Mmm, Taiyaki

I love taiyaki, those odd little confections from Japan in the shape of a sea bream, but actually with no fish flavor at all. They are a mix of a pancake-like batter with a sweet filling, often a sweet bean filling make from Azuki beans. As a child, sometimes when we left the California Flower Market and there was time, we would drive out to Benkyodo, where they had a taiyaki grill. They would make them fresh throughout the day and you would get a large, crispy pastry filled with warm bean paste. They were so good. Today, I happened to be near a store in San Mateo that makes tiny ones in both the azuki filling and other flavors more modern than the old azuki bean flavor. I got some azuki (my old friend) and some caramel-coffee (just had to try). I still love them, even is they are not 'authentic'.

Of late, I have been giving a lot of thought to 'authentic' foods, as to the meaning of traditional, authentic or original as it applies to food and cuisine. These little guys are cooked by Japanese guys, using Japanese tools, with Japanese flavor, but, I wonder, is it authentic or traditional? What makes a certain food or cuisine authentic?

I know this, this was authentic for me today, as authentic and traditional for me as it was when I was a 5 year old boy walking with my dad and my hot 'goldfish donut'.