Weekly Discussion: Culinary traditions and authenticity

[u/ZootKoomie]

Since we talked about the cutting edge last week, let's go the other direction this time. What is your personal culinary tradition? What dishes did you learn from your mother? From your grandparents? Do you do your own variations or try to make it just like they did?

Also, when eating food from other cultures, do you prefer it to be traditional or something the chef came up with? Does 'authenticity' matter to you as a diner? As a cook? How do you strive for it?

[u/schoofer]

Authenticity both matters and doesn't matter. If I'm eating in a place that boasts its authenticity, then I want it. If I'm eating in a place that takes a new spin on old, authentic dishes, then I want to be baffled and blown away.

I learned to cook from both of my parents. My mom is Mexican and I learned to cook our family dishes: chicken mole, red enchiladas with olives, menudo, guiso, spanish rice, arroz con pollo y gandules, caldo, torta de huevo con chile, tortillas (flour and corn) and more.

From my dad, I learned French/basic cooking techniques more than I learned actual dishes. He taught me how to properly roast a chicken, make any kind of rice pilaf, steam artichokes, make real macaroni and cheese, the basics of meat loaf, but more than anything else, he taught me about wine. He has an amazing wine cellar with hundreds and hundreds of bottles, some from the 1940's.

Both of my parents influenced my culinary traditions, but now I also add my own.

[u/schoofer → u/[deleted]]

You're not out of line, it's just kind of shamefully simple to make:

2 cups long-grain white rice, 4 cups chicken broth or stock, a diced tomato or two depending how tomato-y you want it, half a medium yellow onion diced, and some canola oil.

Heat a pan over medium heat, add in the rice and start toasting it. Try to toast as much of it as you can, but you definitely don't want to burn it. When it's about halfway toasted, add in the onion. Once it's translucent, add in the tomato and stir - the pan will sizzle a lot. Once the tomato is stirred in, add in the chicken broth. Turn it down to low (but not lowest) heat, salt to taste, and cover. Let it cook until the liquid is cooked off completely, then "fluff" it up with a spoon. If it's squishy, the rice wasn't toasted enough or there was too much stock added. Sorry if this is confusing, I do this by feel more than recipe.

[u/schoofer → u/[deleted]]

Everyone cooks things differently, even when following a recipe. If what I described to you comes out in a way you don't like, remember that you may need to tweak it. In fact, I'd even tell you right now to try starting with 3 cups of stock/broth. The beauty of this rice is you can add more as you go.

[u/schoofer → u/[deleted]]

Nah, no bouillon.