On Sat, 10 Apr 2004 10:13:43 GMT, "Charles Gifford"
> wrote:

>
>"Jim Lane" > wrote

>> There are only two questions to ask about food. Is it good? And is it
>> authentic?
>>
>> We are open to new ideas, but not if it means destroying our history.
>>
>> And food is history.
>>
>> Giuliano Bugialli
>
>No reason not to start a conversation about this again Jim. Bugialli is
>honored, but I suggest a longer list. This list starts to describe
>authenticity and its destruction or abuse. Food IS history.
>
>1. New ideas should be welcomed, but not at the expense of forgetting or
>corroding the traditional nor its terminology.
>2. An history is reflected in an historical diet.
>3. Culture is described by the development of a cuisine.
>4. The destruction of a culture is marked by the destruction of its cultural
>cuisine.
>5. The borrowing of food cultures, without the destruction of two or more
>cultures, can only be accomplished by recognizing the history and culture of
>both the originator and the borrower.
>6. Adaptation and absorption of one food culture into another creating a new
>sub-cuisine must be reflected in terminology and acceptance of the reality
>of the new sub-cuisine.

I quarrel passionately with the term 'authentic.' Just taking an
American example, look at the recipes/methods for chile or barbecue.
Not only are there broad regional differences, but every enthusiastic
cook and restaurant has what he/it claims to be the 'authentic' or
only correct version. I assume the same is true with regional and
individual preferences all over the world. 'Traditional' may be a more
appropriate and elastic term.

Treating food as a sub-set of definable culture assumes that both
exist within some kind of impentrable geographic, temporal, and
political fortress, which is patently absurd. Culture and cuisine are
*always* changing. Trade, travel, and invasion change culture and
food. 'Historic' Mexican meals wouldn't include beef, pork, or goat.
No 'historic' European diet would contain tomatoes or potatoes. Indian
food would lack chile. The USA would lack apple pie. 'Though these
examples came about through contact between the Americas and the 'Old
World,' similar interaction occurs constantly between all aspects of
culture. Languages change and die out. Costume changes. Religious
affiliation changes. Architecture, art, music, literature all change
constantly.

Food may indeed be history, but that history is hardly one of pure
descent from some Ur-cusine of any sort.