The Joy of Butter!

[Lulu]

I'll tell you about the bloody joys of butter...........

Prepared to bake. Put butter on top of heater to soften. Totally forget about butter. 45 mins later find shiny puddle on floor under heater, look up and see empty butter wrapper and lines of dripping butter down the front of wall heater.

EXCELLENT....aarrghhhhh!

[fionas]

Did you lick it off Lulu?

[Bathsheba]

ooooh noooo! Um... floor polish??? *ducks for cover*

[AngelPunks]

Actually even just butter on freshly baked warm bread....mmmm....so much carbs and fat and so little caring about it.

oh goddess YUMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ginger]

ok......so since reading this thread i bought the lurpak brand.....and omg!!! i think i have put on 2kg since saturday! it is divine, so thank you.....NOT!!!

[Bathsheba]

LOL ok... now the next step Rainforest is to get a copy of the book "Why French Women Don't Get Fat". It will fully explain how the French, reknown for their use of butter (and chocolate and cream etc) but as a population have avoided the obesity epidemic that has swept most other Western countries. It is absolutely fascinating reading. And I have to say that I already followed most of the life-style aspects listed in the book... which is why despite loving butter (and chocolate and cream) I am not over weight. Anyhow, highly recommended. Also, one important difference between French women and Australia women when it comes to eating these types of foods is that they never eat with guilt. If you were at a cafe with your girlfriends in France (generally speaking) you would never use the words "naughty" when using butter etc. instead you would say that it's delicious and that you DESERVE it... and you would allow yourself a small bit most days (eg of chocolate) but you would only have a small bit, never a whole block, and you would also be more likely to walk it off afterwards (the French spend A LOT more time walking than us, on the whole).

So I'm not going to say that eating lots of butter won't make you fat. It will if you don't eat sensibly and respectfully. Appreciating a good quality butter, I think, is just a part of a larger philosophy of respect: for your body and of food. Just stopping to appreciate each mouthful and it's place of origin and the people that make it is part of healthy eating. I find that it's usually poor quality cheap food that people (on the whole) gorge themselves on without thinking. This thread is just a small part of re-connecting with food... and the flow-on from that I'm sure will be better health.

[mrsmac]

I like the way you think Bath!!
Its funny i should find this thread now as DS and I have just finished 4 slices of raisin toast with real butter on them! I have switched to pure butter for him as he has behavioural problems with some food additives and preservatives and I was horrified to see how many of the really bad ones were in both marg and spreadable butters.
I have been baking with real butter for ages but have only just switched for everyday.

[Ginger]

i know exactly what you mean bath. i think food is one of the greatest pleasures of life and quality food (and wine) should be enjoyed! i might look for that book next time i'm at the library.
i love these threads that find joy in simple pleasures...
these things have become more important for me as i've been a sahm and lost my own disposable income.
my latest simple pleasure is beautiful handwash....aahhh, totally makes my day!

[Nettie]

Damn you Bathsheba (in the nicest possible way!).

Since reading this thread, I've thought about nothing but pure butter...

I even went and bought a butter dish today so I could use plain butter instead of the blended crap on bread & stuff.

I've been baking with the 'good' butter and basically have become a butter snob! I even made bread & butter pudding the other night! The best I've ever made!

*sigh*.. now I feel like fresh bread with lashings of butter....

[Glamourcide]

For those who keep their butter out of the fridge... what kind of temperature ranges are we talking as far as 'safe to eat' goes??
I *love* using real butter on things, but it's just too darn hard to spread... and in Central Queensland I worry that it's far too warm to keep dairy on the bench instead of in the fridge...

[Winter]

Does anyone know of any ways to soften it- should I mix it with olive oil or cream or something??

I have read somewhere but I haven't tried it, that you can make your own spread from the fridge butter by putting the butter and a good dose of olive oil in a food processor and giving it a good whizz.

If you try this, let me know if it works!

[Bathsheba]

Regarding the safe temp range: not sure but I would only keep out enough for a day or two anyhow. In the "olden days" people kept butter in a cool larder... houses were designed better so that there was always a coolish area for food storage. I'd say that even in warm temps butter would be ok kept out for a day.... but at least keep it in the coolest, darkest part of the kitchen.

Crockery butter dish: I was in Myer on the weekend and saw a delightful white ceramic butter dish with a rosemary motif... on special for $11. I was sooo close to buying it and would have if I wsn't on my way to the footy!

[Rooey5]

Oh and on hot banana bread

Must have hot banana bread smothered with butter...yum!

[Bathsheba]

I made the mistake of buying Aldi's Butterfully spreadable butter... ugh... it had that fake butter flavour that seems to be in everything that is called "buttery" these days... it's the same chemical that they put on cinema pop corn. Won't get it again. But Adli's cultered plain block butter is ok... not as good as Gigar though.

[sunshine_sieben]

Where do you get Gigar?
I looove the Harmonie butter and keep it on the kitchen bench thanks to the suggestion in the marg thread. So far it has been fine, although it has been getting quite warm here in SE QLD. My plan for the summer is to just take the butter out of the fridge every morning when I make my first cuppa so that ot will be soft-ish when we have breakfast 30-60 minutes later.
My favourite way to use butter: Either on hot crumpets or fresh crusty bread, still warm, lots of butter and honey - delicious!
My grandmother always used to put a tiny bit of burnt (slightly browned) butter onto our porridge or semolina. It gives it a wonderful nutty flavour.
I just can't have boiled/steamed vegies without a little melted butter and salt.

Yum! Butter is just so underrated.
Sasa

[Bathsheba]

Danish cultured Girgar butter is available in Coles and Woolworths/safeway. It has a green and silver wrapping.

[Astrid]

Finally bought myself some Warrnambool butter (yes it has taken me this long), it was much cheaper at the supermarket across the road from the factory, which was surprising as everything else is so expensive. Anyway it is really quite nice. Must admit with all my baking that I have been going with the no name butters (that is unless I am baking something special) and I think it did make a difference to the baking. So I will have to start putting away money each week, then go there once a month to buy a bulk lot.

[sunshine_sieben]

I had a look when I was at Woolies today, but my local one doesn't seem to have Girgar. The did have Lurpak danish butter, though...