NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20110, 31 March 1928, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND BUTTER

PRAISE IN ENGLAND DISCUSSION AS TO HARDNESS. In a late issue of The Grocer, a grocer complained that New Zealand uutter was too hard. ‘‘i find considerable difficulty, ’’ he says, “in the landing of New Zealand butter, on account of its extreme hardness in cutting up. 1 usually order my butter a week ahead of actual requirements, so that, it may temper t down a little, but I find the season’s butter is as hard after being in stock lor a week or 10 days as when received. 1 should be glad if one of your readers would advise me as to the best method of treating this butter so that it will spread. My customers aro complaining at present that they cannot get the butter to spread.’’

In the current issue of the paper, the complainant is advised by a correspondent to get a small slab of slate, the same material as used for the base of a butter block, and also a boater and slicer, taking care the beater is larger and heavier than the popular size. Use the cheese wire for cutting into layers ready for the slab. After a few days' practice with the boater and slicer, one will be able to beat up butter into a perfect condition for spreading.

Air John Wood, of West Alersea, Essex, says ho considers that nothing has •! equalled New Zealand butter in the ■ last 36 years for value. Its hardness? is one of its chief virtues, but in the < winter there is no doubt many ordinary buyers (not all) prefer it softer 1 than its state when taken out of its 'box. He adds:—“Judicious heating i with a little water on the butter block | soon brings it to a spreading condition. . . . Butter blending of the various already-made butters makes for softness and easy spreading, but, in my humble opinion, results in reducing its quality, though there is an enormous sale of this product, especially, when enclosed, ‘in a pretty wrapper.’ Air John Ashley, of Alanchester, adds his testimony to the New Zealand product. He refers to the large shipments of New Zealand butter af- 1 flout and for consignment, and re- ' marks;—“ln one shipment alone there j were nearly 60,000 boxes, which speaks i volumes for the growing popularity of | ew Zealand butter, and it arrives I here at an opportune time of the year j when butter is usually scarce and dear. • It seems to me that the old-fashioned idjca against butter not being in a cask is dying out. I have heard grocers say, ‘I can only sell Keil butter; it must be in a -cask.’ But I think the old order of things is giving way to the new, and New Zealand butter is now largely advertised in country town newspapers and boldly displayed in shop windows. “As one who has been handling New Zealand I utter for close on 3u years, and sold it as best butter, 1 have always found it of the very finest quality, uniform in colour and flavour, and of a beautiful soft texture, and I have reiver had any cause complaint of its being haidj, and I have sold it as received from the wholesaler. At this time of the year any butter is likely to be a bit firm, bat this is easily overcome by slightly warming before the fire. What surprises mo is that butter having travelled all those thousands of miles shoula arrive here in such excellent condition and be got up in first-class style ready for immediate sale."