subfuscpersona
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2004
- Messages
- 561
I see the term "artisan" used to describe (yeast-rising) breads or bread making techniques. What does this actually mean? TIA
what's "artisan"
- Thread starter subfuscpersona
- Start date
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Brooksy
Sous Chef
ar·ti·san [ ärt-zn, -sn ]
n.
A skilled manual worker; a craftsperson.
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[Probably French, from Italian artigiano, from Vulgar Latin *artitinus, from Latin arttus, skilled in the arts, past participle of artre, to instruct in the arts, from ars, art-, art; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
Maybe a tradesmanlike approach to breadmaking
Brooksy
n.
A skilled manual worker; a craftsperson.
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[Probably French, from Italian artigiano, from Vulgar Latin *artitinus, from Latin arttus, skilled in the arts, past participle of artre, to instruct in the arts, from ars, art-, art; see ar- in Indo-European roots.]
Maybe a tradesmanlike approach to breadmaking
Brooksy
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
To put it into cooking terms, artisan means handmade rather than machine produced.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
marmalady
Executive Chef
Artisan is a term that's being applied to 'cooks' of all areas, who believe in preserving the craft of the food they're making. So 'artisan bakers' use old, time-proven methods of baking bread, sometimes using natural airborne yeasts, or fermentation processes. The bread they produce is very special - if you haven't tried it, I recommend you do!
On the same line, there are artisan cheesemakers, winemakers, etc. It's all part of a 'going back to the roots' of food production, in an attempt to bring food back to the way it should be, instead of the mass produced glop we've all gotten used to.
If you're interested, there's a whole movement, if you will, which supports not only artisan food producers, but sustainable agriculture development in third world countries. They're called 'Slow Food'; here's their website -
http://www.slowfood.com/
On the same line, there are artisan cheesemakers, winemakers, etc. It's all part of a 'going back to the roots' of food production, in an attempt to bring food back to the way it should be, instead of the mass produced glop we've all gotten used to.
If you're interested, there's a whole movement, if you will, which supports not only artisan food producers, but sustainable agriculture development in third world countries. They're called 'Slow Food'; here's their website -
http://www.slowfood.com/
Brooksy
Sous Chef
That slow food site is a hoot.
Another well worth a visit is:
http://www.theartisan.net/
Unfortunately my trade (electrician) doesn't qualify for an artisan tag. Nothing artistic or creative about it.
Brooksy
Another well worth a visit is:
http://www.theartisan.net/
Unfortunately my trade (electrician) doesn't qualify for an artisan tag. Nothing artistic or creative about it.
Brooksy
OP
OP
subfuscpersona
Sous Chef
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2004
- Messages
- 561
thanks to all for the links - I also did a little googling so I'm now more informed. I originally thought it referred to a type of bread but now I see it's an approach to bread-making + a philosophy + (alas) an advertising term.
Seems best defined by what it excludes - e.g. not mass produced. Guess that means all us home breadmakers are artisan bakers.
Seems best defined by what it excludes - e.g. not mass produced. Guess that means all us home breadmakers are artisan bakers.
