Butter - Possibly French

[TheBoatMan]

Ok, so I must admit I've never really been much of a butter fanatic. But....A couple of weeks ago I watched Gordon Elliott’s Follow That Food (Don’t hate me - please ) and the food was French butter. Wow, did that get me interested. I’m dying to try some of that French butter. I’m thinking about sautéing up a bunch of small sized, lobster tails with it. Or slathering it up on some good bread. Does anyone have any ideas of where to buy French butter in NJ, in particular the one that was on the show L'Isigny Sainte-Mere? Maybe Wegmans?

I'll take any other recommendations for extraordinary butter and a NJ store, which carries it. Possibly help from Steve Klc as with his pastry expertise I am sure he could recommend some good ones. Thanks all for the help.

[jaybee]

Boatman, there was a thread here a few months ago about butter. The search function may reveal it to you. I buy only L'isigny butter. It is available in New York (not what you asked) at Zabars and (I believe) at Fairway and Citarella. I don't know what "gourmet" dairy or food shops are in NJ, but if there are any at the highest level, you'll probably find L'isigny butter there. And believe me, you will taste the difference.

[PaulaJ]

I've purchased French butter at both the Cheese Store/Gourmet

in Summit and at Fresh Fields/Whole Foods in Millburn. Someone

told me that they also carried it at Trader Joe's in Florham Park,

but I haven't purchased it there so call before you go.

[TheBoatMan]

Boatman, there was a thread here a few months ago about butter.  The search function may reveal it to you.  

Thanks jaybee, I did search first and found the earlier thread about butter but most of the responses were related to NY stores. I visit Citarella once a month for fresh tuna so if I cant find it in NJ I can get it there.

I've purchased French butter at both the Cheese Store/Gourmet

in Summit and at Fresh Fields/Whole Foods in Millburn. Someone

told me that they also carried it at Trader Joe's in Florham Park,

but I haven't purchased it there so call before you go.

Thanks for the advice PaulaJ...I do appreciate it.

[Rail Paul]

I believe the Fresh Fields in Montclair also carries several different French butters. (Norman cows munching on salt air grass, milked by virginal French milkmaids, that kind of stuff.)

I'm not especially enamored of the French butters relative to Plugra, which is half the price. Plugra is made by Keller's, I think.

Many American butters are something like 80-82% butterfat, 20-18% water. The super premium butters are 85% bf, which means they have 1/3 less water content than the 80% version.

[helenas]

I bought L'Isigny's creme fraiche in Delicious Orchards, Colts Neck, just a several

days ago, and there is a big difference between it and the Vermont brand.

As i remember they also carry the butter. Also you might find it in Dearborn Farm in Holmdel.

[jaybee]

I bought L'Isigny's creme fraiche in Delicious Orchards, Colts Neck, just a several

days ago, and there is a big difference between it and the Vermont brand.

Helena, that is my experience. the French brand is very thick and unctuously rich as creme frais should be. A little goes a long way. I've used it in cooking (sauces) with blinis and caviar, and on the side with tarte tatin and it excels in all uses. The American version is more like a sour cream with a less pronounced taste. I have the same reaction to their butter.

[helenas]

jaybee, my impression exactly.

BTW, has anybody tried the russian butter of Vologodskoye brand? It used to be very good.

[PaulaJ]

We were browsing thru Dean & Deluca in NYC yesterday.

They have an assortment of imported butters, including 5-7

French selections. Price tags mostly were $5-7 for 8oz.

[Sandra Levine]

French selections. Price tags mostly were $5-7 for 8oz.

That's the problem.

[jaybee]

This weekend I came across Land 'O Lakes "Ultra Creamy Butter" which is their new entry inthe high butterfat category. I'e always like LOL butter so I bought it. After several eatings I say it is pretty good stuff. It has a rich clean and fresh taste and fatty mouthfeel. It isn't up to the Normandy butter, but it is a vey good alternative at lower price. I suggest trying it to see for yourself.

[Rachel Perlow]

I got a couple of butter specimens at International Food Warehouse in Lodi.

1) Makabi brand, Beurre de Normandie, $1.59 (on sale) for 125g/4.4oz. Fabriqué en Normandie, Ingredients: Pasteurised (sic) cream, lactic starters. The kosherness of this product is mentioned all over the label, Int’l Foods has a lot of products meant for the Israeli market.

2) Spomlek brand, Extra Maslo, $1.99 for 200g/7oz, 82.5% fat. They even have a website: Spomlek Dairy Cooperative. I believe this is a Polish brand, the product is pictured to the right.

"In 1992 EXTRA BUTTER manufactured in SPOMLEK dairy took the second place at Home Butter Quality Assessement."

Edit: just did a tasting of each on whole wheat toast. They both have a very clean sweet butter taste. I didn't detect any tang from bacterial starters. I think I liked the flavor of the Extra Maslo a wee bit over the Makabi, but only by a fraction of a percentage point. Given that the price is 20% less (by weight), if I were presented with both I would buy the Spomlek Extra Maslo. However, since Int'l Food Warehouse never seems to have the same brands of things in subsequent visits, there will probably be more experimenting in the future.

[Chihiran]

Hi! This is about butter, but I live in Bergen County (Demarest). I just read the book Real Food by Nina Planck and I’m looking for raw milk. I never knew about the different kinds of milk and now I’m just dying to try it. Does anyone know of a place that delivers? Or sells milk nearby?