While dining out tonight, a celebratory birthday dinner for hubby, I ordered escargot. Shell-less, they were presented in a circular dish with 6 divots that each held an escargot with pesto garlic butter filling up the divot. The very hot dish was served with a warning that they were exceptionally hot (several of the divots’ liquid was still bubbling/boiling) and to let them cool. I did so for a brief time (the garlic aroma was too enticing) and then cautiously broke off a small piece of toasted baguette to dip in a (non-bubbling)divot to enjoy a precursor of what flavors awaited once they cooled down more. The second my bread touched the butter, the ‘divot’ EXPLODED, propelling the escargot out of the divot and the hot butter onto my glasses, forehead, hair and sweater! It actually made a pop noise, a bit like a champagne uncorking. I came across this forum in hopes of an explanation and I can only surmise that the 20%water content of the butter superheated within the butter-filled divot. Why would touching it with the toast cause the explosion? BTW, Chef very apologetic and comped my meal. Thank goodness I had glasses on as my left eye would’ve been a casualty
