On Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:10:18 GMT, brooklyn1 wrote:

> "Dimitri" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> The Julia thread (and a few other recent threads) got me to thinking
>>> about this...
>>>
>>> Do you think that one can become an acknowledged "expert" at cooking
>>> authentic cuisine(s) from other countries/regions without actually
>>> living and/or studying a particular cuisine in the applicable
>>> country/region of origin?
>>
>> No - not really.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Would taking a course (in your home country) or being taught 'how to' by
>>> a relative/friend who came from that country/region do the trick?
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>>> --
>>> Cheers
>>> Chatty Cathy
>>
>> It's just not enough - IMHO the ofactory (smell ) of ethnic plays such an
>> important part, no class or classes can ever cement the taste and smell of
>> street food.
>>
>> I also believe the Street foods amd such an important part and that can
>> seldome be learned.
>>
>>
>
> Agreed. One also needs to be born with the innate ability, same as being a
> natural athelete or having an ear for rmusic... all the piano lessons in the
> world won't help one bit when one has a tin ear. Anyone who admits that
> they had to reach middle age before feeling confident that they could
> diverge from a recipe I'm positive can't cook a lick. One needs to be born
> with the ability and then serve an apprenticeship from the time one could
> walk. Taking cooking lessons as an adult is a total waste, makes as much
> sense for a forty year old to begin ballet lessons... real cooking is indeed
> a ballet. Chefs like Pepin and Yan are naturals and served a formal
> aprenticeship from since they were young children... Julia Child was an
> important TV personality in the culinary entertainment world but she had no
> natural cooking ability and could barely follow a recipe, she was a paint by
> numbers kind of cook... Julia's only claim to culinary fame is that she was
> first... and even that was arranged for her by her influential husband
> because she was bored. I never enjoyed watching Julia Child, watching her
> play in the kitchen was like watching ringers play the Three Stooges.

it's a real tragedy that native geniuses like yourself have been held down
by The Woman.

blake