# Mmmmmm...... "premium" butter! I'm addicted!



## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Hi all,

well, having received a gift subscription to Consumer Reports from my dear Dad, I've become an avid CR reader! A recent issue discussed and rated "premium" butters like Plugra, Kerry's Irish Butter and some others. Now, I can't justify (or afford) the $8-12/lb stuff from Whole Foods (or "Whole Wallet" as a friends' BF calls them) but the other day, rather than the $3 pound of Stop & Shop butter, I splurged on the $4 pound of "Kate's Homemade Butter from Vermont". HUBBA HUBBA! Somebody stop me! 

I've found myself making up excuses to eat it - Hmmm, maybe some toast (with BUTTER) would be a nice late night snack. I don't feel like tomatoe sauce on my pasta tonight, I'll just have it with some BUTTER. Gee, sauteeing a little broccoli to make a quasi-omlette? Mmmm I'll saute it in BUTTER! Cereal for breakfast? Nah - how about today I have a bagel toasted with BUTTER. Now, nordic folk are known for being particularly fond of butter, but this is getting out of hand! Nearly any food that comes to mind is immediately followed by the thought "I'll bet I could put some BUTTER on that!". I normally only use butter on toast or as a treat on popcorn. I've already gone through an entire stick! Ack!

But its so rich, and creamy, and subtly flavorful! Ah......*dreamily*...... SO good!

So..... be WARNED! This butter is an entirely different beast from the bland spread of casual supermarket involvement. This stuff has a siren call which may haunt you even after you leave the kitchen. Do not scoff when I tell you of its powers! I hang my head and admit that I have become a premium butter addict. 

-Jane


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## Ibn (Oct 20, 2004)

Guess that 1% extra fat really does make a difference in the taste.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Jane, if you like CR, you will LOVE Cook's Illustrated magazine. They rigorously and scientifically test like CR, but with food and recipes. Yum yum! It has revolutionized the way I cook. 

BTW, the same people who do CI, also do the show America's Test Kitchen on PBS. It's my favorite show!


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Oh dear me. Butter toast sounds awfully good. Too bad it's not the right time of year to go splurging on rich foods (new year's resolutions and all). I'll have to try this "HUBBA HUBBA" butter as soon as I can. LOL!

Kelley, _America's Test Kitchen_ is one of my favorite cooking shows. Has something for everyone..especially someone like me who wants to figure out which brand of standard brownie mix is the best. I love my brownies!

But! No brownies or buttered toast for me (right now)....

-John N.


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Sheesh, Kelly, 

I assume that a lot of EATING would be quick on the heels of the Cook's Illustrated reading, LOL! I'm also a fan of America's Test Kitchen! I don't know when its on, but I'm always glad if I stumble upon it! I really like the fact that they explain WHY a certain pan or utensil is useful or not. Some of the things they'll outright scoff at, LOL! Fun Show!

Cook's Illustrated sounds downright dangerous - I'd want to try too many things.

And I think its more than just the extra 1% butterfat in the "Hubba Hubba" butters - there is a freshness and vibrancy that blew the store brand butters away! I think I'm getting a little *too* worked up here, pant, pant!

And John, I can relate. I've banished all junk food from my house, I'm trying my best to avoid drive-through, but the BUTTER snuck in anyhow, under the guise of an innocent grocery. Tsk, tsk. And here I was so optimistic - I'd even joined Curves!

-Jane


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## Chandresh (Nov 18, 2006)

Hmm, butter IS good. Might check this brand out. The best butter I've had, btw, was fresh, raw butter that made me realize everyone who gets regular pasteurized butter at the store is getting "ripped off" in a sense. Sadly, almost all states ban raw milk and hence raw butter, because of supposed health concerns. Although in reality all food poisoning from milk has been from pasteurized milk because it goes bad so quickly. My 2 cents.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

John, too bad you aren't in Iowa. I just made brownies from a Cook's Illustrated recipe THIS MORNING for my undergrad assistant's birthday. I am eating one AS I TYPE THIS!! I could totally tempt you away from that diet. One little pan of brownies has 6 oz. of chocolate and 10 tbsp of butter! Yummy!!!


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Just to let everyone know: Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen also have a line of cookbooks called Best Recipes. I've only read the italian one, and it has been an epiphany, to put it lightly 

The have a 1000 Best Recipes book that is sure to be fantastic as well.

Thanks for the butter testimonial Jane, I'm definately going to give it a try!


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

The 1000 Best Recipe cookbook is indeed awesome. I cook from it from it several times a week; more than any other cook book.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

I've been thinking of buttered toast and brownies ever since I read this thread. Now Kelly over there mocks me with her fresh baked and probably oh so tasty brownies! AH! You two are evil! 

Gotta take a cold shower now..and maybe down some ice cubes to quench my taste buds. :bathbaby:

-John N.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> One little pan of brownies has 6 oz. of chocolate and 10 tbsp of butter!


Is it dark chocolate? :icon_keel OK, where's the recipe? How can you go wrong with chocolate and butter.

BTW speaking of scrumptuously delicious and fattening things, some of our fellow Canadians will surely know about 'Nanaimo bars'. After having sampled many of them in the Vancouver area on several visits there, my wife found a great recipe on line. She makes them for me about twice a year. A guaranteed 5 pounds weight gain for a batch which I guard with passion.  But, oh, so good!


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## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

Well theres the Homer Simpson recipe. Bacon wrapped butter sticks......"MMMmmhmMMMMmhmmmhm buuutterrrr"


Seriously though, if you are pretty good at baking, might I suggest brioche? Oh man now that would be devine!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I'm also a fan of the Cooks Illustrated. My wife's grandma gives us all of hers when shes done so it's like we have a free subscription that's a month behind. 

Did you guys ever see the episode of According To Jim where Jim's brother-in-law introduced him to shame sticks? It was classic. To make shame sticks put a popsicle stick through the long end of a stick of butter. Now roll it in white sugar. Wallah, you have a shame stick. 

No, I haven't really tried it, but I probably would if someone made me one. :lol:


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Hee, hee shame sticks. I've never had them, but when I'm making cookies (from scratch of course) there is a similar product. First cream the butter, then add sugar, and oops . . you'll probably end up with some on your fingers so you have to lick it off.  Yep, butter and sugar is good together. (It's even better once the vanilla is added.)

Side note: my Mom doesn't like PBJ because the bread gets soggy. She makes Butter, PB, and Sugar. Butter on one slice of bread, peanut butter on the other and sugar in between. Very tasty. I imagine it would be even better with premium butter.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

T-bone, I have made brioche. It is sooooo good! 

Bert, I'll try to get that recipe for you tonight. 

I love to cook and bake! It's like science you can eat.


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Holy Cow! 

"Shame Sticks"???? That's just sick.... sick, I tell you! And the PBJ Alternative is only a short step behind! And gosh, I remember that scene with Homer wrapping the butter stick in bacon, LOL!

Yikes, I knew a guy in college who would make what he called "White Trash Waffles". He'd toast a piece of Wonderbread, then absolutely SLATHER it in butter, and then completely COVER it in Powdered Sugar! I swear the toast was merely a structure to convey the butter and sugar into his mouth! I tried one of these one time, and ONE slice of this was all I could handle, LOL! Apparently he and his brother (big Texas boys, both of 'em) would regularly go through a whole loaf of Wonderbread, a pound of butter and an entire box of powdered sugar in one "waffle" session!

So Kelly, could you share that Brownie Recipe with all of us? You sound like quite a baker! Gosh, I adore Brioche, too. I used to work in downtown Boston, and I'd transfer buses at the edge of the (Italian) North End. It was a great excuse to dash across the street, to J. Pace & Sons, to get a brioche! Gosh, those were good! It was one of the things I missed most when I quit that job!

OK, now you've all got me salivating shamelessly, LOL!

I made my first Korma (mild Indian dish) the other night, and it came out pretty good! I was such a good girl - used 1% lowfat Yogurt instead of heavy cream and everything!

-Jane


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Okay, here's the recipe. (Please don't tell your doctors I gave you this one :wink 

In a large glass or metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt together
-2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped*
-4 oz. semi-sweet OR bittersweet chocolate**, chopped (depending on if you like it so chocolate-y it hurts, or a little less). 
-10 tablespoons unsalted butter. (Jane, go for the premium!! Yeah, baby!!)

Stir until melted. 

Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl
-2/3 cup All-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp baking powder.

Once the chocolate has melted, remove it from the heat and whisk in 
-1 1/4 cups sugar
then
-3 large eggs
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-2 tbsp bourbon (optional). This is my addition. Isn't everything better with bourbon? 

Once mixed, whisk in the dry ingredients followed by

- 3/4 cup toasted walnuts 

Scrape the batter into an 8 inch square pan that has been spreayed with vegetable cooking spray. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 35-45 min. You know they are done when you stick a toothpick in the center and it is coated with fudgey crumbs. If it coomes out clean, you have gone too far! 

Cool and cut into bars. Serves 2 (Just kidding, doctor!!)

Enjoy! But remeber it is NOT my fault if I ruin your new year's resolutions...


* my favorite brand of unsweetened chocolate is Sharffen-Berger. It is awesome. 

** I have tried several brands of semi-sweet chocolate in this

Hershey's special dark is pretty good. It is sweet, mild, classic and inexpensive. Ghiradelli's is a little richer and good, too. Sharffen-Berger is the most the most complex. If you like chocolate that makes you hurt in a good way (Ohhhhh!), this is the one for you. All three are yummy.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> Cool and cut into bars. Serves 2...


Only if you want to share it with someone. 

Thanks for the recipe Kelley, it shall be definitely tried!


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

The brownie recipe looks absolutely decadent. I'm sure my family will love it! Thank you for sharing it.


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Ooooh, Hubba Hubba Brownies, too!

Thanks for sharing the recipe Kelley! I vote to include the Bourbon, too, LOL!

When I was a kid, an older neighbor & family friend used to make Christmas Cookies with the most heavenly old fashinoned icing - there was a certain *Something* in it that I could never put my finger on. It was years later when I was introduced to brandy and realized THIS was the mystery icing essence!

Trader Joe's has the Ghiradelli chocolate, broken up into chunks and sold by the pound, for a good price. 

Woo-hoo! I think there are brownies in my future! And when they find me glassy-eyed in a chocolate-induced stupor, I'll tell them that KELLY IS RESPONSIBLE, Bwah ha ha ha ha!

*Grin*

Thanks for the recipe Kelley! It looks wonderful!
-Jane


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

The bulk chocolate is a good tip, Jane. We can get Callebaut Belgian chocolate here in 1 lb. blocks. It is also very good . It tastes kind of like cherries, to me. Also good in brownies. 

This thread is making me hungry! Time to do some more baking!


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## snowhillbilly (Mar 29, 2006)

I started eating real butter again about 2 years ago, For those people that still eat the fake butter, I wonder if they know much about hydrogenated foods. I dont know if I spelled that right. If you look up all the things that contains this and how bad it is for your body. It will make you think that eating butter is not really a sin, but a blessing for your heart. Eat healthy all and enjoy your real butter for it really is way better for you than any wanna be spread.

PS btw has anyone heard the song from BOB and TOM called 100ft butter Jesus? Its a tribute to the Jesus statue just outside of Cincy...


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## Jane in Upton (Aug 10, 2005)

Uh.....no..... butter Jesus? Reminds me of the Buddhist statues made out of butter (ghee, actually) - they're extraordinarily ornate, beautifully colored, and really impressive. And then they melt, as an example of the impermanence of the material world. 

Its funny, but even in the 70's and early 80's, when margarine was touted as being "better" for you, my grandmother and mother simply said "that doesn't make sense". My father the chemist, was skeptical of the huge long list of ingredients as well. I'm very grateful that my family continued to use butter even when it had such a "bad name". As a rather impressionable child, I probably latched on to some marketing hype, because I remember being fascinated with margarine at other friends' houses. It was a novelty to me, LOL!

We are such silly creatures!
-Jane


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Hey Kelley, just wanted to let you know I will be trying your brownie recipe tomorrow for Val's Day. I plan on making the wife a nice dinner, hopefully. I'll report back on how the brownies go.  I'm a chocoholic, and am looking forward to it!


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Oh, Bert! She is going to love them! What a nice plan for Valentine's Day! 

I have to teach that night, so no romantic dinner for me. Maybe this weekend...


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Kelley, just wanted to let you know those are probably the best brownies I've ever had! And she loved them as well! (Even though I screwed up the recipe and added more vanilla than it called for). I highly recommend them :thumbsup:. Thanks!


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

I'm so glad that you both enjoyed them!


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I finally made the brownies on Saturday for a family gathering and they are the best! Moist and rich with a wonderful flavor, not sticky with a faint aftertaste like most box mixes. My family prefers brownies over cakes because of the denser, richer taste - soooooo I frosted these with a homeade chocolate buttercream (1/2 recipe) and they disappeared quite rapidly. I didn't realize homeade brownies could be so easy, and the superior result definitely makes the slight additional effort worthwhile. Thank you for sharing the recipe Kelley!


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

I'm glad that you and your family liked them, Catherine. I've never tried frosting them. That sounds soooooo rich!


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## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

No argument about premium butters or just about any premium food being better.

Most folk grow up on salted butter. The salt was originally put there to cover up any foulness or rancidity. Any fat combines with oxygen and gets funky. It has long been an axiom if you are a musician that “if you can’t play good...play loud" and also in cooking if you have lousy ingredients "add lots of salt." Almost all of us like salt and salt also extends shelf life. When Mr. Smith from FEDEX came up with the Hub concept and made overnight delivery "normal" it revolutionized commerce, not to mention the effects from our roadways, distribution systems and Supermarket concept. The world sure is different even though it ain't perfect.

Butter does not come out of the cow with salt but when you grow up with salted butter it seems normal but un-salted butter seems to taste funny. Strange.

The point here is that if you cannot hack the high prices on the premium spread it is at least a step up to try the un-salted butter. There is precious little reason to have salt in butter anymore except that the Chains will sell you what you demand if they can't convince you to buy what is profitable.


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## NatalieT (Mar 20, 2007)

Cliff Mayes said:


> The salt was originally put there to cover up any foulness or rancidity.


Or to prevent it. I've got a book from about 100 years ago on raising cows, and it tells what percentage of salt to add to cream to prevent spoilage if you want to churn butter once a week instead of every day. Salt can help preserve things (bacon, ham, salt cod, etc.) as well as covering up off-flavors. But I agree that salt as a preservative is unnecessary now, for those of us in countries wtih good refrigeration. We just like the way it tastes 

Natalie


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## deathjelly (Jan 24, 2006)

Here is a way to enjoy that premium butter.

You will cry and beg for mercy and forgiveness. A half-inch slice is a *very* satisfying portion. I've been making this cake for 10 years. My favorite chocolate to use is Dagoba's Xocolatl 74% cacoa. It's mildly spicy and very dark. This recipe is from Maida Heatter's Great Chocolate Desserts (sorry for mistakes in that, but it's close!)

Note that you will need more butter than called for, in order to grease pan, etc.

Countess Toulouse-Lautrec's Chocolate Cake

1 pound semisweet chocolate
5 ounces (1 1/4 sticks) sweet butter, at room temperature
4 eggs (graded large or extra-large), separated
1 tablespoon unsifted all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Adjust rack one-third up from bottom of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees [F.] Separate the bottom and the sides of an 8-inch spring-form pan. (The cake will be only 1 1/2 inches high on the sides, so the pan may be shallow or deep - either is all right. Or you could use an 8-inch layer-cake pan that has a loose bottom.) Cut a round of baking-pan liner paper or wax paper to fit the bottom of the pan, and butter it on one side.

Butter the sides (not the bottom) of the pan. Put the bottom of the pan in place, close the clamp on the side, and place the buttered paper in the pan, buttered side up. Set aside.

Break up or coarsely chop the chocolate and place it in the top of a large double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Cover until partially melted, then uncover and stir with a rubber spatula until completely melted. Remove the top of the double boiler from the hot water.

Add about one-third of the butter at a time and stir it into the chocolate with the rubber spatula. Each addition of butter should be completely melted and incorporated before the next is added. Set aside to cool slightly.

In the small bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg yolks at high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until they are pale-colored and thick. Add the tablespoon of flour and beat on low speed for only a moment to incorporate the flour.

Add the beaten yolks to the chocolate (which may still be slightly warm but should not be hot) and fold and stir gently to mix.

In a clean, small bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites and the salt until the whites hold a soft shape. Add the granulated sugar and continue to beat only until the whites hold a definite shape but not until they are stiff or dry. Fold about one-half of the beaten whites into the chocolate - do not be too thorough. Then fold the chocolate into the remaining whites, handling gently and folding only until both mixtures are blended.

Turn into the prepared pan. Rotate the pan a bit, first in one direction, then the other, to level the batter.

Bake for 15 minutes. The cake will be soft and you will think it is not done. But remove it from the oven. Do not throw the cake away now.

You may think it is the only thing to do, but it is O.K. (However, it might be wise not to let anyone else see it now.) It will be only about an inch high in the middle, the rim will be higher than the middle, and the top will be cracked. Don't worry - it's O.K. Baking this cake longer will not
prevent it from sinking.

With a small, sharp knife, carefully cut around the side of the hot cake, but do not remove the sides of the pan. Let the cake stand in the pan until it cools to room temperature. Then refrigerate it for at least several hours or overnight. The cake must be firm when it is removed from the pan.

To remove the cake, cut around the sides again with a small, sharp knife. Remove the sides of the pan. Cover the cake with a small cookie sheet or the bottom of a quiche pan or anything flat, and invert. Then carefully insert a narrow spatula or a table knife between the bottom of the pan
and the paper lining; move it just enough to release the bottom of the pan. Remove the bottom and peel off the paper lining. Invert a serving plate over the cake and invert the plate and the cake, leaving the cake right side up.

The Countess serves the cake just as it is. But you have several alternatives. The most obvious is to cover the top generously (excluding the rim) with whipped cream. But if you do not plan to serve it all at once and you might want to freeze the leftovers, that is not the best plan. You can cover the top generously with large, loose, free-form chocolate shavings made with a vegetable peeler and a thick piece of milk chocolate, If you do that, sprinkle confectioners' sugar over the top of the shavings. Or cover the top of the cake with a generous amount of fresh raspberries or strawberries or Chocolate-Covered Strawberries, and, if you wish, pass soft whipped cream as a sauce. Or cover the top with peeled and sliced kiwi fruit and strawberries. Or cover the cake with whipped cream, cover the cream generously with chocolate shavings, and pass brandied cherries separately to be spooned alongside each portion. Or mound about two-thirds of the cream on top of the cake. Cover the cream generously with chocolate shavings, or dot it with candied violets or rose petals. Fit a pastry bag with a star-shaped tube and use the remaining cream to form a border of rosettes around the rim of the cake.

One final option: Cut the top of the firm, chilled cake, removing the raised rim and making the top smooth. Then serve the cake upside down, either just as it is or with confectioners' sugar on top.
--------------------
Ignore the above serving suggestions.
Yes, do trim off the rim, flattening the top. Put the trimmings the freezer, in an opaque container. Label it "Bloodworms - Fish Only". It is your secret now!  Flip the cake over. Lightly dust with cocoa, and feel lovey-dovey.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Oh, Elizabeth! You are a girl after my own heart! I have got to try this one! I love the idea of serving it with brandied cheries. It sounds heavenly! 

Thanks for posting this one.


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## deathjelly (Jan 24, 2006)

Yes! Try it out - it looks pretty intimidating at first, but it's not hard. 
And it's ugly for a cake... but the texture is perfectly a blend of chocolate cake/brownies, and cheesecake.
The oher recipes in the cookbook are also very good, and nicely written.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Thank you for sharing the recipe Elizabeth. I tried it for a family gathering and it was a big hit. It really wasn't hard to make and it was definitely a decadent treat.


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