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I never understood this fascination with food-authenticity. When it comes to food, there are only 2 things that matter: - Is it healthy? - Does it taste good

by whack 10y ago

I never understood this fascination with food-authenticity. When it comes to food, there are only 2 things that matter: - Is it healthy? - Does it taste good to me? If something is healthy and delights your taste buds, then why bother trying to find out whether it's authentic? Conversely, why force yourself to eat something you enjoy less, just because it happens to be "authentic" or because "other people like it"? Who cares if the stuff you're eating is highly evolved/bastardized from the original, as long as you like it?

dTal 10y ago
Because eating is a social activity. We eat with each other and cook for each other. Sharing experiences is important. Because food reflects culture, and is an interesting and often pleasurable way to connect with it. Exploring other cultures is important. Because some tastes are acquired, and take effort. Diversity in experience is important. Taken to its extreme, your attitude would have us all drinking flavored Soylent.
jclos 10y ago
Maybe it's the inner Frenchman in me talking (food is very important here), but food doesn't have to just be fuel for your body, it's also a door to the local culture and a social ritual. Tasting different things and eating in an authentic setting can help open your mind, much like learning a foreign language or living abroad in a different culture. And besides, by educating your palate with tastes that do not exist in your country you can discover things that you would never have thought you would like.
- whack 10y ago
  I agree completely with trying out different cuisines and recipes. You'd have to be a very boring/close-minded person if you refuse to try new dishes. But that doesn't mean that you should force yourself to eat dishes that you've tried and disliked, just because it's "authentic". Or that you should stop eating something you enjoy just because it isn't "authentic". Ironically enough, this very obsession with authenticity stunts the evolution, innovation and diversity of cuisines. As a foodie, I consider this to be the real tragedy.
  - jclos 10y ago
    Some dishes deserve to be insisted upon and revisited multiple times in my opinion, but it's a case by case basis. Some tastes can grow on you (in my case some organ meat tasted quite bad at first), and often your tastes change and mature with time, but I agree that obsessing over a particular dish is not a healthy relationship to have with food. There is also a degree related to it: while you can develop a taste for say, for example, some dish you found originally bland (it was the case for an Indian friend of mine who came to Europe from a place where spicy is the norm), I doubt it would happen for something you found utterly revolting. I am personally all for fusion food and experimenting as long as the original meals are preserved. I am for enriching, but against replacing.
andybak 10y ago
> Is it healthy? Surely this is worth making exceptions for when the situation demands it? I'm all in favour of eating healthily in general but you're missing out on some amazing experiences if you're sticking to this rule all the time.
che_shirecat 10y ago
food is an expression of culture. your post makes sense in a purely utilitarian context but fails to factor in the history and cultural associations behind authentic regional cuisine. there's nothing wrong with new combinations and styles as food continues to evolve, but you're marginalizing an entire facet of culture by trying to distill food down to just taste and nutrition.

by whack 10y ago

dTal 10y ago

Because eating is a social activity. We eat with each other and cook for each other. Sharing experiences is important. Because food reflects culture, and is an interesting and often pleasurable way to connect with it. Exploring other cultures is important. Because some tastes are acquired, and take effort. Diversity in experience is important. Taken to its extreme, your attitude would have us all drinking flavored Soylent.

jclos 10y ago

Maybe it's the inner Frenchman in me talking (food is very important here), but food doesn't have to just be fuel for your body, it's also a door to the local culture and a social ritual. Tasting different things and eating in an authentic setting can help open your mind, much like learning a foreign language or living abroad in a different culture. And besides, by educating your palate with tastes that do not exist in your country you can discover things that you would never have thought you would like.

whack 10y ago
I agree completely with trying out different cuisines and recipes. You'd have to be a very boring/close-minded person if you refuse to try new dishes. But that doesn't mean that you should force yourself to eat dishes that you've tried and disliked, just because it's "authentic". Or that you should stop eating something you enjoy just because it isn't "authentic". Ironically enough, this very obsession with authenticity stunts the evolution, innovation and diversity of cuisines. As a foodie, I consider this to be the real tragedy.
- jclos 10y ago
  Some dishes deserve to be insisted upon and revisited multiple times in my opinion, but it's a case by case basis. Some tastes can grow on you (in my case some organ meat tasted quite bad at first), and often your tastes change and mature with time, but I agree that obsessing over a particular dish is not a healthy relationship to have with food. There is also a degree related to it: while you can develop a taste for say, for example, some dish you found originally bland (it was the case for an Indian friend of mine who came to Europe from a place where spicy is the norm), I doubt it would happen for something you found utterly revolting. I am personally all for fusion food and experimenting as long as the original meals are preserved. I am for enriching, but against replacing.

andybak 10y ago

> Is it healthy? Surely this is worth making exceptions for when the situation demands it? I'm all in favour of eating healthily in general but you're missing out on some amazing experiences if you're sticking to this rule all the time.

che_shirecat 10y ago

food is an expression of culture. your post makes sense in a purely utilitarian context but fails to factor in the history and cultural associations behind authentic regional cuisine. there's nothing wrong with new combinations and styles as food continues to evolve, but you're marginalizing an entire facet of culture by trying to distill food down to just taste and nutrition.