One of the World's Great Tragedies

In Pittsburgh, the city where I currently reside, it is far easier to find Jewish food than Mexican food. I will eat a potato in any form you would like. Just you try me. But g.efilte fish? That looks disgusting. I'm usually quite open to foods foreign to my palette but the first time I noticed it in the store was on a trip to Florida last year. I paid attention because south Florida seems to have a rather high Jewish population and my friend's boyfriend is one of them. I decided to pay a little closer attention to his culture. No, he is not the first Jewish person I've ever met. I've been to a bat mitzvah or two, which I loved!! (Tossing candy in church??? WHY DON'T WE DO THIS EVERY SUNDAY, MOM!?) But I grew up in Charlotte, which though it has a sizeable J.ewish population, was not exactly a melting pot in the late 80s and early 90s.

That is neither here nor there. Let's get back to this fish in a jar. I have no problem with canned meats. My mom doesn't like canned foods or frozen prepared foods. She's all about cooking. (Fabulous southern woman.) But she liked spam (I don't know why) and didn't mind canned salmon. My dad loves sardines and passed that affinity on to me in the last year. But the fish in a jar??? Tell me that top picture is not one of the most unappetizing looking things you have ever seen in your life. That second picture is not much better. The preparation doesn't sound too different from salmon patties but the pictures... YIKES!!

The point is, I went to a regular grocery store looking for chipotles. I know, so typical of me. THEY DIDN'T HAVE THEM!! The only Mexican food they had in their section was regular salsa and tortillas. I'm sure there was something else but I was just so taken aback by the lack of chipotles I could've died!! I mean what on earth!?! Chipotles! CHIPOTLES!! There's a restaurant named after this popular pepper!! It's used in countless food network recipes!! I'm not asking for yuca! Not that I eat yuca regularly. I'm just saying. We should have a riot that I can buy fish in a jar and not chipotles.