Battle of the Better Butters

Cook’s Illustrated, perhaps the only food magazine I read with any regularity, does great service to the food community with their regular evaluations of equipment and ingredients. This week a reader called my attention to their reviews of high-end butters. Their panel of tasters sampled 8 different products in all, among them heavy-hitters like Isigny Ste. Mère Beurre de Baratte and Beurre de Chimay. I was gratified that my personal favorite, the Danish label Lurpak, topped their list of recommendations (what’s that they say about great minds again?). The only big surprise was their disdain for Beurre Échiré, another top brand from France, which they considered too sour and cheesy.