She’s spreading the word about butter
Why the obsession with refrigerating butter? Joelle Mertzel, a gregarious Los Angeles inventor and entrepreneur, is on a mission to teach people that they can safely store butter on the counter, covered, for three weeks, unlike other dairy products. She says she’s “spreading the word” and has petitioned the USDA to revise its guidelines, which state that butter can get rancid in one to two days if not refrigerated. “It’s misinformation,” she says.
The mom of three was first inspired by her friend’s habit of leaving butter on the counter and then her own experience 14 years ago, when she accidentally left a stick out overnight. The next morning, she discovered it was delicious and easy to spread and didn’t rip the bread like cold butter.
In 2015, she began commissioning food safety labs to run tests, analyzing different brands for rancidity, yeast, bacteria, and mold. The findings all showed that butter made from pasteurized cream is safe when stored at room temperature for up to three weeks because of its low moisture and highfat content. Salted butter stays fresh longer. So, seven years ago, Mertzel, now founder of housewares manufacturer Kitchen Concepts Unlimited, introduced the Butterie, the first countertop one-piece butter dish with a fliptop lid. “Lids on regular butter dishes always become a mess,” says Mertzel. “There needed to be a better-designed one.” Now she’s sold thousands.
The Butterie ($16 to $18 in multiple colors; comes with a spreader) is available at butteriedish.com.