French Salted Butter?
My husband and I just returned home from our honeymoon in Brittany, France. While there, we became completely enamored of the salted butter that is traditionally used in their cooking. In the states I tend to dislike salted butter, because it is usually too salty, but what they use in Brittany is much less so (probably why they call it "demi-sel"). I would love to have some to cook with, but also just to put out for spreading on bread and pastries, which was one of the ways in which we enjoyed it most. I know that I've seen President brand French butter for sale at nicer grocery stores, but I don't believe it was the "demi-sel" style which we loved so much. Has anyone had any luck finding anything close to what I'm referring to here in the states? Thanks in advance!
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Ruthie789
Aug 20, 2012 03:03 PM
If you are Canadian the link below might be of interest to you, it is about a higher fat European styled butter.
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splatgirl
Aug 20, 2012 08:04 AM
My favorite in France is the kind with the bigger flakes of sea salt in it.
The other reason French bitter is so good is it's cultured, which Plugra and President both are, but they do not compare to the real thing at all, IME, That said, I do use Plugra to make croissants.The closest I have found to the real thing is a hand-rolled, cultured butter. There is one national brand that I am aware of--Vermont Butter, but the salt situation is still not the same as what I have had in France.
Besides the cultured element, my advice is to look for something artisinal and local to you, and consider getting it unsalted if you can and then adding your own salt, with the awareness that salt is a preservative so freshness is absolutely key in this circumstance. I have had a couple of local hand-rolled, pastured butters from my co-op that were pretty close to French butter in France. They are only available in season (Spring, I think) and I notice their flavor and quality depends on both freshness and weather.
