J'adore: Isigny butter - a button of gold

Beurre D’Isigny, Isigny Butter, is the best butter in the world—in my opinion!

Isigny butter is made from cow’s milk that is “turned” between 24-48 hours after the cows have been milked. Turning, or churning, is the act of beating the milk’s cream until it turns into butter. Butter is made from cream that has been separated from whole milk and then cooled.

The butter comes from Isigny Sainte-Mere located between the sea water of the English Channel and the fresh water of the Bessin and Cotentin marshes of five rivers that flow into the Bay of les Veys in northern France. It is the Lower Normandy Region of France, comprising Orne, Calvados, and Manche. The region, known for its dairy production since the 16^th century, has a damp and mild climate, as well as soil rich in clay and silt. The milk from the cows in the marsh pastures is rich in trace elements and has high butterfat levels, which gives the Isigny Sainte-Mere butter its distinctive flavour.

The butter has high levels of carotenoids, which gives the butter its natural colour, called “bouton d’Or” (button of gold). It is rich in oleic acid and mineral salts, particularly sodium, which adds to its flavour, long shelf-life, and “spreadability.”

The Isigny Sainte-Mere Dairy Cooperative, established in 1932, also produces milk, cheeses, and cream. Initially there were 42 dairy farmers who joined together to produce regional dairy products. In 1945 the cooperative had 180 members, which rose to nearly 800 by 1970. However, in 1979 the Isigny Sainte-Mere merged with the neighbouring Sainte-Mere-Eglise Dairy Cooperative. In making their dairy products, the cooperative uses skills passed down from generation to generation.

I adore the wrapping, and the generous portion for a small pat of butter. I adore the natural saltiness and distinctive flavour. But most of all I love the spreadability because I can easily cover a piece of bread from corner to corner. It is indeed a bouton d’Or—a button of gold.

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