We all need food.
Period.
A statement all 7 billion plus of us can agree on. But are some foods better than others?
In my food literature class we briefly discussed the differences between some foods and the association(s) they may have with the Socio-Economic Status of people. In my opinion, I feel that the SES system can be applied to the culinary world and the foods we chose to eat.
Crazy idea I know, but I am going to try and explain what I mean and I am going to start with the top of the hierarchy.
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| A. Escoffier's Le Guide Culinare---The Bible of French coking |
At the top of the food hierarchy would be French cooking. I say this because when most chefs speak of a “bible” within cooking they are referring to A. Esoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire. This book defined the methods, techniques, and recipes that were used-and are still used-in French cooking. But for many years after it’s publication (in 1903) this information wasn’t available to those who weren’t trained in French cooking techniques, or really anyone who didn’t speak or read French. It wasn’t until Jacques Pepin published his book that it was available in English and it was Julia Child who took those French techniques and delivered a more user friendly guide to Americans. The french chefs have such an amazing eye to even the most minute details of a dish and they can take something that sounds simple and turn it into the most wonderful sauce you have ever tasted. I believe it is because of the prestige of Escoffier and the details they give to their food that has made French Cooking the head of the food hierarchy seen in America.
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| Jacques Pepin and Julia Child. |
In the middle “class” it tends to get tricky to define what food goes where but for me Japanese food is second. Like the French style, they to have a unique eye for detail and can take two total opposite tastes and marry them so perfectly in your mouth that you are begging for more even when your stomach is going to explode for all the rice or noodles. There is also an extreme amount of respect that goes into caring for the ingredients-in both French and Japanese cooking-that I believe makes the eater put the food in a higher class than others.
In this middle class I would also put Italian, German, and Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. I say this because these foods can be special and seen in many high end restaurants but they can also be heavier, comfort-like foods that we tend to forget about. I mean to be perfectly honest, I can’t think of much more to say about the above foods other than they are all extremely tasty and should be eaten as often as one possibly can!
Now we have reached the bottom class of the food hierarchy. For me this would be Mexican food. This is NOT because I don’t like it-I eat it like 3-4 times a week!-but it is because of its simplicity that I believe it is at the bottom of the food chain. Mexican food is something that has become so easily accessible to the American people that I believe it is often pushed aside. It is a food that at three in the morning after being at a bar, you crave a greasy, cheesy, delicious taco or burrito. It is a quick and easy food to assembly on busy nights after work for a family. But I believe that it is also on the rise within the food hierarchy and this is due almost entirely to Chef Rick Bayless.
He took the “common” foods that we Americans associate with Mexico and refined them. He took over an entire block of Chicago’s River North neighborhood and opened up elegant Mexican restaurants that people wait months to get into. He changed the way the American populations saw, thought about, and even ate Mexican food. I think that it is because of him-as well as many others-that this food is beginning to rise in status, but for now it is still in the bottom class just waiting for its time to shine.
Please click the links for more information about A. Escoffier, Jacques Pepin, Julia Child, and Rick Bayless
**Photos courtesy of Google Images.**
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