Whether it be for cooking, or just putting on a muffin, English muffin or crumpet; what is the best butter you have used?

For me, I have yet to find a better butter than Kerrygold from Ireland. Gold or Silver, this is amazingly good for just putting on something or cooking.

What is your favorite? I am not sure if this has ever been asked, but if not; it should provide for some interesting conversation.

Basic, non-imported, buy in the supermarket. That's easy Cabot. Don't know if you can get it in California, but it is lightyears better than everything else you are likely to find in the dairy case of your local store.

Some years ago, the New York Times did a taste test and said Land O'Lakes was best.

I've found goat butter on occasion and its unique taste goes well with seafood.

I have used Plugra in the past for cooking but I have never tried to bake with it (I really do not bake that often). Plurga has 2 or 3% more butterfat than traditional butter so I suppose it might make a difference with baking but I honestly could not discern a big difference when I used it in cooking. I suppose it would probably taste better on toast, bagels, etc also. I generally just use regular old unsalted butter from the grocery store and it is fine for my purposes.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Altaholic,

Plugra for me too.

Kerry Gold makes a great butter, yum, good for eating. I also like a product simply called Vermont Cultured Butter. I have noticed that specialty food stores don't move their better butter fast, so a lot of the time, I will simply choose my butter based upon expiration date, and buy the freshest butter on the shelf.

For cooking, I use a one pound block of Plugra, unsalted.

I like Cabot as well, unsalted of course.

Plugra for cooking. Vermont Butter Company on top of bread.

Somerdale English Butter

Duck fat.

quote:

Originally posted by Board-O:
Some years ago, the New York Times did a taste test and said Land O'Lakes was best.

Boy does THAT take me back. Mom ALWAYS used Land O'Lakes.

In California I love the Straus Family Creamery butter. They have other products as well and supply Cowgirl Creamery, one of my favorite cheese producers. I don't know the name of my favorite butter, but I had it at the Restaurant Cordeillan Bages in Bordeaux last Summer. They first wheeled out the bread cart, which was great, but then followed it with a BUTTER CART. At least a dozen different kinds of butter. It was dazzling

quote:

Originally posted by indybob:
I like Cabot as well, unsalted of course.

2 Things, IB-

1) Unsalted? That's for baking, not eating

2) When discussing how much meat one eats does butter come into play? Clearly it's not meat, but it's pretty closely related....

Kerrygold was the best butter I have ever tasted--outside the US. I had it in the Virgin Islands, years ago.
The stuff that gets imported and put on supermarket shelves here has gone thru the mill to conform to USDA standards, and loses half its flavor in the process. If you ever get a chance to try the real thing outside the US, go for it.

quote:

Originally posted by grossie:

quote:

Originally posted by indybob:
I like Cabot as well, unsalted of course.

2 Things, IB-

1) Unsalted? That's for baking, not eating

I disagree, unsalted IS the answer for both.

Land O'Lakes...(whipped and salted , of course )

with that I make some misc. herbed butters...

Land of Lakes - Unsalted. I would prefer to salt my own food.

A few weeks ago we had a goat butter at a local resturant. Not bad. Can't find it in local market. Must try a gourmet shop.

A brand called Somerdale. The local British Foods shop imports it, it's made in Taunton. We've turned a few friends on to it too. Drawback is it costs a lot.

We buy Kerrygold at Safeway when we can't get that.

We also usually have some Land O' Lakes/Challenger/Safeway's O Organic butter just for baking with. Very little to separate them; they are all pretty bland and dull.

President and Kerrygold are nice butters.

I am probably in the minority but I am not a Plugra fan.

Not a fan of Cabot.

Whole Foods has an in-house organic butter which I like very much.

Don't know if it sparked this thread or not, but the March 2008 Saveur issue is all about butter. There is an article that covers different butters from around the world.

Beppino Occelli butter from Italy. Raw milk. It's awesome.

His cheeses are my favourite too.

I really don't feel like getting snooty about something else now. Butter?

I'll stay ignorant and enjoy my land o lakes stick and Breakstones Whipped - salted.

quote:

Duck fat.

Oh, yeah....

Emeril can say what he wants about how "Pork fat rules", but duck fat is "Mmmm, Mmmm, Good!"

In matters of taste there can be no right and wrong. However, Land O'Lakes? Come on, that has no taste at all, it is insipid, mass produced crap. The Two Buck Chuck of butter. Butter is supposed to be yellow, that Land O'Lakes stuff is off white at best.