ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with the production and consumption of 'ethnic'/regional foods. Botanical, culinary and migratory histories can make a mockery of distinctions between 'ethnic' and 'British' foods, and of 'mosaic multiculturalism' in general. By all accounts, whatever 'authenticity' means, it has been at the centre of developments in UK food manufacturing and retailing. Many UK-based manufacturers argue that, if the world of food is and always has been thoroughly interconnected, 'authentic' 'Italian', 'Indian', 'Chinese', 'Mexican' or any other 'ethnic'/regional foods can be made in the UK. The authentication strategies of 'ethnic'/regional food manufacturers within and beyond the UK very often concentrate on where cuisines, recipes, ingredients, foods, and key personnel come from. Debates about 'authenticity' were almost always rooted in places of manufacture. People working in the UK food trade regularly make claims to 'know their history' and attempt to capitalize on this.
