Martin Golding wrote:
> On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 03:59:48 +0000, Bob Pastorio wrote:
>
>>This is one of the perennial discussions amongst foodies.
>
> My, aren't we the dismissive reverse snob. (Not that you're not entitled ;-)

I see how you came to that conclusion and I apologize for the tone. It
was inadvertent. I meant that it's an ongoing topic when aficionados
get together and talk about food. The whole mythology surrounding salt
in butter, why it's there, how much was there before and how much now
and is unsalted really any better and on and on. It's a topic I've sat
in on many times and in many places. Once tasted several different
brands of butter side by side just to see. Not much difference.

I think of myself as a foodie and the only requirements to be one are
to appreciate food and be interested in more than just recipes.

>>The fact is that
>>there's a bit over two teaspoons of salt in a whole pound of American
>>commercial butter. I don't know a recipe where the salt content is so
>>critical as to demand unsalted.
>
> Hollandaise. I don't think that I've ever gotten enough butter into a
> beurre blanc to offend any but my most sodiumphobic friends.

Well, I was wrong in that amount, it's actually about half what I said
it is. About a teaspoon and a quarter in a whole pound.

And you can't get enough butter, salted or unsalted, into a
Hollandaise, IMO. I use salted.

Might want to look at Jacques Pepin's thing with beurre blanc where he
says you don't need anything besides just plain butter to make one.
Some funny kitchen science overtaking ancient preparations.

Pastorio