Back to traditional food

Back to traditional food

Lately I've been reading a lot about the government's back-to- basics program. This program is supposed to encourage Indonesians to eat traditional foods as opposed to international cuisine. I find that rather silly considering noodles are so popular here. I do believe noodles were invented in China. Should we stop eating noodles? And how about bread, it wasn't invented in Indonesia, does that mean we should stop making sandwiches for our kids?

Advocates of the back-to-basics program say that Indonesian food is lower in cholesterol and healthier. I don't think soto Madura, made with intestines, tripe and brains is very low in cholesterol. Gulai kambing is made with santan (coconut milk), which is high in cholesterol. Don't get me wrong, I love Indonesian food. However, I also love American, French, Mexican, Chinese, Italian and Japanese foods. What is wrong with appreciating all kinds of food?

People who are in favor of the back-to-basics program think that international cuisine will have a bad influence on the young generation. I don't think that the type of food kids consume really plays an important role in shaping their minds. If anything, clothing would have a bigger influence. Why not advocate a back-to-basics program on clothing? Let's all stop wearing blue jeans (invented in the United States). While we're attempting to go back-to-basics, why don't we go back-to-basics with technology as well. Let's stop using telephones (invented by Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-American), televisions, computers (invented by American scientists), lighting (the light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison, an American and an Englishman Joseph Swan), vaccinations (invented by English doctor Edward Jenner), airplanes (invented by Wright Brothers), etc.

I suppose people who are in favor of back-to-basics program would like the return of the "good old days". But the "good old days" are gone, we're not going to get it back by shutting ourselves out from the rest of the world.

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