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Arugula-gate?

(post, Cristin Couzens)

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While campaigning, Obama asked a group of Iowans, "Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula? I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.”  Obama was trying to make a point that prices at grocery stores have risen, yet farmers haven't seen their prices go up. Detractors were quick to point out that there are no Whole Foods stores in Iowa.   Arugula-gate was born.  Suddenly, arugula became a symbol of elitism, a vegetable litmus test. 

I wonder how arugula felt about all this.

After all, arugula hails from humble origins.  It's a weed, native to the Mediterranean and Middle East.  It's not arugula's fault that its mustardy spiciness has gone unappreciated in the U.S. until the nineties when it started appearing in overpriced salads (you may have also seen it called Rocket.)  

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