I don’t love the taste of butter. I do remember liking it melted on popcorn or toast; however, if my Mom accidentally put it on my sandwich and then scraped it off, and put it in my school lunch, that sandwich and its traces of butter came back home at the end of the day.
In 2000, I learned I had a dairy intolerance (chronic sinusitis and headaches disappeared when I stopped eating dairy and wheat). I am fine to eat dairy now and then, it’s just not a staple in my diet and I never crave, nor eat, butter. But my son, who is also dairy intolerant, takes after his butter-loving Grandma. Sometimes you watch and wonder if they’d just rather be eating the butter straight up.
Yesterday, we went into the Collingwood Olive Oil Company as I was out of my nicer olive oil that I use on salads. Of course, as soon as we walk through the door my kids take little cups in their hands and disappear amongst the sea of balsamics and olive oils, combining flavours, taste testing favourites and exploring new ones.
I was at the cash when my 13 year old insisted I come see one she found – a vegan, plant based, butter infused olive oil. There is no dairy in the oil. She knew this would be good for us since dairy is not a staple in our house. The oil is not infused with real butter, but plant extracts. The plant is called linariavulgaris (a few of its colloquial names: bread and butter, eggs and butter, and butter and eggs) and they use fermentation to create a substance called acetoin. The acetoin is what gives the oil the butter flavour.
We can’t believe how much it smells and tastes like butter. I don’t love the taste of butter but my kids like it, so we poured a bottle and are excited to test it out. I sent my kids to school today with penne pasta, tossed in the oil with salt.
If you are dairy intolerant, use this olive oil for sautéing vegetables, corn on the cob, popcorn, or put a small dish into the fridge so it solidifies and use it as a spread.
Enjoy!
(SIDE NOTE: Try the dark chocolate balsamic and blood orange olive oil – to die for!)
