Butter is one of those comfort foods that tastes good, and even the name “butter” makes you think of rich, wholesome, natural flavor. We love it so much that we keep it in the refrigerator so it stays fresh. Problem with that is that it’s too hard! Sure, if you time it just right, you can pop the toast out, then cut a pat off of the hard butter stick, plop it down and let the hot toast melt it a little bit so it starts to become spreadable … but no, you want to eat the toast while it’s hot. Or if you have just a slice of bread, not toast, you can easily destroy it when you try to butter it. The butter is hard and the fresh bread is soft, so bad things happen when you use enough force with the knife. The good news is that butter does not need to be refrigerated to stay fresh. If you keep it covered and have evaporating water to keep it cool, it will stay in good condition on the counter for up to thirty days. It will take even a small family a lot less time than that to eat one stick of perfectly spreadable butter. A “French butter dish” or butter bell has an upside-down butter holder that goes face down into the outer water chamber to create a seal. A clever and efficient design, but the butter has to be packed in tight enough to defy gravity and you have to lift it out and turn it rightside-up to get at the (wet) butter. Personally, we like the butter boat idea better – the water goes around the outside and the butter has a separate lid that you just lift off. Use up one stick, then put in another one. Change the water every few days and you’re good to go. Those French, they do come up with good ideas sometimes – especially when it comes to food …
Affordability: 9 Luxury: 9
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Want more luxury? That’s easy. Check out ones handmade by real potters here or here.
