Butter or Margarine (vinegar, tastes, worse, refrigerator)
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Years and years ago I was taught in culinary school that most recipes, especially recipes for baked goods that unsalted butter should be used.
The reason for this is that it is easier to control the flavor when you use a neutral base, and unsalted butter provides that neutrality. You can't control the amount of salt in any given block of salted butter, but you can adjust the amount of salt in a recipe to suit your taste.
Also unsalted butter is generally fresher than salted butter...
It seems, in most of my recipe books, that they generallly make the assumption that one is using salted butter, and clearly state if un-salted butter is to be used, instead. But, it is interesting that your culinary school taught you something different. It does make sense, with the reasoning you were given. But, since my books go the other direction, and my meals, and baked goods, seem to always turn out just fine, I suppose I should stick to what I know. But, if I ever come across a recipe that turns out bad, (and, I can trace it to the salted butter), or the recipe is not clear, then I will definitely try it your way.
As to the un-salted butter being more fresh, I honestly have not been able to tell the difference, at least, not in the baking. And, I don't use un-salted to eat with. It's always salted, (and, when I feel like really splurging, I use Irish butter, like Kerry Gold. Haven't tried imported butter from any other country, except Ireland, but, that is some good butter!).
It seems, in most of my recipe books, that they generallly make the assumption that one is using salted butter, and clearly state if un-salted butter is to be used, instead. But, it is interesting that your culinary school taught you something different. It does make sense, with the reasoning you were given. But, since my books go the other direction, and my meals, and baked goods, seem to always turn out just fine, I suppose I should stick to what I know. But, if I ever come across a recipe that turns out bad, (and, I can trace it to the salted butter), or the recipe is not clear, then I will definitely try it your way.
As to the un-salted butter being more fresh, I honestly have not been able to tell the difference, at least, not in the baking. And, I don't use un-salted to eat with. It's always salted, (and, when I feel like really splurging, I use Irish butter, like Kerry Gold. Haven't tried imported butter from any other country, except Ireland, but, that is some good butter!).
Yep. I always use salted, unless the recipe calls for unsalted. One exception is for my pound cakes...I generally try to use unsalted. And yeah that Irish butter is the bomb, isn't it?
Well that might partially explain my severe aversion to it. The smell of margarine, especially when melted, makes me gag. Same with the taste. Proud to say that I've never purchased the stuff.
Funny how much I was exactly the opposite way. I could never even stand to taste anything with butter in it, much less use it on toast or a baked potato. It literally make me gag it tasted so awful. I still prefer margarine on toast/potatoes, but I can eat them with butter just fine. And I truly love Irish butter on artisan bread. My sister however, is still afflicted with the same aversion. She won't even order a baked potato in a restaurant unless she knows they have margarine.
If God had meant us to spread partially hydrogenated vegetable oil on food, that's what cows would produce.
What's the purpose of shortening??
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