cook authentic dishes where ever you are with the ingredients available because the word "authentic" is pretty meaningless. All too often authentic means, 'well that's not how my grandmother's tasted.' In the Danish portions of my family, no Christmas smörgåsbord would be 'authentic' without ludefisk, but for 20th century Denmark, ludefisk is about as authentic as a Big Mac.
There was an episode of Bourdain in Thailand that underscored how silly the concept is. IIRC, Andy Ricker was explaining to Bourdain about "authenticity" of a dish (I think it was laab) and noted that if someone from the area went elsewhere to open a place that served that laab, what's it "authentic" to - the restaurant Andy and Tony were currently eating at, or the restaurant a few blocks away that used a different laab recipe?
"Authentic" is simply a marketing term these days. I used to care about it when I owned a cafe and hosted monthly dinners based on Latin American and African regional cuisines, now I don't. I deal with on a case by case basis. I appreciate that some chefs make an effort to try and recreate dishes from elsewhere. But few if any can do that w/o some compromise.
My favorites are Japanese, Italian, and Cantonese. I don't eat raw food though so sashimi is a big no to me.
I'd say we have pretty nice food but the recent food security scandal has been very embarrassing and I've always felt awkward promoting Taiwanese stuff. Anyway our snacks are usually unhealthy and greasy, and the hygiene could be horrific at times so the food security scandal is probably not that big a deal after all lol.
Sometime in 2015 Mexico will become the largest importer of chicken in the world with the majority of that chicken being from the U.S. So is a DF restaurant that uses American chickens not cooking authentic Mexican food?
Mexico imports about 80% of it's rice, with most historically coming from the US. Recently Asian and South American imports have been overtaking US imports, so even within Mexico it is likely that the source of rice used has changed over the last 5-7 years.
Mexico imports about 80% of it's rice, with most historically coming from the US. Recently Asian and South American imports have been overtaking US imports, so even within Mexico it is likely that the source of rice used has changed over the last 5-7 years.
Just wait until Monsanto finagles a way to get their GMO corn into Mexico. Once that takes over the many indigenous varieties, you will no longer have masa or tortillas recognizable at "Mexican". Huitlacoche (edible corn fungus) would likely go extinct. Mexico has managed to keep GMO corn out so far, but they'll eventually lose that battle.
Anyway, "authentic" applies to paintings and Civil War artifacts. Not food. Unless you apply as such: "I had an authentic (insert chef name) (insert menu item) and it was delicious." In which case you'd be correct because that item was truly and unequivocally an original.
Huitlacoche (edible corn fungus) would likely go extinct.
Nah, it's actively cultivated and brings a good price. If anything it's growing in popularity. I can get it fresh at some farmers' markets (starting in late July through early September).
Nah, it's actively cultivated and brings a good price. If anything it's growing in popularity. I can get it fresh at some farmers' markets (starting in late July through early September).
Good to know. Wasn't aware you could cultivate it without the corn. Then again, I've never met anyone that grew it who wasn't a corn farmer...
I agree that the word "authentic" can be problematic. Often, it's just shorthand for "how my____(insert relative here) made it" or how I ate it when I went to/lived there" or even "how the food was at the US restaurant I went to that is doing this cuisine".
It also tends not to take into consideration the fact that there is modern cuisine in many, many countries--there are many chefs in many parts of the world using local ingredients in ways that go beyond the "standards", and that's part of the culinary fabric too.
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