We've arrived in Iceland. So beautiful!
After soaking in the blue lagoon, I am now ready to search for the delicious Icelandic butter I have heard so much about.
The Blue Lagoon
Norway
Visiting Bergen, Norway. So scenic and beautiful. We don't have much time here so I went to the store and purchased some Norwegian butter to bring home.
The view at the top of Mount Fløyen. We road the Fløibanen Funicular up to the top, and walked down. It was spectacular.
The next day we took a train, a bus and a boat; the Norway in a Nutshell tour. We toured Sognefjord: the largest and best known fjord in Norway and the second longest in the world.
Swedish Butter
I tasted some delicious butters in Sweden!
I visited a few markets, Coop, ICA and Urban Deli. I wasn't sure where to go to find good butter. I need to improve my search for artisanal products. I don't want to only taste restaurant or grocery store brand butters.
As always when on vacation, I purchase new brands of butter to bring home. I store them in the hotel room freezer. (More about this later)
Smör - Smjör - Smør
One of my favorite things is to taste butter from new places. Soon I will be traveling to Sweden, Norway and Iceland and will have the opportunity to try their butters.
Smör - Swedish for butter
Smør - Norwegian for butter
Smjör - Icelandic for butter
I read that Sweden has some of the best laws for farm animal welfare in the world. Dairy cows must be allowed out to pasture during the summer months. This news makes me very happy. I love hearing that people value humane treatment of animals. I would think that this makes the Swedish butter all the better.
I don’t know much about Norwegian butter other than that in late 2011 they had a “butter crisis” due to an acute shortage of butter. The shortage caused soaring prices and stores' ran out of stock within minutes of deliveries.
In Iceland, the use of growth hormones and steroids in raising cattle is completely banned and there are strict rules regarding the use of and access to antibiotics in agriculture in Iceland. That is a good policy!
I will post about the butters that I find, follow me on Instagram.
If you know of a Swedish, Norwegian or Icelandic butter brand that I should try, please let me know!
Butter Collection
Some people collect books, antique toys or coins. I collect different brands of butter.
People often ask me what my favorite butter is. While I do have some favorites, it varies month to month. I have a habit of purchasing butter brands that I haven't tried. This was a problem because I couldn't eat them all by the expiration date. I came up with a solution; I now keep a bag in my freezer with sealed butter samples. I section the butter and vacuum seal each section labeled with the purchase date. This allows me to purchase new butter when I find one and try a variety of butters.
I have a butter notebook that I log in all newly purchased butters. I write the brand name, type (salted/unsalted/organic/pasture raised), date of purchase and where I bought it. When I take out a new butter to try, I make notes in my butter notebook: like, didn't like, too salty, oily, creamy, grassy, light, fresh, bland, etc. I ask my family's opinion so I have a range of evaluations.
Stay tuned; I am working on a post to share some of my favorite butter brands.
Butter Package Design - Part 2
Here are a few designs that are not in circulation yet, but should be!
Butter! Better!
Butter Better is a new and convenient way to take your butter on the go. This functional, single serving has a knife built right into the disposable packaging so you can scoop and spread butter without the hassle of bring cutlery out of the house.
The designer, Yeongkeun Jeong was born and raised in Korea. He is a product designer and currently working as an Industrial designer.
Butter Plus
Designed by Marta Suslow and Mara Holterdorf, Butter Plus© has been developed in cooperation with the Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Europe’s leading supplier of packages and the DVI - the German Institute of Packaging.
Le Bon Breton
Katie McLurg, is a graphic designer based in London.
Butter Packaging
I have to admit, I am a sucker for good packaging. I will try a new product just because the packaging is designed well. I'm thrilled when the product turns out to be as good quality as the wrapper.
Here are some well designed butter packaging. I plan to do individual features on some of these items so stay tuned!
Abernethy Butter - Dromore, United Kingdom
Pepe Saya - Sydney, Australia
The Butter Factory - Myrtleford, Australia
Banner Butter - Atlanta, Georgia
Stirling Creamery - Stirling, Ontario
Photo Credit: The Diplomatic Wife
Isigny Sainte-Mère - Isigny-sur-Mer, France
Lurpak
Vital Farms
Buttercraft - Portland, Oregon
My friend Dawn was visiting Portland and sent me a text "I saw this store and thought of you!" Now I need to take a trip to Portland!
BUTTERCRAFT is a neighborhood specialty food and wine shop. They stock an assortment of curated wines, farmstead cheese, local meats, french macarons, imported olive oils and mustards, artisan chocolates, and (most importantly) their own handcrafted butters.
Butter Sample Tray - What a great idea!
BUTTERCRAFT's European-style butters use cream sourced from small farms in the pacific northwest. This cream has higher fat content for a richer and creamier experience and making it perfect for cooking. Current flavors include, White Truffle, Chive Garden, Sweet Orange Honey, Cherry Blossom and Cinnabun.
HOURS
Monday: Closed • Tuesday - Saturday: 1:00-800pm • Sunday: Noon-6:00pm
BUTTERCRAFT
6664 SE Milwaukie Ave. Portland, Oregon 97202
(503) 683 - 1836
Butter Art - Part 2
Jeannette Wiley
You are the bread to my butter. - Julia Child
Jana Bouc
Tea and Butter
Andrea, aka Legal Miss Sunshine
Mural Tour of Austin, Texas
You’re My Butter Half
Butter, Always Butter
Snapchat from Vienna
Butter Journal's favorite intern, Vienna, is always thinking about butter, even when she's not at work.
