Cultural Appropriation of Food is a thing?

[amberpi]

Yep! And they're only perpetually offended on the interwebs lol

Yeah, I'm kinda used to my friends making mountains out of molehills so it doesn't really register for me - on and offline. Try eating regularly with vegans, when you try to eat local, and everyone is GF (not me) or just weird. I feel like I live in a Portlandia episode sometimes and its going to be all about palm oil and veganism and moonshine from the old school bootleggers that we have to drive counties over and could possibly get killed by red neck meth addicts to acquire. They all drive german cars though, so I feel like I have to eye roll at silly stuff like the article above and pretentious hipsters in general. I draw the line at sitting with friends getting authentic tribal tattoos. I don't make anyone go with me to get one of my mine that has to be touched up about every 6 weeks, and that tribal stuff just looks painful. So yeah, hipsters...so cute, so annoying, but they do demand good food, drinks and music, eh? I mean if some dude is wearing a silly mustache, and no socks, you know he's making the correct ice for cocktails, but totally going to be offended by cultural appropriation, unless no one has suggested that said cocktail creating wonder should be upset.

BTW, I may have had too much coffee.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Yeah, I'm kinda used to my friends making mountains out of molehills so it doesn't really register for me - on and offline. Try eating regularly with vegans, when you try to eat local, and everyone is GF (not me) or just weird. I feel like I live in a Portlandia episode sometimes and its going to be all about palm oil and veganism and moonshine from the old school bootleggers that we have to drive counties over and could possibly get killed by red neck meth addicts to acquire. They all drive german cars though, so I feel like I have to eye roll at silly stuff like the article above and pretentious hipsters in general. I draw the line at sitting with friends getting authentic tribal tattoos. I don't make anyone go with me to get one of my mine that has to be touched up about every 6 weeks, and that tribal stuff just looks painful. So yeah, hipsters...so cute, so annoying, but they do demand good food, drinks and music, eh? I mean if some dude is wearing a silly mustache, and no socks, you know he's making the correct ice for cocktails, but totally going to be offended by cultural appropriation, unless no one has suggested that said cocktail creating wonder should be upset.

BTW, I may have had too much coffee.

Ahahaha. I could have written the bolded part. Right???? If my barista has tats and dreads I'm feeling pretty confident in their ability to produce wondrous espresso. I totally agree with you in the tribal tattoo.

The most disturbing part of visiting Chicago was that the hipsters there don't dress like hipsters. Ordering coffee and cocktails was a bit nerve wracking the first few days lol.

I am well on the way to too much caffeine well. I stopped at what I thought was just another bham coffee shop...no, it turns out they believe in "deconstructed" espresso, farm sourced milk and blueberry shrubs. It's like a glorious slice of Portlandia complete with avodcado toast and succulent plants as pretty much the only decor.

 

[LilyWDW]

People are getting dumber and dumber... so what if someone whose not Mexican learns how to make tortillas and sells them? That's just a stupid thing to get worked up over.

 

[amberpi]

I am well on the way to too much caffeine well. I stopped at what I thought was just another bham coffee shop...no, it turns out they believe in "deconstructed" espresso, farm sourced milk and blueberry shrubs. It's like a glorious slice of Portlandia complete with avodcado toast and succulent plants as pretty much the only decor.

Welcome to East Nashville...lol. Except our avocado toast almost always includes locally sourced bacon or country ham.

Chicago is WEIRD.

 

[amberpi]

Ahahaha. I could have written the bolded part. Right???? If my barista has tats and dreads I'm feeling pretty confident in their ability to produce wondrous espresso. I totally agree with you in the tribal tattoo.

Sidenote, why aren't getting authentic tribal tattoos cultural appropriation? Why is that ok, but white girls can't make tortillas?

 

[Westcoastwild]

Welcome to East Nashville...lol.

Chicago is WEIRD.

Chicago IS weird. Very into their food though. Glorious place to eat and drink - if you aren't a vegetarian at least.

Definitely adding east Nashville to my "places i would willingly live" list I mean you had already tempted me with the tomato fest but hipsters and espresso? Heck yes.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Sidenote, why aren't getting authentic tribal tattoos cultural appropriation? Why is that ok, but white girls can't make tortillas?

It IS cultural appropriation. That's what cracks me up. Only the ones that do it defend it. Like dreads. The people who have tats but not tribal tats are all about how their tattoo artist is a "real" artist. My sisters really into tattoos. She went from being the kind of teenager who went for tramp stamps to being the kind of hipster who will drive seven hours to go to "her" tattoo artist.

I don't really get how the tortillas are cultural appropriation. I mean most "ethnic" food in Portland is not ethnic food. If you want "real" ethnic you've usually got to go into the suburbs. Hipsters don't usually eat at the "real" places because the mom and pop places don't give a rats behind about sourcing and organic. Let alone have vegan options.

 

[amberpi]

Chicago IS weird. Very into their food though. Glorious place to eat and drink - if you aren't a vegetarian at least.

Definitely adding east Nashville to my "places i would willingly live" list I mean you had already tempted me with the tomato fest but hipsters and espresso? Heck yes.

So many hipsters, good booze, great food, with a southern flare, and excellent coffee. We even do chicory over here. We don't acknowledge friend chicken that isn't hot. Its a weird thing to be snobby about fried chicken, but its a thing, and I'm a terrible clique of it. Its pretty great here. Porches and lots of ya'll.

 

[amberpi]

It IS cultural appropriation. That's what cracks me up. Only the ones that do it defend it. Like dreads. The people who have tats but not tribal tats are all about how their tattoo artist is a "real" artist. My sisters really into tattoos. She went from being the kind of teenager who went for tramp stamps to being the kind of hipster who will drive seven hours to go to "her" tattoo artist.

My tattoos, with 1 exception are super simple, but there was 1 guy in middle TN who does the one that is high maintenance and I'm constantly being told where I should go to get it retouched. He's the guy, people, the only guy who'll do it, I don't care about the guy you've been on a waiting list for 7 months to see in Iowa, I need my crap touched up every 6 weeks. I'm not flying anywhere to get my hair or tat retouched. Watercolor tattoos have to be the new tramp stamp.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

It IS cultural appropriation. That's what cracks me up. Only the ones that do it defend it. Like dreads. The people who have tats but not tribal tats are all about how their tattoo artist is a "real" artist. My sisters really into tattoos. She went from being the kind of teenager who went for tramp stamps to being the kind of hipster who will drive seven hours to go to "her" tattoo artist.

The tattoo thing I totally get though. Some of them are actual artists vs. good tracers/colorers. For example, my husband is having a space themed sleeve done right now. He basically just showed him a few things he wanted included (Pilars of Life, certain stars, etc) and the guy just free hands the rest with Sharpie at each session and goes to town. He is truly an artist and we literally pay the price to have work done by him.

 

[Westcoastwild]

The tattoo thing I totally get though. Some of them are actual artists vs. good tracers/colorers. For example, my husband is having a space themed sleeve done right now. He basically just showed him a few things he wanted included (Pilars of Life, certain stars, etc) and the guy just free hands the rest with Sharpie at each session and goes to town. He is truly an artist and we literally pay the price to have work done by him.

Oh don't get me wrong. I totally get the skill level involved. I just find my sister's personal shift hilarious. She's always judging a much younger sibling about using "bad" sources for piercing and tattoos and I'm like...aren't you the person who got their first piecing at Claire's and a really unwise first tattoo, just let them make their own mistakes

 

[bcla]

Yeah, I'm kinda used to my friends making mountains out of molehills so it doesn't really register for me - on and offline. Try eating regularly with vegans, when you try to eat local, and everyone is GF (not me) or just weird. I feel like I live in a Portlandia episode sometimes and its going to be all about palm oil and veganism and moonshine from the old school bootleggers that we have to drive counties over and could possibly get killed by red neck meth addicts to acquire. They all drive german cars though, so I feel like I have to eye roll at silly stuff like the article above and pretentious hipsters in general. I draw the line at sitting with friends getting authentic tribal tattoos. I don't make anyone go with me to get one of my mine that has to be touched up about every 6 weeks, and that tribal stuff just looks painful. So yeah, hipsters...so cute, so annoying, but they do demand good food, drinks and music, eh? I mean if some dude is wearing a silly mustache, and no socks, you know he's making the correct ice for cocktails, but totally going to be offended by cultural appropriation, unless no one has suggested that said cocktail creating wonder should be upset.

BTW, I may have had too much coffee.

I was reading over the comments section for that article. The absolute BS was about who was able to say what is or isn't alright based on ancestry. The real crazy stuff was when it was insinuated that one guy saying it was no big deal wasn't Hispanic enough.

Right now I'd think that the cooks in Mexico who they talked to or "spied" would think this is nuts. They all learned from someone else. Maybe they didn't have enough time to show two gringos everything, but I doubt they care that they learned anything nor that they applied their own trial and error to make their own recipe. Making a thin piece of wheat flour is pretty basic thing all over the world, whether it's fry bread, mu shu pork, papadum, or crepes. I have some Chinese friends who will substitute tortillas for mu shu wrappers out of convenience.

The loudest voices are often those with the least at stake. If cultural appropriation is a thing, then Mexican cuisine is just as guilty as any. Our world is filled with nonnative ingredients and techniques. I mentioned to an Indian friend that a lot of ingredients in Indian cuisine were introduced by European trade, and he thought I was insulting his culture and obviously mistaken. I got a similar response from someone from China. It just seemed be wrong to them given how things like potatoes, chili pepper, or corn are so integral to the cuisine they were so familiar eating. They've grown up being told about their ancient culture - that they have thousands of years of food. Sure they understand that western clothing and technology is part of their lives, but their food is a sense of pride that they just "know" is theirs alone.

 

[amberpi]

The tattoo thing I totally get though. Some of them are actual artists vs. good tracers/colorers. For example, my husband is having a space themed sleeve done right now. He basically just showed him a few things he wanted included (Pilars of Life, certain stars, etc) and the guy just free hands the rest with Sharpie at each session and goes to town. He is truly an artist and we literally pay the price to have work done by him.

There are some amazing tattoo artists for sure and I love to see the work. I'm not cool enough to need to regularly travel to get my very basic, but supposedly technically challenging tattoo retouched. I've got this old dude who does it, and I'm completely ok with being not as cool.

 

[Albort]

Seriously?

thats honestly all i got to say...

 

[usnuzuloose]

And a lot of the chefs on the food net work channel do the same thing. They replicate the recipes where they visited and I guess no one says a word to them. You can probably get the recipes off the internet. Just crazy to me.

 

[DaisyJ]

Portland, Oregon-home of pretentious hipsters and the perpetually offended crowd.

The dis needs a 'love' button.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I was reading over the comments section for that article. The absolute BS was about who was able to say what is or isn't alright based on ancestry. The real crazy stuff was when it was insinuated that one guy saying it was no big deal wasn't Hispanic enough.

Right now I'd think that the cooks in Mexico who they talked to or "spied" would think this is nuts. They all learned from someone else. Maybe they didn't have enough time to show two gringos everything, but I doubt they care that they learned anything nor that they applied their own trial and error to make their own recipe. Making a thin piece of wheat flour is pretty basic thing all over the world, whether it's fry bread, mu shu pork, papadum, or crepes. I have some Chinese friends who will substitute tortillas for mu shu wrappers out of convenience.

The loudest voices are often those with the least at stake. If cultural appropriation is a thing, then Mexican cuisine is just as guilty as any. Our world is filled with nonnative ingredients and techniques. I mentioned that a lot of ingredients in Indian cuisine were introduced by European trade, and he thought I was insulting his culture and obviously mistaken.

Lol. Right. Spice trade. Lots of people don't have any concept of how much Europe and the East influenced each other through trade. Ain't no such thing as culture in a vacuum (usually). Heck, a lot of people don't understand how diverse Europe is today. On one of the forums I frequent, you get people concerned about going to Europe because they're African American. As if that'll be exotic in London, Paris, or Rome- places that have been multicultural since before the US was a nation.

The "spying" thing is something that was a little odd, mostly because of how the girls emphasized it, but chefs are constantly doing that. It's how we have fusion food to begin with. Those same Mexican food truck owners probably drink coke and eat hot dogs at home.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What do you think?


http://www.wweek.com/uncategorized/...tortillas-out-of-a-food-cart-on-cesar-chavez/


The gist of the story is these two women went on vacation to Puerto Nuevo, Mexico, ate from a food cart, and loved what they ate. The tortilla is what they wanted to learn how to make.


They begged for the recipe, and the food cart people gave them the basic ingredients. Then they watched the food cart people stretch the dough and watched their techniques.


They came home from vacation and started a food truck of their own, serving this tortilla. Everyone loved the tortillas that they emulated from the beach food cart in Mexico.


But then the accusations in the comments section went crazy.


These women have been called “thieves” and also accused of “appropriating our food” from Mexican commenters.


The food cart has now been shut down.


Here are a few comments:





“DEAR WHITE PEOPLE,




STOP APPROPRIATING OUR FOOD.




THANKS,




A MEXICAN




“This is infuriating. What is wrong with people?




On what level is this ok??? Its NOT. Its insulting to our culture and heritage”





"She snooped on these women techniques and stole the secrets that make their tortilla recipe and method uniquely theirs.




*Added: it's called stealing intellectual property.




Also, appropriation is not exclusively about knowing how to make other cultures foods. It's about profiting off of other cultures... In this case, when they blatantly stole the methodology of people not from their own culture.”

I suppose, by that reasoning, all fine dining restaurants (French, Italian, German, Chinese, whatever) can (should/must?) only be owned and operated by people of that culture.

Seems pretty narrow-minded to me. What's wrong with sharing cultures? I believe the United States once was considered the "great melting pot". Where all sorts of different nationalities (cultures) met up and mingled to form a better culture by blending what was good from each of them.

Sigh.

 

[bcla]

I suppose, by that reasoning, all fine dining restaurants (French, Italian, German, Chinese, whatever) can (should/must?) only be owned and operated by people of that culture.

Seems pretty narrow-minded to me. What's wrong with sharing cultures? I believe the United States once was considered the "great melting pot". Where all sorts of different nationalities (cultures) met up and mingled to form a better culture by blending what was good from each of them.

Sigh.

I wonder how they'd feel if anyone was insistent on ethnic purity when it comes to restaurant workers. Quite a few Chinese restaurants around here rely on Hispanic employees. Once I was at a dim sum place at the end of lunch, and the employees were already taking lunch together. They did self segregate, but they were eating the same thing.

I've worked with Europeans. Their take isn't so much about authenticity but about being good.

I suppose the oddest fusion was Indian-Chinese at the insistence of some Indian coworkers. It was vaguely Chinese food. Americanized Chinese cuisine would be more recognizable to someone visiting from China than what they served. That didn't mean it didn't serve a purpose. It was more like comfort food for Indian expats.

 

[manning]

Lol! People are getting weirder all of the time.

BIG TIME !!!