Butter

[MickyD]

That's my idea of heaven. Quite often, the only thing I come back from France with is a proper baguette or two for that evening's dinner. You don't need paté or cheese or jam - just with cold butter: simple perfection.

God knows what would happen if I could get those two doors away

And I am only talking about the bread...you would all succumb to the almond flake all-butter croissants. I try to be very strict with myself, but it isn't easy when the gorgeous aromas of baking start drifting into the bedroom from about 5 am!

[Anna]

Good, flavoursome, bread with butter is wonderful. Inspired by the mention of foaming butter upthread I made scrambled eggs for breakfast, served on toast thickly buttered - and it was wonderful! I've tried most of the alternative spreads, I found the Flora Buttery was ok but it contains palm oil from non-sustainable sources (they say that will change from 2015) but as I don't use butter on a daily basis I see no reason not to continue eating it and neither will I stop using whole milk. I sometimes buy Jersey milk which is beautiful on muesli or cereal, how people can use skimmed milk is totally beyond me (someone once described it to me as weasel's pee)

[Thropplenoggin]

...I sometimes buy Jersey milk which is beautiful on muesli or cereal

Top Tip: add a dollop of single cream, to up the cream quotient; dessert for breakfast.

how people can use skimmed milk is totally beyond me (someone once described it to me as weasel's pee)

I think of it as white water and the devil's spawn('s pee?)

[Nick Armstrong]

neither will I stop using whole milk. I sometimes buy Jersey milk which is beautiful on muesli or cereal, how people can use skimmed milk is totally beyond me (someone once described it to me as weasel's pee)

I suspect that was me. We are ad idem on the Whole Milk Question

[Anna]

I suspect that was me. We are ad idem on the Whole Milk Question

On reflection - I do believe it must have been you - presumably when we were having one of our indepth discussions about culinary matters
To answer Throppers and adding cream to cereal, I rarely buy it and when I buy creme fraiche to make creamy pasta dishes I, reluctantly, pick the low fat version except when my inner devil tells me to go for the genuine article! Ditto yoghurt, I tell myself, very sternly, I must not buy that Greek, gorgeous, dripping with saturates but have nice, safe, 0% fat-free and I will enjoy it!
As for cheese (seeing as we are talking about milk products) I love cheese but made the mistake of buying some which was low-fat ......... oh dear.

[teamsaint]

Low fat cheese is just dreadful.

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy semi skimmed unhomogenised milk? Whole unhomogonised is reasonably easy to get hold of, but never seen a semi skimmed version.

[Anna]

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy semi skimmed unhomogenised milk? Whole unhomogonised is reasonably easy to get hold of, but never seen a semi skimmed version.

According to a quick google, the Duchy of Cornwall semi-skimmed is unhomogenised, available at Waitrose. I'll be in a Waitrose tomorrow and will have a peek at the labelling and check the cream level at the top. Edit: Cross posted with Bryn! Get Thee to a Waitrose, Teamsaint!

[Bryn]

Low fat cheese is just dreadful.

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy semi skimmed unhomogenised milk? Whole unhomogonised is reasonably easy to get hold of, but never seen a semi skimmed version.

I think you might find some in the Dutchy Originals range of milk options at Waitrose.

Is not the true rationale for skimmed and semi-skimmed milk the need to palm off the 'waste product' of the cream and butter industry? Keep active enough and don't over-indulge on dairy fat and there should not be that much of a problem, especially if your diet also includes a good proportion of fruit and veg., surely?

[teamsaint]

There do seem to be concerns around homogenised milk , whether whole, semi or skimmed . I am not unduly worried about drinking whole milk, but it would be good to have the option.I don't really uderstand why semi skimmed non homogenised shouldn't be a really easy product to produce, but I understand that homogenised has a longer shelf life.
I shall take Anna's advice and get myself to a Waitrose.....do I have to wear a tie?

Martinu , lots of fruit and veg, proper butter and the odd trip to Waitrose....that is the way forward !

[Thropplenoggin]

I shall take Anna's advice and get myself to a Waitrose.....do I have to wear a tie?

Martinu , lots of fruit and veg, proper butter and the odd trip to Waitrose....that is the way forward !

[JanH]

At the risk of sending the thread off into a siding, has anyone used rape seed oil? I've tried it, but found it hopeless for cooking; it burns at a lower temperature than olive oil, & sticks. It doesn't taste of anything much, either, so is useless in salad dressing.

Yes i have tried it, i found it to have an unpleasant smell and no taste whatsoever. Horrid. I use good olive oil for cooking, plus butter.like others I too have to watch the BP, eat homemade bread toast for breakfast - no butter but homemade marmalade, Ah well, makes me feel I'm doing something positive. :-)

[amateur51]

Yes i have tried it, i found it to have an unpleasant smell and no taste whatsoever. Horrid. I use good olive oil for cooking, plus butter.like others I too have to watch the BP, eat homemade bread toast for breakfast - no butter but homemade marmalade, Ah well, makes me feel I'm doing something positive. :-)

Oh I like rape seed oil a lot for frying. It has lots of positive health qualities and is good for frying, but for salads I use extra virgin oil oil.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/5407832/The-rapeseed-revolution.html

[JanH]

Low fat cheese is just dreadful.

Does anybody know if it is possible to buy semi skimmed unhomogenised milk? Whole unhomogonised is reasonably easy to get hold of, but never seen a semi skimmed version.

. Have never seen it anywhere. waitrose maybe.? Our nearest one being in Welsh Wales so do not go there often, they do stock a wide range of Everything.

Why not pour halfapint of whole milk into jug, followed by halfapint of water, that's what probably happens in the 'milk factories' anyway? !! I have thought this for years but i may be completely mistaken of course.....

[Keraulophone]

Duchy of Cornwall... Get Thee to a Waitrose...

Planning permission has recently been granted for a new Waitrose on the edge of The Duchy's thriving city.

Looking forward to it (but not to the inevitable increase in my family's spending on food & drink ), though there have been issues re developing a greenfield site in an unspoilt valley on the city's eastern boundary - especially since the land is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.

[Nick Armstrong]

....as I don't use butter on a daily basis I see no reason not to continue eating it

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26611861