Paris may have the corner on croissants and baguettes, but you need to head to Normandy to get the best butter.
Butter is one of the best and most famous products made in Normandy (second only to calvados, perhaps!). Norman cattle is a special breed raised for dairy, and they get to roam the tasty Normandy marshlands for nutrient-rich forage. Their milk is heavy and smooth, and the resulting butter is so sweet that it’s tempting to eat it by the spoonful.
Butter-rich brioche is thought to originate in this region. Crêpes and rustic fruit-topped galettes are also common. And of course, there’s nothing wrong with simply spreading some Normandy butter on warm baguette and calling it good.
Here in the U.S., look for imported brands of Normandy butter like Isigny Butter, Buerre de Baratte, and Président. Whole Foods and specialty import stores are your best bet for where to find them.
Have you ever had Normandy butter?
Related: So Delicious: Kerrygold Irish Butter
(Image: Flickr member WordRidden licensed under Creative Commons)
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This post's picture made me drool! My good friend's parents live in Normandy, and have told my boyfriend & I are always welcome for a visit. I am dying to go there!
Sigh...I was in Normandy a few months ago and the butter was awesome. The picture looks just like our breakfasts there.
Yes, I've eaten my body weight in Norman butter. My father lives in Normandy and I am fortunate enough to visit 1-2 times per year. I'm not sure what it is, but it is just "buttery-er" butter. I'm a big fan of butter to begin with, but I can tell I definitely use more when using Norman butter. So yes, between the butter and calvados, I'm pretty much in heaven.
I know this post is about butter, but I can't concentrate on it with that baguette in front of me. OMNOMNOM
One of the saddest things about the end of my Paris vacation this summer was having to throw out some uneaten Normandy butter.
Actually, I wager Brittany has better butter than Normandy. But Normandy has cream, crepes, cider, and Calvados.
French butter is so good it brings tears to my eyes... I am lucky enough to do the major portion of my grocery shopping in France (we live in Switzerland, right on the French border), and so my fridge is well-stocked with French butters. One of my favourites is made with unpasteurized milk; it is shockingly good (Le Gall Beurre de Baratte au lait cru).
Haven't managed yet to get my hands on the acclaimed "best butter" though, that of Jean Yves Bordier, but I am working on it.
I brought back 3 varieties of Bordier butter (in my checked luggage) the last time I was in Paris; unsalted; smoked salt and "algae" (seaweed).
They are all fantastic, I especially love topping a piece of roasted fish with a pat of the seaweed butter.