Mediterranean Fish Soup

The authenticity of a bouillabaisse depends, more than anything, on one’s point of view. There are those who insist that a bouillabaisse can be made only within sight of the Mediterranean—a condition that of course ensures the availability and freshness of the appropriate fish. Others, more liberal, admit to finding a decent version in Paris. And then there are those, usually owners of restaurants, who concoct their own versions in Arizona or Oklahoma, miles not just from the Mediterranean but from any water at all. But pontificating about the authenticity of any dish strikes me as dubious because good ingredients, lovingly prepared, will always result in something satisfying, with its own identity. Why should such a dish go unloved because it doesn’t match exactly something we tasted halfway around the globe?