Advertorial: Meadowland - Is butter always best?

In a recent survey of over 700 Staff Canteen users, 65% of chefs said they don’t use spreads or alternatives, with the main reason being that they believe butter gives the best flavour. Others admitted they use butter out of habit and it has never occurred to them to use anything else. Butter is a basic culinary ingredient and in some instances only the real thing will do. When a restaurant customer is served bread and butter, they’ll expect the flavour of butter and would most likely feel short-changed if they were served a replacement. However, spreading accounts for just 19% of butter usage according to the same Staff Canteen survey, meaning the remaining 81% is used for baking, cooking and finishing. So, have you considered using an alternative? Award-winning* Meadowland Professional 250g, a new alternative to butter, is quickly changing perceptions about alternatives in kitchens across the UK. A unique blend of buttermilk and vegetable oils, it tastes and performs like butter and those who switched saved up to 30% in 2014**. So, the big question is, can this alternative give the same results? Steven Doherty, chef owner of First Floor Café, Windermere, believes it can. As former head chef of three Michelin-starred Le Gavroche and 14 years working with the Roux brothers, you might expect butter to be part of his DNA. But Steven uses Meadowland in place of butter in his signature scones, to create a recipe, that is, in his words ‘bob on’. Serving 100-120 scones a day at First Floor Café and another 50 a day at Askham Hall where he is consultant chef, every scone must meet the high expectations of a very discerning customer. He said: “Is Meadowland better than butter?  It’s certainly as good as in this particular recipe.” Whilst users of Meadowland in our survey agreed that Meadowland is a great alternative for baking, often creating a ‘lighter texture for cakes’, chefs also use it for sauces, pan-frying and adding to mash potato to create a creamier dish. The carefully blended ratio of buttermilk to vegetable fat within Meadowland means it can be used across the board. Matus Bolanovsky, executive head chef at the four star Clayton Hotel, Galway, uses it to give his favourite dish – seafood risotto – a rich creaminess by simply stirring it through the dish to finish it before serving. Faced with the ongoing challenge of rising food costs and delivering consistently good food across all outlets in the hotel which includes a bar bistro, restaurant and banqueting, Matus uses Meadowland as a butter substitute in several of his dishes. He said: “I love the flavour the buttermilk gives the product and economically, I can save quite a lot of money by using it instead of butter.” Steve Welch, executive head chef at Sunderland AFC, is responsible for growing the club’s hospitality business, match day hospitality, external events and staff catering. Food must be of a high standard to meet customers’ increasingly high expectations and reflect the SAFC experience, but keeping costs down is a challenge. Having tried a sample of the product, Steve now uses Meadowland for cooking, baking, and sautéing in dishes like wild mushroom Charlotte and chocolate fondant. He said: “I’ve found Meadowland to be very good. It reduces the cost and doesn’t make any difference to the end dish.” Meadowland can be used for baking, cooking and finishing without impacting the flavour of the end dish - whilst saving as much as 30%**. So the big question is, will you give it a try? <<Click here to order your free sample>> * Federation of Wholesalers – Gold medal for Innovation in Foodservice, 2015 **ufs.com/meadowland250price for details