Disagree about the salted butter... I love un-salted butter because then I can put a few flakes of Maldon on top the way I want to season it. Also, you don't want salted butter in baking as it will alter how much salt you need to add to the recipe. Salt on salt is too much salt. I've tried enjoying Beurre de Baratte or another fancy salted butter just for baguettes, etc, and I find the flavor TOO salty to bear. Also, Gilt Edge Creamery's butters have been in San Francisco (my town) since 1908 and can still be purchased in grocery stores. Their flavors (both unsalted and salted) is rich and delightful...
Annie, lol, literally came here to say this👆🏼 (among other tings). I literally find zero reasons to buy salted butter! Gimme Maldon any day. And especially with baking... it can ruin a dish in an instant.
Feeling vindicated that I've never bought a stick of unsalted butter in my life. Excited to hear of more YA/Junior lit from your book group! Is this the same group as Gretchen Rubin's or is Manhattan filled with groups reading middle school/YA? :)
Happy birthday! And Happy Birth Day to your beautiful mom! Twins, Mrs. R, you saint! And then back to school to be a lawyer *after* that, truly amazing.
I grew up with always salted butter, and that’s what I buy. I keep some in a butter dish in the kitchen to be ready for toast and the rest in the fridge for all other uses. It’s never served me wrong.
I have no idea whether I buy salted or unsalted! I never look! I just buy butter, usually what is on sale, I am not brand conscious. You have got me curious now.
A London reader here, have always read about fava beans and never known what they are, and now from your photos I can see they are what we call broad beans! I’m also here for the unsalted butter in baking, but generally salt rules ❤️. Have recently been learning how bad processed salt is for us, but actually how good things like Celtic salt can be, with all its minerals. I have an avid 12 year old reader, will look up the Greengage Summer. Do you have Alex Rider books over there? Really good YA series 👍🏻
I *feel* the spring vibes reading this (and living nearby in Philly I literally feel the warm weather we’re suddenly getting!). Happy belated birthday! Random question - do you have some recommendations for daily plates/bowls? We have our standard white Crate & Barrel ones but are doing a kitchen refresh this summer (!) and I’m thinking of upgrading at least some dinnerware to have on an open shelf. Your dishes always look lovely when you photograph your meals! Xx
I plan to write this up soon, but our dinner plates are from West Elm. They are fine, but they seem to scratch easily. My favorite dinner plates are from East Fork, and I have four of them that they gifted to me when I collaborated with them on a project. Every year I tell myself I'm going to buy four more (in the panna cotta color) but they are pricey and so far haven't pulled the trigger. https://www.eastfork.com/products/east-fork-dinner-plate?variant=32744974024783
Ohh thank you! I’ve been steadily collecting East Fork mugs (up to 4!) and have eyed their plates. We have young kiddos (1 & soon to be 3) so they eat off plastic plates (ha) and I’ve been putting off upgrading ours, but the thought of displaying some on open shelves has me excited. Thanks for the reply!
Oh my gosh, a children’s/YA book club sounds amazing!! My 10 year old loves me reading aloud to him and we will be traveling to Dublin this summer - do you, your book club or any readers here have recs for books set in Ireland for us?
Excited to dig into the book recs! I’ve never heard of Greengage Summer. I agree on the butter topic! I’ve always just bought salted. My mother always bought salted. She said, why buy two types of butter?! So she used salted for everything, and everything she made was delicious. I just follow in her footsteps! It really is fine in cakes and such. I’ve never tasted a difference.
I can’t wait for Long Island Compromise! (Preordered it some time ago.) And happy birthday! Your mom is lovely. Hope you had a nice time celebrating with your family ❤️
Disagree about the salted butter... I love un-salted butter because then I can put a few flakes of Maldon on top the way I want to season it. Also, you don't want salted butter in baking as it will alter how much salt you need to add to the recipe. Salt on salt is too much salt. I've tried enjoying Beurre de Baratte or another fancy salted butter just for baguettes, etc, and I find the flavor TOO salty to bear. Also, Gilt Edge Creamery's butters have been in San Francisco (my town) since 1908 and can still be purchased in grocery stores. Their flavors (both unsalted and salted) is rich and delightful...
Hi. Thanks Annie—that’s the reason I buy unsalted too! But, true story, I use Maldon on salted butter too.
Happy Birthday Jenny and what a beautiful mom you have! You must have missed your dad…how terrific to be able to celebrate with her. ❤️
I agree! Not to mention I love unsalted butter, especially European unsalted butter! :) (My husband is a salted butter fan.)
Annie, lol, literally came here to say this👆🏼 (among other tings). I literally find zero reasons to buy salted butter! Gimme Maldon any day. And especially with baking... it can ruin a dish in an instant.
Feeling vindicated that I've never bought a stick of unsalted butter in my life. Excited to hear of more YA/Junior lit from your book group! Is this the same group as Gretchen Rubin's or is Manhattan filled with groups reading middle school/YA? :)
Ditto on the book club!! Keep the recommendations coming, or let me join! ;)
We call salted butter "happy butter", because it makes me happy. (Unlike, the sad unsalted butter that my husband prefers.)
I love your book reviews, thanks for including! And is that beautiful woman your mom?
Yes. She is, isn't she ❤️
Salted. Always salted.
Happy birthday! And Happy Birth Day to your beautiful mom! Twins, Mrs. R, you saint! And then back to school to be a lawyer *after* that, truly amazing.
I'm impressed!
Nice work on the pizza, Jenny! I am team salted butter all the way 🎉
I grew up with always salted butter, and that’s what I buy. I keep some in a butter dish in the kitchen to be ready for toast and the rest in the fridge for all other uses. It’s never served me wrong.
I have no idea whether I buy salted or unsalted! I never look! I just buy butter, usually what is on sale, I am not brand conscious. You have got me curious now.
A London reader here, have always read about fava beans and never known what they are, and now from your photos I can see they are what we call broad beans! I’m also here for the unsalted butter in baking, but generally salt rules ❤️. Have recently been learning how bad processed salt is for us, but actually how good things like Celtic salt can be, with all its minerals. I have an avid 12 year old reader, will look up the Greengage Summer. Do you have Alex Rider books over there? Really good YA series 👍🏻
Was so excited to hear about the salted butter too!!
I *feel* the spring vibes reading this (and living nearby in Philly I literally feel the warm weather we’re suddenly getting!). Happy belated birthday! Random question - do you have some recommendations for daily plates/bowls? We have our standard white Crate & Barrel ones but are doing a kitchen refresh this summer (!) and I’m thinking of upgrading at least some dinnerware to have on an open shelf. Your dishes always look lovely when you photograph your meals! Xx
I plan to write this up soon, but our dinner plates are from West Elm. They are fine, but they seem to scratch easily. My favorite dinner plates are from East Fork, and I have four of them that they gifted to me when I collaborated with them on a project. Every year I tell myself I'm going to buy four more (in the panna cotta color) but they are pricey and so far haven't pulled the trigger. https://www.eastfork.com/products/east-fork-dinner-plate?variant=32744974024783
Ohh thank you! I’ve been steadily collecting East Fork mugs (up to 4!) and have eyed their plates. We have young kiddos (1 & soon to be 3) so they eat off plastic plates (ha) and I’ve been putting off upgrading ours, but the thought of displaying some on open shelves has me excited. Thanks for the reply!
These are the west elm ones: https://www.westelm.com/products/kaloh-dinner-plates-set-of-4-white-e1898/?pkey=cdinner-plates
HBD Jenny!
Oh my gosh, a children’s/YA book club sounds amazing!! My 10 year old loves me reading aloud to him and we will be traveling to Dublin this summer - do you, your book club or any readers here have recs for books set in Ireland for us?
Salted butter FTW!
Excited to dig into the book recs! I’ve never heard of Greengage Summer. I agree on the butter topic! I’ve always just bought salted. My mother always bought salted. She said, why buy two types of butter?! So she used salted for everything, and everything she made was delicious. I just follow in her footsteps! It really is fine in cakes and such. I’ve never tasted a difference.
I can’t wait for Long Island Compromise! (Preordered it some time ago.) And happy birthday! Your mom is lovely. Hope you had a nice time celebrating with your family ❤️