Buttah!

[Malawry]

Yup, I eat both butter and jam on my toast. I don't mix them before applying. I pull the hot bread from the toaster, smear it lightly with good butter, and then slather on the jam (I've mentioned before that I'm a huge jam fan). My partner Erin thinks this is vile, but then I think combining blackened tofu and hummus like he does on his sammiches is vile, so I guess we're even. I like the combination of rich/fatty, warm/crisp/grainy, and sweet/thick/fruity.

I eat two slices of toast with butter and jam for breakfast four to five times a week. Except when I'm on oatmeal, like Stella, in the dead of winter mostly. I like bagels, but to me bagels are a savory treat and should not be paired with jam or purchased in fruity flavors. I eat onion or "everything" bagels with cream cheese and olives for lunch or dinner sometimes. I like buttered bagels too but with bagels the point is more the bagel than the butter...as opposed to toast, where the butter and the jam are the point.

In addition to using butter as a condiment, I like to cook with it. Nothing beats slow-scrambled eggs cooked in butter. I like melted butter on top of steamed vegetables (thereby ruining the point of steaming, eh?) and sometimes I sautee foods in butter to add a richness and to get the browning reactions from the milk fat. I bake with butter, and think it's indispensable for brushing on scones or combining in pancake batter.

[Jim Dixon]

We were in Trieste a few years ago staying a little agriturismo where the owner made wine, cheese, salami, proscuitto, pancetta, and lots of other good stuff. But he complained that butter from the area wasn't quite so good, so he would buy a local brand made a bit farther north, up in mountains.

I buy Plugra sometimes, but mostly stick with Land-O-Lakes unsalted. I love the taste of butter and never hesitate to use it, but we obviously eat a lot more olive oil. Some things, like fried eggs, just aren't the same if they're not cooked in real butter. And it's the best thing for making a simple sauce...stir in cold butter to the scrapings from a deglazed pan, or a reduction of wine and fruit, or almost anything for that great flavor and mouthfeel of butterfat.

Rachel, you did get the Bettini from me...I'm out right now, but another 50 liters is on the way from Umbria...and that's all I can get until November when the olives are harvested. In an interesting twist to the whole fat and health discussion (here and on other threads), Marco Bettini is a cardioligist at the University of Perugia and has lots of info about the healthful aspects of olive oil on his site

Bettini

Jim

edited to spell 'Bettini' correctly in the link

[Rachel Perlow]

Oops and I said Bellini. Bettini. Bettini. OK memorized.

We also got some Don Alfonso from you. It is good, but more olivey tasting. I prefer the Bettini and we're out.   I've got several bottles of the Don Alfonso to go through before I can bring myself to order more EVOO. But remember I like the Bettini if Jason contacts you about ordering more!

[jordan]

It all comes down to butterfat content, the more the better.  Most American butters are 60-70% butterfat many of the imported premium butters are 80+%.  Plugra has one of the greatest % of butterfat something like 85%.  For me I like the French Normadaise butters with a butterfat content of like 83%, the plugra is a bit too rich for me (yes a few points can make a difference) to eat with bread.  I understand however that the plugra is the best for baking.

[CathyL]

Yes, I always use Plugra for baking - and for almost everything else.  (Sometimes I buy the French one- Charentes?? - that comes in a gold foil-wrapped cylinder.)

Rachel, I'm not sure if Keller's and Plugra are formulated differently, but Fairway sells the Plugra in 1 lb. blocks at considerably less $$ than the equivalent amount of Keller's.  

[yvonne johnson]

Of course, Priscilla, why didn't I think of that? Those who dislike The Beatles are partial to Lurpak butter.

[franklanguage]

A friend who is a total vegetarian and big into organic foods told me that Horizon is NOT a good brand, that the company's practices are not very responsible.  I never followed up on her remark--does anyone have anything to add?

Here's a link that probably talks about what your friend was talking about. It mainly says that the company's practices are the standard corporate-type practices - not shocking, but not very savory.

My opinion - if you had asked - would be: Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread is great. Amazing - and contains no trans-fats or cholesterol. But it's just my opinion; others, of course, have also found it's great to use in cooking or baking, or even just to spread on bread.

(I know: this thread is about butter; sorry.)

[B Edulis]

Perhaps this topic would be a candidate for the mysterious "Poll" type topic?

There's a wonderful butter that I've mentioned here before that I grew up with. It's from the Alleghenny Mountains in western Pennsylvania, from Vale Wood Dairy. I always get a couple of pounds when I visit.

But my house brand is unsalted Plugra. But here's a question. Where can I get a buttah dish to hold a full pound?

I also freeze butter, can't tell the difference.

One of the things I've heard about Safe Horizon (in a terrific cover article in the NY Times Mag) is that they superpasteurize their milk and it destroys lots of good-for-you stuff in the milk. How's that for a scientific report?

[stellabella]

B Edulis

we've already had a lengthy discussion about dishes, but let me ask you, do you have any of the depression-era refridgerator glasses?  they come in different sizes, and they have a glass top --i would say these were the precursor to tupperware [ and i know someone out there knows more than i do--i just like how they look]

i have two or three different sizes, most of them snared from the house of a recently deceased relative.  they tend to be both hrad to find and pricey in antique stores [pdown her in GA].  they make great butter dishes becasue of course the larger ones can hold a pound of butter

a butter dish doesn't have to be a butter dish--it just has to be pretty

[stellabella]

Here's a link that probably talks about what your friend was talking about.

thanks, franklangauge

and now i am going to have to beat you sensless for changing the topic

but seriously--this is about the quality of butter, no?

i try to buy organic food, but i mam not "orthorexic"--and i would imagine that european butter, being made from the milk of european cows, is already of a better quality than ours here in the states--in general

[Blue Heron]

We've also started using Plugra.  It's great on bread & toast.  However, I have a problem getting it to behave properly when I'm trying to melt it (to pour over popcorn).  I normally melt butter in a glass pyrex measuring cup in the microwave, but the Plugra explodes and spatters all over the place.  Also tried melting some on top of the stove and had the same result (pops of butter landing on my range), even when melting at a low temp.  The only thing I haven't tried is using the diffuser with it to see if that helps.  I never had a problem melting other butters.  Does anyone have an idea why the Plugra would behave differently from other butters?  Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon?  I was thinking maybe too much water in the butter causes it to pop/explode, but it sounds like it has more butterfat than most butters?  Maybe my melting container is too small?   I'm just trying to melt enough butter for my popcorn.  Any suggestions?

[Rachel Perlow]

I was thinking the same thing (water content) but if it's higher in butterfat that shouldn't be the case. The microwave explosion thing always happens to me though and I'm not using Plugra. You need to cut the butter into several pieces and set the microwave on low or medium-low, stopping a few times to stir. You must watch it, as soon as some is melted stir and give it a few more seconds. The heat of the bowl will melt the rest. Also, always cover the pyrex dish with wax paper or a paper towl to contain the pops.

I have no idea why it would pop in a pan on the stovetop other than water content and too high a flame.

[Blue Heron]

Those were good tips, thanks.  I cut it up and micro'd it at a low temp with nary a pop.  It's a delicate balance though.  When the butter melted, it was not hot enough, so I micro'd it a few seconds more (at med.) and the popping began.  At least this time I had a paper towel over the top (now why didn't I think of that before?).  

[Kristian]

Also, "low-fat" varieties get that way by mixing in water. You're paying for hydrogenated vegetable oil mixed with water.

Oh, and the cheese & cucumber - is that a soft cheese mixed with shredded cucumber, like a raita but with cheese not yogurt, or a harder cheese with slices of cucumber?

Well, I'm actually not paying for any low-fat varieties - We don't buy butter or the low-fat thingies as neither me or my fiance use them and we use various oils for cooking. At home, I eat my bread with cheese and slices of cucumber or tomato.

It's only at my workplace where the restaurant doesn't offer any cheese that I have to rely on those other replacement products and I have really no influence over what they buy (not real butter, anyway)... Usually, I pick some strange mixes and concoctions that they have come up with and I don't even know what's in them (possibly onion or some minced vegetables) most of the time... Sometimes, I think I have tasted garlic... :confused:

[tony h]

I hate butter - taste & texture - on sandwiches.  When growing up my mum never put it in our sandwiches & so we (my sisters & I) never developed a taste for it.  Now when presented with a butter laden sarnie we do feel a bit nauseous.  We are also treated with some disdain when asking for a butter free sarnie - a butter persecution, if you will.

I can just about put some on toast & eat it when melted but I have to be pretty hungry.  In cooking its essential & I always use unsalted - just can't eat the stuff raw.

[B Edulis]

Yesterday at Harlem Fairway I noticed that Plugra now comes in half-pounds, but it'll cost you: 2.99 for a full pound, 1.99 for a half!

Thanks for the tip about the depression ware, stellabella, there's a bunch being remade now. Or maybe I'll get a butter bell so I can keep it out of the fridge.

[col klink]

Yeah butter!

[Malawry]

All together now:

buttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttah

[jhlurie]

All together now:

buttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttah

Actually the phrase is "buttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttah-swing".  At least in Da Bronx.

[=Mark]

Thanks for the tip about the depression ware, stellabella, there's a bunch being remade now. Or maybe I'll get a butter bell so I can keep it out of the fridge.

There's really no need to use one of those expensive clumsy "Butter Bells" to keep butter at room temperature.  Any old butter dish will do.  As far as I'm concerned butter left out of the fridge for a few days develops a deeper, more satisfying flavor than the refrigerated stuff.  It also spreads instead of inflicting injury upon the bread.  For that matter you don't really even need a lid unless you have problems with cats leaving tongue prints on the stick...   :wow:

[Malawry]

Actually the phrase is "buttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttah-swing".  At least in Da Bronx.

I thought that was "sa-WING" and not swing. School me in Bronx ways.

[jhlurie]

I thought that was "sa-WING" and not swing. School me in Bronx ways.

I've heard it both ways.  People in Da Bronx ARE capable of pronouncing single syllable words.  Like "Youz".

[B Edulis]

There's really no need to use one of those expensive clumsy "Butter Bells" to keep butter at room temperature.  Any old butter dish will do.  As far as I'm concerned butter left out of the fridge for a few days develops a deeper, more satisfying flavor than the refrigerated stuff.  It also spreads instead of inflicting injury upon the bread.  For that matter you don't really even need a lid unless you have problems with cats leaving tongue prints on the stick...   :wow:

I'm glad to hear you say that markstevens, because when I was a child my mum always left butter out and it tasted great. I guess I've assumed it was not safe, but what could happen? Rancidity, eventually. But I believe that takes a while.

I do have the cat tongue problem. So butter-dish hunting I go.

butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta-butta&

#33;

[edemuth]

Not buttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttahbuttah-SCHWING???  

[jaybee]

I'm with you Malawry.  I've eaten my way thorough the butter offerings of Zabars, Fairway, Dean & Deluca and Balducci's to name a few.  The winner and #1 choice is Isigny Ste Mere, a butter from Normandy that comes in 250gr blocks or 250gr tubes, packed in gold foil.  It comes closest to the butter I enjoy in France and has a fresher, cleaner. more "buttery" taste than any others.  If you try this I'd be interested in your assessment.  I could easily make a meal of a crusty baguette and slabs of this butter.  By the way, I think we had a butter thread several months ago.  I recall reading the Isigny butter was chosen as the top butter by some french and American star chefs.  It is sold in Zabars, Fairway, D&D among other places.  They also sell a creme frais which, for my money, is the best prepared version available in the US.