I like your explanation of authenticity as tied to personal experience or people you know well. It would be interesting to find out if there’s an “authenticity threshold” - how long does something have to exist or how far does it have to go back in a certain place for it to be considered authentic? I’ve just been working on a piece about this with wine and what we call ‘native’ grapes, even if they’re originally from somewhere else.
You made me think with this article. Grilled cheese with American sliced cheese and congee arroz caldo are definitely among the food items with the "Nonna Effect" in my mind while Kraft Dinner and seed pie occupy the same place in my husband's mind. I'm a second generation immigrant Millenial while my husband's family has lived in Canada for generations. With more cuisines becoming mainstream and fusing with others every day, it makes me wonder what kinds of food and food practices from the 2000s will be considered authentic in the 2050s. That's not a bad thing of course. It doesn't matter what kind of food culture they are raised in their formative years, their taste and definition of authenticity will be personal and right.
I like your explanation of authenticity as tied to personal experience or people you know well. It would be interesting to find out if there’s an “authenticity threshold” - how long does something have to exist or how far does it have to go back in a certain place for it to be considered authentic? I’ve just been working on a piece about this with wine and what we call ‘native’ grapes, even if they’re originally from somewhere else.
Good point! Also I look forward to reading that piece
You made me think with this article. Grilled cheese with American sliced cheese and congee arroz caldo are definitely among the food items with the "Nonna Effect" in my mind while Kraft Dinner and seed pie occupy the same place in my husband's mind. I'm a second generation immigrant Millenial while my husband's family has lived in Canada for generations. With more cuisines becoming mainstream and fusing with others every day, it makes me wonder what kinds of food and food practices from the 2000s will be considered authentic in the 2050s. That's not a bad thing of course. It doesn't matter what kind of food culture they are raised in their formative years, their taste and definition of authenticity will be personal and right.
Agreed!