Hey collegiettes! You’ve probably already sampled downtown eateries like El Burrito, Thai Canteen, Pho King, or Nomi sushi. But have you ever considered the authenticity of these various cuisines? It’s difficult to determine what is authentic, as pointed out by a popular article on Mental Floss, since items like fortune cookies and spaghetti and meatballs are distinctly American-invented foods.
Authenticity is a locally constructed idea. It’s not a black and white concept. Just like tradition is prone to change and is often situational, authenticity is also dependent on social climate. Officially, it is a sociological term that refers to the general feelings and opinions on a subject within society. Within a culture, there is continual ‘flux’ in food trends, which often involves external influences that change from generation to generation. For instance, some ethnic culinary preparation absorb features of ‘alien’ foods. This could be due to migration, technological change, or alterations in food-related ideologies. For example, people may have a negative attitude toward sugar, red meat, fat, and animal products and a positive attitude toward fish, turkey, and leafy greens.
So, how did Americanized ethnic food come to be? Why can’t we find authentic ethnic food more easily? Authentic food was prevented for many decades by social, cultural and economic constraints. While Americans do claim to want authenticity, it seems that they really prefer their food with an American twist.
The costs of authentic, raw materials for most ethnic dishes are much more expensive, harder to come by (if they’re even available), and more likely to be rejected by the public for being ‘different.’ American products, however, are locally available and preferred by American consumers, at least in part, for this reason. Chinese dishes, for example, have been adapted; producers have modified the process of cooking, the ingredients, or both. The best example of this is the Mongolian Beef dish. Many American eateries have modified its ingredients to better suit the tastes of Americans by adding much more sugar to its recipe. Yet, it is still recognized as a Chinese dish.
Since, immigration, tourism, and international trade have increased worldwide, however, the role of ethnicity has become more important in the food industry. So, some food for thought the next time you’re out in Downtown Davis ordering your El Burrito: more culturally authentic options will be sure to dominate Davis in the coming years.