The Ethnic Continuum

[docsconz]

In a topic on Linguine with white clam sauce a mention of Italian-American vs American-Italian food was made and I got to thinking a little more about the continuum of ethnic cooking and how it evolves over time. I will use Italian food in the United States as an example, but I think that this could apply to any ethnic cuisine in a new environment. Here are a few proposed definitions. Substitute whatever ethnic cuisine you care to for "Italian"

Italian food would be food cooked by Italians using Italian provenanced ingredients as they would have done in Italy.

Italian-American food is food made by or in the style of Italian Americans as they would have made in Italy but adapted to ingredients more readily available in the US whether due to cost considerations or simple availability. Most recent immigrant cuisine would fit into this category.

American-Italian is cuisine influenced by Italian style, typical ingredients or technique, but with a decidedly American approach. This would cover most cooking by later generations or others cooking looking for something "a little bit Italian."

American cuisine may or may not have any Italian influence, but if it does it generally has a completely new take and/or incorporates other ethnic influences as well. An example of this might be a pasta with Mexican flavorings/ingredients.

[Nathan]

possible examples:

Italian: trippa a la romana

Italian-American: spaghetti and meatballs (Spaghetti is authentically Italian and so are meatballs, but not both together)

American-Italian: cioppino. there are white-wine based fish stews in Italy...but nothing quite like this dish created in CA.

American: a dish I had at Eleven Madison Park in its pre-Humm days that used pasta as a textural element

[rockdoggydog]

Interesting game. To apply this to Chinese food I think it would go like this:

Chinese - No concessions made to non-asian palates though many dishes would not offend or challenge but no effort at all is made to make things more accessible

example - Your average prix fixe menu at a Chinese seafood restaurant

Chinese American - fast food Chinese places that have lunch special A,B,C, and D with very non-asian friendly menus featuring sweet and sour whatever but also keep ingredients on hand so that you can order a more authentic dish if you know to ask

example - Any place with a lunch special banner outside

Fusion - strong nod to asian flavours, and dishes may share names with the real deal, some dishes being far better than others but no expectation of authenticity

example - P.F. Chang's

American - ingredients and flavourings creep into dishes

example - Chinese Chicken Salad, soy glazed anything

Rocky