Preservatives have a place in the food world. Extending shelf life, keeping things shelf-stable, making life a little easier for grocery stores.
But there is something special about food that does not need them, about meat that is cut fresh and bread that comes out of the oven without a single unpronounceable ingredient. Nine family-owned Oklahoma meat markets and scratch bakeries are proving that point every single day.
The meat counters here are stocked with hand-cut steaks, house-made sausages, and smoked meats that have been cured the old-fashioned way. The bakeries are filled with breads, pastries, and pies made from scratch, without a single preservative in sight…