You CAN Bring the Butter HOME!

Yes, You Can Bring the Butter Home

There are souvenirs from France, and then there is French butter.

Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks a few precious packages of butter deserve valuable suitcase space. The Wall Street Journal dropped an article on October 1st, outlining the newest trend for souvenirs from France. Travelers are going to great lengths to bring artisanal French butter home, and it made me smile because, just last week, I took photos of exactly that, having my butter carefully shrink-wrapped for the trip back to Texas.

So, yes, you can bring home the butter. And I think you should.

My favorite is Maison Bordier demi-sel, a beautiful semi-salted butter from Brittany. Bordier butter is made from the richest milk produced in Brittany, Normandy and the Pays de la Loire. The milk is collected and then churned and kneaded by hand using traditional wooden paddles. If you look closely, you can see the ridges on the top of the butter block.

The flavor of the milk changes with the seasons as the cows’ diet changes. Learning to properly work and salt this butter is a craft that takes years to master. And it is absolutely delicious.

You’ll find Bordier and other exceptional French butters at high-end fromageries and food shops in Paris. Please be prepared for a wait. Butter aisles are packed with tourists collecting the exact number of butter packages needed for the trip back to, well, wherever they have come from.

I always get my butter from one of my favorite foodie stops (stay tuned, I’ll be blogging about this very soon): La Grande Épicerie at Le Bon Marché, where the butter selection is impressive. In fact, it takes up an entire aisle!

Before you start planning your French bread and butter feast, here are the tips you’ll need to get these precious packages home with you!

First—Ask the retailer if they can shrink-wrap butter for travel.

Buy butter toward the end of your trip. Have each package shrink-wrapped and take it straight back to the hotel, where it goes into the minibar refrigerator.

Put a large note on your suitcase that says REMEMBER THE BUTTER! Trust me. On departure morning, when you’re thinking about passports, chargers, airport transportation and whether you’ve left something under the bed, that beautiful butter sitting quietly in the minibar is very easy to forget.

Just before leaving for the airport, tuck the wrapped butter deep inside your checked suitcase.

When you arrive home, unpack the butter and put it straight into the refrigerator. Don’t be alarmed if the butter is wicking water. Butter has water in it and it can seep out, but that is normal.

And one last tip, wrap the butter in fresh parchment paper and ALWAYS keep it in a zip top bag. Butter can pick up other flavors from being inside of your refrigerator.

And then, long after the trip is over, you can pull out a beautiful baguette, unwrap a little piece of France and be transported right back. That may be what I love most about bringing food home from France, the flavors have a way of keeping the experience alive.

Of course, the very best way to experience French butter is in France, and I’d love to show you.

Registration is currently open for all of my upcoming trips. Each filled with the food, markets, beautiful places and special experiences that make France so irresistible.

Paris Flagship April 19th-25th, 2027 Takes us straight into the heart of the city I love so much. We’ll experience the iconic sites and museums, the beauty and flavor of Paris, and three outstanding cooking classes—including one at the famed Le Cordon Bleu. It is Paris from every delicious angle.

The Loire Valley April 8th-14th, 2027 Only 1 seat OPEN. A gorgeous escape into storybook châteaux, magnificent gardens, charming villages, beautiful wines, lush interiors, and the fascinating history of the French Renaissance.

Creative Renaissance, September 21st- 27th, 2027. This year’s Creative Renaissance exceeded every expectation, and I can’t wait to do it all again! Whether you have a creative business or simply want to unlock the creative within, Paris provides the ideal backdrop for a collection of inspiring workshops and experiences designed to open your senses, spark new ideas, and invite you to play.

Provence September 11th-17th 2027 SPECIAL EDITION. Lauren Palmer, author of The France dance joins as guest host for a very special year in Provence. We’ll experience the markets, villages, cooking classes, local wines, beautiful landscapes and unforgettable flavors that inspired her novel, with a few charming extras woven in along the way.

And if France isn’t on your calendar just yet, come cook with me! I still have a few seats in select cooking classes this season, where we’ll bring plenty of French inspiration into my new kitchen.

Thursday, November 5^th from 6:30-8:30 Gather & Graze: Fall Appetizers for Entertaining Gather around for an irresistible evening of fall flavors, festive bites, and plenty of inspiration for your next gathering. We’ll start with a classic Cosmopolitan, then create a beautiful collection of appetizers designed to make fall entertaining feel effortless and delicious. We’ll bake creamy Brie with Roasted Tomatoes and briny olives, then give the classic Croque Monsieur an unexpected twist with sweet-tart blackberry. Savory Meatball Skewers are served with vibrant Red Pepper Relish and a creamy Horseradish Sauce, while crisp Stuffed Endive leaves are filled with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Goat Cheese for an elegant bite READ MORE & REGISTER

Thursday, November 19^th 6:30-8:30 A Toast to Autumn: An Evening of Bites & Sips Grab your favorite foodie—or come solo and make new friends—for a Girls’ Night In filled with fabulous food, a little indulgence, and plenty of fun. We’ll kick things off with a festive Apple Cider Paloma and settle in for an evening of irresistible bites made for sharing. We’ll start with luscious Cream Cheese Crab Cakes, golden and crisp, served with a zesty Remoulade Sauce. Next, we’ll build a gorgeous Centerpiece of creamy Burrata, ripe Pears, toasted Walnuts, and a generous drizzle of golden Honey. Warm Baked Goat Cheese gets a burst of flavor from savory Pepper Tomato Confit, while Maple Bacon and Blue Cheese Crostini bring together smoky, salty, sweet, and creamy in one READ MORE & REGISTER