Dear Food Network,
Please quit telling me to "ask my fish monger" to do all these fancy pants things. I live in small town America. Instead of a specialty fish market, I have what we call a regular grocery store. The guys behind the fish counter are teenagers who can also be seen stocking shelves and bringing in buggies on any given day. You have to practically touch the fish you want to buy because they certainly do not have any fish knowledge. And the fish comes frozen. Or fried. Those are your options. No fish monger to de-bone, fillet, take the skin off or recommend the freshest product.
Say it with me, Food Network. Reg U Lar Groce Ry Store. I know it's not fancy but it's all that we have in a good 90% of America. That's why people appreciate Rachel Ray and Sandra Lee so much. They reference things that regular folks have access to.
This is not to say I wouldn't love a local fish monger. I grew up in an area with many and that is where we bought our fresh fish. We also went to a butcher shop a lot of the time for meats. I understand the valuable service they provide. But you deal with what you have. Until I move to a larger city, I'd appreciate you recognizing that very few of us have access to services like that.
Your truly,
Preppy Pink Crocodile
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14 comments:
Sing it sister! I have been yelling that at the tv a lot lately. I adore Martha but sometimes the products she directs us to use are either not available in my area or cost $300 just to make a cake! There is a really great tv cook in Canada called Anna Olsen. Her show was called Sugar. She uses regular products and still is able to show a "fancier" side to baking and cooking. xoxo
seriously hilarious...<3 it.
and in an honest count your blessings type thing, i can walk to trader joe's and henry's ("fresh grocery market" - really similar to trader joe's) but have to drive to get to a regular grocery store...there's a reason california's known for the fruits and the nuts - specialty health food stores are everywhere and i have to hunt down my beloved lofthouse cookies!!
xx,
alanna
LOL! So true, so very true. When I hear the term "fish monger," I think of a line from Mary Poppins, as she reads her grocery list for the day with Jane and Michael. :)
I completely agree! Thanks for posting it for all to see! Same goes for some of the crazy fruits and veggies they use. We have about one variety of your basic stuff...thats it!
I love all your food and recipe posts, so I tagged you in my posting today. I am seriously looking forward to seeing your answers!
Happy Halloween -- I think I might change my costume to a Fish Monger :)
First, I love that you call the carts buggies. Second, you don't have a seafood store?? We even have a shop called the Saltwater Cowboy...in Rutland VT of all places.
I don't know, I live in a place where I get NO cellphone reception, no television and I can usually find most of the stuff I need.
Alas, i do not watch food network, and I'm worried about you singing the praises of Sandra Lee...Rachel Ray, ok, but SL...
She lost me with the Kwanzaa cake..and the cool whip..
Good morning from Tokyo! Being as we live where we are, we may have some of the most skilled mongers out there, that said, it's a temporary home and where we lived in Charlotte, such a thing just wasn't available unless you lived on the coast. I think some shows have broad appeal, but don't think "average American" when preparing their dishes or dishing out their advice.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Warmly,
Elizabeth
This is so true! I always wondered what these shows seem to think is available for most people. I'm not even from a small town at all, but I'm pretty sure I couldn't even go to a specialty fish market without going into the city.
& speaking of food, I tagged you on my blog :)
As if any of us even have a fish monger. I think they like to use "big words" just because they know we are going to say, "huh? What's that?" I think fish mongers are big back east and especially near Maine, Cape Cod, Boston, etc...
You go girl! I couldn't agree more!! That's why I love Rachel Ray!!
I know! We have one of the cheapest, non-exotic grocery stores around and I'm not about to drive an extra 30 minutes to get to something more exciting!
REBrown
rekdbrown.blogspot.com
PChops and Hannaford will both do special orders if you call ahead. Cousins also has a great selection and will do whatever cuts/cleaning you need done.
I do agree that it's super obnoxious that they always call for special things to be done to stuff though. Why can't they just do recipes that call for normal cuts?
Amen! It would be nice if they would remember that more often.
You are so right! I'm not sure my neighborhood grocery store even has a butcher much less fish monger. They do have someone to slice the deli meat. I wonder if he has a fancy title?
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