Nations boil over origins of potato fries — but food fights waste table time
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What's in a name, mused Shakespeare? When it's a food name, apparently a
lot. French and Belgian historians recently spat hot oil over whether
the potato finger is actually the Belgian frite or the French fry. At a
Belgian meeting without waffles, the potato finger was disputed as
originating from the Belgian Meuse River in the 17th century versus
Paris's Pont Neuf after the French Revolution. The eurozoners aren't
arguing this Life of Fry alone. The British have chipped in too,
claiming the fry is actually a chip off the British block, potatoes
swimming in deep oils in 17th century English fish shops. Does the tiny
fry merit such big-mouthing? Well, the USA believes so too, huffily
claiming the chip as its Freedom Fries, rejecting haute-y French cuisine
when France and America crossed forks over invading Iraq.
But Shakespeare was right and a roast by any name tastes just as good. Microwaving the origins of food simply distracts from pure taste. If you worry about just whose Balti the big-hit South Asian cooking came from, you might lose yourself on a never-ending spice route. Similarly, for folk wondering whether hotdogs from Frankfurt should correctly be called Frankfurters - why whine over wieners? Their roots are a handful but their contents make a mouthful too. Just like our desi Chinese, so spicy no real Mandarin could mouth much Indian Manchow! We wantonly call our wontons Punjabi Chinese, bringing dragons to dhabas in most unlikely menus, sorry, manners. But who cares about proper names or right roots when there's food about? The only delicacy necessary for khana are your table manners. Burp.
But Shakespeare was right and a roast by any name tastes just as good. Microwaving the origins of food simply distracts from pure taste. If you worry about just whose Balti the big-hit South Asian cooking came from, you might lose yourself on a never-ending spice route. Similarly, for folk wondering whether hotdogs from Frankfurt should correctly be called Frankfurters - why whine over wieners? Their roots are a handful but their contents make a mouthful too. Just like our desi Chinese, so spicy no real Mandarin could mouth much Indian Manchow! We wantonly call our wontons Punjabi Chinese, bringing dragons to dhabas in most unlikely menus, sorry, manners. But who cares about proper names or right roots when there's food about? The only delicacy necessary for khana are your table manners. Burp.
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