Have you noticed an uptick in bread and butter on menus as an item to order and not just a gimmie or a freebie taking the shape of a flimsy woven basket containing twothree slices of stale bread with a sloppy sidecar ramekin of no name, no taste, no salt butter thrown on your table by a rushed busboy the minute your tush hits the seat? Well apparently, butter is trending. And it’s trending big. Some are even calling it a butter renaissance.
Even clothes are getting in on the buttery trend. The light yellow blitz for spring and summer has been a huge hit for clothing, outerwear, and accessories.
I’m just going to put it out there that I love butter. Like really loooove butter. A big melting dollop of whipped butter on a short stack of buttermilk pancakes that you gingerly spread around the whole surface to ensure every single taste exudes a buttery rich bite. A thick “slice” of butter like the Parisians do on a hot crusty baguette. A big pat in the pan to cook your farm fresh scrambled eggs. A melted pour doused over homemade popcorn with a good shake and crinkling of sea salt. Now yer talkin’. It’s the richness and the fatty flavor that sparks our tastebuds and perks up every dish.
But in restaurants there is now pomp and circumstance associated with ordering butter. A fancy waiter in tails might wheel over THE Big Butter and show you how he wire slices a hunk for your table. While another enclave whips the portion into shape tableside and serves it with radishes, pickles, several bread options and extra flaky salt on the side. All eyes are on the butter dish. It has captured our attention and our watering mouths.
There are so many excellent options for butter from France. The creamery case of La Grande Epicerie is eyewatering to behold. One butter in particular that stands out is crafted by Rodolphe Le Meunier and yes, you can purchase their top of the line product in the States. (Murray’s Cheese even ships!) In 2007, Le Meunier was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman of France) and Meilleur Fromager International (Best International Cheese Maker).
So what makes good butter so good? In the case of RLM, they source milk from cows in Normandy and churn using a process that separates the milk, spinning the heaviest part into a creamy, thick consistency. “The butter is then re-injected with cream that has been treated with cultures and allowed to ferment for several hours in order to build a strong, lactic flavor. Once combined, the butter is spread by hand into wooden molds to keep its shape. Because it’s made using this age old method, the spread has higher butter fat and moisture content than the average butter.” And dang you can certainly taste the difference.
Rubiner’s Cheesemongers in Great Barrington, MA say that, “This traditional production method creates a butter that’s deep yellow in color, slightly crumbly in texture, and packed with rich, creamy flavor.” So of course they sell this perfectly salted velvety spread in their shop and cook with it in their restaurant Rubi’s. What a treat to buy small batch butter from France in Massachusetts.
Then there are those that are completely taking this trend to a whole ‘nuther level. Although I’m a professed butter lover even I can’t say that I would knife and fork my way through a whole stick on just one stack. Would you??
Mike Myers playing host Linda Richman on the fake talk show Coffee Talk on SNL used the expression, “Like buttah,” to describe all things good, especially when speaking about Barbra Streisand. Linda, you are so right. So if someone makes fun of your love of butter or quips with a judgmental comment regarding your buttery intake, you tell them that they can just stick it!
jenslittleblackbook.com 