It's More Than Food; It's Faces Too

Diana Kennedy says she likes "the real thing"

When 88-year-old Dianna Kennedy first arrived in Mexico in 1957, she never envisioned she would become known as the Mexican Julia Childs, the person most credited internationally with bringing Mexican cuisine to the world and teaching generations of Americans and even Mexican cooks how to prepare and savor the delicious, subtle, varied tastes of her adopted land.

"Well, you have to like to eat and I like to eat," the fiesty, dynamic octogenarian says in her still distinctive, very proper British accent.

Last night, Kennedy was joined by DC chef legend Jose Andres as the pair delivered a wide-ranging, often funny, always informative discussion on Mexican food as part of the National Archives America Eats Series, much of which was centered around Kennedy's latest cookbook Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy 

Mrs. Kennedy quickly established herself as a woman of distinct taste and distinct opinions. For example, she objected to The Washington Post calling her cookbooks "pop anthropology."

"You know," she told the capacity crowd at the McGowan Theater, "The Post reported that I was dead a few years ago. And they never apologized.  I had to run around telling people I was still alive. They said I was dead and they've never even said they were sorry."

Andres said it was Kennedy's forthrightness, frankness, and integrity that made her such a treasure to the culinary world.  To substantiate his point, Andres recalled an encounter at one of his restaurants. He said Kennedy contended that the chefs were using the wrong chilies. When asked why, Kennedy said they were dry. Andres said that the recipes called for dried chilies and Kennedy responded, "there are dry chilies and there are dry chilies and these are the wrong kind of dry."

In fact, chilies are very much on Kennedy's mind these days.  She says she finds it unconscionable that Mexico is importing chilies from places like China when the country produces some of the most flavorful chilies in the world. Kennedy blames the young technocratic leaders who establish food policies for the problem, which is driving Mexican farmers away from the land, and, in many cases, away from the country itself. "Those young technocrats, they don't travel. They don't know anything," she said.

Throughout the evening, both Andres and Kennedy kept coming back to the concept that food is culture, food is history, food is central to a country's identity. "Some people say it's just food," Andres said. "But food is faces, is people, is legacy."

Travelers' Tip:
When you travel, you owe it to yourself to try the local food.  You can get a Big Mac anywhere, but maybe only in Oaxaca can you sample those live protein-packed insects that scuttle around in your cheeks as you crunch down on them.