Chicago Tribune

Shelf Life:

Scharffen Berger, True Lemon, Epicurean Butter

July 1, 2009  Fauzia Arain  -- Buttered up Epicurean Butter churns out tubs of creative compound butters in exquisite sweet and savory flavors. Try the Orange Honey on a scone, add a pat of Chili Lime to an ear of corn or smear some Black Truffle onto a just-grilled steak. A 3.5-ounce container retails for about $4 in select stores nationwide such as Whole Foods, Safeway Lifestyles, Bristol Farms and Acme.

See epicureanbutter.com for stores and details

SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Matters of Taste

By Maureen Clancy

April 25, 2007

BUTTER UP!

You don't need a Fairy Godmother's magic wand to transform that simple steak into fancy restaurant fare. All you need is a tiny tub of Epicurean Butter. These boldly flavored compound butters (the term means that minced herbs, seasonings or liquids are folded into softened butter) can be melted into a dish at the last minute or dolloped on a finished plate. The Scampi Butter, with garlic, lemon juice and herbs, is nice with pasta and pan-sautéed shrimp. Black Truffle Butter does wonders for risotto and grilled steaks. Chili Lime is good on halibut and pork chops. All are quite salty. The 12 flavors cost about $3.50 each at Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and some Vons stores.

SINGLE-MINDED DEVOTION
We knew we were in for a rush of “single-origin” chocolate when big-boy Hershey's jumped on the bandwagon. Now, single-origin chocolate ice cream has arrived, courtesy of Choctal, a Pasadena-based company. Four deliriously delicious ice creams are made with cacao powder from Borneo, Costa Rica, Ghana and Santo Domingo. To be honest, I didn't detect a whole lot of difference in the flavors – maybe a hint of fruit here, a hint of coffee there. But comparing them is a fun exercise for serious chocoholics, and they make a darn good dessert for the rest of us. A pint costs about $6 at Whole Foods and Jonathan's La Jolla.

The spokesman for Fever Tree Tonic Water was brief and to the point: “You buy super-premium vodka, then mix it with some low-grade stuff containing corn syrup and sodium benzoate. It doesn't make sense.” After a personal taste test, I'm inclined to agree. The product, from England, has a bright, bitter, clean taste that made a gin and tonic more refreshing. Quinine is the first ingredient on the Fever Tree list, followed by cane sugar. Quinine is last on the Schweppes list, after high-fructose corn syrup and sodium benzoate. Bitter Lemon and Ginger Ale are also available; all cost about $6 a four-pack. Coming soon to upscale markets.

CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM

Chicago Tribune
Wednesday, December 14, 2005

TOP 12 OF 2005 Our favorite products of the year can decorate your holiday shopping list By Renee Enna

Tribune staff reporter


December 14, 2005


Every week, Good Eating's Off the Shelf column features products that we think readers will want to learn more about. But for every product that we feature, there are dozens that we have tried--and eliminated. We taste and/or test everything prior to featuring it.

We look for food that tastes good, gadgets that work--and we also want items to be a step above the competition, or offer something new that home cooks might find worth adding to their arsenal. Value for cost is factored in, and we love it when products are sold in area stores as well as by mail-order.

Here's a look at 12 of the products we were most impressed with, and which might come in handy during the busy holiday season--in the kitchen or as a gift. 8. EPICUREAN BUTTERS These are infused with a creative array of sweet and savory ingredients. Tomato chipotle, cinnamon raisin, orange coconut and honey pecan were particular favorites, but we liked all flavors. A 6-ounce package is $7 in the dairy case at Whole Foods Markets and Wild Oats in Hinsdale and Evanston

5280

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Table Talk for December 13

***Better Buttah...More press: This week the Chicago Tribune names Epicurean Butter, a Denver company blending up compound butters, as one of the top 10 new products of 2005. Denver chef John Hubschman and his wife Janey dreamt up the business of infusing butter with gourmet ingredients and then packaging it for home cooks. Our response: Bravo. We like the honey pecan (on French toast or a bagel), pumpkin spice (on buttermilk pancakes), wasabi ginger (on steak or salmon), and tomato chipotle (on grilled cheese). The butters are so good they quickly become indispensable, begging the question...why didn't I think of this? ***

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Sunday, January 27, 2008

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

BETTER BUTTER

Here's something to make your toast blush

These butters are infused with a creative array of sweet and savory ingredients. Tomato chipotle, cinnamon raisin, orange coconut and honey pecan were particular favorites, but we liked all flavors. A 6-ounce package is $7 in the dairy case at some Whole Foods Markets.