It’s “Butter” if You Know the Basics First
Butter is typically made by churning milk (cow, goat, sheep, buffalo). This separates the butterfat from the buttermilk and water. European butters are churned longer than those from the U.S., increasing the fat content. Real butter contains no additives or unnatural ingredients. Salt, herbs, etc. can be added for flavor, but most chefs and bakers use unsalted/plain to control the flavor of their dishes. Butter can be left at room temp for ~1 month, wrapped in the fridge for ~3 months, and stored in the freezer for up to a year.
Learn the Language and Banter of Butter
It’s time to expand your butter speak beyond the stick, pad, ball, or roll.
- Brown butter has been headed until the milk solids caramelize, resulting in a rich, caramel, nutty flavor.
- Butterfat is the amount of natural fat in the milk and can vary based on the animal source, its health, diet, etc.
- Cultured butter has been exposed to cultures to ferment (similar to yogurt), giving it a tangier, more acidic taste.
- Clarified butter has been cooked at a low temp and run through a cheesecloth to remove water and milk solids.
- Compound butter has added ingredients, like fresh herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, or truffles.
Choosing the Best Butter for What You’re Making
Spread more joy with every meal, snack, and dessert when you use this quick guide for choosing the best butter for the job:
- Every day: Salted butter is an all-purpose option for basics like toast, pasta, vegetables, or other items.
- Baking: Unsalted butter with high fat content makes pastries richer while allowing you to better control the flavor.
- Grilling: A compound butter will add extra herbs and spices to your steaks and vegetables.
- Spreading: A rich, thick, room-temperature salted butter is our pick for spreadable flavor on a bread or pastry.
Learn the Language and Banter of Butter
It’s time to expand your butter speak beyond the stick, pad, ball, or roll.
- Brown butter has been headed until the milk solids caramelize, resulting in a rich, caramel, nutty flavor.
- Butterfat is the amount of natural fat in the milk and can vary based on the animal source, its health, diet, etc.
- Cultured butter has been exposed to cultures to ferment (similar to yogurt), giving it a tangier, more acidic taste.
- Clarified butter has been cooked at a low temp and run through a cheesecloth to remove water and milk solids.
- Compound butter has added ingredients, like fresh herbs, spices, fruits, vegetables, or truffles.
Choosing the Best Butter for What You’re Making
Spread more joy with every meal, snack, and dessert when you use this quick guide for choosing the best butter for the job:
- Every day: Salted butter is an all-purpose option for basics like toast, pasta, vegetables, or other items.
- Baking: Unsalted butter with high fat content makes pastries richer while allowing you to better control the flavor.
- Grilling: A compound butter will add extra herbs and spices to your steaks and vegetables.
- Spreading: A rich, thick, room-temperature salted butter is our pick for spreadable flavor on a bread or pastry.
Global Butter Galore
Like stamps on your passport, let each international butter variety mark your journey in exploring a world of flavor! Pack on the butter as toppings for crackers, breads, pastas, and your made-at-home butter board (scroll down to learn more).
Delitia Butter of Parma
Italy
Crafted from carefully selected milk in Parma and Reggio Emilia, this imported Italian "Burro di Parma" butter spreads easily and melts smoothly. Its fragrant and delicate flavor comes from pasteurized creams sourced from family-owned farms in the area renowned for the best Italian cheese production. With a uniform color, dense texture, and smooth consistency, this butter is easy to spread and melts on the tongue.
Banner
United States
Indulge in a high-quality butter blend made with sweet and tender slow roasted garlic bulbs and vibrant basil and parsley. The meticulous process of culturing and batch churning results in an unsalted butter that boasts superior flavor and creaminess that lasts up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 12 months when frozen. For longer storage, consider freezing half and refrigerating the rest to enjoy over time.
Le Conquerant
France
Made traditionally in Normandy's Isigny region, this AOP-labeled French butter captures the essence of floral summer flavors. It is made from fresh local cream cultured for up to 24 hours. The quality of the butter can vary depending on the season, with the richest flavor profile happening during the early summer. It is churned the old-fashioned way in a baratte to create a rich, creamy texture, and hand molded.
Delitia Butter of Parma
Italy
Crafted from carefully selected milk in Parma and Reggio Emilia, this imported Italian "Burro di Parma" butter spreads easily and melts smoothly. Its fragrant and delicate flavor comes from pasteurized creams sourced from family-owned farms in the area renowned for the best Italian cheese production. With a uniform color, dense texture, and smooth consistency, this butter is easy to spread and melts on the tongue.
Banner
United States
Indulge in a high-quality butter blend made with sweet and tender slow roasted garlic bulbs and vibrant basil and parsley. The meticulous process of culturing and batch churning results in an unsalted butter that boasts superior flavor and creaminess that lasts up to 6 weeks in the refrigerator or up to 12 months when frozen. For longer storage, consider freezing half and refrigerating the rest to enjoy over time.
Le Conquerant
France
Made traditionally in Normandy's Isigny region, this AOP-labeled French butter captures the essence of floral summer flavors. It is made from fresh local cream cultured for up to 24 hours. The quality of the butter can vary depending on the season, with the richest flavor profile happening during the early summer. It is churned the old-fashioned way in a baratte to create a rich, creamy texture, and hand molded.
Amul
India
Explore the rich, creamy goodness of Amul butter. This spread has been a beloved staple on Indian breakfast tables for over six decades! With its delicious taste and versatility, Amul butter elevates every dish it touches. Try slathering it on toast or enhancing the flavor of your favorite recipes for paneer gravy, fresh-baked cake, or stew. Made from water buffalo and cow milk, Amul is a must-have in every kitchen.
Paysan Breton
France
Paysan Breton butters are immediately recognizable by their unique flavor. This is due to the use of milk produced by farmers in Brittany and Pays de la Loire. The Au Sel de Mer variety has a creamy flavor combined with large grains of sea salt. It is both tasty and subtle due to the unique expertise and carefully measured ingredients that have gone into it, resulting in an explosion of flavor in your mouth.
Spomlek
Poland
Introduce your taste buds to Spomlek! Crafted with care and tradition, this butter brings an authentic taste of Poland to your table. Whether you spread it on sandwiches for lunchtime, use it for cooking or frying a delicious dinner, or incorporate it into your favorite baking mixes, Spomlek butter is sure to add a delicious touch to every dish you make. Stop in to Mariano’s today and try Spomlek tonight!
Amul
India
Explore the rich, creamy goodness of Amul butter. This spread has been a beloved staple on Indian breakfast tables for over six decades! With its delicious taste and versatility, Amul butter elevates every dish it touches. Try slathering it on toast or enhancing the flavor of your favorite recipes for paneer gravy, fresh-baked cake, or stew. Made from water buffalo and cow milk, Amul is a must-have in every kitchen.
Paysan Breton
France
Paysan Breton butters are immediately recognizable by their unique flavor. This is due to the use of milk produced by farmers in Brittany and Pays de la Loire. The Au Sel de Mer variety has a creamy flavor combined with large grains of sea salt. It is both tasty and subtle due to the unique expertise and carefully measured ingredients that have gone into it, resulting in an explosion of flavor in your mouth.
Spomlek
Poland
Introduce your taste buds to Spomlek! Crafted with care and tradition, this butter brings an authentic taste of Poland to your table. Whether you spread it on sandwiches for lunchtime, use it for cooking or frying a delicious dinner, or incorporate it into your favorite baking mixes, Spomlek butter is sure to add a delicious touch to every dish you make. Stop in to Mariano’s today and try Spomlek tonight!
Echire
France
Open wide for the exquisite taste of Echire butter, sourced exclusively from the picturesque Village of Echire in Western France. Renowned for its sophisticated flavor profile, it is delicately infused with the essence of the region's lush grasses. Available in salted and unsalted, buy Echire in elegant baskets and convenient minis. Just one taste and you’ll see why it has earned well-deserved fame and acclaim for decades.
Burro Superiore Fratelli Brazzale
Italy
Delectable, spreadable luxury. That’s what you can expect of Burro Superiore Fratelli Brazzale butter from Italy. With an impressive 84% fat content, this premium butter boasts a rich, satisfying taste that elevates any dish to gourmet perfection. Spread it lavishly on bread or use it to add a special touch to your favorite recipes, Then, savor the culmination of centuries-old tradition and meticulous craftsmanship in every bite.
Mlekovita Maslo Oselka
Poland
Indulge in the irresistible allure of Mlekovita Maslo OSEŁKA butter from Poland, a true embodiment of traditional quality and natural goodness. With its rich content of essential minerals and vitamins, it not only tantalizes the taste buds but also nourishes the body. Enjoy the smooth texture, uniform consistency, and delectable flavor spread generously on bread or use it to enhance your culinary creations.
Echire
France
Open wide for the exquisite taste of Echire butter, sourced exclusively from the picturesque Village of Echire in Western France. Renowned for its sophisticated flavor profile, it is delicately infused with the essence of the region's lush grasses. Available in salted and unsalted, buy Echire in elegant baskets and convenient minis. Just one taste and you’ll see why it has earned well-deserved fame and acclaim for decades.
Burro Superiore Fratelli Brazzale
Italy
Delectable, spreadable luxury. That’s what you can expect of Burro Superiore Fratelli Brazzale butter from Italy. With an impressive 84% fat content, this premium butter boasts a rich, satisfying taste that elevates any dish to gourmet perfection. Spread it lavishly on bread or use it to add a special touch to your favorite recipes, Then, savor the culmination of centuries-old tradition and meticulous craftsmanship in every bite.
Mlekovita Maslo Oselka
Poland
Indulge in the irresistible allure of Mlekovita Maslo OSEŁKA butter from Poland, a true embodiment of traditional quality and natural goodness. With its rich content of essential minerals and vitamins, it not only tantalizes the taste buds but also nourishes the body. Enjoy the smooth texture, uniform consistency, and delectable flavor spread generously on bread or use it to enhance your culinary creations.
Butter's Other Half: Mouthwatering Matches for Every Craving
Butter pairs beautifully with a variety of foods to start your day, like our fresh Bakery bread, warm pancakes, or flaky croissants. It also complements savory dishes like roasted vegetables, steamed seafood, or mashed potatoes in the afternoon and your evening meal. Try pairing your favorite butter with these featured products.
Cream of the Crop Recipe: Beurre Noisette
Lamar Moore, Mariano’s Tastemaker and executive chef of Bronzeville Winery (4420 S. Cottage Grove Ave., www.bronzevillewinery.com), shares his recipe for this caramelized butter.
“Beurre Noisette goes really well on sea scallops or halibut,” says Chef Lamar Moore. “You can also easily turn it into a vinaigrette.”
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds unsalted butter
1/2 cup sherry
1/3 cup brown sugar
Kosher salt
Black pepper
DIRECTIONS
- In a pot, add 1 pound of butter. As it melts, it will start to bubble in tight and tiny bubbles. Reduce heat to medium. Stir the butter with a whisk. As the water starts to evaporate the bubbles will get bigger. Stir the butter again. It is important to stir so the milk solids don’t brown and burn before all the water has evaporated.
- Watch the bubbles. They should be getting even bigger. The butter should start to smell like peanut butter. You should be able to see the solids turning tan. Remove the butter from the heat and let it sit. It will continue to cook the solids and brown them. Once the butter is cool, add sherry and brown sugar and whisk.
- Put the pot back over low heat and add the remaining 1 pound of butter and whisk. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and immediately serve.
Lamar Moore, Mariano’s Tastemaker and executive chef of Bronzeville Winery (4420 S. Cottage Grove Ave., www.bronzevillewinery.com), shares his recipe for this caramelized butter.
“Beurre Noisette goes really well on sea scallops or halibut,” says Chef Lamar Moore. “You can also easily turn it into a vinaigrette.”
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds unsalted butter
1/2 cup sherry
1/3 cup brown sugar
Kosher salt
Black pepper
DIRECTIONS
- In a pot, add 1 pound of butter. As it melts, it will start to bubble in tight and tiny bubbles. Reduce heat to medium. Stir the butter with a whisk. As the water starts to evaporate the bubbles will get bigger. Stir the butter again. It is important to stir so the milk solids don’t brown and burn before all the water has evaporated.
- Watch the bubbles. They should be getting even bigger. The butter should start to smell like peanut butter. You should be able to see the solids turning tan. Remove the butter from the heat and let it sit. It will continue to cook the solids and brown them. Once the butter is cool, add sherry and brown sugar and whisk.
- Put the pot back over low heat and add the remaining 1 pound of butter and whisk. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and immediately serve.
Listen up, Buttercup! Boards Are the Hot New Trend
Homemade butter boards can add a personal touch to your next dining experience and make serving butter a bit more special. To make your own butter board:
- Select a large platter or wooden board as your base.
- Arrange an assortment of flavored butters, such as herb-infused or garlic butter, in small bowls or ramekins.
- Surround the butter with an array of accompaniments like sliced baguette, crackers, breadsticks, or pretzels.
- Include fresh herbs, sliced fruits, nuts, or honey for added flavor and texture.
- Get creative with your presentation and customize the board to suit your preferences and occasion.
Enjoy experimenting with different flavor combinations to create a delightful and visually appealing spread for your guests to enjoy! Post your butter board pics on Instagram with #MyMarianos to show off your handywork
Homemade butter boards can add a personal touch to your next dining experience and make serving butter a bit more special. To make your own butter board:
- Select a large platter or wooden board as your base.
- Arrange an assortment of flavored butters, such as herb-infused or garlic butter, in small bowls or ramekins.
- Surround the butter with an array of accompaniments like sliced baguette, crackers, breadsticks, or pretzels.
- Include fresh herbs, sliced fruits, nuts, or honey for added flavor and texture.
- Get creative with your presentation and customize the board to suit your preferences and occasion.
Enjoy experimenting with different flavor combinations to create a delightful and visually appealing spread for your guests to enjoy! Post your butter board pics on Instagram with #MyMarianos to show off your handywork