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I Am A Snob, Not An Idiot.

Snobs are really a pain in the ass. Well, except for me of course. How intimidating could I be with the big stain on my shirt that I got from from the Asian lime dressing at lunch yesterday?

Anyway...

While I do like nice products in my kitchen, I am not one to fall for the big name brands. If it meets my needs and I like it, I don't care who made it. Sometimes that means I have the big name brands, like my Kitchen-Aid mixer, and sometimes that means I buy not-so-big name brands like my panini grill.

I have been so busy (hence the no blogging) in the last week that I decided to drop everything and do some retail therapy yesterday. One of our stops was the Willams & Sonoma store.

They were doing samples of a new grilling marinade they were promoting - which is essentially an herbed oil that I totally bought - and they were brushing the oil on crostini and grilling them on a panini maker. I was inquring about the oil when the lady prepping the samples made me a couple crostini. We were talking and she asked me if I had a panini grill.

"Of course!"

"Oh, do you have the Krupps model?"

"No. I have a Breadman."

"A what?"

"A Breadman."

"Oh" (Snobby tone and look)

"I saw no reason to pay $100 for an appliance when I could get the exact same thing for $39."

"Well, it's not the exact same thing, I am sure. There really is only one panini grill out there that's worth having and it's Krupps. We sell them here."

"Yes, I saw them. But my Breadman rocks. It has all the same features as the one you are using but it was $60 cheaper."

"*Sigh* Well, all the professionals out there would tell you that Krupps is the very best model."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"And by professionals - whom do you mean? Do you mean yourself?"

"Well of course myself, I have worked for Willams & Sonoma for a year."

"Really, an entire year?"

"Yes. I take this job very seriously."

"Indeed. I am sure you do. And what other professionals?"

"You know, food people. Chefs. Caterers."

"Oh, I see." (Major smirk)

"I mean, it's perfectly natural for the average home cook to fall prey to the lesser expensive products on the market. But in order to do these things right you really need to be in the know. We offer classes if you are interested."

"Mmmhmm..."

"So what do you do for a living? Are you a stay at home wife? Mother? I assume since you're here on a week day that..."

"Oh, I work nights. The crostini are wonderful. I will take a bottle of the marinade..."

"And what do you do when you work nights?"

"I am a chef and a caterer...you know, one of those professionals you talked about?"

That left her speechless and stupid looking.

What I wanted to say was, "I am The Food Whore, bitch." But - the voice of The Friend in Baltimore is always with me and is always telling me to be nice and polite and classy.

Whatever.

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Posted by Foodwhore at May 13, 2004 10:14 PM