Collards for the disgustingly rich and culturally clueless

[Alex]

Neiman-Marcus sells collard greens (Washington Post story)

 

I was going to put this in the Food Funnies topic, but decided it really needed its own.

 

Maybe they're free-range, artisinal, heirloom, single-origin, hand-rubbed collards.

 

Quote

There’s a reason Neiman Marcus has earned the nickname "Needless Markup." Also, what kind of rich person buys their food from Neiman Marcus? Wouldn’t they just get a caterer?

 

[blue_dolphin]

I guess you might want those collards, or the $65 Broccoli Cheese casserole to add some green vegetables to the $495 Holiday Turkey Dinner for 8. 

And better get a $65 Apple Pie and maybe an $80 Pumpkin Spice Cake for dessert. 

[kayb]

H'mmm. Think I'll plant a patch of collards and see about becoming one of NM's suppliers. 

[Shelby]

I got a whole mess of 'em out there in the garden.  I'll sell 'em for half what Neiman's are going for.  

 

 

 

 

 

[munchymom]

Dean and Deluca also has ridiculous Thanksgiving side dishes - like 2 pounds of frozen mac and cheese for $35.

[chefmd]

I have just as much trouble with the title of this post as I have with the NM price of collard greens.  Being rich does not automatically make you disgusting just as being poor does not automatically make you virtuous.  I am culturally clueless about a lot of cuisines and am constantly trying to learn about them.  Having things like sous vide turkey on Thanksgiving table is probably culturally clueless as well.  

A am also guilty of adding any kind of pork product that I have on hand to any kind of greens that I buy (cheaply).

[Arey]

Just suppose  that some virtuous poor person has managed to work his/her way up to being disgustingly rich and has secret cravings for collard greens or stuffed bream or some virtuous poor persons food that is never allowed to make an appearance on the dinner table of the disgustingly rich.  Well now he/she can have it by ordering it at a ridiculous price from Nieman-Marcus without facing the  ridicule of his/her disgustingly rich friends, although he might be subject to scorn by his virtuously poor friends.   Lets face it anyone with a whole lot of money can eat caviar in public, but it takes strength of character  for anyone with a whole lot of money to eat collards or stuffed bream in public and not worry about losing face.

[Alex]

1 hour ago, chefmd said:

I have just as much trouble with the title of this post as I have with the NM price of collard greens.  Being rich does not automatically make you disgusting just as being poor does not automatically make you virtuous.  I am culturally clueless about a lot of cuisines and am constantly trying to learn about them.  Having things like sous vide turkey on Thanksgiving table is probably culturally clueless as well.  

A am also guilty of adding any kind of pork product that I have on hand to any kind of greens that I buy (cheaply).

 

Chef, "disgustingly rich" is a figure of speech referring to an outrageously wealthy person, often one who uses his or her money in a way that's perceived as repugnant, ostentatious, or wasteful. Whether in my title or in general, it does not refer to rich people as a whole. ("Disgustingly" also is sometimes used to indicate a kind of back-handed envy: "He eats only fast food [see, now this post is food-related] and smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and he's still disgustingly healthy.")

 

I also think you missed the meaning of "culturally clueless." It has nothing to do with simply being unfamiliar with another cuisine or, even less, what kind of pork product was used here. Obviously there's absolutely nothing wrong with expanding one's culinary horizons. It did, however, have to do with an ultra-high-end retailer taking a very non-high-end and culturally distinct food, doing absolutely nothing special with it, then charging an outrageous price. And, apparently, having not a clue about how it might be perceived.

Quote

"The food that was considered poor people’s food, or Southern food, or black food, is now being advertised and sold by a luxury brand,” she said. “I‘ve heard people from the South say that they were ashamed that their family cooked collard greens.

 

I guess that bad publicity is still publicity, though -- the offering sold out by last night.

Edited November 3, 2016 by Alex
to correct a mangled sentence (log)

[Shelby]

16 minutes ago, Alex said:

 

Chef, "disgustingly rich" is a figure of speech referring to an outrageously wealthy person, often one who uses his or her money in a way that's perceived as repugnant, ostentatious, or wasteful. Whether in my title or in general, it does not refer to rich people as a whole. ("Disgustingly" also is sometimes used to indicate a kind of back-handed envy: "He eats only fast food [see, now this post is food-related] and smokes two packs of cigarettes a day and he's still disgustingly healthy.")

 

I also think you missed the meaning of "culturally clueless." It has nothing to do with simply being unfamiliar with another cuisine or, even less, what kind of pork product was used here. Obviously there's absolutely nothing wrong with expanding one's culinary horizons. It did, however, have to do with an ultra-high-end retailer taking a very non-high-end and culturally distinct food, doing absolutely nothing special with it, then charging an outrageous price. And, apparently, having not a clue about how it might be perceived.

 

I guess that bad publicity is still publicity, though -- the offering sold out by last night.

 

[Tri2Cook]

2 hours ago, Alex said:

an ultra-high-end retailer taking a very non-high-end and culturally distinct food, doing absolutely nothing special with it, then charging an outrageous price. And, apparently, having not a clue about how it might be perceived.

I'm not sure I understand why it has to be perceived as anything other than catering to a market. Nothing is overpriced as long as somebody is willing to pay it. Those of us unwilling to pay the Neiman Marcus price can still buy our collards elsewhere, that hasn't changed.

[cakewalk]

Interesting how this has gone in different directions. A few thoughts:

 

"Culturally clueless" doesn't refer to not knowing things. We're all ignorant of so much, no matter how much we do know. But some of us have an awareness of our own ignorance, and, along with it, an openness to learning. Others do not have that awareness, and in most cases I'm afraid they never will. I think they fall into the culturally clueless category. (This holds true for rich and poor alike, as far as I can tell.)

 

Connected to that, I think the assumption that collards "belong" to the poor south is an example of cultural cluelessness in and of itself. They've been around for at least a thousand years. They're very popular in Portugal and Spain (caldo verde, anyone? I mean, even I've heard of that), and I'd guess elsewhere, too. I have a lot of trouble with the whole concept of "cultural appropriation." I find it usually it means that people are clueless to every culture but their own. 

 

"Poor man's food" has been transformed into "rich man's food" long before Neiman-Marcus ever cooked collard greens. This certainly has not set any precedents.

 

I have nothing to say about the disgustingly rich. They can defend themselves. 

[kayb]

3 hours ago, Arey said:

Just suppose  that some virtuous poor person has managed to work his/her way up to being disgustingly rich and has secret cravings for collard greens or stuffed bream or some virtuous poor persons food that is never allowed to make an appearance on the dinner table of the disgustingly rich.  Well now he/she can have it by ordering it at a ridiculous price from Nieman-Marcus without facing the  ridicule of his/her disgustingly rich friends, although he might be subject to scorn by his virtuously poor friends.   Lets face it anyone with a whole lot of money can eat caviar in public, but it takes strength of character  for anyone with a whole lot of money to eat collards or stuffed bream in public and not worry about losing face.

 

Now I'm intrigued by the mention of stuffed bream. I ate lots of bream growing up (caught lots of it, too!), but we always pan-fried it.

 

58 minutes ago, cakewalk said:

Interesting how this has gone in different directions. A few thoughts:

 

"Culturally clueless" doesn't refer to not knowing things. We're all ignorant of so much, no matter how much we do know. But some of us have an awareness of our own ignorance, and, along with it, an openness to learning. Others do not have that awareness, and in most cases I'm afraid they never will. I think they fall into the culturally clueless category. (This holds true for rich and poor alike, as far as I can tell.)

 

Connected to that, I think the assumption that collards "belong" to the poor south is an example of cultural cluelessness in and of itself. They've been around for at least a thousand years. They're very popular in Portugal and Spain (caldo verde, anyone? I mean, even I've heard of that), and I'd guess elsewhere, too. I have a lot of trouble with the whole concept of "cultural appropriation." I find it usually it means that people are clueless to every culture but their own. 

 

"Poor man's food" has been transformed into "rich man's food" long before Neiman-Marcus ever cooked collard greens. This certainly has not set any precedents.

 

I have nothing to say about the disgustingly rich. They can defend themselves. 

 

Interesting how "poor man's food" has advanced, in many instances, to almost cult status. Bone broth and barbecue, for two -- meats from traditionally the less-desirable portion of the cow or pig. Soups where a small amount of meat is stretched to serve more people. Foraged greens and mushrooms. Beans were traditionally a less expensive source of protein, yet companies like Rancho Gordo have established themselves firmly as a boutique seller of heirloom varieties. In general, I see the trend as good, winning wider acceptance for foods that originally may have had limited scope.

 

I will, however forego my portion of Nieman Marcus' or anyone else's collards. I don't like cooked greens of any genus or species. Never have, and I don't guess, at this stage of my life, I ever will.

[dcarch]

Sneaky way to get lots of free media coverage.

 

dcarch

[Thanks for the Crepes]

12 hours ago, dcarch said:

Sneaky way to get lots of free media coverage.

 

dcarch

 

Yeah, the original article @Alex linked to in the Washington Post (link's already dead) seems to have been taken down. I couldn't find it on a search either.  Update: The site itself seems to be down, and the link may recover. Or? it could be the site is overwhelmed by people trying to access the original article?

 

There is, however a complete media frenzy , about it.

 

What a powder keg!

[Alex]

2 hours ago, Thanks for the Crepes said:

 

Yeah, the original article @Alex linked to in the Washington Post (link's already dead) seems to have been taken down. I couldn't find it on a search either.  Update: The site itself seems to be down, and the link may recover. Or? it could be the site is overwhelmed by people trying to access the original article?

 

There is, however a complete media frenzy , about it.

 

What a powder keg!

 

I can still access the article.

[Brown Hornet]

16 hours ago, kayb said:

 

Interesting how "poor man's food" has advanced, in many instances, to almost cult status. Bone broth and barbecue, for two -- meats from traditionally the less-desirable portion of the cow or pig. Soups where a small amount of meat is stretched to serve more people. Foraged greens and mushrooms. Beans were traditionally a less expensive source of protein, yet companies like Rancho Gordo have established themselves firmly as a boutique seller of heirloom varieties. In general, I see the trend as good, winning wider acceptance for foods that originally may have had limited scope.

 

 

Very true -- oxtails are another example.  They were a soul food/southern meat+3 staple for decades.  Now I'm lucky if I can find them for $5/lb even at our local farmers markets. 

 

[Arey]

@kayb In Chekhov's "A Boring Story"  a much respected professor who has gained both rank and renown and is now addressed as Excellency is reflecting on how his life has changed over the years and among the things he regrets are that at the dinner table he no longer gets to have what he likes such as  cabbage soup, meat pies, goose with  apple sauce, and bream stuffed with buckwheat. Instead he gets things such as pureed soups with "icicles" floating in it or kidneys in Madeira sauce.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Arey (log)

[Anna N]

49 minutes ago, Arey said:

@kayb In Chekhov's "A Boring Story"  a much respected professor who has gained both rank and renown and is now addressed as Excellency is reflecting on how his life has changed over the years and among the things he regrets are that at the dinner table he no longer gets to have what he likes such as  cabbage soup, meat pies, goose with  apple sauce, and bream stuffed with buckwheat. Instead he gets things such as pureed soups with "icicles" floating in it or kidneys in Madeira sauce.

 

 When I fantasize about winning a lottery, a very, very big lottery I worry that I will miss the simple things in life. Life without a cheese and onion sandwich, a plate of scrambled eggs, mushrooms on toast. Would I have to go underground to enjoy these? Usually puts the brake on my fantasies.

[Thanks for the Crepes]

15 hours ago, Alex said:

 

I can still access the article.

 

So can I now. Must have been down for maintenance or something when I tried earlier, or either swamped with people trying to access. 

 

Collards are ubiquitous and cheap here. Even Walmart carries them, I noticed. At my local Food Lion they are 89 cents for a big ole bunch. They sure are popular, but I never developed a taste for them.