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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ever read the comments section of recipes posted online? Lots of obsession with authenticity. People complain “these tamales/lentils/whatever aren’t authentic!” But like one of the PPs said, how far back do you have to go for it to be authentic? Food changes over time, people migrate, newer generations change recipes based on preference or available ingredients. I’m from New Haven and I’m sure many would roll their eyes at some of our Italian American food and how we pronounce things. But our great grandfathers came from Naples, and they opened restaurants here, and taught their kids the recipes they liked and that sold well here. But that’s not authentic enough![/quote]

Food has been changing since forever.  People immigrate, and adapt their food to the available ingredients.  Others adapt foods based on their own tastes and dietary needs.  Spices were traded around the world, and people experimented with new seasonings and ingredients.  Fusion food is really just...food.  Worrying about authenticity is the least possible interesting thing you can do.  Worry about taste!  Does it taste good?  Great!  People complain that Italian-American or Tex-Mex aren't "authentic" Italian or Mexican -- well, no s^%, Sherlock!  But they are delicious.  As is good Italian or Mexican food (of which there are thousands of versions, because every region has its own traditions, and every village and family has their own version of those traditions).

"Ethnic" foods have been a thing for decades now.  My mom has old cookbooks from the 1930s - 1960s, and they all have bunches of "ethnic" recipes -- foods from Asia, India, all over Europe, and Mexico and South America.  (Not much from Africa, and frankly the South American offerings were pretty slim, but still.)  This is not new.  People now have easier access to the spices and other formerly specialty ingredients needed to make foods from all over the world.  So adventurous home cooks are trying to make those foods, or versions of those foods, because they are interesting and tasty.  [/quote]

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