MrsDangermouse
Guru
I tried to find a polite way to say this, and this is the best word I can find is "snobbery." There is far too much snobbery around "authentic" food.
Whilst I appreciate that there are certain accepted classic or traditional recipes for things (and these should of course be preserved), we shouldn't let that stop us experimenting and changing things if we want to. Think about it logically.....those classics weren't always classics: they evolved over time with the input of lots of different chefs. And even some of the classic dishes still have different techniques or ingredients depending on who you ask. I can understand the "authentic" argument when it comes to specific ingredients.....Parmigiano Reggiano, Stilton, Cornish Pasties, Jamon Iberico etc...But not when it comes to entire dishes and recipes.
The whole fruit on pizza thing....I occasionally like a ham and pineapple pizza. If the flavours go together on a plate then I see no reason why they shouldn't be put on a pizza. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made a blue cheese and pear pizza on one of his shows which sounded rather nice too. Saying that having a different topping means its not a pizza is......well its like saying a pie can only have steak and kidney inside it, or a pasty can only be made from steak, potato and swede. They may not be traditional, but they are still pizzas.
Fruit combined with meat is actually a very old food tradition.....in Tudor times meat and fruit was often mixed in the same dish. Originally Christmas mincemeat did actually contain meat as well as the dried fruit. Even today we still eat apple sauce with roast pork.
Whilst I appreciate that there are certain accepted classic or traditional recipes for things (and these should of course be preserved), we shouldn't let that stop us experimenting and changing things if we want to. Think about it logically.....those classics weren't always classics: they evolved over time with the input of lots of different chefs. And even some of the classic dishes still have different techniques or ingredients depending on who you ask. I can understand the "authentic" argument when it comes to specific ingredients.....Parmigiano Reggiano, Stilton, Cornish Pasties, Jamon Iberico etc...But not when it comes to entire dishes and recipes.
The whole fruit on pizza thing....I occasionally like a ham and pineapple pizza. If the flavours go together on a plate then I see no reason why they shouldn't be put on a pizza. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall made a blue cheese and pear pizza on one of his shows which sounded rather nice too. Saying that having a different topping means its not a pizza is......well its like saying a pie can only have steak and kidney inside it, or a pasty can only be made from steak, potato and swede. They may not be traditional, but they are still pizzas.
Fruit combined with meat is actually a very old food tradition.....in Tudor times meat and fruit was often mixed in the same dish. Originally Christmas mincemeat did actually contain meat as well as the dried fruit. Even today we still eat apple sauce with roast pork.
