Why Some Recipes Call for Unsalted Butter

Question: I would like to know why it is important (or if it is) to use unsalted butter in a recipe. I do not keep unsalted butter on hand. Why couldn’t the salt called for in a recipe be eliminated, and regular salted butter be used?

Answer: Marlene Sorosky, in her “The Dessert Lover’s Cookbook” (Harper & Row, 1985: $22.50) answers a similar question of why recipes call for unsalted butter when salt is listed as one of the ingredients by saying, “Unsalted butter is usually fresher than lightly salted or salted butter. Salt, which acts as a preservative, gives butter a longer shelf life, thereby reducing its quality. If you wish to substitute salted butter for unsalted, omit the salt called for in the recipe. One stick (one-quarter pound) of salted butter contains approximately one-half teaspoon salt.”

Q: I recently purchased a tube of Reese anchovy paste. How long after opening can it be kept safely, if carefully reclosed and refrigerated?

A: Since this product is imported by Reese Finer Foods, company representatives checked with the French producer of the product. If carefully reclosed and refrigerated, they advise the anchovy paste can be safely stored several months. Of course, the more the product is exposed to air, the faster the quality will deteriorate.

Q: Does the white of an egg contain vitamins, minerals, etc.? How does the yolk compare with the white in this regard?

A: According to “Nutritive Value of American Foods, In Common Units,” Agriculture Handbook No. 456, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the white of one large egg contains 17 calories, 3.6 grams protein, a trace of fat, 0.3 grams carbohydrate, 3 milligrams calcium, 5 milligrams phosphorus, a trace of iron, 48 milligrams sodium, 46 milligrams potassium, no Vitamin A, a trace of thiamine, 0.09 milligrams riboflavin, a trace of niacin and no ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).

Compare this to the yolk of a large egg, which contains 59 calories, 2.7 grams protein, 5.2 grams fat, 0.1 grams carbohydrate, 24 milligrams calcium, 97 milligrams phosphorus, 0.9 milligrams iron, 9 milligrams sodium, 17 milligrams potassium, 580 international units Vitamin A, 0.04 milligrams thiamine, 0.07 milligrams riboflavin, a trace of niacin and no ascorbic acid (Vitamin C).

In response to the March 5 “You Asked About . . . “ column on preventing pecan rolls and sticky buns from sticking to the pan, R. Parton of Palmdale suggests using parchment paper in the bottom of pans and on baking sheets.