Give Me The Butter!!!

Two years ago, a wonderful friend of mine from the Pennsylvania Dutch Country said “I will never eat margarine…always have real butter on the table.” Over the years, I’ve gone through different types of butters and margarines. I remember the big tan tub of Country Crock being in our fridge as a little kid. Here’s something to think about folks…if a tub of “butter” is located in the dry goods section of the Wal-Mart, then it’s probably a good idea NOT to eat it, despite the great value. I remember during Martha’s diet stages in the late 80’s we acquired the spray butters. Spray butter makes me cringe when I think about what exactly makes up that concoction. Ew. This was definitely the age of America’s obsession with margarine. No, Fabio, I really can believe it’s not butter. During the late ninties, it came out in health and nutrition reports how bad trans fats were and butter made a comeback! And Martha gave up on the old dieting ways and resorted back to a good ol’ stick of butter . Real butter. In recent years, I’ve tried the whipped butter, the canola butter, the “light” canola butter (margarine in disguise), etc. But with time, I’ve realized nothing beats softened butter. And yes, it needs to stay out on the table or counter..not in the fridge. My mom, Martha, is finally getting better at this!

Did you hear about the Texas State Fair’s most-talked about food? Yes, it was Fried Butter. I heard about it on the local Austin radio stations and our army friend, Andrew Wild, told us it was quite tasty. And you know if it is featured on Oprah, it has to be the next big thing. I was surprised to see Oprah taste it with reservations….I figured she’d dive right in! I’m not an Oprah watcher…but I was very intrigued to watch how exactly this fried butter is made. I figured that a pat or ball of butter was dipped in a sweet batter of some sort and flash fried—my guess was correct. This fall, it was the biggest hit of the fair. Despite its competition with deep fried peaches and cream and deep fried pecan pies, it stood on top, making it the talk of the town. Unfortunately, we did not make it to the Texas State Fair this year…but we will next year and I WILL be trying some deep fried butter! I will also try not to puke…

So, here’s what I’ve learned about butter. It does need to stay out on the counter. It will be soft and perfect for spreading and it is not unsafe to leave it out. If you are like me and go through at least a stick a week, it won’t have time to get nasty. Unsalted butters are best on breads such as sourdough or any bread with a distinct flavor that the butter will not mask. Sometimes it’s a matter of north/south. My in-laws (father-in-law, Jim, is from Philly) always use unsalted butter on the table. The first time I ate at their house I wasn’t too sure about it, but now I realize it can really enhance the flavor of a good bread and not mask it. I love it with artisan breads. All southerners use salted butter for everything..and I do too. I prefer the salty taste to match with maple syrup or jelly. Have you ever tried toast with butter and peanut butter?! Yes, it’s one of my guilty pleasures! Don’t knock it till you try it. It can be the best breakfast or late night snack. Finally, if you look in my fridge, you will see a few measly sticks of margarine. The reality is, some recipes turn out better with margarine than with butter. I try to use margarine without trans fats though. For instance, Martha’s chocolate chip cookies turn out much better with margarine and I really can’t tell you the scientific answer for why. They will have a better consistency and texture. But if your recipe calls for butter for anything except SOME cookies, it’s best to use the real thing…salted or unsalted depending on preference.
So, here are a few of my favorite butter-filled recipes. And as the Old Dutch proverb states…

“Eat butter first, and eat it last, and live till a hundred years be past.”

Sassy Recipe of the Week:
Very Simple and Delectable Shortbread:
**I prefer making my shortbread in a shortbread pan with indented snowflakes. It can be purchased on various websites, including amazon.com

¾ c of softened butter 1 ½ c flour
½ cup of powdered sugar ½ t vanilla or almond extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter with hand mixer till light and creamy. Beat in powdered sugar and then vanilla. Work the flour into the dough till stiff and smooth. Transfer to board and knead with hands. Press firmly into pan so patterns will show on shortbread. Prick dough with fork several times. Bake in oven for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned. Take out of oven and let sit for ten minutes. Slide knife along edges and quickly and carefully flip onto cutting board. Slice squares gently while shortbread is still warm. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Old-Fashioned Butter Pound Cake with Strawberries:

2 sticks of softened butter 1 c. of sour cream
2 1/2 c. of sugar ½ t baking soda
2 1/2 c. of flour 5 large eggs
1 t of vanilla ½ t of almond extract
Fresh sliced strawberries whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a hand mixer, cream the butter till light and fluffy. Add the sugar, followed by sour cream. Sift flour and baking soda together and set aside. Mix eggs in small bowl. Add third of flour mixture to batter, followed by a third of the beaten eggs, switching till batter is combined. Mix in extracts. Pour batter into greased Bundt cake pan and cook for hour and fifteen minutes to hour and a half. Cool on baking rack for 20 minutes and flip onto cutting board. Slice and serve with fresh whipped cream and strawberries.