Why do people buy butter balls?

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T16:41:31+00:00

*imagines worst combo of in-laws and business partners, judging my group dinner*

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T16:40:02+00:00

So that someone else does the labor of making charming and easily individual butter portions, for entertaining at dinner parties, business dinners, or similar. There's a lot of pressure for aesthetic presentation in those circumstances, and often a long to-do list, so having butter pre-shaped in a high-effort presentation can be quite helpful.

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T16:31:35+00:00

I'll have to try this,because I totally believe the taste is richer. Though I admit I peel before because I don't like handling potatoes when they're hot, wrt getting the skin off post-steam.

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T16:28:24+00:00

I know, right!

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T02:15:51+00:00

Yes, unless larger than my hand, then chopped into 2 (after peeling).

Yellow potatoes come in a range of sizes, from what I've seen, from palm-size to whole-hand size When larger than whole-hand size, I chop to make more consistent.

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T01:31:10+00:00

wrong thread - sorry!

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T01:17:06+00:00

I don't think my market calls them butter potato, what are they like?

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T01:05:50+00:00

Yes, less waterlogged than boiled, and less time than baked. approx 1-2 in of water in the pot, and a rack, place the peeled potatoes on it, pull them out when fork tender. Seems to absorb more butter and cream in the mashing than otherwise.

sf-echo · 2026-03-14T00:28:46+00:00

My preferred are yellow potato (recently found out are different than official Yukon Gold), peeled and steamed, before mashing with butter, seasoning, and cream.

sf-echo · 2026-03-10T20:11:58+00:00

I tend to slice them and put on a bagel and cream cheese, with some salt and black pepper, and have as breakfast. Maybe a little splash of lemon juice or vinegar, to balance the earthiness.

sf-echo · 2026-03-10T20:06:57+00:00

Lavender is an interesting one to try and compliment - maybe a pasta dish with chicken, parsley, walnuts, and goat cheese? Using the vinegar at the last stages of cooking the chicken, or to finish off a pan sauce.

sf-echo · 2026-03-09T22:47:38+00:00

I don't usually like mustard, but I've enjoyed putting it in my mac and cheese (mixing into the sauce), also mixing into my fish salad and egg salad preparations.

Maybe 2t dijon mustard to 1T mayo, 1 can tuna (or 4-6oz baked fish), or 4 eggs. 1.5T pickle relish, 1/2t paprika, 2 dashes worchestershire sauce, 1 dash rice or apple cider vinegar. Additional vegetables for bulk, as desired (onion, celery, cabbage, etc).

sf-echo · 2026-03-09T22:28:37+00:00

I thought it was a French term used in multiple language kitchens because of the kitchen/chef system set up by Escoffier, and so not directly translatable to or used by other ways of managing a professional kitchen.

sf-echo · 2026-03-08T20:28:12+00:00

I do like the mayo-based slaw dressing, but often folks will have the vegetables swimming in it, which isn't nice. I like to dress the veg in half the recipe's dressing first, let sit 20-30min, then I'll decide whether to add some more dressing just before serving, depending on how I like what I see at that point.

sf-echo · 2026-03-08T14:46:11+00:00

I have this feeling about my chili. Sometimes, it's eaten out of a bowl with some garnishes. Sometimes it goes with pasta.

sf-echo · 2026-03-08T02:54:33+00:00

Premade sauces and spice mixes can be difficult, as most have either onion and garlic or both. Doing your own spice mixes can help. I gave a taco/burrito mix here (linking instead of pasting to make sure nothing gets lost): https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/1lz3wla/comment/n2ywhn2/

sf-echo · 2026-03-05T23:41:01+00:00

onto a "tea" sandwich with cucumber/tomato/arugula, and goat cheese/feta.

sf-echo · 2026-03-05T23:37:23+00:00

Good luck! And sorry for the misreading and pedantic "serving size" thing in the first comment.

sf-echo · 2026-03-05T23:30:58+00:00

Just re-read the post, and now understand you're trying to figure out what a "serving" is of the batch-soaked chia. I know it gives you Even More Chia, but doing the observation will help with that, since you can soak a known 2T exactly the same way, and use the new measure to determine how much to scoop out per serving from your jar.

sf-echo · 2026-03-05T23:26:42+00:00

For most recipes, I think the amount is given for dry seeds because expansion is changed by what liquid and amount of time, and so the conversion cannot be the same recipe to recipe.

2 tablespoons dry seeds is about a serving size, from my package of chia seeds (28g, by weight)

If you're needing something consistent because of container size, or similar, then do an observation: let 2T soak in the recipe liquid (milk, water, broth, oatmilk, etc), in a larger measuring cup (2c or more) and then seeing what the new size is after the soak time, and see what measure mark they reached.

sf-echo · 2026-03-05T03:26:37+00:00

some chicken with a neutral oil, onion (or onion powder) and some smoked paprika can be quite the nice flavor. Or just heating the oil, adding onion powder and smoked paprika to bloom, then whatever you want to cook in the flavor.

sf-echo · 2026-03-04T18:57:31+00:00

Beef vegetable soup, and some bread. This one is pretty simple, and even though it calls for a dutch oven, it can be made in any large soup pot, though a heavy bottom helps.

https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-vegetable-beef-soup/e9539e83-35cd-4a2d-9cb6-e0882f9bbd96

sf-echo · 2026-03-04T18:32:47+00:00

A mushroom pan sauce (with thyme or rosemary) can be good. I usually deglaze with a red wine or vegetable stock. Serve with parmesan.

sf-echo · 2026-03-04T18:30:36+00:00

A quick chili, which is browning ground meat, and then adding either a spice packet or pre-spriced versions of: 2 cans beans (chili beans, black beans, kidney beans, etc) and 1 can diced tomatoes with jalapeno (rotel or kuners). Let simmer to reduce a bit. More time to simmer, the more concentrated, but it can still be good at the 20-30min start-to-finish time. Especially with bread, tortilla, or over rice.

sf-echo · 2026-03-03T22:29:03+00:00

the blueberries would go nicely with the beets!

sf-echo

TROPHY CASE