February, 2012 - Volume 13, Issue 4



When the Label Says “Artisan”...



Look around wherever food is sold and the word “artisan” pops up everywhere. The neighborhood pizza place has artisan pizza, the sandwich chain has sandwich artisans, and the grocery store has artisan bread, artisan packaged goods and even artisan frozen foods. What once meant “hand crafted” is now found describing mass produced foods of all sorts.

Just what does “artisan” mean, anyway? A food artisan (noun) is a person that produces high quality foods using traditional methods. Their products are crafted with passion and care, usually by hand and in small quantities using specialty ingredients. The adjective “artisanal” is the latest marketing buzzword attempting to link hand crafted quality to all types of food products.

To find true artisanal foods, you need look no further than our own region. Most of our local farmers, ranchers and vintners are true artisans, growing sustainably and with care on a small scale with labor intensive methods & amazing results. The flavors and nutritional value found in traditionally grown, local foods cannot be duplicated on a large factory farm or in a manufacturing plant.

Have you tasted the sweetness of our own Twin Brooks Farm produce, or the freshness and flavor of Packey’s or Sinclair Family Farm’s eggs from traditionally raised chickens who flap their wings and scratch in the dirt?

And Nathan from The Baker and the Cakemaker is a true, local artisan baker, making fresh, crusty, country loaves that continually evoke comments of “I LOVE that bread!”
We have artisans in the NP kitchen as well. Chelsea and Kate make everything fresh and from scratch with real ingredients, care, attention to detail, and pride. No boxed mixes or frozen shortcuts here! And my daughter, Karen, makes our full line of NP jams with local ingredients and in very small batches, insuring wonderful flavor in every jar. The lid says it all, “Made with love at Newcastle Produce”.

And speaking of love, this Valentine’s Day would be a lovely time to show your love by making a locally grown dinner or giving someone a gift of locally produced artisan foods. They will love it and so will you! And remember to continue to support Newcastle Produce and our local Foothill Farmers’ Markets though the slow winter months and make sure that real artisan food production continues. Jan