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Searching for a specific kind of butter dish


Kim Shook

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I think that what I'm looking for doesn't exist.  Remember the old sugar bowl/creamer set that was on every grandmother's kitchen/dinner table.  The sugar bowl lid had a little slot cut into it so that the sugar spoon could be in there all the time.  I'm looking for a similar idea except in a butter dish.  This is the butter dish that I've lived with most of my life (please do not ignore the smears, they are part of the story):

IMG_3354.jpg.801e92883ed998c949f40f41a03b232e.jpg

The first one that we got was brought over from England by my Nanny in the 1970's.  She got it at a store like Woolworth's.  Walmart now carries it and when we need a new one, my Mom and I would get one there.  We've always used it "upside down" because it is steadier and holds two sticks of butter.  This is how it usually looks:

IMG_3353.jpg.0f25fa058a3e465d8567c43957a8f388.jpg

We usually leave the butter knife in, but because there is no place for it (like there is in the sugar bowl lid), it is unsteady, falls out (smearing butter) and causing the lid to tumble.  

 

This is a pain in the butt.  I would love it if someone sold something that could accommodate the knife.  But the only ones I've found are like this or this.  These don't really address my problem because you would have to clean the knife every time you put it down and if I am willing to do that, I could just clean the one up there every time I used it.  Anyone know where I could find something that would work for me.  I guess I could take a pottery class and make one myself, but now is not the time for such activities.

 

 

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I've owned several like this over the years, both rectangular and round.  All have glass liners.  I think I sold the last one a couple of years ago.

I often see them on ebay or etsy.

I even had one - round  that had an "insulated" top in which one put ice water on hot days or warm water when it was chilly.

I had one like the ceramic one back in the '70s.  Mine was orange - I have seen them on ebay and etsy in various colors, usually the knife is missing.

 

439349312_ScreenShot2020-09-10at6_30_47AM.png.25d4011b02affb12b397c80bdc6257bc.png

173889327_ScreenShot2020-09-10at6_36_49AM.thumb.png.8d94d53cbb0e865b3ae25ae4a8193dac.png

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"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Bed, bath and beyond has this one for sale     Price seems reasonable.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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Or you could use the top/tray of your current dish to hold the knife while you are using the butter. When ready to put the butter away, put the knife with the dirty dishes and get a clean one next time you use the butter. That is what we do. We kept running out of knives before we needed to run the dishwasher, so I just bought more knives! 😁

Edited by robirdstx (log)
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We use this one. Because my wife loves it ... “the knife fits so nicely”
D8FE35B3-3100-4EC7-A1F4-F44D4115AF6B.thumb.jpeg.bdeeac922c7d3ee497341ba1698f746f.jpeg

I hate it. Just a bit too high for the butter compartment in the fridge (because of that knife sticking out) and the knife is tiny. YMMV I guess ...

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Just a thought, but you could probably find a local potter/artisan to make a custom one for you (to fit a knife of your choosing).

 

That's how I eventually got the salt pig I'd wanted.

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I guess I could check amongst my FB friends for a handyman who could cut the glass.  I will do that.  

 

@Duvel - my butter lives on the counter (we keep our house at about 68F all year long - cooler in the winter), so I don't need to worry about headroom.  What kind is that?

 

@chromedome - I will check with a niece who was doing a lot of pottery.  I'm not sure if she is anymore, but she might take a commission from a favorite aunt!

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10 hours ago, lemniscate said:

Japanese solution.  Beautiful box.

That is just gorgeous.

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This one from Bee House is so lovely, and holds a knife in the base in a way that I think would keep the smears to a minimum:

 

byk-12-kw.jpg

 

Alas, from my research it seems it perfectly holds a West Coast stick of butter, and is slightly too short for an East Coast stick. 

 

(Edit: oops, realized this is the same one @robirdstx posted under a different name.)

Edited by dtremit (log)
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31 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Kim, not really what you're after, but this is what I use (with my butter on the counter). It'll keep for 10 days anyway (I don't know if I ever NOT use 1/4 lb of butter in that time. Ha ha!)


We have two of these bell crocks. As one gets low, the other gets filled, so the empty can go in the dishwasher. Our house temp stays more in mid-70’s range and these crocks allow the butter to stay fresh for several days without melting into a puddle.

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9 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

 

@Duvel - my butter lives on the counter (we keep our house at about 68F all year long - cooler in the winter), so I don't need to worry about headroom.  What kind is that?


Its from Alessi ... 

 

https://www.amazon.de/Alessi-Behälter-thermoplastischem-Spachtel-Edelstahl/dp/B002R2N1N2/ref=asc_df_B002R2N1N2/?tag=googshopde-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=215018291403&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13746478360801782560&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9042024&hvtargid=pla-393986974078&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

 

 

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