But the pink of salmon is a hideous pink. I probably only think that because I hate salmon though.

Status symbols... yeah, you probably have something there. Even so, there are less heavy foods that are expensive, like halibut or shrimp or various fruits, and those keep getting smothered in heavy sauces too! I thought that kind of thing had gone out of style in the 80s, but maybe it's coming back? Yuck.