To Ensure Consistently Soft and Spreadable Butter, Employ a Butter Churn
New day, full of optimism. You go to spread butter on your toast, only to spoil it with a chilly, broken piece of fat. Ruined, just like your aspirations. We've endured enough and there's no justification for it. There's a gadget out there designed expressly to keep your butter spreadable: the butter bell.
What is a butter bell?
The butter bell, commonly known as a butter crock or butter keeper, is a disputed invention, with varying claims as to its originating town. However, it's generally agreed upon to be of French origin. This simple ceramic device comprises two parts: the outer container (base) and the inner container (butter bell).
A modest amount of clean water is added to the base. Butter is shaped into the bell's cavity, turned upside down, and placed within the outer container. The butter bell is kept at room temperature on the counter, with the butter being accessible by flipping the lid adjustably.
How do butter bells work?
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
You might be questioning why butter in a butter bell remains fresh at room temperature, even when the butter in your mom's clear plastic holder might get a rough exterior during the summer months. (We still consume it, but the texture may deviate from the norm.) It's because a butter bell shields the butter from its formidable adversaries: sunlight, oxygen, and heat. These elements can cause oxidation in butter, generating off-flavors, and the butter bell minimizes oxidation.
Butter bells are typically made of stoneware material, or even marble, which aids in two ways. It's completely opaque, minimizing light oxidation and the thick-walled ceramic container doesn't conduct heat effectively, maintaining a cool temperature within the container compared to your kitchen's warmth during hot days.
The most striking aspect of the butter bell's design is its hermetic seal—the third defense line against oxidation. When the cup holding the butter is inverted and the rim touches the small amount of water at the bottom of the container, it forms an airtight seal. Although there will be a minimal amount of trapped air where the butter is held, it's minuscule compared to constant air flow. The bell does not completely halt oxidation, but it significantly slows it down, preserving your butter soft at room temperature, allowing you to enjoy perfectly buttered bread, muffins, pancakes, or waffles every morning.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann## How to use your butter bell
Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann
You can find butter bells in kitchen stores (or purchase them online), and they all function efficiently. Select one that you believe can hold the appropriate amount of butter for you. My father crafted mine in his ceramics class and it holds slightly more than half a stick of butter (sorry, he's not accepting orders for the elusive fly butter bell). I generally finish it within a week. Give the entire apparatus a clean before filling it. You'll only require a half-inch or less of clean water for the base. A practical method is to add an excessive amount of water initially, then the excess will drain from the top when you insert the butter compartment.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn ReinmannHold the lid so that the butter section faces upward. I use a rubber spatula or small teaspoon to press softened butter into the cup section. I suggest adding a tablespoon or two at a time. Firmly press the butter against the sides. This creates suction, preventing the butter from slipping out and eliminating air pockets. Keep pushing and smearing the butter into the compartment until it's just shy of the edge. Avoid having butter bulging past the edge as it disrupts the entire airtight seal. Clean off any butter residue on the rim.
Credit: Allie Chanthorn ReinmannOver the sink (for any spills), flip the lid over and place it within the container containing water. Now your butter bell is ready to use. Whenever you need butter, merely lift the lid and scoop some out. There will be a few drips, but it will barely make a difference. Ensure to alternate the water in your butter bell every couple of days—simply drain it out and replace it with fresh water. Once you've used all the butter, thoroughly clean and dry the butter bell before refilling it.
After learning about the butter bell and its benefits, you might wonder if this gadget could also preserve other food items that are susceptible to spoilage due to heat, oxygen, and sunlight. Alternatively, you may be curious if there are other small kitchen gadgets that serve similar functions, such as keeping drinks cold or coffee hot, thereby extending their shelf life.
Furthermore, while the butter bell is typically made of stoneware or marble, have you ever wondered if other materials, like glass or metal, could be used to create a butter bell with the same airtight seal and heat insulation properties, ensuring fresh butter at room temperature?
