LogFAQs > #946401024

itachi15243 posted...

That dish has probably grown over hundreds of years.

Sure you could make something that looks like it somewhat, but you may as well not try, or care at all if you're going to admit that you don't care, have the time, or want to spend the money and end up having a worst dish than some of those crafty "peasants"

No that's not my point at all. Nothing about what I'm saying is looking down on peasants or poo-pooing the craft or the tradition.

What makes it "authentic" is really that it was produced locally and organically crafted over those hundreds of years through what was available at the time and place. All cuisine is like that. You go anywhere in the world and the food culture is about what people could get and grow locally.

You know, if I wanted to make Paella Valenciana according to the traditional recipe here in the UK, I would have to go to a specialty butcher to procure gourmet ingredients (probably from overseas). I'd need to go to a very middle class delhi or supermarket to get some of the other ingredients. But if you look at the history of the dish the reason rabbit and snails is in it because that is what people could hunt for because they couldn't afford anything else.

I mean, isn't this supposed to be a rice dish for local people with local ingredients? What's authentic about it anymore if I have to spend an insanely borgeouise amount of money just to import specialty stuff to do it?

If the argument is just, "call it something else then", then maybe. But I think it would be more authentic to maka poor mans paella with chicken and chorizo (locally found and cheap ingredients) than it would be to go out of your way to a fancy butcher and spend a lot of money.

Sure, a paella with chicken and chorizo and peas instead of green beans might not be allowed to be called a paella valenciana, but I would argue it is more authentic to make a dish that way if that's what you can get.

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CE's Resident Scotsman.
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