"Buttery"
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:25 pm
As some of you know I'm mad for history, tradition and etymology. As for "buttery", allow me to digress for a moment and express my appreciation for this - the Count's website. One of the more intelligent, civil and respectful/respected rum (and others) websites on the net.
Completely unlike my own, lol.
Enough butteriness for the Count. We see the term "buttery" applied to rum, and a wonderful descriptor it is. It's a term applied to certain (rightfully) appreciated rums. Mmmmm. And of course posters like Tiare no doubt associate "buttery" with her/their fine cooking and cuisine.
The actual origin is quite different and really pretty fascinating.
"Buttery" actually came from the term "butt", referring to barrels in which beers, wines and spirits were shipped and stored. It doesn't take a Compleat Idiot like me to comprehend that the "buttery" was a place where these cherished butts of valued fluids were stored. It gets better...
The value of these butts made them subject to theft, so of course the "buttery" was kept locked, safe and secure and left under the supervision of a trusted employee. And who might that be?
The "butler". How delicious! And now you know the rest of the story...
Completely unlike my own, lol.
Enough butteriness for the Count. We see the term "buttery" applied to rum, and a wonderful descriptor it is. It's a term applied to certain (rightfully) appreciated rums. Mmmmm. And of course posters like Tiare no doubt associate "buttery" with her/their fine cooking and cuisine.
The actual origin is quite different and really pretty fascinating.
"Buttery" actually came from the term "butt", referring to barrels in which beers, wines and spirits were shipped and stored. It doesn't take a Compleat Idiot like me to comprehend that the "buttery" was a place where these cherished butts of valued fluids were stored. It gets better...
The value of these butts made them subject to theft, so of course the "buttery" was kept locked, safe and secure and left under the supervision of a trusted employee. And who might that be?
The "butler". How delicious! And now you know the rest of the story...