Historically, the word “artisan” has been reserved for craftspeople dedicated to a high level of quality and artfulness in their work. Over the last decade, however, the term has become so ubiquitous and ill-defined that it has lost almost all meaning. The craze for all things artisan has led to corporations attempting to pass off mass-produced products as craft goods by using “artisanal” in their branding, from Starbucks breakfast sandwiches to Tostitos chips to Weight Watchers frozen pizza. This issue of edible is an attempt to rein in the use of the word before it loses relevance altogether. In these pages, we celebrate an assortment of true artisans—talented, local craftspeople who, through their specialized knowledge, hard work, and artistry, help shape the soul of our food culture.
