The fact that foodie culture is a relatively new concept should be the first clue that financial contribution is a requirement for being a foodie. One of the first foodies was Elizabeth I, queen of England, who obviously had no problem paying for the food she wanted. Then came along the wine connoisseurs, who took great pride in their knowledge and experience. But before modern technology, most people did not have the time or money to be a gourmet. It could take an entire day to kill one pig, gather nuts, or catch enough fish for an entire meal. They learned to be thankful for what they had, and never thought twice about reviewing its quality, texture, or appearance. Today, foodies definitely do not shake down an orange tree, spear their own fish, or even skin their own meat. Though this is a reflection of the times, foodies are definitely in a sphere separate from the working-class individual. They tend to dine outside the home more often, and when they do decide to make their own meal, they pick the finest ingredients and most likely prepare it in a lengthy, gourmet (not to mention expensive) manner. It is time and money that set these people apart.
Societies’ obsession with food and its preparation are by no means confined to the kitchen or dining room. The recent surge in reality cooking shows proves that while the general population as a whole may be hard and fast on the microwave dinner track, foodies everywhere are still obsessed with the idea of excellent food being prepared and love to watch the experts cook. In recent times the concept of being a foodie has evolved into something that is a source of pride for those who consider themselves to be one. There are many cooking shows on television today and in the past that support my stance on the high socioeconomic requirement that being a foodie involves. Julia Child is considered a mother of cooking shows. I like to think that she is one of the inventors so-to-speak of foodie culture. One of her most famous shows is entitled “The Lobster Show”. During this episode, Julia Child proceeds to show the viewers the different sizes of lobster and how many people they would feed, etc. Lobster is not your everyday, gather-round-the-table family meal - enough lobster to feed a family of five could cost up to one-hundred dollars. Not to mention the time required to prepare it properly. Another show that further justifies my argument is Good Eats with Alton Brown. In his quest for reviving the “cake lady’s coconut cake”, not only does he run around town to find the best ingredients, but he takes the time to make home-made icing, coconut milk, coconut cream, and even coconut extract! These kinds of troubles would never cross the minds of most middle-class homemakers. Some people don’t even know how anyone made a good stew before you could buy cream of mushroom soup in an aluminum can. The grocery market thrives on busy soccer mom’s that are looking for pop-in-the-microwave meals. You can see it everywhere. Because of their lower income level, they are willing to sacrifice a few extra preservatives (and calories) to save money when grocery shopping. These kinds of habits do not cultivate foodies.
There are other shows out there that some could argue represent how the average American can be a foodie. 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray shows the audience how to make a delicious, easy home-cooked meal in…30 minutes! But I do not think that the people Rachel Ray is appealing to could be classified as true foodies. They are most likely busy, working moms with barely enough time to eat dinner, much less pursue the art of food appreciation. They like the idea of being a foodie and are entertained and sometimes fascinated by what it includes, but they are not going to be the people that wait in line to eat at the newest steakhouse on opening night. There are some foodies who swear by certain books, chefs, restaurants, and shows to be key elements in making even the smallest step towards becoming a foodie. There is much debate over these and even some division among the foodies. Clearly, a good set of taste buds is not the only prerequisite to entering into the food culture – you must be willing to keep up with trends, chefs, restaurants, and recipes which involves time and research. Dedication is an essential core component of being a legitimate foodie.
As the saying goes, time is money. Those that are struggling to make ends meets usually don’t have a plethora of free time. Statistically, those with lower incomes work more hours that those making more money. So not only are they short on cash, but they are short on time as well. There is a reason you don’t see middle to lower class families wasting away an afternoon at the country club. Even if they had the disposable income to spend on high quality food products, they don’t have time to drive to the organic grocery store or fresh fish market. They probably don’t have time to roll their own dough, and they definitely don’t have time to tend their own vegetable garden. Most foodies prefer to make their own sauces, condiments, and salad dressings. For an individual with a tight budget, a bottle of Hidden Valley ranch could work for all three! Let’s suppose they didn’t have to prepare their own food - they could explore foodie culture through different dining experiences (again, hypothetically taking out the factor of money). But a meal at upper-scale restaurant could be a two hour, five course event, plus the time spent driving there, parking, and waiting for a table on a crowed weekend night. If they have children, they can either bring them along and pay twenty-five dollars for their gourmet cheeseburger, or they pay a babysitter ten dollars an hour to watch the children while they are out. As you can see, the factors add up fast. After a review of what the whole event would entail, it makes it really easy for the working-class person to do their wallet and planner a favor by staying in and popping in a frozen casserole. The foodie lifestyle is not compatible with that of a working class individual who has limited expendable time.
A true foodie would not only have the New York Times delivered to their house (regardless of whether they live in New York City) for the restaurant review section, but they would most likely spent a good chunk of time perusing through the reviews and making their own judgments on restaurants, recipes, and chefs. Time and money go hand in hand, and participating in the foodie culture revolution certainly requires plenty of both, obviously limiting those who can join in.
Works citied
"Food: The High Price of Gourmet Food | Newsweek Voices - Daniel Gross | Newsweek.com." Newsweek - National News, World News, Health, Technology, Entertainment and more... | Newsweek.com. 26 Oct. 2009
"How to be a Foodie | De Long Wine Moment." De Long's Wine Info - Wine Learning Tools. 26 Oct. 2009
"Popular cooking shows spurinterest in culinary arts industry - Cleveland.com." Cleveland OH Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - cleveland.com. 26 Oct. 2009 ,http://www.cleveland.com/employment>.
"The Old Foodie: Maundy Money, Maundy Food.." The Old Foodie. 26 Oct. 2009
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