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Rich-tasting European butters


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article from Pittsburghlive.com

An interesting article about the subject of butters .. European butters, to be more precise, and why they are captivating American palates ...

a whole new form to many Americans. European and European-style butters are infiltrating the supermarket, offering more butterfat -- sometimes called milkfat -- and less moisture than mass-marketed domestic brands, along with distinct flavors and unique cooking and baking characteristics.  Brands such as Lurpak (from Denmark), Plugra (Pennsylvania), Meggle (Germany), Isigny Ste Mère (France), Somerdale (England) and Kerrygold (Ireland) are familiar names to professional chefs, particularly pastry chefs. As with most specialty products, these butters carry a higher price tag than run-of-the mill supermarket spreads

If you are an avid baker, or merely in love with butter in any form, will these delight and entice your tastebuds? :rolleyes:

the devil is in the details .. more details on butters .... :laugh:

Edited by Gifted Gourmet (log)

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

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I tend to agree with you, Carlovski...and I live in the USA. I've tried most of the butters mentioned ( I work in a high end grocery store ) , and the only one I use all the time is the American Plugra. To be honest, it's the freshest tasting. There is something to be said about eating locally. The European butters that are exported, to my mind, do not stand up well to being transported and are not particularly impressive once they finish their journey.

Now, when I go to Europe, I love the local butters: I have family in Switzerland: I can't resist eating as much yogurt and butter as I like when I am there!

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Not all american butter is "yellow spread". This butter from Smith's Creamery is wonderful. Rich and flavorful and really fun to bake with. It comes in a two pound roll (when baking you need a scale, but you need one anyway, so go buy one) which is a really convenient package when you get used to it.

All of their dairy products are great, especially the whole milk (unhomogenized), the heavy cream (unbelievably rich and NOT ultra pasteurized) and their fabulous creole cream cheese.

Brooks Hamaker, aka "Mayhaw Man"

There's a train everyday, leaving either way...

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Cakewalk-

European-style butters are butters that are not European but they have the same characteristics (high butterfat/flavorful/deep yellow color) as the European ones. They are not “fake”, it’s just an easier term to define them I guess.

Mayhaw Man, you are correct American butters are also excellent and delicious when made properly (then again many do like the milder Land O Lakes-style butter). For my money I also go American by buying Plugra (you need a scale here too :smile:). Plugra is usually cheaper by a few cents than Land O Lakes at my local HEB store in Houston and tastes fantastic, especially tucked in the end of freshly baked baguette with a salt sprinkle. HEB also carries Central Market European-style butter which is good but I do prefer Plugra.

Foodie52, what do you think about the CM brand?

Elie

E. Nassar
Houston, TX

My Blog
contact: enassar(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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Not all american butter is "yellow spread". This butter from Smith's Creamery is wonderful. Rich and flavorful and really fun to bake with. It comes in a two pound roll (when baking you need a scale, but you need one anyway, so go buy one) which is a really convenient package when you get used to it.

All of their dairy products are great, especially the whole milk (unhomogenized), the heavy cream (unbelievably rich and NOT ultra pasteurized) and their fabulous creole cream cheese.

Wow at $3.50/lb. This is a very good deal. Thanks for the link, I would like to give them a try if I could.

Elie

E. Nassar
Houston, TX

My Blog
contact: enassar(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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I've recently been seduced by The Vermont Butter and Cheese Company. They have a web site through which they sell only cheese (which I haven't tried), but their sensational butter is sold in the New York area by FreshDirect. I have been told that it is also sold at Fairway and perhaps some other gourmet markets but I haven't seen this myself.

The butter is very lightly salted. On the wrapper the company says it is appropriate for recipes calling for either salted or unsalted butter, but I might hesitate before using it in baking because of the salt.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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European butter, okay. But what is "European-style" butter? I'm always a bit suspicious when things end in "-style" -- maybe I'm just cynical, but I usually take that to mean "fake."

Usually it's referring to the butterfat content in particular. In the U.S., butter has to contain at least 82% butterfat. (Below that, it can be called "butter oil" or "dairy spread," but not butter.)

In Europe, it's not uncommon for butterfat to range between 83% to 86% or even all the way up to 90% in some cases.

In my opinion, Americans are better off consuming locally produced "European-style" butters than imported European butters. The product will be infinitely fresher.

I don't know why so few butter makers label butterfat percentages as part of nutritional labeling or labeling in general.

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I've recently been seduced by The Vermont Butter and Cheese Company. They have a web site through which they sell only cheese (which I haven't tried), but their sensational butter is sold in the New York area by FreshDirect. I have been told that it is also sold at Fairway and perhaps some other gourmet markets but I haven't seen this myself.

The butter is very lightly salted. On the wrapper the company says it is appropriate for recipes calling for either salted or unsalted butter, but I might hesitate before using it in baking because of the salt.

They sell it at Whole Foods too. It's yummy, esp. the version with sea salt.

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I don't know why so few butter makers label butterfat percentages as part of nutritional labeling or labeling in general.

That was going to be my next question, because I have looked for butterfat content on different butters and never seem to find it. I thought maybe my reading skills were slipping. :wink:

Thanks FoodMan and alacarte for your answers.

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I've recently been seduced by The Vermont Butter and Cheese Company.  They have a web site through which they sell only cheese (which I haven't tried), but their sensational butter is sold in the New York area by FreshDirect.  I have been told that it is also sold at Fairway and perhaps some other gourmet markets but I haven't seen this myself.

The butter is very lightly salted.  On the wrapper the company says it is appropriate for recipes calling for either salted or unsalted butter, but I might hesitate before using it in baking because of the salt.

They sell it at Whole Foods too. It's yummy, esp. the version with sea salt.

In upstate NY it is sold in Price Chopper Supermarkets. After spending much of the past year trying all the different European and European style butters I could find, Vermont B&C along with the Canadien Lactantia are my favorites. I agree with those who said that the freshness makes a difference and that those same butters in Europe are more exceptional.

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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I think European-style butters use a slightly different process - it's made from cultured cream (creme-fraiche). We've switch to Central Market European Style butter about 6 months ago. It's so much more flavorful than Land-o-lakes.

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I think European-style butters use a slightly different process

I totally forgot that, that is what gives it it's flavor (slightly...cheesy). So another name for these European-style butters is Cultured butter versus the Sweet Cream butters such as LOL.

Elie

E. Nassar
Houston, TX

My Blog
contact: enassar(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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I've recently been seduced by The Vermont Butter and Cheese Company.  They have a web site through which they sell only cheese (which I haven't tried), but their sensational butter is sold in the New York area by FreshDirect.  I have been told that it is also sold at Fairway and perhaps some other gourmet markets but I haven't seen this myself.

The butter is very lightly salted.  On the wrapper the company says it is appropriate for recipes calling for either salted or unsalted butter, but I might hesitate before using it in baking because of the salt.

They sell it at Whole Foods too. It's yummy, esp. the version with sea salt.

Zabar's carries the butter. I haven't seen it at either Fairway (I've looked several times over the last few weeks). I'm looking forward to trying their butter, it's just been too hot to schlep it home when I've got a 3/4 of a mile walk home.

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

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I've always used Plugra for "direct" butter consumption... e.g. on bread, melted over broccoli, and it is tasty. However, I've stuck with Land O' Lakes for "indirect" butter... e.g. baking, cookies, because I assumed it was cheaper (although I've never really checked!).

Does the type of butter used make a difference in "indirect" cooking? Could the higher amount of butterfat and lower moisture in European-style butters require any adjustments in baking recipes?

As a side note, I have the same logic for salt... fleur de sel for "direct", Morton's for "indirect".

...wine can of their wits the wise beguile, make the sage frolic, and the serious smile. --Alexander Pope

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i love plugra, but i really wasn't all that impressed with VB&C butter.

i wonder why that is? most people rave about it.

Maybe you got some that was past its prime.

"I don't mean to brag, I don't mean to boast;

but we like hot butter on our breakfast toast!"

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If you are in the Twin Cities (Minnesota, USA) area, buy Hope Butter. Available at Kowalski's, Wedge (and probably other coops) and a bunch of other places. You can read about Hope Butter here

Susan Fahning aka "snowangel"
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i love plugra, but i really wasn't all that impressed with VB&C butter.

i wonder why that is?  most people rave about it.

Maybe you got some that was past its prime.

maybe. it just tasted comparable to land o lakes to me. i also didn't understand kerrygold either. it was no plugra.

my company sells VB&C i found out. i'll see if i can get some from us, and skip a link in the chain.

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I use several butters, in addition to homemade.

I like Kerrygold as a table butter. I buy Plugra, both salted and unsalted on a regular basis.

I also use Strauss Family Creamery butter but it is very expensive. I also like the Organic Valley butter which is very similar to the Strauss and cheaper but still much more expensive than most others.

When it is available, and is from a fresh shipment, I buy the Anchor butter from New Zealand carried at the local Phillipine market. It is excellent for baking.

I have tried all of the "new" European style butters and have not been terribly impressed.

For general holiday baking I buy Alta-Dena unsalted butter in bulk as in highly spiced baked goods the taste of the butter is not as important to me and it has a neutral flavor that is just fine plus the quality is better than the "brand X" butters sold at some of the big box stores.

I generally buy 20 pounds when it is on sale, vacuum seal and freeze it up to 4-5 months. I have noticed no change in texture or taste.

For baking where butter is an integral part of the taste (as in shortbread) I use only the best. Generally I make my own for this particular application because I can control the product.

"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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