Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Do you keep butter/margarine on the counter at all times so it is soft and read to spread, or, do you store it in the fridge and take it out at each use?

Inquiring minds want to know...
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

My parents (all four of them thru marriage) keep it on the counter, however, I don't. I don't know why, you'd think I would have picked that up from them... But, I take it out at each use.

Now, I have an Everybody Loves Raymond story. Do you remember when Ray and his wife bought Ray's parents a Fruit of the Month Club membership in an eary episode? They had pears delivered one month, oranges, the next, etc...

Ray's parents freaked... They thought it was insane. Why would you do this to us? Fruit each month? What were you thinking? They made him stop the order...

Well, my Dad stores his butter/margarine in a large old yellow butter tub on the counter. Pretty nasty looking. Smash new sticks into it and it softens into a pool of half liquid butter in the warm months... So, I am watching QVC one day a couple years ago around the holidays... They have a butter keeper. It is basically a ceramic bottom you put water in, with a ceramic bowl that sits on top of it (and a ceramic lid; kind of like a very mini casserole dish). The water evaporates and keeps the butter soft, but not melted into a pool of liquid. Very pretty, many patterns. Picked one out that matches their kitchen.

My Step-Mom is not a gracious gift receiver. Can't lie and say she loves something on the phone. For instance, the year she sent me the "Duct Tape, Milk Jugs, and Egg Cartons, 101 Uses" Book as my MAIN Christmas gift, I let her know it was the best thing I'd ever gotten. Anyway, they get this butter container and she goes off on how silly it is, they hate it, etc... The top doesn't hold enough butter (one stick at time), she'd have to fill it once a week or so... Same with the water, had to fill it every couple weeks. I am stunned at how she hates this gift (I'd sent them several other gifts they liked, this was a last minute item).

Anyway, she said they threw away the top portion and lid and fill the bottom portion with butter... LOL. I guess ultimately, I got rid of the old yellow used butter tub they've used for 20 years...
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

>>My parents (all four of them thru marriage) keep it on the counter, however, I don't. I don't know why, you'd think I would have picked that up from them... But, I take it out at each use.
>>
>>Now, I have an Everybody Loves Raymond story. Do you remember when Ray and his wife bought Ray's parents a Fruit of the Month Club membership in an eary episode? They had pears delivered one month, oranges, the next, etc...
>>
>>Ray's parents freaked... They thought it was insane. Why would you do this to us? Fruit each month? What were you thinking? They made him stop the order...
>>
>>Well, my Dad stores his butter/margarine in a large old yellow butter tub on the counter. Pretty nasty looking. Smash new sticks into it and it softens into a pool of half liquid butter in the warm months... So, I am watching QVC one day a couple years ago around the holidays... They have a butter keeper. It is basically a ceramic bottom you put water in, with a ceramic bowl that sits on top of it (and a ceramic lid; kind of like a very mini casserole dish). The water evaporates and keeps the butter soft, but not melted into a pool of liquid. Very pretty, many patterns. Picked one out that matches their kitchen.
>>
>>My Step-Mom is not a gracious gift receiver. Can't lie and say she loves something on the phone. For instance, the year she sent me the "Duct Tape, Milk Jugs, and Egg Cartons, 101 Uses" Book as my MAIN Christmas gift, I let her know it was the best thing I'd ever gotten. Anyway, they get this butter container and she goes off on how silly it is, they hate it, etc... The top doesn't hold enough butter (one stick at time), she'd have to fill it once a week or so... Same with the water, had to fill it every couple weeks. I am stunned at how she hates this gift (I'd sent them several other gifts they liked, this was a last minute item).
>>
>>Anyway, she said they threw away the top portion and lid and fill the bottom portion with butter... LOL. I guess ultimately, I got rid of the old yellow used butter tub they've used for 20 years...
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>>Tammy
>> Stanley and Pookey

......and they are the ones who live in Iowa.....right, Tammy? LOL

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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

......and they are the ones who live in Iowa.....right, Tammy? LOL

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Was there any doubt, Ruby?
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Tammy
Stanley and Pookey

>>......and they are the ones who live in Iowa.....right, Tammy? LOL
>>
>>====
>>
>>Was there any doubt, Ruby?
>>-----
Nope, not for an second.

My dad was born and raised in Iowa, and my mom was born in Wisconsin but lived most of her childhood in the Ozarks. ha!
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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

Butter is kept out on the counter all of the time, especially with Pam's family here. Doesn't take long for 5 people to go through a stick or two of butter.

When I'm living alone, I still keep it out on the counter except when I'm on a limited amount of butter diet.
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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

In the fridge

I worked hospital food service for a while in college. Every year they would go around and swab various items in the dept - cart handles, a moustache, cutting boards, a sink drain...take it to the lab and let whatever was on the swab grow for a week in a petri dish, than have an inservice class on food safety. It forever changed how I view a kitchen.

Hair in your food? Whatever - its no big deal. But I've refused to eat in homes where the dish rag is nasty.

I can't stand a nasty dishrag either, Elizabeth. Mine has to be brigh white with no stains and hung on towel rack to dry between uses. Also, a clean one comes out of the cabinet every couple of days. I have about 2 dozen of those heavy duty restaurant ones and they stay white or go to the ragbag. Pam says that I'm too picky on the dishrag thing but that's just the way I am.
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Ruby and the Kitties
Simba, Samantha, Katrina & KatyKatt
Meow!! Meow!! Meow!! Meow!!

How wonderful to do nothing and then rest afterwards. Meow!

Definitely agree! Still, hair in my food (other than mine --which I try to avoid --or the cats' still freaks me) I do microwave the sink sponge (wet) and replace it regularly.

Store it in the fridge but take it out a little early to soften for use. I hate going to a restaurant and having butter like ice cubes so I have to hold them in my hand to soften before it can be spread!

BTW, fun topics, Tammy. We'll welcome MA back but you've done a wonderful job filling in!!!

Oh, and I've been gone, not just ignoring things so am behind.
Katc

In the fridge!!
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Tessa Onyx, Foudini, Charlee, Spottie, ShyRaven, Buddy, Tuxie, Widdle Attila Sipowitz, Lizzie, Minnie, ET, Mylo, Penny (We be house cats at last), and Salem, Wicca and Marmalade (We iz also house cats, we guess)and the 5 porch kits also Riley da goggie and Buddha da baby hamster too
Tabitha and Samantha..always in our hearts
A house without cats is like a garden without flowers

In the fridge. Anything we leave out on the counter is free game as far as Boris is concerned.
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Boris's Human, Pam