During the Italian Economic Miracle, from the late 1940s to the 1960s, Volterra certainly had no shortage of butchers; practically every street and block had its trusted butcher, and some specialized, meaning that alongside the traditional establishments offering beef and horse breeding, there were also poultry shops. Yes, there were large-scale retail outlets, but they didn't have a strong appeal. These cuts were for those in a hurry or short on money and didn't spend much time checking quality. And then, the large size of those days is somewhat amusing today, with the gigantic hypermarkets and shopping malls where you can get lost.
Today, we once again rely on a handful of businesses. Regression reigns, and the butcher's shop is taking on the role of a conservative workshop for the crafts of the past, almost on a par with the shoemaker and the alabaster maker. We shouldn't blame the economic crisis of the new millennium alone; the decline is also due to less meat being eaten. Red meat has been demonized for its cancer risks, especially when grilled, when the real danger comes from the charcoal used; pork is an attack on our figure and cholesterol, and chicken is leaving a serious health crisis behind. One could say, to paraphrase a truth from the wine world, that we eat less to eat better. Natural cuisine is popular, there's a growing interest in vegetarianism, and fish dishes are increasingly appearing on restaurant menus: all factors that penalize meat, especially its everyday use.
Gone are the years of the economic boom, when eating a slice of steak every day was seen as a status symbol. Today, people seek out mouth-watering meat; some love its texture, its substance, others enjoy chewing, and perhaps even move from the lightness of Spanish deconstruction to the solidity of a primeval Fiorentina, from animals raised with full respect for their herbivorous nature.
In general terms, meat has returned to the masses today.
The reasons are different, but it almost seems like we're back in the 1930s.
Butcher shops in their heyday, however, have little in common with modern ones. There have been countless changes, from the cuts of meat to the display on the counter, to the preparation methods. Moreover, the social fabric has also changed: the pace of life is increasingly faster, and there's less and less time available for cooking.
The changing landscape has forced the butcher to transform, evolving his traditional skills; he must become even more specialized, even more professional, even more deeply immersed in the world of meat. This training is no longer available, and only with it can survival be guaranteed. An almost obligatory direction, but I wouldn't say a negative one: it's the necessary evil that has redefined the value of meat, which only triumphs if it's of the highest quality.
It wasn't done before, but today we pay close attention solely to its quality, and the safer and more certified a premium food product is, the more enviable it is. Consequently, the producers upstream of a restaurant also become important, and the chef no longer ideally relies solely on his art and his ability to transform ingredients, but must return to respecting the soul of a cut, a vegetable, or a fish. Meat, therefore, faced with declining demand, is reclaiming its former supremacy and regaining its role as a high-end food.
And given all this, the phenomenon of the monumentality of meat is increasingly bringing the figure of the butcher to the forefront, who, although a small team category, has become a highly valued profession.
So here are some tips.
Continue reading “3 botteghe della carne tra innovazione e tradizione”
