Is the Ethnic Food You Are Eating Really Authentic?
/Why the American quest for an “authentic” dish is both foolish and moot.
Living in Phoenix Arizona, it really seems like there is a new ethnic restaurant popping up on every corner. Ethiopian food. Peruvian food. Dominican Republic food… You could probably eat the cuisine of a different culture at least once a week (maybe even twice a week) for an entire year and still not have covered all of our ethnic food choices.
And that’s us in this overgrown cow-town we call Phoenix!
Key Links:
Niccolo Chengdu - Best hotel experience in China!
Thipsamai - Best Pad Thai in the world!
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We’re not so bold as to assume our 3.5 years living abroad has made us qualified to talk about the state of cuisine around the world. But we can sure poke fun at our American obsession of seeking out “the most authentic ethnic food”.
Spoiler: It’s dumb to think think there’s anything “authentic” about a single dish that’s supposed to represent the way that dish is prepared in a continent-sized country. We’ll give you some specific examples. You’ll agree with us at the end.
