NBC Bites dives into what is Artisan. Not only are consumers skeptical about the integrity behind something labeled gourmet or artisan; small producers are wary of larger companies claiming artisan status. The very word “artisan” evokes bread baking in wood-fired ovens and the slow rotation of a hand-turned sausage-making machine. Merriam-Webster defines “artisan” as “one that produces something in limited quantities often using traditional methods.”

Many believe the term has been misappropriated so much that it has lost its meaning.
Even comedian Lewis Black got his two cents in on Tuesday night’s “Daily Show,” ripping into Dunkin’ Donuts’ artisanal bagels: “Really? Authentic bagels? Because unless you changed your name to Dunkin Donutsowitz at Ellis Island, then I doubt it.”

Join the discussion on NBC Bites and read about local artisan purveyors in Brooklyn, NY