fluffy tree Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 .....I wish I could buy spreadable butter here!!I love living here, but I like butter - it dosn't have to be 'real' butter - Clover, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter etc are all nice too.....I just don't like margerine type spreads. But it's impossible to spread rock solid french butter on lovely fluffy soft french bread without tearing it to shreds....aaaggghhhh :-( You may say leave the butter out of the fridge in a butterdish, but my cool house is probably only marginally warmer than the fridge so it dosn't soften.....so, I have 2 questions:-1) any tips to soften the hard-core french butter?, and2) what completely unimportant aspect of life here irritates you?:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I stick my butter in the microwave for a few seconds. Depends on the size of the lump of butter, the wattage of the micro and how hard the butter is to begin with.Do just a few seconds until you get used to how long it takes. You could easily end up with oil if you overdo it.As to your second question, I just wish people wouldn't automatically speak to my husband about things (anything) on the occasions when I have him with me.They seem happy to deal with me but, as soon as I take the OH with me, then I become "second class" and they act as though he is the person to makes the decisions, understands what's required, etc.VERY irritating..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I swore that when I got to France the weight would fall off me as I wouldn't be able to get Danish butter. And so what happens, I discover Beurre de Normandie and all my good plans were lost. I just used to cut what I needed and zap for a few seconds, no problems for me at all. Now I use lurpak spreadable and the hard stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I no longer eat butter so cant look in the fridge to give you the correct name but I always bought spreadable butter (not margarine or butterfat spreads) from Lidl and/or Aldi, i think it was called beurre doux à tartiner.Tartiner = to spread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 'Montfleuri DOUX' from Carrefour is fairly spreadable (and cheap!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I never use other than butter because I find magarines and spreads never taste as good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I don't like margarine, so we only ever buy butter. Normally I put it in the microwave if it's too hard, but I'm absolutely sure I've seen spreadable butter in plastic tubs (President?) in the supermarket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I use Auchans own brand "Beurre Doux, Facile a Tartiner."Comes in a yellow oblong tub.Tastes ok to me and is reasonably spreadable out the fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 french butter in france , is much nicer than french butter in england, (president ) I am sure they use a different receipe. spreadability no idea.. husbands getting spoken to first, well , Males are the most intelligent of the partership, I am very bold when Mrs Bill isn't looking, Now then where is my hard hat.. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I use butter when baking and Elle & Vire Beurre Tendre 41% for spreading (bought the 25% stuff by mistake once and it's really gross [+o(])[IMG]http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q296/clair46/33cdeee7.jpg[/IMG] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy tree Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 aww, thanks everyone - life is definitely looking up on the spreadable butter front :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Hi,As suggested put your 'Real' butter in the microwave on 'defrost' for a few seconds, any other setting usually ends up with liquid.Count yourself luck that you can buy real butter, here in the UK it is fast becoming a rarity. All supermarkets here sell tonnes of spreadable butter which of course isn't butter, the manufacturers remove the butter fat and replace it with hydrogenated vegetable oil to soften the product. Most UK supermarkets only sell about 3/4 choices of butter.Also trivial are the number of products NOT sold here anymore i.e. Kellogs Country Store made in the UK but not sold here but stocked all over Europe. Camay or Lux toilet soap I could go on. I asked one of the local supermarked managers where all the products I normally bought had gone, the answer 'Unless we sell x million of units per week we take them off the shelves', this is a typical reason that the supermarkets are restricting choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 [quote user="tel"] Hi,replace it with hydrogenated vegetable oil to soften the product. [/quote] oil is one thing which is often used, Hydrogenated is another and everyone should avoid like the plague, hence the reason it is banned in many usa states, being withdrawn from many UK products and some supermarkets won't have it at all .. dont know the french word for it, (nor much else) but if you have a choice, dont... I remember one man saying 20 years ago, I very much prefer not to answer that question about ""will it harm you or not, I dont wish to be sued " rgds Bill p.s. I am no health freak & have a tummy to prove it ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 My late mother in law used to make her own by adding 90% butter to 10% margerine and mixing it with a blender. I've never tried doing it myself but it worked for her - me I can still detect the 10% dyed engine oil in it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I actually count out loud when using the micro wave. one thousand, two thousand et to five and then check it. If I let 'it' count, it can turn into liquid. About normandie butter, for all I have said that normandie is not my favourite place, the normandie butter there always always seems so much better in it's natural habitat than anywhere else, just has some sort of va va voom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 My auntie Marge was always unwell. I don't remember a time when there wasn't something amiss with her.In fact she even changed her name to...........'I can't believe she's not better' [:D]Sorry, I'll get me coat [:$] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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