Oh Bob!! I don't even know where to begin on this one. Your best option is to take a short course in food microbiology, or better yet just stick to food deep fried in some industrial strength non-microbially reactive petroleum product. I hear the French are doing amazing things with vaseline and sous vide techniques.

Butter is NOT fermented, at least not intentionally. When butter ferments or ages the production of butyric acid gives it that distinctive "Palo Alto" characteristic. This is not usually desireable, as it indicates the breakdown of the butterfat

You are correct that fermentation does take place but in the milk prior to churning in butter that is not labelled "sweet" (most of the US) ut labelled "cultured" (most of Europe).

The bacteria that are added however are NOT yogurt bacteria (even to cheap butter, unless maybe it comes from China, where there may also be traces of lead or dipropylene glycol) which are Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Streptococcus. thermophilus. Usually Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris (Leuc. citrovorum) is added or the milk is allow to naturally ferment for a day or so.

Remind me not to try any dishes that Bob prepares using his special "cultured" butter.

George

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