Burro di Bufala ~ Strike Three

One of my favorite ways to eat pasta is also one of the simplest. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; throw in your favorite type of pasta, in my case that would be Linguini. Let it boil until the noodle is just how you like it, for me, that would be al dente, drain, do not rinse throw back into the pot with a tablespoon of butter or three, some salt and pepper to taste, and a healthy grating of Pecorino Romano or whatever type of cheese you prefer. This is perfection, it's filling, it's tasty, and uses the minimum amount of pots and dishes, how can you go wrong?

Well, I'm sad to report that my attempts to like the Burro di Bufala are still unsuccessful. I really want to like this butter. If I were to go by smell alone, then this butter promises so much more than it has delivered thus far. At room temperature the aroma intensifies and you find yourself thinking how good this will taste slathered on a hunk of bread and yet this butter tastes so much like...nothing. I used it when I made pasta on Friday night and was pretty irritated by its failure to deliver; there was no taste, just this great aroma but no flavor! In order to salvage the pasta I had to add more salt and cheese than I normally do. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I wanted to slurp up forkfuls of pasta and have some slap up against my chin, leaving greasy butter glistening on my skin and a strong butter aftertaste in my mouth... I wanted to rip off hunks of bread with my hands and bite into blocks of cheese, drink wine from a bottle wrapped in twine and throw my glass into the fire... AHEM! Maybe another time.

I'm determined to find a way to unlock the secret to releasing the flavor of this butter. It can't smell this good and just simply taste like nothing.

I'll be back.

Written by Deb on April 19, 2003 12:15 AM