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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Jamie Oliver's 'jerk rice'

655 replies

PPPMA · 20/08/2018 18:45

Jamie Oliver has been accused of cultural appropriation for calling a new product "punchy jerk rice".
The decision to label the microwavable rice "jerk" has been criticised, because the product doesn't contain many of the ingredients traditionally used in a Jamaican jerk marinade.

What we think of this?! As someone of Caribbean descent, who loves jerk, and raised an eyebrow when I looked at the ingredients, I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow... not offended, just baffled!

AIBU to think that if you create something new, you call it something new...?

OP posts:

boredmaman · 21/08/2018 12:42

Do you see the problem with buying a cinnamon muffin that is actually ginger and not cinnamon

It's a problem if I don't want ginger, sure, but its not offensive.

There is a big difference between "this is wrong because the label you are using is not accurate" and "this is so awful I am beyond offended I am outraged and appalled at the cultural appropriation!"

you see the difference?

spanishwife · 21/08/2018 12:45

@justanotherlurker FWIW I'm not white either, but I don't think that's relevant. You said "especially concerning food", so I didn't read your comment as being specifically about CA in food.

If you reread my comment I said "ensure we are respecting cultures" - that would be truly understanding the culture and applying it appropriately. As OP said, you can't 'jerk' rice. Secondly, the ingredients don't contain things that are considered 'jerk'. Therefore, respecting and understanding the culture in this situation would either mean using 'jerk' ingredients, or labelling it something different all together. Hope that makes sense.

SoupDragon · 21/08/2018 12:46

There is a big difference between "this is wrong because the label you are using is not accurate" and "this is so awful I am beyond offended I am outraged and appalled at the cultural appropriation!"

You did actually read the OP didn’t you?

spanishwife · 21/08/2018 12:47

@boredmaman

There are two issues in the OP:

labelling incorrectly
bastardising food culture

Of course a ginger muffin that's not ginger is not offensive because "ginger" is not relating to a culture.

spanishwife · 21/08/2018 12:49

Thank you for a brilliantly written post @VladmirsPoutine, you have explained exactly what I was trying to say. I don't think I was getting through to Lurker!

StealthPolarBear · 21/08/2018 12:50

I assume you x posted with vlad?

boredmaman · 21/08/2018 12:50

There are two issues in the OP:1) labelling incorrectly2) bastardising food culture

Yes, and as stated, neither of those are anything new, and happen from ALL cultures and countries.
Almost all food is bastardised and always has been. So why this?

StealthPolarBear · 21/08/2018 12:51

As I x posted with everyone else

spanishwife · 21/08/2018 12:57

@boredmaman

Because it's 2018 - about time we start doing something about the systematic marginalisation of ethnic minorities. A fuss over a packet of rice might seem like a small thing, but you can see from comments on this thread that it's the general attitude of others that needs changing and that's a slow and gradual process.

Do you really think society is fine just allowing things to continue "how they've always been"?

oigetoffmycheese · 21/08/2018 12:58

According to my recipe from a published recipe book I was making paella - maybe I wasn't (and I don't care as it tasted great) but no one has called out the author of the book (Faye Ripley) for misrepresenting "authentic" Spanish paella.

My Spanish family always make jokes about the non Spanish getting twisted knickers about what goes in it, as it's a way of making a rice dish that allows you to use up fridge leftovers too (chicken, chorizo, seafood, veg etc) like most ragu sauces: there are as many recipes as there are grandmothers.

I get the fact that Jamie has tried to "jerk rice" and how it wasn't too well thought through maybe but I don't think for one moment he deliberately try to profiteer from CA.

I think people need to calm the fuck down. Food has always been mixed and matched and bastardised.

It's a big factor in how we learn about each other's cultures and should foster understanding and tolerance. Not be used as a tool to accuse each other of bad intent.

It's rice FFS. Let's put it in perspective.

OliviaStabler · 21/08/2018 13:32

From what has been said and the clip I watched reporting about it, it sounds like this product should have been called 'Caribbean inspired rice' rather than use the word jerk.

Pinkcadillac · 21/08/2018 14:00

Not the main point of the discussion I know, but as a Spanish person I'd say that adding chorizo to a paella is like adding baked beans to a Sunday roast. You may like it, I'm sure there's people out there of all nationalities that do it, but in no way it's part of the recipe.

DameSquashalot · 21/08/2018 14:05

Exactly Oliva. It's not because Jamie is white.

SlartiAardvark · 21/08/2018 14:06

Therefore, respecting and understanding the culture in this situation would either mean using 'jerk' ingredients, or labelling it something different all together.

Ever had a "Bombay Bad Boy" pot noodle?? (You're missing out if you haven't)

It's never been to India, it uses noodles, it's made by Golden Wonder - a great British company. Even the name indicates that it's a delicacy from India.

No one's ever accused them of "Cultural Appropriation" though....

Walkingdeadfangirl · 21/08/2018 14:18

I see no one has yet explained why 'Jerk' food is a special case yet.

You can buy Sausages that have no meat in them.
You can buy Courgette Spaghetti that has no Spaghetti in it.
You can buy 'home made food' that was made in a factory.
You can buy Shepherds Pie that has no lamb in it.
You can buy Beef and Tomato noodles that have no Beef in them.
You can buy Sushi that isn't made with rice vinegar.
You can buy Bombay Duck that has no Duck in it.
You can buy Welsh Rabbit that has no rabbit in it.
You can buy Black Pudding with no pigs blood in it.
And now you can buy Jerk rice that has no Jerk in it.. SO WHAT?

If you are that offended, start a business that sells 'historically accurate' Jerk food and put Jamie to shame.

VladmirsPoutine · 21/08/2018 14:26

@Walkingdeadfangirl I already said why... coz them black people are being uppity again.

boredmaman · 21/08/2018 14:29

Do you really think society is fine just allowing things to continue "how they've always been"?

No, but I think if we're going to try and tackle systematic injustice we shouldn't start with microwave fucking rice.
It's like trying to fix a falling down house by turning a cushion over.

boredmaman · 21/08/2018 14:30

but as a Spanish person I'd say that adding chorizo to a paella is like adding baked beans to a Sunday roast. You may like it, I'm sure there's people out there of all nationalities that do it, but in no way it's part of the recipe

I know spanish people who do it and it is part of their recipe.

There is no one recipe for paella. "Authentic" is a difficult label because its almost impossible to say what that is.

Aristaeus76 · 21/08/2018 14:41

If jerk rice doesn't exist in Caribbean culture, then by definition it can't be cultural appropiation.

JayDot500 · 21/08/2018 14:50

If you are that offended, start a business that sells 'historically accurate' Jerk food and put Jamie to shame.

I'm certain most Jerk chefs would put Jamie to shame. Black people buy and support those chefs, since not everyone is able to jerk properly at home. Exception being the few business that do jerk their meat but twist it to appeal to the lunch crowd. Nobody here thinks that's wrong.

JayDot500 · 21/08/2018 14:54

If jerk rice doesn't exist in Caribbean culture, then by definition it can't be cultural appropiation.

Rice exists in many cultures, nobody can appropriate that.

Gosh, people really don't want black people to catch a break.

JayDot500 · 21/08/2018 14:56

Fighting so hard to diminish other people's emotions regarding their culture.

Walkingdeadfangirl · 21/08/2018 15:00

I already said why... coz them black people are being uppity again

I guess when you have no other justification you have reached rock bottom and out comes the racism.

glintandglide · 21/08/2018 15:21

Walkingdead you are still being obtuse and border line offensive. It was bad enough when you were trying to claim that Jamaicans culturally appropriated jerk from elsewhere but not you’re just being tedious. What is your problem?

toomanychilder · 21/08/2018 15:29

Fighting so hard to diminish other people's emotions regarding their culture

most people having all the feels about it aren't even from the culture in question.
What about culturally appropriating offence? Seems like a bad thing to me....

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