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World's Greatest Food Markets - BBC2 Sundays 9pm
degsyhufc
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04sp8kdBillingsgate trader Roger Barton follows his dream of visiting and trading in the world's greatest food markets.
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New York
It's nice to see Roger in more subdued mode here.
Looks like he's getting shellacking here.
I don't understand why the buyers aren't playing the two traders off against each other.
Edit: IIRC from the last fish market program set in London aren't the Chinese into Eells, they've taken to importing them.
I'm a Londoner and I've never had them, I'll see them in the reduced freezer at the Supermarket at some point and give them a bash.
As for the other comment about the look of them, I don't think any fish looks good when they still look like fish, shiny skin and bones.
Oh Roger's onto a good thing buy direct off the boat, bet it wasn't cheap despite Dave the fisherman.
Don't know what the American bloke is moaning about, bitter, bitten after all his big talk about how hard he is.
Use to have them when I was growing up in Walthamstow but never really liked them
and the fat American was right about the eels. Everyone who wants to eat it on a regular basis is long gone.
Yet the Chinese bloke punted it all to the Chinese noodle houses.
Still pretty sure it was the Chinese buying them in London, but I think they might have been live.
At one time this was all run by the Mafia. While the overt Mafia presence is gone, the guys that escaped being scooped up by the City going after the mobsters still work somewhat in that mode of handshake deals, not crossing each other, and consequences if they do (maybe not murdering anyone anymore who does, but applying some other pressure, like maybe sicking some friend at the Health or Food safety departments on them).
Do they have a swearing quota? At the beginning the F bomb was bleeped but later in the show there were two or three uncensored.
Ahh something to pass the time, London Markets different beast altogether IMO, mostly because it's at 'home' and holds more interest for me, so I wanted more of the nitty gritty background and history.
Got far more annoyed with London Markets because it didn't do enough of the background and went looking for characters.
This is just one of those task based shows with a bit of history thrown in, Roger's a bit less 'Roger' than usual.
Yeah, the production staff probably did have a discussion and trade off over swear words with management, it's been discussed in retrospective docs over the years.
Radio Active got away with Mike Hunt for about 3 series before someone in management cottoned on IIRC, then it was too late to do anything.
Similar to Kenneth Horne radio shows and the polari (sp) that they got away with.
Could have been Sue Perkins presenting it the way things are going.
I liked Roger's surprise when in the asian store. Live turtles! Frogs!
Also why not kippers and stovies?
I realise they're not fresh fish and it was a fresh fish market but neither are jellied eels. They're pre-cooked.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04sxzn2
but he didn't speak the lingo so he was always in a disadvantage
enjoying this little series.
Did he ever, the Chilli Don did look the part in his office though didn't he, I don't think anyone at home said 'but he seemed such a nice fella'
I'm guessing he fed Roger the information on the grower, maybe indirectly so he could stitch him up, it wouldn't surprise me.
It's a bit of an odd construct just to get an insight into various markets around the world and people in them, I suppose latching onto Roger draws people in, like Mason McQueen and his cabbie series.
I was wondering how they'd got Roger away from his businesses in London, I suppose it's kinda explained tonight that his Missus has died.
we saw the other side to Roger the ol'bastard ;-)
He certainly lived up to his name and used to swear like a trooper. But he was as straight as a dye. Even when it was to his own detriment. Must admit I am surprised he still works there ... he looked really old even back then.
I have only seen the New York ep so far. Will watch the other two soon. He's quite a character.
I thought it was the best of them.
I thought it was interesting that the new breed of middlemen were on old Roger's wavelength about money being everything despite the old guard saying it was all about honour of hard work and family tradition.
Also that Roger changed his view and donated his festival profits and decided to give buyers credit - although that may have been just for the cameras as the wink might tell.
Shame about the cows. Plenty of food waste to eat up and I bet there's plenty need of milk for all the tea drunk in that place.