Every morning, I open my email inbox to see at least ten Google Alerts messages for the word “tacos.” More and more, the alerts have pointed me toward social media posts and articles that celebrate “authenticity.” I cringe every time I see that word being used—or misused—by food journalists at major publications.I don’t use “authentic” when I write about Mexican food, for one good reason: There’s no such thing. Food is constantly evolving, and every version and iteration of a dish or cuisine can be argued to be as legitimate as the one that came before it.Mexican food is an ideal example. Prior to conquest and colonization in the 1500s, Mexicans didn’t employ pork, beef, or certain spices in their cooking. Many foods that are…
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