Serious Eats: New York
Totally Unnecessary But Awesome Gadget: The Automatic Butter Spreader
[Photographs: Tressa Eaton]
This past weekend's New Amsterdam Market in New York was packed full of people and delicious products. Booth upon booth featured artisanal and handmade products like kimchi, jams, local wine, and ice cream, all laid out for sampling and buying before a hungry crowd.
By the time I got to the front of the Luke's Lobster line, I was more than ready to chow down on a buttery lobster roll. But then I got so distracted by the discovery of the existence of automatic butter spreaders that all I wanted to do was stand and watch the magic happen. The employees behind the Luke's table were cranking out lobster rolls at a ridiculous pace, aided by this very special gadget.
The butter spreader in action
Before being put on the griddle to brown, and then being stuffed full of lobster, each roll got a leisurely swipe over the wheel, ensuring an even layer of butter and maximum griddled perfection.
I started to think of all the ways such a gadget could be used at home: Spreading butter on your toast in the morning. On hamburger buns. On hot dog buns. On your pancakes. On hot, fresh corn. Almost anything going on a griddle could benefit from a trip over this wheel of deliciousness. The possibilities are endless.
The finished product
The butter spreader that the folks at Luke's use can be purchased from Nemco Food Equipment. It comes in two versions: a non-electric model for $120 and an electric model for $150 and can hold up to 1 pound of butter. The electric model will keep your butter soft even if you've got your butter spreader sitting on a cold countertop.
Do you need this thing to make a quality lobster roll? Absolutely not. Is it cool? Absolutely.