the role of butter in French cuisine should never be underestimated. be it for anything simple such as spreading on bread, to including it within recipes for sauces, pastries or other dishes and desserts, using a good quality butter can make all the difference. France may consume the most butter per capita than any other country. that would not surprise me because i don’t think i’ve tasted a bad one at any point i’ve been in the country. even the generic no-name brand in the cheapest supermarket was pretty decent. maybe the cows are all just happier in France (and in all seriousness, they probably are – but that is a whole other topic).
when i was exposed to the existence of cultured butter, and its taste compared to the butter i commonly have consumed at home, it was a little bit of a revelation (you can find cultured butter here in the GTA, worth a taste test against ‘regular’ butter if you’ve never tried it!).
despite the fact that i am clearly pro-butter, it wasn’t an objective to specifically look for good butter to try on this trip. but amongst the various articles and blog posts i looked through while planning, i came upon the name of Jean-Yves Bordier and his reputation of making supposedly the best butter in France.
the infamous butter, made only in Brittany, is of such good quality that Michelin star chefs order it for their 3-star restaurants. that sort of says it all in a nutshell :)
really, it’s not the association with Michelin starred chefs that appeals, but the fact they would choose the best quality products. this article describes in lovely detail what made me feel more compelled to try Bordier butter. anytime i read about someone so passionate about food that they have dedicated their life to crafting and perfecting their passion, it is so inspiring, and i want to experience what it is all about! and when i discovered that the town of St-Malo (home to Bordier’s only store, La Maison du Beurre) was already on the trip itinerary, i knew it was meant to be. Continue reading
la vie en aubergine 