Faddy/trendy foods

Stan_Lite · 24-03-2010, 20:06

Yesterday, I bought a nice bit of mackerel for today's lunch but I forgot to get some oatmeal to fry it in (my favourite cooking method for mackerel). I took a wander up to Sainsbury's this morning to get some but, despite a long time searching, I couldn't find any - I found many varieties of porridge oats but no oatmeal. I eventually gave in and asked a member of staff. She couldn't find it either so went to the office to ask. When she came back she announced, to my utter amazement, that they no longer stocked it

During my search, I came across a great many trendy, faddy ingredients including about twenty different "exotic" types of flour, six different types of couscous and a great many grains and pulses I had never heard of.

I fully understand that supermarkets need to make a profit and, as a result, have to prioritise the goods they stock, substituting poor sellers for quicker moving lines. What got to me was that, whilst one was spoilt for choice with regards to couscous, a relative newcomer to popular cooking, one couldn't buy a basic commodity which has been in use in this country for thousands of years.

I have nothing against couscous and only cite it as an example (I love the stuff and have some in my cupboard) of an ingredient that, until recently, was rarely used in most homes.
When I lived in Shetland where mackerel (and herring) are plentiful and cheap (free if caught by friends), I always had a bag of oatmeal in my cupboard - as did pretty much every household.

On my way home, I thought I'd pop into the corner shop at the bottom of our road and see if they had any. In there, I could buy two different styles of Himalayan pink rose crystal salt but no oatmeal

I'm a great believer in trying new foods and regularly try new things I see in shops. My main beef is that, items we took for granted a few years ago are now becoming difficult to source, having been replaced by these "modern" faddy foods. Surely the likes of Sainsbury's could drop one of their six kinds of couscous or one of their twenty kinds of exotic flour to stock a few packs of simple oatmeal.

Does the blame for instances like these fall at the feet of the consumer for embracing fads and trends to the detriment of more traditional ingredients, or is it the fault of the retailers for abandoning traditional ingredients for more lucrative lines? I tend to think it's a bit of both.

Is this phenomenon a worry to anyone else or am I just a moaning old fossil who needs to "get with the times"?

BTW: I fried my mackerel in flour and still enjoyed it - just not as much as I would have done if I'd had oatmeal.

Kitten · 24-03-2010, 20:22

If it's any consolation, I bought a 1kg bag of oatmeal last week from Morrisons. Lots of choice there, doesn't seem to be any shortage. Often found Sainsbo's a bit faddy though, hence I don't go there very often.

Jonny69 · 24-03-2010, 23:21

Stupid question alert and I'm not going to Google it: what's the difference between porridge oats and oatmeal?

Kitten · 24-03-2010, 23:34

I think...and I could be completely wrong, that one (oatmeal) is ground, whereas porridge is usually rolled/flattened oats?

Stan_Lite · 25-03-2010, 00:16

That's pretty much it.

Oatmeal comes in various grades from ultra fine, which is like flour, to coarse, which is roughly the size of sugar granules. Porridge is, as Kitten says, rolled and is roughly the size of flattened rice grains.

Porridge is too large and soft for coating fish - you really need something like medium-coarse oatmeal which will finish up crispy.

Jonny69 · 25-03-2010, 20:42

Ok, I know what you mean.

Looks like you'll have to give it a whizz in the blender first then

Stan_Lite · 25-03-2010, 20:59

Managed to get some today - two days and nine shops later, I found some in the big Asda a couple of miles up the road.

Must be a question of locality. It would appear, not many people in this area use oatmeal. Back home in Shetland, I can almost guarantee that every single shop that sells groceries will stock at least one brand of oatmeal (and probably only one brand of couscous

). I think it's a mostly Scottish thing but I was still quite surprised to have difficulty sourcing it.

I got a 1kg bag so that should last me a while. Just in time too as I plan on making mince and tatties tomorrow - now I can have skirlie with it nomnom.

24-03-2010, 20:06	#1
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	Faddy/trendy foods Yesterday, I bought a nice bit of mackerel for today's lunch but I forgot to get some oatmeal to fry it in (my favourite cooking method for mackerel). I took a wander up to Sainsbury's this morning to get some but, despite a long time searching, I couldn't find any - I found many varieties of porridge oats but no oatmeal. I eventually gave in and asked a member of staff. She couldn't find it either so went to the office to ask. When she came back she announced, to my utter amazement, that they no longer stocked it During my search, I came across a great many trendy, faddy ingredients including about twenty different "exotic" types of flour, six different types of couscous and a great many grains and pulses I had never heard of. I fully understand that supermarkets need to make a profit and, as a result, have to prioritise the goods they stock, substituting poor sellers for quicker moving lines. What got to me was that, whilst one was spoilt for choice with regards to couscous, a relative newcomer to popular cooking, one couldn't buy a basic commodity which has been in use in this country for thousands of years. I have nothing against couscous and only cite it as an example (I love the stuff and have some in my cupboard) of an ingredient that, until recently, was rarely used in most homes. When I lived in Shetland where mackerel (and herring) are plentiful and cheap (free if caught by friends), I always had a bag of oatmeal in my cupboard - as did pretty much every household. On my way home, I thought I'd pop into the corner shop at the bottom of our road and see if they had any. In there, I could buy two different styles of Himalayan pink rose crystal salt but no oatmeal I'm a great believer in trying new foods and regularly try new things I see in shops. My main beef is that, items we took for granted a few years ago are now becoming difficult to source, having been replaced by these "modern" faddy foods. Surely the likes of Sainsbury's could drop one of their six kinds of couscous or one of their twenty kinds of exotic flour to stock a few packs of simple oatmeal. Does the blame for instances like these fall at the feet of the consumer for embracing fads and trends to the detriment of more traditional ingredients, or is it the fault of the retailers for abandoning traditional ingredients for more lucrative lines? I tend to think it's a bit of both. Is this phenomenon a worry to anyone else or am I just a moaning old fossil who needs to "get with the times"? BTW: I fried my mackerel in flour and still enjoyed it - just not as much as I would have done if I'd had oatmeal. __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

24-03-2010, 20:22	#2
Kitten Spinky-Spank Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 668. The Neighbour of the Beast Posts: 11,226	If it's any consolation, I bought a 1kg bag of oatmeal last week from Morrisons. Lots of choice there, doesn't seem to be any shortage. Often found Sainsbo's a bit faddy though, hence I don't go there very often. __________________ "You only get one life. There's no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it's over... it's over. Dreamless sleep for ever and ever. So why not be happy while you're here?" Nate Fisher

24-03-2010, 23:21	#3
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Stupid question alert and I'm not going to Google it: what's the difference between porridge oats and oatmeal? __________________

24-03-2010, 23:34	#4
Kitten Spinky-Spank Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: 668. The Neighbour of the Beast Posts: 11,226	I think...and I could be completely wrong, that one (oatmeal) is ground, whereas porridge is usually rolled/flattened oats? __________________ "You only get one life. There's no God, no rules, except for those you accept or create for yourself. Then once it's over... it's over. Dreamless sleep for ever and ever. So why not be happy while you're here?" Nate Fisher

25-03-2010, 00:16	#5
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	That's pretty much it. Oatmeal comes in various grades from ultra fine, which is like flour, to coarse, which is roughly the size of sugar granules. Porridge is, as Kitten says, rolled and is roughly the size of flattened rice grains. Porridge is too large and soft for coating fish - you really need something like medium-coarse oatmeal which will finish up crispy. __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...

25-03-2010, 20:42	#6
Jonny69 Noob Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Socialist Republik of Kent Posts: 5,032	Ok, I know what you mean. Looks like you'll have to give it a whizz in the blender first then __________________

25-03-2010, 20:59	#7
Stan_Lite Stan, Stan the FLASHER MAN! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: In bed with your sister Posts: 5,483	Managed to get some today - two days and nine shops later, I found some in the big Asda a couple of miles up the road. Must be a question of locality. It would appear, not many people in this area use oatmeal. Back home in Shetland, I can almost guarantee that every single shop that sells groceries will stock at least one brand of oatmeal (and probably only one brand of couscous ). I think it's a mostly Scottish thing but I was still quite surprised to have difficulty sourcing it. I got a 1kg bag so that should last me a while. Just in time too as I plan on making mince and tatties tomorrow - now I can have skirlie with it nomnom. __________________ Just because I have a short attention span doesn't mean I...