5.24.2008

Solution in search of a problem

The food section of the local paper recently carried news of this culinary breakthrough: Land O Lakes half sticks of butter. According to the article, the new "half stick packaging allows you to unwrap a quarter cup of butter at a time -- convenient for baking and other uses where only a small amount is needed." Or, in Land O Lakes' own words:

Introducing one pound NEW LAND O LAKES® Butter in Half Sticks. It's the same butter you love, now in a size convenient for recipes that call for ¼ cup butter! Also available in ½ pound package.
  • Quick & easy to use
  • No cutting
  • No re-wrapping
It's comforting to know that the food industry is looking out for the welfare of cooks everywhere by eliminating the arduous task of cutting a stick of butter in half and rewrapping the unused portion. (I, personally, am embarrassed to admit that at times I have avoided the onerous rewrapping task by placing the unused half stick directly on a butter dish for table use.) And I'm sure they will charge no more than a 75% premium for saving you the trouble.

But the real question is, will they take the next logical step and introduce Butter in Quarter Sticks? There must be numerous recipes out there that call for 1/8 cup of butter. The cooks using such recipes deserve the same level of relief as the 1/4 cup butter recipe cooks! We will settle for no less.

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