- How long has butter been around?Butter has been around since the beginning of recorded history. It may have been discovered accidentally by nomads who filled their saddlebags with milk, spent the day riding, and opened their bags that night to find butter. Likewise, pioneer wives moving Westward learned to make butter on the march by using the motion of the wagon to churn their butter.
- How many different flavor components does butter contain?Butter, unlike margarine and other spreads, contains 120 different flavor components! Scientists say the taste is impossible to duplicate in a test tube.
- Do higher butter prices equal higher profits?Like many commodities, Butter is sold on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange each trading day. The price of butter is determined by typical supply and demand of the market place. These prices determine the base price for a pound of butter before manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and retailer margins. In the past few years, commodity prices have been higher than historical levels; this includes Butter and also Feed for Cows; so the price for a pound of butter is higher and the cost for dairy farmers to care for their cows is also higher. Overall number of dairy farms is decreasing due to the rising costs of caring for the cows and inability to cover these costs even though butter prices are higher.
- Why are there taste differences between different brands of butter?Several factors are responsible for taste/flavor differences between brands of butter. All butters are pasteurized and churned, but these processes are different among manufactures, resulting in different flavor and texture. In addition, different ingredients in the feed that the cows consume can have an effect on the flavor of the milk. The cream that is used can have slightly different acid levels. The butter could be cultured or sour cream butter instead of sweet cream butter. Butterfat level can differ slightly by different manufacturers. There can be a difference in the natural flavor that is usually added to unsalted butter.