Does anyone use a butter bell?

[Anonymous]

Curious about the safety of them and whether folks have gotten sick from using them. My 9 year old wants to be able to make her own toast with butter in the morning but gets frustrated by butter not being spreadable. Butter bells intrigue me but I’m nervous that the butter will spoil….

Anyone use one?

[Anonymous]

Don’t use one now but have lived with people who have used them and have no concerns about the butter going bad (at least in winter— in summer our house is too hot to make a butter bell practical)

[Anonymous]

We keep a small amount of butter (maybe a quarter to half stick) in a covered butter dish on the counter. It's fine.
I limit the amount because I'm worried about spoiling but we have never had any actually spoil.

[Anonymous]

A thin slice of butter on hot toast will melt. She just needs to be prompt at the toaster.

[Anonymous]

It is perfectly safe to leave stick butter on the counter.

I have a butter bell and didn’t like it. I prefer the Oxo butter dish with a cover.

[Anonymous]

My whole life, we have made it a practice to keep the butter out. Maybe we go through it fast enough for it not to be an issue, but no one has gotten sick, it never smells or tastes rancid , and it’s been find. I use a covered dish.

[Anonymous]

I tried using a butter bell for a while but never seemed to master the nuances of keeping water in the bottom. You have to get your butter soft enough to get it into the butter compartment...I always ended up with slightly wet butter that would fall out into the water at the bottom before I used it up. And the butter bell itself is kind of awkward to hold.

I agree with PPs that it's fine to leave some butter on the counter. I like the idea of leaving a smaller amount than a whole stick. If it's a matter of DD's morning routine, you could get out the right amount the night before so it's soft in the morning, or get it out when you get up so it's ready for her. But if it stays out longer it'll be fine, except maybe in the worst of summer if you don't have a/c on.

I was at Hill's Kitchen yesterday and saw an adorable butter dish made to hold a half stick, which could be perfect for leaving just enough on the counter. It was made of heavy ceramic similar to those Emile Entry butter bells, but not too heavy to handle because it was so small, and it came in several fun colors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Emile Entry butter bells, but not too heavy to handle because it was so small, and it came in several fun colors.

*Emile Henry (pp correcting self)

[Anonymous]

You mean a french crock, right? I love mine! As PPs have mentioned, it gets a bit warm during the summer, so I don't use it then, but it's so easy! Soften your stick of butter for an hour or so, make sure the "bell" is clean and completely dry, unwrap the butter stick on all but one side, lay the butter wrapper on a flat surface and then use the bell to take "bites" of the softened butter until it's packed tight (mine holds exactly one stick; YMMV). Place a cm or so of clean, cold water in the crock/container side, and set the bell in there. Replace the water nightly.

[Anonymous]

Here are some useful tips/FAQs: https://www.frenchbutterdish.com/FAQ.php

[Anonymous]

Just don't put the regular butter dish in the refrigerator, unless it's during a heat wave. It'll be fine, I promise.

[Anonymous]

I've used a butter bell before, when I was making homemade butter from cream (which is fun!). It works ok but is a bit strange, with the water.

Fwiw, when butter gets rancid, you can slice the outer layer off and keep using it. It worked in the Depression, it works now. Thanks Grandma.

[Anonymous]

Don't do it. They are useless. I've used every product. I really liked something called the Butterie but they'd come apart after a year or two. I've moved on to a simple plastic covered dish. It is easy to
clean. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B092Z5TH5R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[Anonymous]

Also I've never had butter go bad leaving it out in a butter dish. I did have mold occasionally when I used the bell.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Perfect. Europeans do this and live