Spoil Me

My good friend brought this all the way from Paris just for me! How lucky am I? How jealous are you? Le Bordier Butter isn't available here in the US. That's because Jean-Yves Bordier makes them in small batches by hand in a small shop in Brittany. He use the best cream from select herds of Holstein and Norman cows that graze in pastures not far from Rennes, in Brittany. The cream is allowed to sour for 36 hours to develop its flavor. Every batch is finished using a wooden device called a malaxeur, which grinds the already churned butterfat particles at a very slow speed to yield an extra-smooth butter. He learned this skill from his grandfather and father. Each piece is then cut from a freshly made motte and shaped by hand with wooden paddles and carefully wrapped in wax paper. My favorite flavor is beurre aux algues. Flecks of green and purple seaweed, harvested by Bordier's friend, add just the right amount of salt and subtle umami flavor to the already sweet and creamy butter. I can just imagine how good it is in L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon's delicate scallop dish. Me I just cut it up like charcuterie and layer it on top of a slice of good baguette. Now I know what heaven is like.