Six Dubai-based chefs and bloggers to star in a four-part mini-series about French butter, where they follow its journey from the farm in western France to the table in Paris
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai-based chefs and bloggers will take the internet by storm when they appear in the latest mini-series produced by the French Dairy Board and the European Union to showcase the 100% natural qualities of French butter and the flavour enhancing attributes it brings to any dish.
Those taking part in the butter tour of France mini-series include chef and blogger Dalia Dogmoch Soubra as well as food bloggers and influencers Courtney Brandt, Nicole Maftoum, Sandra Boghos, Yasmine Tannir and Jen Sahi.
As part of the four episodes, the Dubai chefs and bloggers had the opportunity to witness firsthand the milking phase of the butter-making process when they visited a dedicated dairy farm in Machecoul, western France. As part of milking, strict hygiene regulations are implemented to avoid bacteria contamination, and five-star conditions for the cows are put into effect to create tasty milk.
Award-winning cheese monger François Robin said, “The butter-making process is connected to the milk composition, which in turn, is related to what animals eat. Eating as naturally and seasonally as possible gives that fantastic taste that we get in the butter later.”
“That’s why this connection between what the cows eat and how the butter tastes is so incredibly important. This is the perfect illustration of the link between the terroir and the taste of the butter.”
The group was also introduced to the centuries-old tradition of churning butter. Using a wooden churn, the butter is churned and once formed, cold water is added to capture the flavour and firm up the butter. The butter is slowly kneaded until it obtains its familiar consistency. The butter can be salted using fine salt or salt crystals during this final stage.
The history of butter is also showcased as part of a to visit the town of Laval and the local dairy museum. The fascinating story of butter is recreated there, with many of the original tools used to make butter on display.
The third episode showcases the wonderful taste butter creates as outlined by Michelin star Chef Tugdual De Béthune at his Holen restaurant, Rennes, where he reveals the difference butter makes to the taste and quality of his dishes.
“Butter has its natural flavour, but if you add another ingredient to it, automatically and very gently, the butter will enhance those ingredients and will try to mirror them. It works as well in savoury dishes as it does in sweet ones.”
No trip to France would be complete without visiting the capital, Paris. As part of the journey of butter series, the group had the opportunity to see Chef Eric Fraudeau, where they learnt the art of making croissants, and of course, tasting the end product.
“Butter is a truly versatile ingredient, whose flavour is not only great by itself, but it can also capture and bind flavours. It can also bring out other things, add texture, and its presence can be both obvious and subtle,” concluded Robin.
The last episode is a sequel to the 3-episode series in France, in Dubai. It follows the adventure of Chef Dalia Dogmoch Soubra, who relates her experience with butter in her cooking and make us discover true successful gems. She shares her love for the golden ingredient by exchanging knowledge with her fellow friends, owners of famous establishments in Dubai, such as Chef Mohamad Orfali founder of Orfali Bros Bistro and Pastry Chef Hind Al Mulla founder of Home Bakery.
To date, the videos have already been viewed by more than one million people.
