The validity of authenticity

Roxanne Quintero comments are insightful.

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To bring this thread to a lighter side . . . . I came across this article about foods that have gone out of favor (American viewpoint) in recent years . . . . Iā€™m not sure their absence makes the American table less authentic (cutting myself off there to keep it light :wink: )

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Thatā€™s one weird article. Iā€™m not sure Iā€™d characterize artificially flavored kids drinks and gum as food.
My mother used Crisco in baking always.
Made the best biscuits.
And Iā€™m sticking up for the validity of Sloppy Joeā€™s, National version. Not the wacky NJ one.
:slight_smile:

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I think you did a wonderful job in your post. Well done. Your post makes me also contemplate the politically correct terminology of ā€œcultural appropriation.ā€ Is my adjustment of matzo brei ā€˜more okayā€™ due to my Russian Jewish heritage? What about my lasagna? Does my Russian/English/German heritage diminish it? How about my wifeā€™s entirely Italian family? Does that matter? Does my version of Irish stew count less because my ancestors are from the wrong island in the UK? Is my Caribbean cooking less valid for not having a cultural connection beyond dozens of working visits there?

Iā€™m in no way defensive here, just addingā€“I hopeā€“to @Thimesā€™ excellent post.

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In the USA, none of that should matter.
At least thatā€™s the way I envision harmony.

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ā€œShouldā€ and ā€œisā€ are different, even here on HO.

No one cares what you cook at home. Cook away.

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You covered so many things so well - thank you.

These especially resonated:

:point_up_2:t3::point_up_2:t3::point_up_2:t3:
This.
In my original response, I was trying to figure out how to address ā€œcultural appropriationā€ and when it is considered a problem vs. when it is painted as being ā€œtoo sensitiveā€ (aka PC) - I think your points about power articulated it - thereā€™s a directionality, and the target matters, itā€™s not an equivalent discussion applied to different groups. Irish stew with an Ottolenghi twist = problem. Israeli food with Nigella ā€œlibertiesā€ = ???

I had a recent situation in the back of my mind when I read the article: Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen blogged about a chicken curry recipe from Chetna Makan (of GBBO) - Perelman ā€correctedā€ the name of the recipe (ā€Makan calls the recipe chicken curry, but I took the liberty of calling it by what seems to be its full dish name: chicken tikka masalaā€.) There was an uproar in the comments, she was suitably apologetic and changed it (back), but the fact remains that she thought it was ok to do it in the first place - Makan describes it as her motherā€™s chicken curry, but Perelman thought maybe she got the name wrong by mistakeā€¦? It highlighted for me - again - the threads of power and privilege that are so often glossed over or otherwise coded.

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