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LENTEN FERIA
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from Inlander
By Eliza Billingham
Ah, authenticity. The bane of every food lover's existence. Either food is "bad" because it isn't authentic, or traditions are "bad" because they inhibit creativity. People who experiment with the status quo either get blacklisted as posers or heralded as visionaries. Chefs travel to Paris to study authentic French cooking. Tourists make a living by blogging about local "authentic" spots. The law gets involved, giving legal definitions to what is and isn't a bourbon or bratwurst or baklava. But then Edward Kim creates his Midwest/Asian fusion spot Mott St. in Chicago and attracts Michelin attention. Midwest and Asian? Is that even a thing? Since food epitomizes much of what we care about — memory, family, home, money, survival — it's no wonder that most people hold white-knuckled to opinions on how food ought, and oughtn't, be. One of today's featured items is an ancient drink from central Mexico that predates Spanish colonization. Another is an obnoxious snack from the modern streets of Mexico City that relies on food coloring and childlike wonder. Which one is authentic? Which one is worthy of respect, admiration or celebration?
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from The Spokesman-Review
Newspaper in Spokane, Washington
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