The Culinary Works

As a chef and a food lover, I have a passion for artisan food products.  I want to spread the word so that these products garner enough support to stay in business, ensuring an ample supply for me, and so that others can enjoy them.  I started thinking about the term, artisan.  What does it mean and are we applying it correctly?  Here is what I learned.

Artisan is an Italian word used to describe a person who hand crafts something.  It’s not exclusive to any class of person or product, rather it is used to describe even those manual crafts, such as tools, household items, furniture etc.  It is also used to describe the hand crafting of food products.  We commonly use the term to describe foods like cheese, bread etc.

The critical thing with these products is that they are produced solely by hand using no mechanized means.  Now clearly, for food safety purposes and production purposes, there are probably many products we consider ‘Artisan’ even if there are some steps involved that use something more than a fire for heat or ice for refrigeration….but I’m ok with that.  To me, what makes them special is that these products are not mass-produced, which allows the artisan to monitor and ensure the quality and character of the product are what he desires.  Mass-produced products have to be simplified and timed to allow the machinery to work and this simplification reduces the complexity and also the unique character found in artisan products.  The mass producer can’t allow for variances that can be caused by many factors, even the time bread has to bake to form the right crust can be different based on the flour used for that batch.  This simplification equates to loss of character and often flavor.  For example, in the mechanized world the cheese curds are allowed to form only in a specific period of time before the machine scoops them up and forces them into molds.  An artisan cheese maker will simply look and based on his expertise decide when it’s time, if it takes longer this time in order for the flavor to develop and cheese to have more character, he can allow that.  The machine can’t make those decisions so the unique character has to be eliminated from the recipe to ensure the mass-produced product is consistent.

Another thing to consider is the trend we are seeing in micro-farming.  Small, sometimes organic producers of quality produce.  In my area there are some really great ones who focus on bringing back some of the old heirloom varieties and expanding the availability of little known varieties.  These small producers are so hands on the quality of the product is impeccable.  You won’t find bruised or damaged products in the bottom of the basket because they were placed there by hand.  The flavor and quality of these products will remind you what they are meant to taste like! 

Now here in Northern California Organic meat production is taking a foothold.  Organic free-range veal, pork, chicken and lamb are easy to find.  Knowing how the animals are treated and fed certainly makes me feel better about feeding it to the people I love. 

Even things like Olive Oil, Balsamic and specialty vinegars are all available to us locally. 

Just as in homemade, no matter how you slice it, Artisan products are better.  Whether you are talking about bread, wine, cheese, cured meats, vegetables, fruit, Olive Oil, lamb chops….whatever, the care and attention these products receive make them unique and special.  Yes, they may cost a bit more but when something tastes so much better, and in many cases is better for you, isn’t it worth it?  I say yes! 

In the coming months we will work to find and profile some of the amazing Artisan products available to you so you too can try them.  I already have some of my favorites, so stay tuned and lets all get out there and support our Artisan food producers.