Encyclopedia Of Foods

Fats, Oils, & Sweeteners 391FatsButterButter is made from the fat that comes frommilk from cows, sheep, goats, horses, andother mammals. Most commercially producedbutter in the United States is madefrom cow’s milk.Butter making occurs in several stages.Cream that separates from milk is pasteurized(heated at a high temperature) to killany organisms that might be harmful tohuman health. Then the cream is placed ina ripening tank for 12 to 15 hours. There,it goes through another series of heat treatmentsthat give butter a crystalline structurewhen it cools, helping it to solidify.The next step is to churn the butter.This process breaks down the fat globulesin the cream. The result is that the fat iscoagulated into butter grains. The mixtureis then separated, the remaining butter pasteis worked until it is smooth, and, dependingon the producer, it may be salted.Further variations in processing influenceits characteristics, including aroma, taste,color, appearance, and quality.There are numerous butter variations.Those you find in gourmet markets includea French butter known as beurre (butter)de Charentes. Beurre de Charentes has anivory color and tastes very rich. AnotherEuropean-style butter growing in popularityin the United States is ripened butter,traditionally made in Denmark and theNetherlands, which is softer than regularbutter. It also has a slightly tangy tastebecause lactic acid is added to the creamfrom which it is made.More common variations include thefollowing:Whipped butter — Whipped butter’sname is self-explanatory. It has air beatenWHAT IS ANOIL’S SMOKE POINT, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?An oil’s smoke point is simply the point at which fat, when heated, starts to smoke,smell acrid, and, as a result, give an unpleasant flavor to food.Each type of oil has a different smoke point. It is dependent on the free fattyacids that make up the oil. The higher the oil’s smoke point, the higher the temperatureit can withstand. Safflower and canola oils have the highest smoke pointand are the most ideal for frying or sautéing (435° to 450° Fahrenheit). Olive oilhas a lower smoke point and is best used in salad dressings (extra virgin, 250°Fahrenheit) or in baking (regular olive oil, 410° Fahrenheit).Beyond the bad flavor imparted to foods, there are health reasons to avoidusing an oil that has reached its smoke point. High temperatures can cause the oilsto decompose, and this process, in turn, can irritate the lungs and cause gastrointestinalupset.Serving SuggestionsButter is one of the most versatile cookingingredients and the foundation of numerousgourmet foods, sauces in particular. Its tastecan be enhanced by mixing it with herbs andspices and then refrigerating it again. Onepopular flavored butter is garlic butter, whichcan be made by creaming the desired amountof butter and mashed garlic cloves to taste.Oregano, marjoram, basil, or parsley also canbe added. Numerous recipes for flavoredbutter are available in cookbooks.Butter’s health drawbacks are wellknown, however, and thus it should be usedselectively. If that special dish simply cannotbe made without butter, don’t try to subintoit. The result is that it is slightly lowerin fat and calories than regular butter. It isvery soft and spreadable.Light butter — Light butter usually hasabout half the calories of regular butter. Italso generally has less fat and less saltbecause water is usually added to it.Unsalted butter — This is butter towhich no salt has been added.Clarified butter — An ingredient insome recipes, clarified butter is butter thathas the milk solids removed from it. Theadvantage is that it has a higher smoke pointthan regular butter, which increases itscooking versatility. It also keeps longer thanbutter and is thought to have a more pureflavor. Clarified butter is similar to a typeof butter called ghee that is used in India.Butter should be refrigerated and storedin opaque packaging that prevents light fromentering. In addition, the packaging shouldseal in moisture to prevent the butter frombecoming dehydrated, a process that intensifiesits color and detracts from its flavor.Preparation TipsShould you use salted butter or unsalted?Although salted butter is the most commontype in supermarkets, many serious cooksprefer to use unsalted butter in cooking andbaking. Unsalted butter is thought to havea sweeter flavor. In addition, many cooksprefer to control the salt they add to a dishor baked food.Both light butter and whipped butterwork well for toppings, but neither can besubstituted for regular butter in recipes forbaked goods because of the air or water theycontain.