Calling something Kansas City Barbecue does not make it so

• Road Food
• The burnt ends at L.C.’s are real KC barbecue.

We might as well change the name of this city to Tasty or Spicy, Missouri, because at this point, I’m not sure that Kansas City is going to mean much of anything for all that much longer. Mintek, a research firm fond of compiling lists that make for blog fodder, has identified five food-service trends for 2012, including this little nugget under American Regionalism:

Consumers are not only more aware of global cuisine, they are also more aware and interested in the regional specialties that define American cuisine. Whether it’s Kansas City or Memphis barbecue, New England Chowder or Low Country grits, more consumers and restaurants are looking at the regions and cities in the US to identify the “Best of” cuisine.

The idea that eaters’ awareness is growing is a new one, but the use of regional cuisine as a draw outside the region is, sadly, a well-established principle.