Have to admit, until fairly recently, we’d never heard of the butter bell. We just did what I suppose most people do – keep the butter in fridge, where it’s always too hard and cold. Or, leave it out in a butter dish and return to a swimming pool of buttery oil in warmer weather. It never seemed too much of a problem, as I didn’t know there was a solution. I didn’t even know there was a problem, especially as I’m not a huge butter fan, so had never really questioned our storage of it. Until I chanced upon a butter bell on Instagram, and our buttery lives changed forever.

Since finding out about these ceramic pots, I now realise that probably everyone else has always known about them. But in case, like us, you haven’t, here’s the lowdown on butter bells and why you definitely need one in your life…

The butter bell, also called a French butter crock or butter keeper, dates back hundreds of years. Well before refrigeration, it is known that French cooks crafted ceramic bell-shaped crocks – known as “beurrier à eau” –  to preserve butter at room temperature, by sealing it from oxygen with water, in designs especially made in Vallauris, a town famous for its pottery, or in Brittany or Normandy, regions renowned for butter production. However, the invention of refrigeration meant that the use of butter bells started to decline at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1970s, North American craft potters apparently rediscovered, and began producing these crocks again, selling them at fairs and boutiques, bringing about a resurgence in their popularity, and in the late 20th century, interest increased in traditional methods of food preservation, and the butter bell, gained popularity once again.

L. Tremain, Inc. trademarked the name “Butter Bell” in the US in 1995 and modernized the traditional French design, creating the “Original Butter Bell® Crock”. As I now know, they are widely available these days, and some of the designs are really quite beautiful. It’s such a simple concept too. The lid, filled with butter, is inverted into a water-filled base, creating an airtight seal that keeps oxygen and bacteria out. The important thing is that it’s an airtight seal, not that the butter is touching the water. That little pocket of non‑circulating air isn’t really apparently a big deal in the world of butter bells. This seal preserves butter for up to a month when kept below about 27 °C and with regular water changes. 

Today, butter bells are appreciated for their ability to keep butter soft and spreadable without refrigeration, as well as their undoubted aesthetic appeal, and their connection to traditional food preservation methods. And, do you know what? They really DO work! I ordered one – obviously – but was very sceptical. I mean, summer heat in Andalucia and you expect to keep butter out of the fridge and it doesn’t melt? 

In the cooler months, this is the perfect receptacle for butter. It keeps it cold, but spreadable. No more tearing bread. The butter is smooth, but still with substance – perfect buttering conditions. We’ve had to adapt a little in summer months, as temperatures rise into the forties. Leaving the bell out on the kitchen work surface is no longer the best idea, as the butter definitely does become much, much softer. So, we keep it in a cool cupboard and problem solved. It is important to remember to change the water regularly – every two, certainly three, days – and to always hand wash the whole thing before re-filling.

It’s easy-peasy to refill, too – the bell (or at least ours) seems to take just under a normal sized pack of butter, so we use what’s left over first. It’s best to let the butter soften at room temperature first (don’t melt it), then press it firmly into the bell-shaped lid to remove air pockets. Finally, level off the top with a knife or spatula for a clean seal.

Our butter bell is a retro style, in white ceramic, with a lovely bone handled butter knife. Not at all expensive, but it definitely looks like a kitchen item with a little bit of history.