We tested 44 butters to find the best butter for your buck. The results might surprise you.ÌýCan you budget on butter and still come out on top? You’d butter believe it!

Salty goodness

If you’re feeling a little salty about grocery prices increasing, you’ll be pleased to know that one of the top-scoring salted butters in our test is actually a supermarket own-brand product: Coles Australian Butter Salted.Ìý

Scoring 74%, it tied for third place with Ballantyne Traditional Salted Butter, which costs more than twice as much.Ìý

First and second spots were taken out by Kerrygold and Lurpak, which both cost $2 more per pack than Coles’ butter and come from Ireland and Denmark, respectively, so you’re paying more for food miles as well.Ìý

Not far behind was Woolworths’ brand Macro, which scored 73%. It costs 60 cents more than the Coles butter but is organic.Ìý

Aldi’s Beautifully Butterfully trailed a little further behind with a score of 71%. Strangely, the Aldi product wasn’t the cheapest of the supermarket butters, priced the same as Woolies’ organic offering. Perhaps the German giant isn’t always the cheapest shop on the block after all.

Hold the salt

Competition in the unsalted butter category was stiff and the supermarket brands didn’t do quite as well as they did in the salted category.Ìý

Woolworths Macro was the highest-scoring supermarket unsalted butter (71%), scoring considerably better than Coles (68%), Coles Organic (68%) and Aldi Beautifully Butterfully (67%).Ìý

While Woolies’ organic label performed reasonably well, the same can’t be said for its standard butter, which sat towards the bottom of the pile with scores of 61% (unsalted) and 65% (salted).Ìý

However, if you’re after a reasonably-priced unsalted butter, Westgold Unsalted New Zealand Grass-Fed Butter is a good bet: it was the highest-scoring unsalted butter of all and costs $1.25 per 100g, which is about the same as (and even less than) some supermarket butters. Sure, it comes from across the Tasman, but that’s still far fewer food miles than butter made in Europe.

The post Is budget butter better? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

But how do you know which type of cooking fat is the best to use and why?

Considering taste, cost and health considerations, CHOCIE home economist Fiona Mair and nutrition expert Shadia Djakovic break down the pros and cons of cooking with butter versus different types of oils.Ìý

Beautiful butter

Butter is an ingredient that needs little introduction. It’s probably spread daily on your sandwiches and toast, used to make your sauces, scrambled eggs and baked goods and added to many of your meats and fishes. We love it so much, we have a whole article on the mouth-watering potential of this spread.

So why is it so damn good?

“Butter adds flavour and creaminess to foods, richness to sauces and can help balance strong acidic foods like tomato sauces and lemon-heavy hollandaise,” says Fiona.Ìý

Butter can also be vital in baking, acting as a carrier for creaming sugar and adding pockets of air to give baked goods a lighter, fluffier crumb. When it comes to pastries, butter is a must to help you develop that flaky texture.Ìý

“Butter is also essential for making a roux for white sauce or adding richness to a jus, or any sauce that requires thickening without using starch,” says Fiona.

Lasting for up to eight weeks in the fridge, this versatile cooking fat won’t go to waste. It’s also one ingredient you don’t always have to splurge on. In our recent butter taste test,Ìýone of the top-scoring salted butters is actually a supermarket own-brand product: Coles Australian Butter Salted.Ìý

Scoring 74%, it tied for third place with Ballantyne Traditional Salted Butter, which costs more than twice as much.Ìý

The downsides of butter

It may be heavenly in your pastries but, and we’re sure it’s no surprise, butter doesn’t have the best rap sheet when it comes to health. ÌÇÐÄVlog food and nutrition expert Shadia Djakovic says, “Butter is high in saturated fat, which, when consumed regularly, can increase the risk of developing high cholesterol, and high cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease.”

“Replacing butter with monounsaturated oils, such as olive oil, can reduce bad cholesterol in the body and is associated with better heart health outcomes,” she says.

Butter isn’t always the best choice for the style of cooking, either. As the saying goes, if you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen, and this applies to butter too. Butter can’t withstand higher temperatures the way oil can, due to the milk solids in the spread.

If you still want a buttery taste but need to cook something on a high heat, Fiona recommends using oil to fry on a high temperature and adding butter later, at a lower temperature.Ìý

The pros of using oil in your cooking

Oils are international agents, shining in Spanish, Italian, Greek, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and South-East Asian cuisines.

“In pizza doughs, focaccias and flat breads, oil allows the dough to stretch and become flexible. It also helps the dough to increase in volume while proving,” says Fiona.Ìý

Oil is a multitasker, great for deep frying and getting foods such as donuts, fish and chips and fritters nice and crispy, while also aiding emulsification of things like homemade hummus, mayonnaise, pesto and salad dressings.Ìý

In the baking department, oil can give cakes a moist crumb and “may even allow cakes to stay moist and tender for longer than those made with butter,” says Fiona.

To help you find the perfect oil for what you’re cooking, check out our cooking oil guide.Ìý

Health benefits of oils

Oils, and in particular olive and canola oil, can be beneficial for your overall health, including heart and cognitive health, when used in moderation.Ìý

Shadia says, “Canola oil is rivalling olive oil in the health space with some research suggesting it can lower bad cholesterol more than olive oil.”

If you want to learn more about the potential health benefits of other types of oils, read our articles on coconut and avocado oil.Ìý

The downsides of cooking with oil

While there are no hard and fast rules in the creative art of cooking, there are some dishes that butter is essential for, adding richness and creaminess to recipes such as white sauces.Ìý

Although there are some outliers (hey Aldi Olive Oil, we’re looking at you!), the olive oils that performed best in our recent olive oil review tend to be the more expensive products. Which means if you choose low-quality olive oil you might be disappointed in its taste. It’s also important to store olive oil correctly to ensure it doesn’t deteriorate in quality and flavour. Find out more with our top 5 tips for choosing and storing olive oil.Ìý

ÌÇÐÄVlog verdict: Butter or oil?

When it comes to what will taste better in your cooking, consider the food you’re cooking or baking and choose based on which one will deliver optimal flavour in your dish.Ìý

Also remember that butter will smoke on a high temperature, so if you’re cranking up your cooktop, avoid the chaos of a false fire alarm and use oil, adding the butter later if you wish.

When it comes to health, olive and canola oil are shown to have the best health outcomes. But if you’re a firm believer in everything being better with butter, consider a butter that contains less saturated fat.Ìý

When it comes to price, there isn’t a huge difference between the two when you compare the prices of the products that our ÌÇÐÄVlog experts have rated as the best, but the ongoing costs for each product will obviously depend on how frequently you use the butter or oil and at what quantity.Ìý

Our top-scoring butters cost from $1.25 per 100g to $3.08 per 100g and our top-scoring olive oils cost from 90c per 100ml to $2.40 per 100ml.

The post Should you cook with butter or oil? appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

ÌÇÐÄVlog home economist Fiona Mair breaks down all the things you can, should and didn’t know you could do with butter to make your meals infinitely better.Ìý

And if you want to embrace more beautiful butter in your cooking, it’s important you choose a great-tasting butter that’ll really shine as an ingredient. To help you out, ÌÇÐÄVlog experts have blind taste-tested and reviewed a huge range of supermarket butters to see which is the cream of the crop.Ìý

Compound butter for fish, meats and breads

You can instantly upgrade fish, meats or bread by making a simple butter compound. Butter compounds are savoury or sweet mixtures of butter and other ingredients that you can use to add flavour when cooking fish and meats, or use to spread on breads for a next-level loaf.Ìý

Not only are they easy to make, but can be stored in the fridge and freezer and used at a moment’s notice to transform Friday night’s fish or Sunday night’s steak into a mouthwatering dish.

Savoury compounds

To make a savoury butter compound, Fiona recommends using fresh, leafy herbs such as parsley, tarragon, mint, sage, oregano or basil.Ìý

“Rosemary can be used but you should remove the leaves form the stalks and chop the leaves finely. Dried herbs can also be used but are better suited for compounds that are being cooked, such as when adding to steak before cooking it,” she says.

For 250g of butter, add up to ¼ cup of herbs (a little less if using strong herbs such as tarragon or rosemary). Process in a food processor or hand mixer on high for 40 to 60 seconds. You can also add extra flavour with ingredients such as chives, garlic, lemon or lemon zest.Ìý

Sweet compounds

Making your own sweet butter compounds will turn pancakes, waffles, scones or banana bread into a cafe-worthy dish.Ìý

“Using the same method, pulse 250g of butter with roasted chopped pecans and maple syrup,” suggests Fiona.Ìý

You can also try a berry butter. Stew berries with lemon and sugar, strain and process with butter, then serve with scones, bagels or banana bread.Ìý

How to store

It’s logging time! Once you’ve whipped up your compound, place it on a large piece of parchment paper, fold the paper over and tuck under the butter. Use some pressure to form it into a log and lastly fold the ends of parchment and seal.Ìý

“Store the butter in a plastic bag or foil to stop the fridge or freezer odours from penetrating the butter,” says Fiona.

Potatoes that’ll melt in your mouth

Just like cheese and toast, potatoes and butter are a match made in carb heaven. There are so many ways to serve up spuds, but we guarantee that, no matter which way you choose, butter will take your taters to incredible new heights.Ìý

Potato bakes and au gratins

When it comes to potato bakes and au gratins you’ll want to use a heavy hand with butter for best results. Grease the baking dish with butter to add flavour and stop potatoes from sticking to the bottom. For a brown and crispy top layer, add dabs of butter on the top before baking.

Mashed potatoes

“The best mashed potatoes will always include butter in my opinion, but the trick to get best results is how you incorporate it,” says Fiona.Ìý

After mashing boiled potatoes, add a couple tabs of butter and put back on the stove at a low temperature. Allow the butter to melt through, mixing with a wooden spoon, then add desired amount of milk. Beat with the wooden spoon until creamy and smooth for a silky, buttery mash that’s just perfection.

Roast potatoes

If you haven’t been adding butter to your roast potatoes, we’re here to tell you it’s a game changer! Fiona recommends adding equal parts butter and oil to your potatoes – this will add maximum flavour but the oil will stop the butter from burning.Ìý

“Toss the potatoes in the oil before baking and add the butter in the last 20 minutes of cooking, along with fresh herbs and crushed garlic,” she says.

Porridge (yes, really!)

This unlikely place to add butter is Fiona-approved and will make your morning oats a reason to get out of bed.

“Adding butter and brown sugar to steel-cut oats gives exceptional flavour and richness. Try toasting the oats in butter then making the porridge or frying bananas in butter and topping with brown sugar to add to your cooked oats,” she says.

DIY shortcrust pastry

Made by hand or with a food processor Fiona’s easy DIY buttery shortcrust pastry can be used for sweet or savoury pies, pasties, rolls and tarts. It can also be kept frozen for up to six months for a spur-of-the-moment meal or dessert.

Ingredients

2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
125g chilled diced butter
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
5–6 tablespoons of chilled water

Method

Place flour, baking powder, salt and butter in a medium or large food processor bowl.

Process on high for approximately 30 seconds (or pulse 10 times) until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add egg yolk, lemon juice and water through the feed chute.Ìý

Process on high until dough forms a smooth ball (approximately 1 minute).Ìý

If the mixture is too dry, add a little water, or if too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.Ìý

Remove from the bowl and shape into a flat round disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before rolling out.Ìý

If using the pastry for a pie, use two-thirds of the pastry for the base and the remaining third for the top.Ìý

Always blind bake the base of the pastry before adding a filling (using baking beads, dried beans or rice).Ìý

Brown butter on everything

Brown butter is butter that has been gently cooked slightly past its melting point to give it a deliciously nutty flavour and aroma. It’s ideal for using as a sauce, pouring over meat or pasta, or in baked goods.Ìý

“This is such an easy and versatile sauce because it can carry sweet or savoury flavours,” says Fiona.

To get the butter to nut-brown, add butter to a preheated saucepan and melt on a medium heat. Stir until it starts to turn brown without letting it smoke. “Pour as is over soft polenta, popcorn and steamed vegies or add to cake and biscuit batters in place of butter for a nutty butterscotch flavour,” Fiona says.

Other ingredients that can be added once the butter is brown include herbs, parmesan cheese, garlic and chopped nuts.

Better scrambled eggs

Watery hotel buffet scramble eggs be gone! The best scrambled eggs are rich and buttery, and Fiona recommends adding 1 tablespoon of butter for every two eggs. Just melt in the pan before stirring in your whisked eggs.

DIY crumble topping

Butter is a must-have addition when making a quick and easy crumble – the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert and a great way to use up overripe fruits such as apples or berries.Ìý

You can also make a crumble topping in advance and keep it frozen in an airtight container for up to two months. To make it, just blitz unsalted butter, flour, oats and brown sugar, sprinkle over fruit and bake.Ìý

Should you choose salted or unsalted butter?

Both salted and unsalted butters are useful in cooking, and it basically comes down to a flavour preference. Unsalted butter is usually specified in baking and pastry recipes, as they may call for the addition of extra salt and, by adding the salt yourself, you can have control over how much is added and the resulting flavour.

The salt quantity in different brands of salted butter can vary, so its best used as a spread or in recipes such as savoury compound butters.If you’re trying to reduce salt in your diet, you should of course opt for unsalted.

Unsalted butter may also have a shorter shelf life than salted, so it is usually fresher butter.ÌýTo find out more about how salted vs unsalted butters performed in our taste test, read our ÌÇÐÄVlog expert butter review.

The post Things that are dramatically improved by adding butter appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Allow us to solve your feta confusion!

Around the world in feta

Feta has a tangy, salty flavour and can range from soft to semi-hard. Most feta you find in supermarkets is sold as blocks or chunks in brine, in packs or tubs. The Greeks were the first to make feta, but these days variations of feta are made all over the world.

Here’s how to tell them all apart.

Greek feta

Traditional Greek feta is made with at least 70% sheep’s milk, with goat’s milk often making up the other 30%. The flavour is salty and tangy, the texture dry and crumbly. When ÌÇÐÄVlog taste tested feta cheese a few years back, the ‘Greek-style’ feta rated highest.

Danish feta

Danish feta is made from cow’s milk and has a milder, creamier texture. Feta purists argue that ‘Danish-style’ feta, made using the ultrafiltration method, isn’t authentic, but many people prefer its creamier, smoother texture. You may prefer to use Danish-style feta for recipes aiming for a smoother end product.

Bulgarian feta

Traditional Bulgarian feta is made with sheep’s milk and a yoghurt culture, which gives it a particularly tangy taste.

Australian feta

Australian feta is usually made from cow’s milk. The texture and flavour can vary, but it’s generally a happy medium between the saltiness of Greek feta and the creaminess of Danish feta.

Marinated feta

Feta marinated in oil and flavoured with ingredients like herbs, spices or lemon zest can be delicious, and we’re seeing more of it in the supermarket.

Marinated feta makes a great addition to an antipasto plate, it can liven up a salad or toasted sandwich and it’s just as good eaten straight from the tub. You’ll generally pay more for the marinated product, so try making your own using our marinated feta recipe.

Crumbled feta

Crumbled feta caters to a market in the same way as grated mozzarella or shaved parmesan. It may be handy for salads or pasta or pizzas, but you pay for the convenience of having somebody else pre-crumble your cheese for you. In most cases it’s cheaper to buy a block and crumble it yourself, which you have to admit, is pretty easy!

How feta is made

Traditional method

Starter bacteria and rennet are added to pasteurised milk, which then sets like a junket. This junket (now curd) is cut into cubes, and whey (a watery liquid) comes out of the curd, leaving the curd more concentrated. The curds are placed into forms (moulds) and more whey is released from the curd making it even more firm and concentrated. The cheese is then salted by immersion in brine (salty water) and matured for a minimum of two months. It’s often stored and sold still in the brine.

The texture of traditionally produced feta is firm and open (gaps in the curd) and it easily crumbles apart.

Ultrafiltration (UF) method

This technology for cheese manufacture was introduced in the early 1970s. Pasteurised milk is passed through a special filter resulting in a concentrated, viscous liquid, which is poured into forms. Starter bacteria and rennet are then added to the concentrated milk and it turns to a solid. As with the traditional method, the cheese is then salted to finish the process. UF is a faster process than the traditional method and has the potential to increase yield because the whey proteins are incorporated into the final product.

The texture of UF feta is smooth, creamy and closed (no openings).

Labelling

As a general rule of thumb, if your feta is labelled ‘Danish-style’ it’s likely to be UF, as the bulk of feta made in Denmark (one of the largest feta producers after Greece) is produced using this method.

Greek-style feta, on the other hand, is more likely to have been produced using the traditional method.

A feta by any other name

The name ‘feta’ has been used since the 17th century when Greece was under Venetian influence. It comes from the Italian word for ‘slice’, most likely referring to slicing of the cheese curd into cubes when it’s being made. Traditionally, feta was made with sheep’s and/or goat’s milk using a slow filtration process, but feta produced outside of Greece is often produced from cow’s milk using the ultrafiltration process.

Greece vs the rest of Europe

After a long legal battle with Denmark, Germany and France, Greek feta was granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Commission in 2002. This means that feta sold in the EU can only be labelled as such if it comes from Greece. PDO legislation is enforced within the EU, but doesn’t apply elsewhere (unless there’s a bilateral agreement). That’s why in Australia we can buy ‘feta’ from Denmark and Bulgaria, for example – within the EU it has to be remarketed under a different name.

Can you eat feta when pregnant?

Advice from Australian health authorities is that pregnant women should avoid foods such as soft or semi soft pasteurised white cheeses (which includes feta, but also brie, camembert, blue, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses) unless thoroughly cooked.

The best ways to use feta

Plain feta is extremely versatile in that it can be used in many cooked dishes (anything from pies to pizza – it pairs beautifully with spinach, pumpkin and beetroot), to top off a Greek salad, or simply as a table cheese.Ìý

Some of the on-pack serving suggestions we’ve seen include ‘drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs, chilli or cracked pepper and serve as antipasto with fresh bread’, ‘toss through hot pasta’, ‘add to omelette or scrambled eggs’, ‘serve with watermelon or as part of a fruit platter’.Ìý

With just a little more effort and a few extra ingredients including flaky filo pastry, you can whip up traditional Greek spinach and feta pie (spanakopita). And the TikTok-famous baked feta pasta recipe is a great one to add to your repertoire.

Marinated feta recipe

This recipe is straightforward, tasty and you can even spice it up by adding whole peppercorns or dried chilli flakes to taste.

Ingredients

• 200g Greek-style feta, cubed
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 pieces of lemon rind
• 150mL extra virgin olive oil, approx.

Method

• Place feta and all dry ingredients in a jar.
• Pour over olive oil, making sure it covers all ingredients.
• Seal jar and allow to marinate overnight before using.
• Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Baked feta pasta recipe

This baked feta pasta recipe is super simple to make and tastes delicious, so it’s easy to see why it went viral on TikTok.

Ingredients

• 2 punnets (approx. 500g) cherry, mini Roma or grape tomatoes
• 4 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch salt
• 1 block (approx. 200g) Greek feta cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 350g pasta of your choice
• Fresh basil leaves, for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. In a 33 x 23cm baking dish, combine the tomatoes, garlic and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Place the feta cheese in the centre of the tomatoes and garlic, top with the remaining olive oil, and sprinkle the entire dish with chilli flakes and a little black pepper.Ìý
3. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the garlic has softened and the tomatoes have burst their skins.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
5. Mash the feta and tomato mixture with a fork and stir until evenly combined. Add the pasta and stir through the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water as needed if it looks dry.
6. To serve, divide among bowls and top with plenty of basil leaves.

The post Feta cheese guide appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

On this page:

• Vegan mozzarella-style cheeses

“Vegan cheese is one of our biggest growth categories of vegan food products in both range and volume,” says Jess Bailey, director of The Cruelty Free Shop, a vegan retailer with outlets in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane.Ìý

You can now buy vegan cheddar and feta, vegan mozzarella and parmesan. There’s even an Australian-produced blue vein cheese made from cashews that’s a dead ringer for the real thing (at least in appearance).

But which vegan cheeses taste best?

How we tested

• Nine ÌÇÐÄVlog staffers – three vegans, two vegetarians and four omnivores – participated in a blind tasting of 15 vegan cheese products.Ìý
• We focused on mozzarella-style and cheddar-style cheeses, as these appear to be the most widely available styles (and to keep the sample size manageable).
• Our tasters sampled them in a random order and commented on their attributes before giving each cheese an overall thumbs up or down.Ìý
• Both styles were served as sold (packaging removed), but we also served the mozzarella-style samples melted on plain white bread.

Best-tasting vegan cheeses

The most popular mozzarella style product (getting a thumbs up from eight of our nine tasters) was Bio Cheese Pizza Shred. Tasters described it as having a soft, sticky consistency when melted, but with an appealing ‘cheesy’ appearance and pleasant, mild flavour.

“I’m surprised how good this tastes,” said one of our omnivores. “Melts really well and tastes delicious,” said a vegetarian. “I’d consider buying this one because it’s flavoursome without reminding me of dairy products,” said one of our vegans.

The most popular cheddar style product (thumbs up from six tasters) was Bio Cheese Cheddar Flavour, described as having a smooth, buttery appearance and texture.

“Cuts smoothly, smooth texture, appealing taste, close to mainstream dairy ‘feel’,” said one omnivore. “Pleasant, like processed cheddar,” said another. One of our vegans commented, “I wouldn’t buy it as I don’t like the distinctly dairy-like cheese flavour, but it’s an excellent ‘cheese’. If I liked cheese I’d buy this one.”

Price and provenance

Vegan cheeses tend to be more expensive than their dairy counterparts – due in part to economies of scale, as well as the food miles many of them have travelled. Those we tasted ranged in price from $2.60 per 100g (Green Vie with Mozzarella Flavour) up to $6.98 per 100g (Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds) – all more than what you pay for leading brand Perfect Italiano’s shredded mozzarella ($1.92 per 100g) or leading brand Mainland’s vintage cheddar ($2.40 per 100g).

In terms of provenance, just three of the products we bought identified themselves as ‘made in Australia’ – Dairy-Free Down Under Mozzarella Style Slices, Damona American Cheddar and Damona Smoked Mozzarella,Ìýand Notzarella – with the rest coming from Greece, Canada, USA, Scotland and elsewhere in the UK.

“Until more recently all the vegan cheeses we stocked were from overseas,” says Bailey. “But options are increasing, and vegan cheese makers are now popping up all over Australia.”

Nutrition notes

Many vegan cheeses (including both Bio Cheese products in our tasting) are based on coconut oil, either on its own or in combination with soy. Much like dairy cheese, they tend to be high in saturated fat and sodium. But unlike dairy-based cheese, they’re low in protein and contain negligible – if any – calcium.

From a culinary and taste perspective these products can offer a great alternative to dairy. But nut-based vegan cheeses are a more nutritious option, providing protein, calcium and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.

Check out our vegan cheddar and vegan mozzarella tables below for ingredient, nutrition and price details for the 15 products we tasted.

Vegan cheddar-style cheeses

The vegan cheeses we tasted listed below in alphabetical order.

Vegan mozzarella-style cheeses

The vegan cheeses we tasted listed below in alphabetical order.

The post Vegan cheese taste test appeared first on ÌÇÐÄVlog.

Although margarine used to have a big presence on the shelves at supermarkets, it’s not so common these days. Healthwise, it’s a step in the right direction. Under the , margarine is a spread that contains at least 80% fat. As most spreads now have less fat than this, they can’t be called margarine and still comply with labelling regulations (unless they’re called margarine spreads).Ìý

The other benefit of oil and margarine spreads is that they’re also now fortified with vitamin D.

Choosing a healthy butter or margarine spread

As far as your heart’s concerned, the overriding consideration in choosing a spread is to avoid saturated and trans fats by looking at the per 100g amounts.

Canola spreads

is rich in monounsaturates and also has heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Don’t be put off by the rumours circulating on the internet that canola oil is toxic – there’s no truth to them.

Olive oil spreads

Olive oil has acquired a certain mystique as a key ingredient of the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, but in fact it’s only one of a number of healthy oils. It’s rich in monounsaturates, but so is canola. And although you pay a premium for most of these spreads, you don’t get as much olive oil in them as you might think.

Polyunsaturated spreads

These contain sunflower, flaxseed or soybean oils that are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fats.

Cholesterol-lowering spreads

These claim to contain natural plant sterols that lower cholesterol absorption – and the scientific evidence that plant sterols work is quite strong. They can lower the level of harmful LDL cholesterol in your blood by more than 10%.Ìý

But you’d need to eat at least 25g of the spread each day to get that level of benefit. Just smearing the occasional slice of toast with one of these spreads won’t make much difference.Ìý

Unfortunately, plant sterols also lower the absorption of beta-carotene, which forms vitamin A in the body. So if you eat these products a lot, it’s a good idea to include an additional daily serve of yellow or orange vegetables and fruits.Ìý

And these products aren’t a substitute for cholesterol-lowering medication. If in doubt, get medical advice.

Dairy blends/spreadable butter

If you really like the flavour of butter, dairy blends might seem like a good compromise.Ìý

They’re made from butter blended with vegetable oils, or from butterfat processed to remove some of the saturated fat. They have less saturated fat than traditional butter, with the added bonus that they come out of the fridge easier to spread.Ìý

Unfortunately, they still have more saturated fat than most spreads based on vegetable oil.

Fats in spreads

We all need some fat in our diet. Fats provide essential fatty acids that our bodies can’t manufacture. They also aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and fat-soluble antioxidants like beta-carotene. Fat also makes our food tastier and more palatable, adding to the enjoyment of eating.

Fat does, however, contribute more than twice the kilojoules as the same weight of protein or carbohydrate, so you’ve still got to watch how much you eat.

Expert opinion has shifted towards the view that the type of fat we eat matters even more than the quantity. Eating foods rich in saturated and trans fats increases your risk of heart disease, while replacing saturated with mono- and polyunsaturated fats lowers the risk.

Saturated fats

Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are mainly found in animal products, but there are also plant sources, such as coconut oil and palm oil.

As well, saturated fat is found in full-fat dairy products, fatty meats, sausages and in the processed vegetable oils used in biscuits, cakes, pastries, snack foods, confectionery and fried take-away foods.

Trans fats

Trans fats are created by a process called hydrogenation, which is used to convert liquid oils into the solid fat needed to get the right consistency in a spread.Ìý

Australian spreads have a lot less trans fat than in the past, largely because advances in food technology have made it possible for manufacturers to produce spreads without depending so much on hydrogenation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that no more than one percent of our daily kilojoule intake comes from trans fat. The good news is that Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)  and says that only about 0.5 percent of Australians’ daily energy needs come from trans fats.

But Australia has far more lax laws around trans fats than some countries, making it hard to know how much you’re consuming. Back in 2003, Denmark was the first country in the world to ban the use of hydrogenated fat, making it illegal to sell products in which trans fat is more than two percent of the total fat content. Various places in the US have also since moved to legislate against trans fats.

In Australia, manufacturers don’t have to declare trans fats on the label unless they make a nutrition content claim around cholesterol, saturated, trans, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, omega-3, omega-6 or omega-9 fatty acids.

Can I cook with low-fat spreads?

Probably not. Check the total fat content – if it’s less than about 60%, the spread’s likely to be unsuitable for making cakes, scones or pastry. It’s also likely to splatter too much if you try to fry with it.

For baking, you can use one of the spreads that has more fat overall but is still low in saturated and trans fats. And for frying, simply use a small quantity of vegetable oil.

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What we call parmesan cheese in Australia will ideally be either Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano – different but similar cheeses made only with milk, whey, rennet and salt, produced to specific standards and named for the regions in Italy where they originate. Only cheeses certified by the regulating “consorzios” (consortiums) are legally allowed to use the names Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano in Europe, as protected designation of origin (PDO) applies. The term “Parmesan” is also included in the Parmigiano-Reggiano PDO.

But those laws don’t extend to Australia, which means Kraft can also call its grated cheese in the green canister “parmesan”, even though it contains cellulose powder and potassium sorbate, and probably does not originate from Italy.

If you’re after a good quality, great tasting parmesan cheese, choose the real deal. In this article we explain how to buy, store and serve Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese.

Buying parmesan

Parmesan cheese should taste sweet, slightly fruity and slightly “lipolytic”. It should have a firm, dry and “close”body. (For an explanation of these terms, see our jargon buster.) Despite its granular structure it should have a smooth texture that melts in your mouth. Depending on the age, the colour can range from pale and creamy (if it’s young) to a deep straw-yellow (at 2–3 years).

Use these tips to help you buy parmesan cheese, either pre-packaged or freshly cut.

Check the seal

Before buying a pre-cut wedge from the supermarket, check the pack is tightly sealed — any exposure to air results in oxidation, which compromises quality.

Buy from a deli

A specialist deli or cheesemonger might offer more choice, and you can ask to taste a sample before you buy. A good retailer should be able to tell you about the cheese — how old it is and where it’s from, for example.

Common faults

Common faults of parmesan include it being overly lipolytic, stale, over/undersalted, lacking flavour, having a weak or open body, or suffering from free moisture, surface discolouration or excessive lactic acid (which shows as calcium lactate crystals).

Authentic parmesan is branded on the rind

If you’re after authentic Italian parmesan look for the branding on the rind: Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano is imprinted in dots on the rind along with the producer’s number and the month and year of production. Each wheel is inspected individually to ensure it meets the necessary standards before it’s sent for sale. Cheeses that pass the test are heat-branded on the rind with the consortium’s logo. Parmigiano-Reggiano wheels whose testing indicates that they’re best eaten young are marked with parallel grooves around the circumference of the wheel. They’re known as ‘Parmigiano-Reggiano Prima Stagionatura’.

Older doesn’t necessarily mean better

It’s really down to individual preference and what you’re using it for. The more mature the parmesan, the stronger the flavour, and the drier, crumblier and grainier the texture.

Check the age of pre-cut cheese

If the cheese is sold pre-cut, chances are you won’t know when it was produced, although some brands have “aged for a minimum of…” or “matured for…” and the number of months on the label. The Parmigiano-Reggiano consortium authorised the use of stamps that indicate the minimum maturity of its parmesans (red for more than 18 months’ maturation, silver for more than 22 months and gold for more than 30). But use of the stamps is optional.

Storing parmesan

• Unless you have a cool, damp cellar with a constant temperature, the best place to store parmesan is in the warmest part of the fridge, at about 4°C.
• Advice varies as to how cheese should be wrapped. Aficionados would have you keep any cuts from whole wheels wrapped in wax paper or clean, damp cotton cloth to allow the cheese to breathe and avoid it sweating. But wrapping parmesan in cling film or foil is perfectly OK, according to the consortiums.
• What’s certain is that quality soon deteriorates after parmesan is cut from the wheel, or the vacuum pack is opened and it’s exposed to the air. And as ideal cheese storage conditions are difficult to replicate at home, it’s best to only buy enough for use within a few days of purchase.

Serving parmesan

• Parmesan is best known as a grating cheese, and is wonderful sprinkled over pasta dishes or stirred into soup or risottos. But don’t stop there. If you’ve spent money on good-quality parmesan, try serving it as parmesan shavings in a salad, or make it the feature of a cheese board.
• Younger parmesans are ideal served with dry white wines and as an accompaniment to fresh fruit such as pears and green apples. Older parmesans go well with red wines or dessert wines, and are great served with prunes and dried figs or in chunks drizzled with good-quality balsamic vinegar. Just don’t serve it straight from the fridge — take it out an hour or so beforehand, unwrap it and let it breathe to accentuate its aroma and flavour.
• If you’ve only got a cheap block of parmesan, parmesan chips are delicious and dead easy to make. Place heaped tablespoons of grated parmesan onto a tray lined with baking paper. Cook at 160°C for 8–10 minutes — or until dark golden — then cool and serve the delicate chips with your favourite dip, with Italian soups, or simply on their own.
• For recipe suggestions, and details of parmesan producers and how the cheese is made, go to the consortium websites: and .

Jargon buster

Aging

Often referred to as curing, maturing or ripening, aging is the process of holding cheeses in controlled environments to allow flavour development and change in texture. These changes are due to the activity of natural milk enzymes and the development of micro-organisms. Parmigiano-Reggiano is aged for a minimum of 12 months; Grana Padano, nine months.

Bitter

An unpleasant, biting flavour — usually an aftertaste. A bitter aftertaste is sometimes associated with variations in manufacturing and curing or aging procedures.

Close

A word used to describe how compact the body of a cheese is. Parmesan cheese should be “close” rather than ‘open’.

Culture (starter)

Starter cultures speed and control the process of curdling milk during cheesemaking, in part by converting lactose (milk sugar) to lactic acid, which over time results in the formation of white calcium lactate crystals (see Grainy, below). Starter cultures also lend unique flavour characteristics to the cheese. The starter for Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano is a natural culture of lactic ferments from the whey produced by the initial cheese-making process.

Eyes

The technical name for holes formed in cheese after fermentation. Swiss cheeses are best known for their large eyes. Eyes in parmesan aren’t desirable.

Grainy

A descriptive term for the granular texture created by calcium lactate crystals, which are the product of long aging. It’s desirable in parmesan, though not to the point of grittiness, which indicates excessive numbers of these crystals.

Lipolytic

A word used to describe the flavour created by the enzyme lipase releasing fatty acids from butterfat in the process of “controlled rancidity”. The desired lipolytic flavour may be mild or sharp depending on the cheese age. Some cheeses, such as Romano, gain much of their flavour from fatty acids. Others, such as cheddar, aren’t supposed to have flavours caused by fatty acids in high concentrations. Undesired lipolytic flavours produced from unwanted micro-organisms or from using old milk are referred to as “rancidity”.

Rind

The outside of a cheese. The rind acts as a barrier between the cheese and the outside environment, while sometimes imparting a flavour of its own. Natural rind is one that develops naturally on the cheese exterior through drying while ripening, without the aid of ripening agents or washing. Most semi-firm or hard cheeses have natural rinds, which may be thin like that of cheddar or thick like that of parmesan.

Whey

The thin, watery part of milk that separates from the coagulated curds during the first step of the cheesemaking process. It contains most of the milk sugar or lactose found in milk.

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