More on British food

If television is a barometer of society, then the Brits are cooking up a storm!  All day and all night there are shows that revolve around cooking or local foods. Masterchef (professional and celebrity), Come Dine With Me, The Great British Food Revival, There's No Taste Like Home, and my favorite (yeah, I spell it the American way without the "u"), Hairy Bikers' Best of British - these are just a partial list of shows extolling food from its sources to its final presentation on a plate.  Not to mention the ubiquitous Jamie Oliver!  One prevailing theme is the apparent peril of native fruits, nuts and even livestock in danger of being swallowed up into the belly of history by the suburbanization and financialization of the island.  Another is the distinctly Continental and even Asian influences, which are a good thing. Pity the poor guy on Masterchef who had the nerve to prepare a simple fish pie for the food critics! He's gone.  And the professional tasters! How are they not the size of houses? Having to eat all those dishes in the space of an hour (I know it's filmed over a longer period), but it just doesn't seem fair. Try that at home! Since I'm not going to any of these Michelin star restaurants (the bill must be the size of a small weekly wage), it's good vicarious fun to watch. I suppose therein lies the appeal in this recession-wracked economy as well!