Not to be a downer, but have you noticed how generally unpleasant the grocery shopping experience is these days? Brace yourself for aisles crowded with online-order shopping carts, a bewildering array of products that make choosing a challenge, checkout lines six people deep. No wonder people place orders on their computers and pick them up in the Kroger parking lot.

In my limited travel experience to Europe, I’ve encountered a food shopping experience of a completely different variety: neighborhood streets lined with tiny, specialized shops. The greengrocer for produce, the latteria or fromagerie for cheese and dairy goods, the bakery, the butcher. Shopping this way is a delight, so antithetical to the way we commonly do it in the States.

The few small, indie butcher shops that remain in our area remind me of this model. Walk into one of these places, and you’re greeted by the aroma of baking potatoes (twice-baked potatoes loaded with cheese being a staple of the neighborhood butcher shop), shelves and cases full of quality food products, and a friendly smile from behind the counter.

Here at Edible Ohio Valley, we embrace the small, the local, the intimate, the neighborly. We feature three independent butchers in this issue, but they’re really just analogs for any small food retailer that offers high-quality products and great service. It’s retailing at a human scale.

As you plan your family’s holiday gatherings, won’t you consider patronizing locally owned stores and serving locally grown and produced foods?

We at Edible are a small, independent, local team as well. And we’re grateful for your ongoing readership and support. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating Edible Ohio Valley’s 10th anniversary in 2020! Happy holidays!