The Joy of Butter!

[Bathsheba]

I've read lots of praise regarding butter (especially compared to margarine) here in BB but I thought I would start a specific thread about this delicious ingredient and condiment!

Right now I am on my second slice of toasted Philipas Sultana & Orange Cob... spread with Harmonie Organic Butter (as recommended by Brontide in another thread as being a nice butter).. and yummo!


So... what are your favourite ways of using butter? And what are your preferred brands. I'm also a fan of Girgar (a cultured Danish butter).

[NaeNae]

We just use the dairy soft one (devondale)

I LURVE it smothered over a hot corn cob lots and lots of juicy butter. I also love the taste real butter gives to mash taters.

Oh and on hot banana bread

[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.

[Phteven]

.
I just can't have boiled/steamed vegies without a little melted butter and salt.

yep, DH thinks I'm a freak but I love it.

[amberj]

Butter is awesome- full of great stuff!

I have a butter question, actually. I just decided that buying the whole "spread from the fridge" butter is a rip off, so I chopped a stick of butter in half and put it in a container and keep it on the counter to use.

But its still a bit hard (probably a bit cold in our house!!!). I have to take out the bit I want to use and mash it with a knife for a minute so it softens up, otherwise it rips apart the bread.

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

[NaeNae]

amberj - you could zap it for a few secs? We never stick ours in the fridge unless there is a heatwave and when its too tough to spread I neuk it until the edges are soft enough.

[nanananny]

I use westerns hardcore butter lol (no reduced salt, easy to spread versions for me)

I love it on crumpets

[Bathsheba]

I think I read in the margarine thread to whip a bit of water through butter to make it more spreadable... never done it myself though. I am also avoiding buying as much "spreadable" butter (unfortunately DH likes it)... and now that it's cooler I'm just putting pure butter in a crockery butter dish in the pantry. Which reminds me: apparently you're meant to avoid contact with metal and butter... does something bad. Once again... it was in the marg thread... that's why I want to gather all this info here.

ETA: I just love that most butters just have 3 ingredients: cream, water, salt. Can't beat pure foods.

[NaeNae]

Bathsheba - my MIL can still make her own butter (it takes ages and ages though) She said she'll show me how to do it when I am a SAHM , sooo cannot wait for that one. We still have all the old butter churning stuff on the farm in the cream room.

[Bathsheba]

Nae: mmmmmm! Sounds wonderful! I have over beaten cream until it separated into this watery stuff and butter... but it was only a small quanity... i expect it would take a long time to get any substantial ammount.

[Lulu]

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

I do the same, but the butter container sits next to the kettle

I love it when there is HEAPS of butter in the house, cos it means I'm cooking up a storm!

[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!