ladyofastolat: (Default)
ladyofastolat ([personal profile] ladyofastolat) wrote2010-11-19 05:33 pm

Food fashions

I was thinking today about how much I like chicken kiev, and how it seems to have gone completely out of fashion. Back in the early 90s, virtually every pub that served food offered chicken kiev, which suited me perfectly, but I don't think I've seen chicken kiev on any pub menu in years. I wonder why not. I wonder why food has fashions. I suppose it's a reaction to ubiquity. When something is ubiquitous - whether an item of food, a popular book, a pop band, an item of clothing etc. - it encourages others to sneer at it and feel superior by avoiding it. Then it becomes a bit sad or naff or common, and within a few years, people can look at it and sneer, "Oh, that's so three years ago," and move on. But then, of course, thirty years later, it will have retro appeal, and will be brought back again.

Anyone got any favourite foods that were once ubiquitous, but are now impossible to find?

Alternatively, feel free to tell me all your chicken kiev sightings, and show me all my pontifications are based on a false premise.
torkell: (Default)

[personal profile] torkell 2010-11-19 05:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Chicken kievs seem to be disappearing from the supermarkets as well. I don't recall seeing them in Sainsbury's the last couple of times I went looking for them. Shame, I rather liked them.

[identity profile] ladyofastolat.livejournal.com 2010-11-19 06:07 pm (UTC)(link)
They'd better not disappear from M&S. *glowers darkly* I seldom buy food in M&S, but do very occasionally treat myself to a ridiculously high calorie meal of M&S chicken kiev and dauphinoise potatoes.

I did find chicken kiev in Sainsbury's yesterday, though. I bought it to eat on my birthday next week, since I don't want to cook on the day, but don't want to eat out, either, since we're doing that the following day.