The Specialist

E and I were having a conversation the other day after watching one of the many traveling chef shows that feeds our obsession. It was probably No Reservations with Monsieur Bourdain or Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. Or maybe something else altogether.

We started thinking about all these wonderful countries we'd love to visit - France, Spain, Italy - and all their beautiful markets. What is it about America that makes us shun the idea of a dedicated butcher, produce vendor, cheese vendor and the like?  It seems almost rare about us as a country that we value one-stop-shopping over quality and mastery. Actually, this is even more visible in our one-stop-eating. Every restaurant is expected to satisfy every possible taste. You have to keep happy the guy who wants fish, the person who wants meat, the vegetarian, picky eaters, children, those who want white meat only and the pasta eaters all in one place. Why can't a place just serve one thing and be great at it? Why not go to a soup shop and know that what you're getting is just that - soup! However, it will be the best soup you've ever had.

Instead of cultivating specialists in food that transcend the normal boundaries of a certain cuisine because they know it inside and out, we end up being mediocre at a bunch of things. It's like I've said about myself, actually. I'm good at many things. I am not great at any one thing. I feel like I've settled.

Have we settled as a country?

I know there are plenty of places all over the U.S. that break this mold I'm talking about, but it has taken some time. A hundred years ago, we would have had all specialists. As the superstore took over, it's as if we became so excited that it was all we could think about. Every place had to offer everything. This has resulted in homogenized stores and restaurants. So many chains are all alike... because they're all trying to do the exact same thing, that "thing" being everything.

This is why we have Publix and no butcher and more Applebees/Friday's/Chili's chains instead of popular restaurants that do just one thing exceptionally well. I can name way more big-box and super stores than any specialty stores I visit on a daily basis (and I'm not talking about the liquor store).

How about you?

Farmer's markets, the "eat local" movement, the organic movement, etc. have really started to make a dent. I just feel like we would've been better off on a culinary basis if we had never gone down this road to begin with. I'm no idiot. I see the benefits of low-cost grocers that can demand high volume and thousands of product. I'm just wondering why there isn't a market with generational butchers and bakers. Where is the guy whose family has been making the best pasta for the past 100 years? Why doesn't he set up shop next to a woman who raises and butchers the best beef? Why do I only see these people once a week in a special farmer's market plenty of people have to drive an hour for if I'm lucky?

Even more troublesome is that I've started to see plenty of farmer's markets that feature huge booths that are obviously filled with a smorgasbord of grocery store product! Some don't even bother to remove the packaging. I feel cheated when I see it. Too many markets I've seen are just one fish or meat person selling protein that comes from the other side of the U.S., one of these pre-packaged produce stalls, and 3-4 craft tents. Where is the farmer?

Where is the expert in each community? Where is the specialist? Where is the master?