Stone Soup
performance, food design
Stone soup is reflection on the concept of authenticity explored within the context of local cuisines. The outcomes were presented at a public performance in Room Cucina restaurant in Ortigia, Italy, where the national cuisine is a question of pride.
collaboration with Gina Hsu at MADE labs
more about the project︎︎︎
collaboration with Gina Hsu at MADE labs
more about the project︎︎︎
The reflection started with the traditional Stone Soup tale, a story of the intially reluctant villagers who end up sharing food with a hungry tramp once they believe his magic stone can prepare a delicious soup. While explaining the powers of the stone, the tramp never forgets to mention that the soup could be even tastier with some garnishes. A lthough they had provide all a tasty soup requires, the villagers believe that the magic made the soup so delicious.
The “authentic” describes something having an origin supported by unquestionable evidence, something real, genuine, conforming to reality, based on facts, reliable etc. Just as the magic powers of the stone, authenticity is mere fable.
Putting a locally sourced stone, a piece of the Sicilian town of Ortigia into a soup makes the location literally part of the recipe. It gives the soup a specific origin supported by unquestionable evidence. It gives the soup an authentic Sicilian origin. However, boiling a soup by hot stones is a tradtional Taiwanese technique. Although it does not add any taste, gives the soup a Taiwanese twist.
Even without speaking about centuries of colonization and food shipped across the planet, authenticity becomes questionable. In opposition to its definition as “based on facts” it is exclusively a question of beliefs.
