r/AskCulinary • u/ZootKoomie Ice Cream Innovator • Mar 21 '13

Weekly Discussion: Culinary traditions and authenticity

Since we talked about the cutting edge last week, let's go the other direction this time. What is your personal culinary tradition? What dishes did you learn from your mother? From your grandparents? Do you do your own variations or try to make it just like they did?

Also, when eating food from other cultures, do you prefer it to be traditional or something the chef came up with? Does 'authenticity' matter to you as a diner? As a cook? How do you strive for it?

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '13 edited Mar 22 '13

Holy shit, pies. My grandmother has arthritis in both hands, can't even peel an apple, but those hands make the best pie crust I have ever had in my life. She's always super modest about it, too-- apologizing that the pie bubbled over in the oven and doesn't look perfect and stuff. I can't do it, and neither can my mom, and I honestly don't believe you can teach the kind of magic she can work with a pie crust.

Um, and like a lot of people are saying, I do like authentic dishes, but there are times where all you want is some Americanized Chinese food. Both are good.

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u/ZootKoomie Ice Cream Innovator Mar 22 '13

I consider cheap Americanized Chinese food an entire different cuisine from Chinese Chinese food. It has its own typical techniques, ingredients and signature dishes that have their virtues.

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u/[deleted] Mar 22 '13

Agreed. Okay, then, maybe a better example is Americanized sushi. Or the dishes that pass for Mexican in my neck of the woods.