Quizzing the guy at the counter is sort of rude, but at Whole Foods' prices they should have the answers.

Reply

I've gotta say,

Theres some types of people who use new technology for innovation, and to enhance the lives of themselves and others; there are other people who use new technology to be an utter self-righteous prick. Mr. Shipley is clearly the latter.

Reply

There's nothing wrong with checking to ensure that your fishmonger/ butcher/ etc. is competent. That's just good sense, and a way to get you closer in touch with the food that you're eating and the people that are providing it. However, you don't have to do it in a rude way.

As for trusting the internet over your fishmonger, well, that may or may not be a good idea.

Reply

Seems rude to me. It's good information to have BEFORE shopping, but DURING seems like a slap in the face to the human experts who can have a meaningful conversation on the topic. Especially at Whole Foods. Like he didn't trust the fishmongers who are there and always seem to know their stuff. In my experience at several WF stores, if a newbie clerk is serving me, he/she will ask the manager if they're not entirely sure of the answer. And being Whole Foods, if it's not environmentally sustainable, they simply won't carry it. Just ask this frustrated grouper and monkfish lover who is slowly adjusting to dwindling supplies and contanimated species.

But I did like the dignified WF response: The clerks who work the fish counter don't mind. "He's confirming on the Internet things that I am saying," said Whole Foods' Ken Shugarts.

Reply

I think it wa extremely rude, but typical of this day and age. Working retail for many years, i can honestly say, people just don't "shop" these days for anything. People want to heck things out at the store, then go home and google for best prices, quality, etc. Now the iPhone just lets them do that right on the spot.

Personally I prefer, whether grocery shopping or otherwise, to just buy what appeals to me, and what suits my needs. I'm not going to haggle over 30 cents, and I'm not going to get into an in depth discussion on where the eggs i buy were hatched, by which particular chickens, whether or not the farm was "Smoke free" and what their parents ate just before they were laid.

I just want my damned eggs.

Reply

It depends: If Wil didn't have the knowledge of fish and seafood before he went and quizzed the fish monger, than that's unfair. Why is he using knowledge that isn't even his own against someone? I admit that the fish monger should have some inkling about the impact his products have on the environment, but he should not be responsible for knowing everything about all seafood all the time. It would have been more effective for Wil to share his newly acquired knowledge with the fish monger rather than try to use it to outsmart, belittle, or criticize someone else.

Reply

Oh come on. This is a total set-up. The reporter used the word "quiz" as in "ask them questions," not as in "act like they are on a quiz show."

I don't play "trap the fish monger." I ask them where and how fish are caught (when they aren't clearly labelled, which is the *law*), and then I look the fish up on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch list (http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_WestCoastGuide.pdf) to see if that fish/region/method is sustainable and/or poisonous.

That's not rude. It's just good sense. This shit goes in my body.

When I occasionally buy a hot dog from a street vendor, yes, I just eat it. But if I'm going to Whole Foods to get fish, I'm going to make sure the fish is good and I'm not depleting the stocks, so I can eat it next year. This helps me, it helps you, it helps them (they get to keep selling fish).

-Wil

Reply

how then. is the iphone necessary to ask basic questions regarding where your fish came from? What additional knowledge could you gain from the internet that wouldn't be using in a manner that puts your fishmonger on the spot? Wouldn't general knowledge suffice?

Reply

Funny enough, I've been fish shopping with Wil a bunch of times. He's totally not rude about it, he really just double checks his iPhone to make sure which fish are sustainable, or if there isn't an available fishmonger to inform him. =)

Reply

Wil, I agree. It is irresponsible NOT to do this. If the employees take offense, then you shouldn't be shopping there. A good butcher or fishmonger should be happy and proud to explain where their supply is from.

(The iPhone is incidental to the whole point)

Reply

Going to have to side with Wil on this. There is absolutely nothing wrong with checking a website for information then asking the fish counter guy some questions. Informed questions, even if only recently informed, are never a bad thing.

I also use my iPhone when shopping (though not for fish, I try to stay on top of that in general). But its really helpful if I come upon some exotic fruit or vegetable that I know nothing about. Also good for checking the points value for foods for those of us on Weight Watchers.

Reply

they aren't an expert just because they work behind the counter. they might have been running the register the day before and got a promotion. don't assume that everyone who touches your food is an expert. most likely, they aren't.

Reply

I think technology is rude, at least as omnipresent as it is these days. It's ironic, of course, that I'm on my computer contributing to an online discussion about whether using technology to go over the head of your fish monger is rude....

Honestly though, I prefer to talk to people. At least when it comes to my food. The internet is global but food, in its best form, should be local, even if that just means what's freshest here right now (even if it didn't come from here).

(And yet, I blog about food):
Save Our Seeds: Eat Them!
http://beckyandthebeanstock.com

Reply

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/

Reply