La Cocina continues at the CSRC Library

An exhibition exploring how we measure the “authenticity” of Mexican food is on display in the CSRC Library vitrine through June 2012. Is authenticity measured by the types of ingredients used? Homemade versus store-bought? Taco shop versus chain restaurant? Or is authenticity based on the identity or ethnicity of the cook? For Chicanas and Chicanos, the kitchen is a site of tradition and familia, and the platillos—the food we eat—is as much a reflection of history and culture as it is of our language, music, and art. Using a variety of archival ephemera, from cookbooks to food packaging, La Cocina highlights this culinary tradition, which mixes traditions from the past as well as more recent customs to become an amalgamation of diverse culinary traditions from people and communities all over the world. (April 2 - June 31, 2012)