tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1426507870582868124.post1539422014213163474..comments2024-03-23T19:45:03.239+00:00Comments on Bacon on the beech: Keeping it AuthenticBacon on the Beechhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01497622246183079826noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1426507870582868124.post-10799413806939300582014-02-15T20:59:13.742+00:002014-02-15T20:59:13.742+00:00To be fair to Maccy D, their food is authentic Ame...To be fair to Maccy D, their food is authentic American scran. It might not be to everyone's taste, however it's still a genuine slice of corporate Americana. Anyhow, I digress, this is a good article, I enjoyed reading it. And you're right.Cubbie Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08641144507877949588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1426507870582868124.post-27992058416070233192014-02-15T13:11:53.565+00:002014-02-15T13:11:53.565+00:00tl:dr - I hate the word
Completely agree with thi...tl:dr - I hate the word<br /><br />Completely agree with this, the "A" word is a sure sign that bullshit is following shortly. It's used by the following kinds of people<br /><br />1) People who've been to the region/country and use this as one-upmanship whenever the item/style is being discussed or eaten. Sample quote "well this pizza is ok but for the authentic experience you need to go to Naples" <br />2) Luddites who are scared of change, (especially when it comes to Sous Vide, thermomix etc) just because something has been done that way for ages doesn’t mean it’s the best. An intelligent cook will pick whatever technique gives them the best result.<br />3) “That’s not how Mummy made it” I think Mr Freud had some words on this subject<br />4) Casual racism, “It’s only authentic when someone from that country cooks it” – so no one else can study & learn?<br /><br />My main problem with authentic food is that it’s just not possible to define. What is authentic? The implied notion is that it’s “honest, local and traditional” all of which can be wonderful things. If that was the meaning in which people used the word it’d be fantastic but it’s not. It’s used as a snobby “I know more about this than you” attitude. Fish & chips and a roast dinner, two of the UK’s most famous dishes, involve potatoes which aren’t indigenous – are they then unauthentic as British cuisine? Should you exclude any Italian dish with tomato in it for the same reason? Of course not, they’re classics. It does seem that the authentic brigade can’t agree on a precise date before which ingredients and techniques are authentic and after which they’re not.<br /><br />I love my sous vide machine, but I also love to cook with a cast iron pan. I prefer my Japanese knife to a hunk of sharpened flint. I know that food that is local and in season right now is going to taste at its best, but I’m not going to forgo spices because they come from the other side of the world. <br /><br />I can’t remember a review/comment about food that didn’t use the word as either an insult (as in the food not being authentic) or for the writer to show off as having some knowledge about the subject and is thus better than the reader. Especially in the days of smartphones all the facts about a dish you could ever want (and thousands you don’t) are available to everyone. Google and Wikipedia have their (vital) places but don’t use them as a tool to make yourself feel better than anyone else.<br /><br />To quote Alastair Little from Keep It Simple “The diner is interested in taste first, texture second and appearance lastly”. Does it taste good? Does it eat well? Those are the questions we should be asking, not is it authentic?<br /><br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06437856826201035755noreply@blogger.com