Obsession of Italians to keep "Italian" food authentic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That video is kind of like when my dad came to the U.S. for the first time and ordered ribs.
Then he was "What the hell is this on it!" Did they cover it in sugar and ketchup?
He was all "Why, why, meat is so good on its own, no need to gross ketchup on it."
He did not eat it.
From former Yugoslavia.

My sil from Mexico City said the same about a lot of food. We put sugar on everything. She didn't understand "sweet beans" ie bbq beans we had at a cook out.

My mom is Mexican American first gen. She never let us eat sugar beans (baked beans) because they were terrible for us/a vulgarity of sorts. I now tell my kids they are lucky Mom allows them to have sweet beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if part of it is rooted in their own regional prejudice. A lot (most?) Of the Italian food that was brought the US and developed into American Italian was from Southern Italy. Italians in the North just rip on Southern Italians as backwater hicks and think their food is pretty unsophisticated as well.

Actually Northern Italians love Southern Italian food. They just hate "Italian-American" food because it is too far removed from Italian cuisine, regardless of region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:'authentic' food is such f*$&_ing horseshit.

Can't stand authenticity snobbish aholes. Many dishes invented in the new world were a matter of survival for newly arrived immigrants from italy, china, etc. etc. They had to invent new dishes with ingredients that were available, and to fit the palate of a local market. There is nothing more authentic than people inventing a new take on their cuisine as a means for survival.

American italian and chinese dishes can be delicious as well if they're made well. They can just be considered another type of regional cuisine.

Screw 'authenticity'. I'll can enjoy chicken parm as much as I like food when I go to italy. Or I like general tso's chicken as much as I like food when I go to Shenzhen. The authentic snobs love to shit all over the sacrifice and history that went into making new world dishes for survival.

I mean your post is sort of right, but no, celebrating and authentication authentic food in the countries from which they originated isn’t “f*$&_ing horseshit.” It’s maintaining their culture. I like fusion and totally non-authentic foods, too, but good on Italy for maintaining their culture. I also appreciate it when Native Americans celebrate the authentic foods of their cultures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if part of it is rooted in their own regional prejudice. A lot (most?) Of the Italian food that was brought the US and developed into American Italian was from Southern Italy. Italians in the North just rip on Southern Italians as backwater hicks and think their food is pretty unsophisticated as well.

Actually Northern Italians love Southern Italian food. They just hate "Italian-American" food because it is too far removed from Italian cuisine, regardless of region.

The Northern Italians I know looks down their noses at 90% of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should follow the twitter account Italians Mad at Food. It's gold.

Honestly, the french are similar. And a lot of industries have tried to copy and market Italian products but are of lower quality (olive oil, tomatoes, vinegar).

Did you watch Stanley Tucci's Italy series? Italian people are passionate about their food - it's their livelihood, their traditions, and they are damn good at it, too.

I am 3rd gen Italian and I still have impressions of my great grandparents & grandparents and the traditions we had around food. And it's very region specific in Italy. They are all different.

It's really a way to live, a philosophy of life. I think a lot of Americans miss out on it because they are used to eating bland, processed food. (That's ok too, just missing out on the joy that food can bring.)

I would say that America has better food/cooking than a lot of places.

Hmmm. I would say the major cities probably do, but everywhere else is not. American foods are meat heavy, vegetable light and scarce with the spices. The introduction of immigrant foods really helped with that.

Name some American recipes/meals you think are good and I'll judge..lol

[Anonymous]

I am Italian (northern Italy) and I love the food I grew up eating. I also love Southern Italian food AND love Italian-American food (I have lived here in the states for 20 years.) But yes in general Italians are snobs about food. It’s such an important part of our culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, Italy has nothing else going for them other than their food so they have to be protective. Oh, and Ferrari.

And opera. And fashion. And Dante. And And some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. And the dulce vita. And barolo.

You are right. They have nothing except for the finest language, clothes, food, drink, architecture, countryside...

They also originated fascism, so there is that.

[Anonymous]

Uncle Roger funny!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think most cultures would be annoyed if you vulgarize their dishes, and particularly if you mistreat the ingredients, though I agree that the Italians are prouder than most.

If, for example, you put coke in a single malt, or mustard with jamon bellota, or curry inside a pierogi, the natives of these countries would have something to say. And ask Chinese-born people what they make of Chinese-American cuisine.

Masala-stuffed pierogi! That sounds fantastic.

It's also rather easy to make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, Italy has nothing else going for them other than their food so they have to be protective. Oh, and Ferrari.

And opera. And fashion. And Dante. And And some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. And the dulce vita. And barolo.

You are right. They have nothing except for the finest language, clothes, food, drink, architecture, countryside...

They also originated fascism, so there is that.

And bunga-bunga.

[Anonymous]

No it’s not just Italians. Literally every culture comments about how the [insert cuisine] is not good here. Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Indian, etc. The gripes aren’t unfounded, though. Americans aren’t known for food or tasty cuisine. It’s not what we do so of course we’ll bastardize it. Or just dump cheese where it’s not supposed to be

[Anonymous]

American citizen (albeit child of immigrants who never "Americanized") married to an Italian. In order to meet the language requirement to gain Italian citizenship, I began watching Italian cooking shows and reading Italian recipes, which came with anecdotes and history of certain dishes. Eating is a way of life and every dish is about the process and creation. The pride you speak of comes from hundreds of years of preservation and tradition. Once you spend 4 plus hours making a meal, you feel a certain pride and attachment. It is a country where waiters will tell you what you can and cannot have because it breaks cuisine rules. Regional protectionism is strong because it certifies that the products you are buying (prosciutto di parma, parmigiano-reggiano, balsamic di modena) are of a certain quality. The EU/EEA have stricter food laws in general. For example, bleached flour is banned in the EU/EEA because it is carcinogenic yet it is sold in bulk quantities in the U.S. Ask any European what they think about American bread and you are in for a treat. Also, there's a reason why Italians can eat delicious things and remain one of the healthiest populations (gasp significantly healthier than Americans) among developed countries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, Italy has nothing else going for them other than their food so they have to be protective. Oh, and Ferrari.

And opera. And fashion. And Dante. And And some of the most beautiful buildings in the world. And the dulce vita. And barolo.

You are right. They have nothing except for the finest language, clothes, food, drink, architecture, countryside...

They also originated fascism, so there is that.

BUT do you know who the Savoys are? You know the monarchy that instituted fascism, exiled by popular vote after WWII, and now live in the great U.S.A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m German-American.

I loved my grandmother’s & great grandmother’s food growing up, and my cousins and I still make many of their recipes, but I’ve never heard anybody rip on an American version of strudel or rivel soup or anything. Part of it is that it’s so different that it hardly seems like the same food. Also, not to be too dark, but, while we are proud of our heritage, I think most Germans are pretty aware that we have lost the ability to playfully hate on other cultures for a few more generations.

You haven't met my fil then!
DS had wisdom teeth removed and fil went on and on about how it is his Aryan superiority that is allowing DS to recover so fast. He says it to provoke me, yep. Since one grandkid did tests, it has been constant Aryan superiority drivel from him.
I had two grandparents in concentration camps.

That’s terrible. I’m sorry.

Wow. I’m sorry too

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:American citizen (albeit child of immigrants who never "Americanized") married to an Italian. In order to meet the language requirement to gain Italian citizenship, I began watching Italian cooking shows and reading Italian recipes, which came with anecdotes and history of certain dishes. Eating is a way of life and every dish is about the process and creation. The pride you speak of comes from hundreds of years of preservation and tradition. Once you spend 4 plus hours making a meal, you feel a certain pride and attachment. It is a country where waiters will tell you what you can and cannot have because it breaks cuisine rules. Regional protectionism is strong because it certifies that the products you are buying (prosciutto di parma, parmigiano-reggiano, balsamic di modena) are of a certain quality. The EU/EEA have stricter food laws in general. For example, bleached flour is banned in the EU/EEA because it is carcinogenic yet it is sold in bulk quantities in the U.S. Ask any European what they think about American bread and you are in for a treat. Also, there's a reason why Italians can eat delicious things and remain one of the healthiest populations (gasp significantly healthier than Americans) among developed countries.

But, every culture/country has what you described. I cook the same way my grandma cooked. She was born in 1910. I really do. I don't have my own pigs and chickens though nor my own garden, so I do the best that I can. I enjoy Italian food a ton. Yes, in Rome, Italian waitress told me not to eat prosciutto for lunch, instead to take veggies, she was right and it was delicious.
Eating is a way of life in many places. I think the U.S. is going back to trying to eat more healthily and back to basics. That is at least the sense I am getting. Isn't eating a way of life in the U.S?