Butter (web picture)
I was rather surprised to learn about the butter crisis. I thought people have given up or reduced this fatty goodness, for dietary reasons.
Well, I was wrong. This item is as popular as ever, and greatly sought after. The public is furious about the shortage which seems to have been going on since last year.
When the shortage spreads, the consumers resort to hoarding which is not a desirable phenomenon.
Both production and Import are regulated by the state. The two ministries: Finance and Agriculture blame each other for the butter shortage. The solution - some kind of custom free temporary import.
For the last few years, scientists claim that butter is not linked to diabetes, obesity and heart disease. They don't claim that butter is a health food, but that it is not as harmful as first thought.
Anyway, butter improves and upgrades any cooking and baking. For some people, butter is everything, all things.
Butter brings back to me good memories. During winter, my parents used to eat fresh black bread topped with butter (sometimes with a piece of herring), and followed by a cup of tea. It was the greatest delicacy for them.
"Good bread is the most fundamental of all foods and good bread with fresh butter, the greatest of feasts" (James Beard in the Soup and Bread cookbook). So very true!
Along with bread, butter is probably among the most universal of foods, found in all cultures in one form or another. We don't eat a whole lot of it, but we always have it in the house, and use in sometimes in cooking.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt about bread and butter being "among the most universal of foods" . Everyone will agree with your view on that.
DeleteI bake with butter but use non hydrogenated margarine otherwise.
ReplyDeleteNowadays, there are many types of margarine to choose from.
DeleteHowever, butter, provides a richer texture and flavor to pastries.
I would have to agree with James Beard, Duta. Whenever I bake a fresh loaf of bread, which has been less often now. The best thing after it’s baked and cooled a bit is to cut off the end and put on some butter for tasting. There is no substitute that tastes the same.
ReplyDeleteRight. There's no substitute to that fresh, slightly warm bread, topped with butter. Nothing tastes like butter and has its unique flavor.
DeleteI had not heard of a butter shortage here but I know many restaurants use it for cooking. My mom used it for years until all the reports of it being bit good for you. Apparently those reports are not that true these days.
ReplyDeleteBetty
Butter was said to clog the arteries. Nowadays, scientists claim there's no link between butter fat and the clogging of the arteries.
DeleteI myself love butter, but I've given it up lately as it is rich in calories, and I have to watch my body weight.
I do enjoy a piece of buttered toast in the morning. Everything in moderation!
ReplyDeleteWhat's not to enjoy? Melted butter on warm, crispy slices of bread. The thought of it makes my mouth water.
DeleteWe use butter here and right now there is no shortage, thankfully. James Beard was right on spot, and Julia Child said it perfectly: "Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health."
ReplyDeletePeople like you, Pam, who love cooking and baking are well aware of the value of butter, and its great contribution to the success of a dish or a baked item.
DeleteYes, it takes only a small helping to bring pleasure and happiness.
I haven't heard about a butter crisis here. I love it for baking and on toast. I would miss it!
ReplyDeleteIt's probably only a local shortage.I remember, though, there was a butter crisis in Norway, several years ago. Don't know how things are there now.
DeleteIn my youth I would help churn the butter for my Grandmother and she would make the most tasteful butter. She would pat it into a beautiful round mountain and place it in our covered butter dish. My 101 MIL has never given up butter and I often tease her that she likes a little bread with her butter. Peace
ReplyDeletePeople enjoy not only eating butter but also making butter, like your grandmother. One can see this from the many videos on butter making displayed in Youtube.
DeleteYour 101 MIL is probably a good recommandation for butter consumption.
Bread and butter, I'll toast to that:）!! I must say I have a weakness for butter on bread! And as you might guess, challah especially!!I'm glad to hear your report that it isn't so bad for us as we might have thought! I also have noticed the supermarket shelves here in Japan too have been out of butter, and have just been able to get "mini packs" for a while. Hope the supply will be restored soon, meanwhile doing without may be good personally for a little while as I have been thinking recently I eat too much butter.
ReplyDeleteYour memory of black bread and butter and tea with your parents is very touching. Its special to have a memory that has the "senses" like taste or smell or touch, and I think it brings it alive in that sense. I can feel love surrounding that precious memory coming from your words expressed. Blessings to you Duta and Shalom!! 🧡
Indeed, it's a very precious memory that appeals to the senses of sight, taste, smell, touch.
DeleteI think we all have a weakness for bread and butter which ,sadly ,we have to restrain sometimes as the two delicious food items are rather rich in calories.
Oh, the quote is sooo true! Everytime I bake bread, I smear some good quality butter on first slice! The best food on Earth in my opinion ☺ Stay safe and healthy everyone ☺
ReplyDeleteI think so too - "the best food on earth"; nothing triumphs over bread and butter, provided of course, both bread and butter are fresh and of decent quality.
DeleteIo il burro lo uso per le torte, per condire la pasta e dare più morbidezza a certi sughi un po' troppo densi. Credo comunque che sia un ingrediente essenziale per le cucine di tutto il mondo. Un saluto e un sorriso dall'Italia.
ReplyDeleteHi Vivi,
DeleteYou italians know how to use butter to turn every food item into a delicious one. In fact, I admire all italian food.
Thanks for the"saluto and sorriso dall'Italia.
Butter is so good. This reminded me of Denmark, were all dairy products seem to me to taste better than anywhere else. And butter on fresh baked bread, nothing like it.
ReplyDeleteButter on fresh bread is unanimously considered by people as sheer delight.
DeleteAnd you are the first person, other than myself, who has mentioned herring on any blog I have ever read. In America, people wrinkle up their noses at the mere mention of herring. In Sweden we love it.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised. I like herring just as my parents did, especially pickled or smoked.
DeleteIt has many health benefits and is recommended by the FDA.
FRESH BUTTER FROM HOLLAND, I love it. Yesterday I went for a picnic with my daughter, on a sun-drenched field, near the forest. She had brought home-baked bread. And butter. And salt and pepper for the butter. Suddenly there was a big black dog. He grabbed the butterpot and ate out of it. It was so dirty. So, we ate bread without butter. And had fun despite that big black dog.
ReplyDeleteHolland is well-known for its fine dairy products.
DeleteNaughty dog, spoiling your picnic. It's hard to blame him; butter looks and smells so good!
Well, there"ll be another picnic for you soon, with fresh bread and butter.
Shortage of butter ?? That's unbelievable, here they throw milk away because there is too much and could low the prices and butter is there more then enough ! We eat never butter, because my husband is Italian and in Italy butter is only used for cooking. They rather eat olive oil on bread with salt. I always cook with oil, so I wouldn't miss butter either !
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting what you say about italians and butter. It's new to me. However, I know olive oil is key ingredient in italian kitchen.
DeleteWe used to use margarine instead of butter for a long time. But we switched and only use butter now because the taste is so much better and margarine is a strange product.
ReplyDeleteButter is the 'real thing'.Margarine cannot replace it, although nowadays there are improved versions of margarine.However, it wold seem margarine is healthier for the heart.
DeleteThe crisis is local, not worldwide.
ReplyDeleteAs for your preferrence for margarine, "each to his own" , as they say.
I had heard that better is definitely better to use than margarine, so I switched up a while ago. I had no clue there was a shortage because I was given lots and lots of Irish Butter that will surely last me until 2021!(lol) So I never even have to go into that area of the grocery store. Hope you're doing well, and sending lots of air hugs, RO
ReplyDeleteHi, Ro,
DeleteAs mentioned in my above comment to the previous commenter,the butter shortage is local.
Irish butter? good for you,it's quality butter.
Hugs to you too!
I didn't know there was a butter crisis. Wow.
ReplyDeleteIt's local,in my country only, as far as I know. Maybe I shouldn't have used the word 'crisis', but 'shortage'.
DeleteWe always have butter in our house.
ReplyDeleteWe prefer the ones like Kerrygold, which although can be more expensive is worth it due to the cows being grass fed.
https://thelowcarbdiabetic.blogspot.com/2019/06/some-reasons-to-switch-to-grass-fed.html
I do hope your butter shortage soon comes to an end.
All the best Jan
The milk of cows that eat grass tastes better , and the butter produced from this milk has a richer flavor and a creamier texture. So, your Kerrygold butter is worth the money.
DeleteAm Charlotte Johnson from Ireland I was diagnosed of herpes virus in 2016 and I have taken several medications just to get cured.but all to no avail I was frustrated and very horrible by the disease until I came across a testimony of a herbal doctor from West Africa whom lived fifteen years in India now saving lives in his country West Africa and people from different countries so I contacted him and he assured me of a total cure after two weeks of taking his powerful herbs with prescription I got cured totally from herpes,am sound and healthy again if any sick patient who needs his help can no matter the kind of sickness or diseases you are suffering from any of these diseases Ovarian disease, Cancer, hypothyroidism, Herpes, COPD, HIV, Arthritis, Lyme disease,Hpv, Infections,Liver Disease, Autoimmune Diseases, Parkinson's disease,Lupus,Nephrology and Hypertension, Neurology, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, Oncology, Pediatrics, Pulmonary, ACUTE MYELOFIBROSIS, ALZHEIMER's symptoms, BREAST CANCER, DIABETES, HAIR LOSS AND HAIR TREATMENT, KIDNEY DISEASES, LEUKEMIA, MYELOID LEUKEMIA, STEM CELL TREATMENT and more should contact him for his herbal medicine because I am a living testimony and I was cured of herpes and his medicine is legit. I sent him what he requested and he sent me his medicine which I took for 3 good weeks and today I am out here with a negative result. contact him through his personal email address via DRJAMESHERBALMIX@GMAIL.COM or for easier contacts add him on WhatsApp via +2348152855846. don't die in silence.
ReplyDeleteMy husband laughed at me yesterday when I got some butter out of the refrigerator and remarked that we needed to put butter on the grocery list as we were down to just 2 pounds of it. I love organic unsalted butter! Hope the butter shortage where you are is soon over.
ReplyDeleteHi Jean,
DeleteOrganic is ..better, tastier. No doubt.
As for shortage, it's not felt on the shelves' as there's import of butter .
Ah, butter. A lovely topic for a blog post or conversation. :-)
ReplyDeleteTank you. Butter is a popular food item. Everything with butter tastes better. For dietary reasons, I seldom use it now, but I've always been fond of it.
Delete