Bob,

Well, there you are!  There really is "vintage" butter and of course you would know that.  How could I have thought otherwise?  But this is interesting to hear.

Butter chez moi includes: Plugras (at least "European-style butter, fairly inexpensive at Trader Joe's), and Beurre d'Isigny (which we used in Paris, though as you say, it's not expensive there).  Havent tried the Kerrygold yet, though it's available here.

Our favorite butter is the (sweet) butter we get at Barthelmy, the Paris cheese shop.  It's from Normandy and just comes wrapped in regular paper of some sort, but it has a little cow in a meadow molded into it.  How can one resist?  It does taste somewhat better to me in taste tests conducted during le petit dejuener, and not terribly expensive really.

The chief thing I notice about the European-style butter is that it doesn't turn into water when you cook with it, so that's why I use it.  Well, plus the "it reminds me of Paris" factor.

Dee

—–Original Message—–
From: Bob Morgen
Sent: Oct 12, 2007 10:20 AM
To: Dianne Ellsworth
Cc: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net, Vox <980286c3a15f1c66@moblog.vox.com>, Boogs Sack
Subject: Re: BSMA Barco

Sharon's legendary experiments in butter ageing aside, there is something to ageing butter. Premium butters are fermented for a few days before churning to give them more of a tangy/buttery flavor.  Cheaper butters have a bit of yogurt bacteria added to hasten the process.

Cooks Illustrated did blind tasting on expensive premium butters vs cheap butter. While there was a bit of a difference it didn't show up as much to most tasters.

Interestingly, Land of Lakes did very well both in the premium and ordinary butter categories.

I looked at what is being offered as expensive premium butters in the USA and ironically most of them are ordinary butters in their country of origin.  I have tried them all and, while I've never met a butter i didn't like, except Sharon's, there isn't much to recommend them over American butters. Our daily household butter here is Kerrygold from Ireland. It is the cheapest thing at the market here but sells for a fortune in the States. Lurpak, from Denmark, is made in monster sized factories from cows that never see the light of day. The biggest selling French premium in the US is the one with rock salt crystals in it. That's cheating.

-Bob

On 10/12/07, Dianne Ellsworth <ellswortha@earthlink.net> wrote:

Was 1996 a good year? (for butter).

Gee, didn't know it was vintage.  Is it AOC too?

I've got lots of butter at my place and you're all welcome to it, but it's pretty recent, so may not have that nice marbling and nose of the truly aged butter.
Dee

—–Original Message—–
>From: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net
>Sent: Oct 11, 2007 4:32 PM
>To: Vox < 980286c3a15f1c66@moblog.vox.com>, Boogs Sack <jwgrey@netbox.com>
>Subject: BSMA Barco
>
>11 Oct.
>
>We are now out of the outer banks and in the dismal swamp. Its real name. Heading to Barco.  The only place we found to stay for 90 plus miles is a B&B in Barco.  Again a bit less distance than ideal.
>
>Pretty strong headwind (cold front starting to finally come in ) today on a 5 lane Hiway with narrow but ok shoulder. The ride is on a barrier island.
>
>The B&B turned out to be first rate. 1827 house. Xmas decorated, her hobby. Loaned us their van so we could get to a rest. A number of miles back.
>
>To repeat the obvious "do not mess about in George's backyard! "
>
>Judi and Bobby have now booked Chez Boog for the holidays. Provisioning being planned. Looking for some 1996 butter.
>
>Dinner was among the yachts on the intercoastal waterway. Another cole slaw, and more crab and shrimp.  Home made, still warm, freshly baked, potato chips.
>
>The chowder, pictured, was fine, no cream. What makes something a chowder rather than a soup?
>
>
>
>
>

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