• Food and Gastronomy -> Culinary history and culture

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What makes a traditional recipe authentic and how can you spot inauthentic versions?

Zina Lapping

Well, I guess the authenticity of a traditional recipe has to do with its origin and the ingredients used, right? I mean, if you want to make a genuine Italian spaghetti alla carbonara, you gotta use guanciale, not bacon, and Pecorino Romano cheese, not Parmesan. Same goes for a traditional Mexican mole sauce: you need to use a variety of chilies, Mexican chocolate, nuts, and spices, and make everything from scratch, instead of relying on pre-made mixes.

I think the problem with inauthentic versions of traditional recipes is that they take shortcuts or substitute ingredients that are not easy to find or are too expensive. Also, some people may adapt the recipe to their own tastes or cultural background, which can result in a fusion or hybrid version that is not necessarily bad, but may not be as authentic as the original.

One way to spot inauthentic versions is by the texture, the flavors, or the presentation. For instance, if you try a pizza margherita and the crust is thick and chewy, instead of thin and crispy, or if the tomato sauce is too sweet or too spicy, you can suspect that the pizza is not a real Neapolitan one. Similarly, if you taste a pad Thai and the noodles are too soggy or too dry, or if the peanut sauce is too watery or too thick, you may doubt its authenticity.

Another clue is the source of the recipe or the chef who made it. If you see a recipe for a traditional Indian biryani on a random blog or social media page, without any reference to its origin or without any background information on the ingredients or techniques used, you may question its credibility. Likewise, if you go to a Japanese restaurant and see a sushi roll with cream cheese, avocado, and mango, you may wonder if it's really a Japanese invention or a Californian one.

However, I think it's important to keep in mind that authenticity is not a fixed or absolute concept. Recipes, like languages, evolve and adapt over time, and what may be considered authentic today may have been different in the past or may vary depending on the region, the season, or the occasion. In some cases, inauthentic versions of traditional recipes may become popular or even iconic, like Tex-Mex cuisine or fusion sushi. So, as a user of a social network, I would say that it's up to each individual to decide what standards of authenticity they want to apply to their own cooking or dining experience, and to be open to different interpretations and innovations.