For Soft, Spreadable Butter Every Time, You’ll Need a Butter Bell
You know the story: the day is new and full of hope. You butter a piece of toast only to have it squashed and mutilated by a piece of refrigerator-chilled fat. Destroyed. Just like your dreams. We have suffered for too long and there is absolutely no need for this. There is a special device whose sole purpose is to ensure perfect butter spreadability: the butter bell.
What is a butter bell?
The oil bell , also called an oil jug or oil keeper, is disputed in origin as to which city it was created in, but it is generally accepted that it was created in the French style. This simple ceramic device consists of two parts: the base, which is the outer container, and the oil bell, which is located inside the base.
A small amount of clean water flows into the base. The butter is pressed into the cavity of the bell, turned over and placed inside the outer container. The entire bell of butter is stored on the counter at room temperature. When butter is called for, you take the lid (which is attached to the inner container) and turn it over so the butter is accessible. Dig out a little and flip the bell back into its housing.
How do oil bells work?
At this point, you might be wondering why the butter in the butter bell doesn’t get weird at room temperature, whereas the stick of butter in my mom’s clear plastic holder can develop a crust on the outside during the summer months. (We still eat it, but the texture may be…different.) That’s because bellflower protects the precious golden fat from three enemies: light, oxygen, and heat. These three things can cause the oil to oxidize, resulting in an off-flavor, and the oil bell slows down the oxidation.
Butter bells are usually made from porcelain stoneware or even marble, which is useful in two ways. It’s completely opaque, which prevents light oxidation , and the thick walls of the ceramic container are a poor conductor of heat, keeping the dark interior cool compared to how your kitchen might be on a particularly hot day.
I think the most impressive part of the oil bell design is the pressure seal – the third line of defense against oxidation. When the cup of oil is inverted and its edge comes into contact with a small amount of water at the bottom of the container, an airtight seal is formed. Yes, there will be some trapped air where the oil is, but that’s hardly anything compared to a constant flow of air. Bellflower doesn’t stop oxidation completely, but it does slow it down significantly, keeping the butter soft at room temperature so you can enjoy perfectly buttered bread, muffins, pancakes, or waffles every morning.
How to use an oil bell
Many kitchen stores sell butter bells ( you can also buy them online ), and they are all perfectly functional. Choose the one that you think has enough oil. My dad made mine in ceramics class, and it holds just over half a stick of butter (sorry, he doesn’t take orders for the coveted butter bell). I usually get through this in a week. Wash and dry the entire apparatus before filling. To flood the base you only need a half inch or less of clean water. A good way to test this is to add too much water at first, then the excess will flow out from the top when you insert the oil chamber.
Keep the lid upside down so the butter side of the cup is facing up. I use a rubber spatula or small teaspoon to pour the room temperature oil into the cup. I recommend doing a tablespoon or two at a time. Actually butter the sides. This provides suction so the oil doesn’t fall out and eliminates air pockets. Continue stuffing and spreading butter into it until it just barely reaches the edges. You don’t want the oil to bulge over the edge because that will ruin the entire seal. Wipe off any oil that may have gotten onto the rim.
Over the sink (in case of a leak), turn the lid over and place it in a container of water. Your oil bell is now ready to use. Any time you need oil, simply lift the lid and scoop out some oil. There will be a few drops, that’s normal, but you’d be surprised how much it doesn’t matter if a drop of water gets on the oil. Be sure to change the water in the oil bell every couple of days – just dump it out and put new water in it. Once you have used up all the oil, thoroughly wash the entire bell and dry it before refilling it.