Hmmmm..... butter!

[Rovers]

I love butter, especially on some quality bread and rolls. Thing is I get annoyed at restaurants that serve it soft. When a place serves it on top of ice, it automatically gets another half star in my rankings. I will even let warm bread cool enough so the butter doesn't melt right away. I like the texture better that way, the different temps affect on mouthfeel and it just seems to have more flavor when it isn't melted into the dough.

 

I know some people actually take it out of the fridge to let it soften. I keep it on the side when eating pancakes too, until I'm ready for another forkful. Obviously on most foods, I let it melt, veggies, potato skins, corn on the cob, but on bread, I want it cold.

 

Am I the only one with this idiosyncrasy? It really is a pet peeve of mine.

 

Other wise, what's better than butter besides bacon?

[Bier Meister]

i am kind of the opposite: don't mind throwing firm butter on potatoes, in a pan to saute or finish a sauce, but prefer it soft when spreading on breads or pancakes or whatnot.

[Big John]

Prefer soft, so I can spread it. Don't like bread breaking up because the butter is too hard.

[Rovers]

Prefer soft, so I can spread it. Don't like bread breaking up because the butter is too hard.

 

On regular old white bread, I agree, but that isn't a problem when eating really good freshly baked (or reheated) rolls in a restaurant, where the crust is a bit crispy and the roll won't fall apart. I also like it cold when just munching on a good Italian loaf of bread, something with a nice crispy crust on it. Heck, I even let my rye toast cool a little before I throw a slab on it.

 

So, in a restaurant, you would prefer the butter not srved on top of ice?

[Skippy]

I am one that likes the best of both worlds. If the bread can handle the cold hard butter than that is the way I like it. I swear is does taste different that way. However, if I am going to poke holes through the bread than I want it soft enough to spread. I always use butter out of the fridge for hot foods.

[Bier Meister]

On regular old white bread, I agree, but that isn't a problem when eating really good freshly baked (or reheated) rolls in a restaurant, where the crust is a bit crispy and the roll won't fall apart. I also like it cold when just munching on a good Italian loaf of bread, something with a nice crispy crust on it. Heck, I even let my rye toast cool a little before I throw a slab on it.

 

depends on the bread, but often cold butter will destroy good bread, unless you are shaving the butter

 

So, in a restaurant, you would prefer the butter not srved on top of ice?

 

i don't think i order the type of rice that warrants butter in restaurants. if we are talking about an uncle ben's type, cold butter melts in better than already softened butter.

[Rovers]

Cold butter will destroy a slice of white or whole wheat, or untoasted rye, but not a good hearty loaf of Italian, french bread or a kaiser roll, etc.

 

Who said anything about rice? Since you bring it up, I never put butter on rice. As a general rule, I don't put it on most veggies either, with some exceptions like corn, potato, sweet potato, maybe plain brocolli.

 

When I was a kid, my mom used to fry burgers in butter, then butter the bread too. No wonder my trigs was so high. I think it had something to do with her being raised during the depression... no butter. She put butter on just about everything.

 

As a side note... margarine SUCKS. Swore I'd never touch it again after I got out of the service. I would on occassion even bring my own butter into the chow hall. Problem was I got harrassed for it. Not for doing that, but for the butter. "Oh man! Were did you get the butter!?! Lemme have some!" Freakin beggars they were.

[Bier Meister]

So, in a restaurant, you would prefer the butter not srved on top of ice?

 

was skimming and thought you wrote rice...

 

Cold butter will destroy a slice of white or whole wheat, or untoasted rye, but not a good hearty loaf of Italian, french bread or a kaiser roll, etc.

 

Who said anything about rice? Since you bring it up, I never put butter on rice. As a general rule, I don't put it on most veggies either, with some exceptions like corn, potato, sweet potato, maybe plain brocolli.

 

we just may have a different definition of destroy. a lot of breads have crispy crusts, but soft dough (centers). hard butter breaks that down and imo ruins good bread. most typical breads i eat are baguettes, italian loaves, chiabbata, boules, focaccia. the later 3 can hold up better, but flattens the interior imo.

[Rovers]

was skimming and thought you wrote rice...

 

 

 

we just may have a different definition of destroy. a lot of breads have crispy crusts, but soft dough (centers). hard butter breaks that down and imo ruins good bread. most typical breads i eat are baguettes, italian loaves, chiabbata, boules, focaccia. the later 3 can hold up better, but flattens the interior imo.

 

This is an issue of poor technique. You don't have to smash the butter into the bread so it still sticks when upside down like peanut butter. Just lay that patty right across the top. Actually, I usually make 4 seperate applications of butter to bread with one patty. After each bite, more butter. More labor intensive, but well worth the effort.

[Bier Meister]

This is an issue of poor technique. You don't have to smash the butter into the bread so it still sticks when upside down like peanut butter. Just lay that patty right across the top. Actually, I usually make 4 seperate applications of butter to bread with one patty. After each bite, more butter. More labor intensive, but well worth the effort.

 

 

right chef. like i said earlier... when given hard butter, i shave it.

 

so you just like laying the butter on top and biting in? i like it more incorporated into the bread. if it is hard, place butter on b&b plate. break the bread into pieces as i go, apply butter for each piece.

[loaf]

gotta have soft butter. hard butter's fool's gold.

[Rovers]

Soft butter is for wimps.

[Scooby's Hubby]

hard for browning for making fried breads like grilled cheese or french toast ...

soft for spreading on crackers waiting on a cajun meal.

 

but I will not buy butter that is not in a stick ... NO TUB.

[Hugh B Tool]

Actually, butter, like ice cream, yogurt and other dairy products produce more flavor when melted and/or softened a bit. So it is probably a texture issue with your peeve. Me, I tend to like it a bit soft so all the flavor is there right away. Like unsalted much better for cooking and sauces. Don't mind salted on rolls etc.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Hugh B Tool

[Rovers]

Actually, butter, like ice cream, yogurt and other dairy products produce more flavor when melted and/or softened a bit. So it is probably a texture issue with your peeve. Me, I tend to like it a bit soft so all the flavor is there right away. Like unsalted much better for cooking and sauces. Don't mind salted on rolls etc.

 

It should melt in your mouth, not in your hand! I have a theory that the flavor increases as it melts in your mouth. I have many theories. Most of them are wrong however.

[Hugh B Tool]

It should melt in your mouth, not in your hand! I have a theory that the flavor increases as it melts in your mouth. I have many theories. Most of them are wrong however.

 

 

Don't we all. My theory is butter like bacon is good in almost any instance. Not to mention better for you than fake ass stuff.

[Rovers]

right chef. like i said earlier... when given hard butter, i shave it.

 

so you just like laying the butter on top and biting in? i like it more incorporated into the bread. if it is hard, place butter on b&b plate. break the bread into pieces as i go, apply butter for each piece.

 

Quartering a paddy of butter is NOT shaving it. It's a mini-slab. The b&b plate technique is my preferred method as well.

[Kid Cid]

On breads I prefer my butter softened. A pat provides too much butter in one area and not enough in another or as mentioned before, destroys the bread when not soft.

 

Margarine and synthetic butters are not butter and therefore, do not have a home on or in my foods.

[Bier Meister]

Quartering a paddy of butter is NOT shaving it. It's a mini-slab. The b&b plate technique is my preferred method as well.

 

 

when it is offered as pads, i take a pad..place it on my b&b and either half or quarter. when served in a ramekin, i cut it as thinly as possible (shave)...and when hard, that is how i prefer it.

 

edit: only way i can tolerate margerine is on either a toasted bagel or toasted rye

Edited July 21, 2010 by Bier Meister

[Chief Dick]

Just lay that patty right across the top.

 

So to summarize, when you go to a restaurant you order bread to go with the butter and not the other way around.

[Rovers]

So to summarize, when you go to a restaurant you order bread to go with the butter and not the other way around.

 

Well, that was an exageration on my part. I quarter the paddy. So, it's a mini paddy. Not to be confused with a short Irishman.

Edited July 22, 2010 by Rovers

[detlef]

European style butters have a nice chew to them that I appreciate, so I do like them somewhat cold. Other than that, I like my butter soft.

[Rovers]

European style butters have a nice chew to them that I appreciate, so I do like them somewhat cold. Other than that, I like my butter soft.

 

Detlef, how do you serve the butter? I think my favorite is just what you mentioned, european style butter, not really shaven, more like scooped into the shape of a ball, served on top of ice.

[detlef]

Detlef, how do you serve the butter? I think my favorite is just what you mentioned, european style butter, not really shaven, more like scooped into the shape of a ball, served on top of ice.

Neither restaurant serves bread and butter. At home, we keep our butter out at room temp. It's just that sometimes, when I'm using really nice butter, I like to lop off a chunk and eat it like cheese.

[ts]

I actually bought one of these for the spouse a couple of years ago (IIRC the price was around $50 when I got it) mostly as a joke gift item, but the darn thing really works & we still use it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Alfille-Butter-Wizar...h/dp/B001ETYH0U

Edited July 24, 2010 by ts