Butter vs. Margarine
I’ve been cooking for years and on occasion I have been known to substitute margarine for butter (mainly during my college years when money was tight). But since I’ve learned more about baking, and made literally hundreds of recipes, I have realized that the two are definitely not equal.
Butter is made from the fat taken from the cream of sweet milk of domesticated animals, usually cows. Once the cream is seperated from the milk, it is churned until it reaches a semisolid state and is then formed into blocks of butter. Margarine is a blend of oils, a combination of both animal and vegetable fats. It was originally developed as a lower-priced alternative to butter and was said to be healthier as well. But with the on-going studies of trans-fat in diets, we’re seeing that may not be the case.
In terms of the difference in flavor and texture, I will always choose butter. While it is more expensive ($.70 for 4 sticks of margarine as opposed to $3 for 4 sticks of butter), the end product is well worth the financial sacrifice. Margarine tends to flatten baked goods, especially cookies, and doesn’t give much flavor, while butter gives cakes and cookies a nice, light texture and also a rich flavor.
Some people can’t discern the difference between the two, so it really is up to personal preference. However, there is no real choice in the matter - I like to make things as pure as possible, so in my kitchen, I will always use butter.
Candace, I’m a real butter fan, too. However, my wife grew up with margarine, and I think butter is richer than she cares for a lot of times. I think a lot of things go back to what you grew up with in terms of taste. I’m also on a kind of kick to go back to pure foods: unprocessed sugars, real butter, eggs without hormones, etc).