Keeping It Real: Bringing Butter Back
The news media have been busily bruiting a rather startling development in the dairy world. It seems that butter consumption in the US has reached its highest levels in 40 years. Part of this unexpected resurgence doubtless reflects the backlash against margarine and other nondairy spreads as the government prepares to officially outlaw trans fats in the American market. But butter producers point to other factors behind the 24% increase in consumption of their product in the past decade.
They suggest that butter is riding a wave of consumer demand for wholesome foods with little or no processing. While it helps, of course, that butter tastes terrific and is the ingredient of choice for bakers, pastry makers and chefs of all stripes, butter’s rebound actually reflects a larger trend back to foods valued for their perceived authenticity and simplicity.
- Beef tallow as a cooking agent is making a comeback at trendy spots like Top Round, a sandwich specialist in Los Angeles, where the French fries, freshly cut on premise and never frozen, are prepared in beef tallow. And Snake River Farms, a Boise-based producer of American Wagyu Beef and Kurobuta Pork, is currently selling 100% Kobe beef tallow—considered the apex of beefy goodness—into the restaurant market.
- This development follows on the heels of the return of lard to culinary circles. Long the subject of a kind of gastronomic black market, lard has burst back into the spotlight. Like beef tallow, it’s praised for its consistent performance and flavor characteristics, and it’s been embraced at restaurants that celebrate American food such as Big Jones in Chicago or Americano in Cleveland.
While there will undoubtedly be pushback against these developments, the growth of butter, lard and beef tallow reflect concomitant growth in demand for real foods that are minimally processed. More consumers want to know where their food comes from, and these days, farms trump factories hands down.
Photo: Miss Snail/Flickr via Getty Images
Sugarplum Visions/Delta Air Lines
10 年As a bakery, we've always known butter is better ;)
Sadly amazes me that the public is JUST realizing that butter is better. I can remember my grandmother warning me of the bad effects of margarine and the called those that ate it, idiots. She was not a nutritionist, scientist or chef, simply a stay-at-home grandmother with a brain. In high school - just your basic NYC public school - my science teacher gave us lectures on not eating margarine and to look at food labels and not eat hydrogenated oil. She drew pictures of the carbon atoms. She told us to use butter or olive oil in moderation on our bread for taste. This was decades ago, and the "experts" are just catching up to my little ol' granny and my high school science teacher NOW??
Relationship Manager at Riverside Financial
10 年Real butter,taste good,and is better for you,than the fake stuff.
I can read, spell and explain all the ingredients in butter, I can't for margarine. If I can't spell it or explain what it is...I don't eat it. Moderation is the key.
State of AZ-Department of Economic Security
10 年Carmen, I assume as a vegan you like organic fruits and veg? Tell me why do you have a problem with butter but have no problem with Animal Maneur on your fruits and veg???? Are they really Vegan?