French Butter Keeper a 'cool' prep item

[cryhavoc]

This might not be new to some of you, but I thought this 'lil dish is way 'cool', even though it's french....

It's a 'French Butter Keeper'. I guess the French were tired of rancid butter and invented this bell shaped container to solve the problem. Go figure...

You fill the smaller of two the ceramic 'bells' with butter, then put it upside down in the larger bell, which you have filled with water. The smaller 'bell' has a saucer on the bottom(now the top...) to form a seal.

And viola! Fresh butter without refrigeration!

Check them out at:

http://www.frenchbutterdish.com/


cryhavoc

 

[WVtreehanger]

I got one at Lehman's about a year ago. We don't use much butter but the price was right (bought the small one). Had mixed results with it--butter didn't keep as long as I thought it would. Read somewhere someone simply used a cup and bowl to get the same result. Neat concept though!

 

[Simple Man]

My DW picked one of these up at the flea market last month - they are a neat idea, and we're on week #2 with some home made butter in it.

 

[Freeholder]

I don't think they are specifically French. My ex-FIL is a retired potter, and used to make these things to sell. He just called them butter keepers -- everything he made was based on American antiques, so I'm sure he got the design from an American piece, not French.

Kathleen (who wishes she'd gotten one when FIL was still potting)

 

[Birdlady]

We have one and tried it for a few weeks.........it's just too hot here to be anymore that keeping butter, in a regular butter dish, out on the counter, even with the a/c set at 78. (in the Houston Texas area).

Great for cooler climes tho, I would guess?

 

[Walrus Whisperer]

You HAVE to change the water in it regularly. Every day if possible/you remember. I am in MT and it keeps pretty well even in the summer and its hot. Look around for them, they CAN be really pricey because an "artist" made it. I have gotten 4 off of ebay-Hubby broke two ceramic ones in a row by dropping plates on them. I then got a marble one which has a chip in it from hubby but hasnt broken yet and a ceramic in reserve. And yes, when my one in use is in the dishwasher, I just use a bowl and a smaller bowl. I love the things.

 

[Claudia]

I haven't been able to find one large enough to hold more than a stick or two of butter at most.

 

[CarolynA]

Along these same lines is the vintage glass cheese preservers made by Sanitary Glass. The cheese sits atop a ribbed glass base, vinegar & salt is poured into the base (but not touching the cheese), and a heavy glass lid is put on the top. I have one but I haven't tried it yet. It's an interesting concept.

 

[cin]

Just what I need - an incentive to use more butter.

 

[Usually Curious]

my butter keeps on the counter in a regular butter dish, but i do have one of these. it seemed to spoil faster when i used it. we live near houston and we keep it at 77/78.

 

[Salal Sue]

Didn't know you need to change the water daily. I had butter go bad in the one I have but it was in there more than 2 weeks-- not being able to see butter on the counter, my family kept forgetting to use the butter bell and kept getting out new butter.

 

[Walrus Whisperer]

"Just what I need - an incentive to use more butter"
Better than that plastic crud they sell to use instead-that stuff WILL clog your arteries faster than butter ever could. See how long you can leave it out without getting mold in it- a loooong time.....

 

[cin]

Uh...

This is what I use - Earth Balance.

http://www.earthbalance.net/

I do use occasional butter though, like on popcorn and for baking.

 

[SmartAZ]

You have to keep adding water because it evaporates. This thing works because the water makes an air tight seal. Anything with an air tight seal would do as well. The evaporation of the water doesn't cool the butter much, so there is a tendency for the butter to fall into the water. That's why they only make them small. It's a nicknack, not a storage device.