the cook
This is me, Jen. Welcome to use real butter, my food blog.
I live in the Colorado Rockies at 8500 feet above sea level with an astrophysicist and a black dog. I am a freelance nature, food, portrait, and event photographer. In addition to fooding I hike, mountain bike, mountaineer, and telemark ski. I hold a Ph.D. in geology from Cornell and a B.S. in engineering and applied science from Caltech. In my past life I was a NASA programmer, although I remain a smartass and proficient noodler.
I’m hyper, opinionated, and OCD.
use real butter is less of a mantra for my cooking and baking and more of a directive for life. I am not a fan of doing things half-assed. I managed 23 days of telemark skiing during chemotherapy in 2008. Rock on.
I maintain a website, a photoblog, and a photo gallery where you can peruse prints for purchase.
You can follow me on Twitter @userealbutter and like urb on Facebook.
the blog
Please obtain my permission to legally use any of my images. Do not copy, hotlink, or steal my photos – that is just complete assholery. I retain full rights.
use real butter (urb) went public in August of 2007 when I surgically removed the food-related content from my personal blog. That is why it dates back to November 2004 and the early posts are moronic at best. I suppose some things never change. There is a lot of personal minutiae dribbled throughout urb because food is an integral part of my life and I never shut up.
Feel free to leave a comment or ask questions on the blog. If you are shy, you can always email me. I try to answer all sincere comments and emails within a week of the post. It’s getting harder and harder for me to answer each comment, so from now on, I will try to answer any questions or respond to a comment if I feel I have anything to add. Thank you for understanding! If you have a blog, please link to it in the url field of the comments section. I can’t promise that I will visit you in a timely manner, but eventually I might! You are welcome to link to urb if that is your desire. I do not engage in trading blog links as my blogroll is reserved for my favorite blogs and I update that once a century.
Should you feel the need to be rude, be nasty, leave incendiary remarks, troll, or spam, don’t be surprised if you are no longer welcome at urb. These days I am less inclined to bring the smackdown than to just delete your sorry ass outright. This is not a public forum, it is my blog. If you want to spout Crazy, you can actually do that on your own shiny little blog – flying spittle and all.
Requests for posts on specific recipes will invariably go unheeded: This is not a call-in cooking show, nor am I made of spare time (or money for that matter).
photography
I shoot with professional Nikon digital bodies and lenses and use a tripod for 90% of my food shoots. I have nothing against artificial lighting and use flash(es) when necessary. There is a pervasive misconception that dropping enough money for a fancy camera and expensive glass will magically turn you into a good photographer. Owning a Steinway does not a concert pianist make.
Drop a line if you have questions!
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:39 pm
[...] was going to just wing it as I do when I make my chicken stock but then I stumbled upon a soup that Jen over at Use Real Butter made, which in turn stumbled me over to Susan at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy [...]
March 9th, 2009 at 3:03 pm
I love to eat and cook. Googling for a pork mustard green recipe. N Wis. is “Taste of Home” territory. Kamchanh’s restaurant in 54476 or 54474 – sells it at lunch – and it’s awesome! Many thanks for sharing your recipes!
March 11th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I just came across your blog as I was perusing for new recipes. I have to say that your introduction is fabulous!! I haven’t delved much further than that, just yet but I feel compelled to bookmark this page. Just love the brutal honesty and fantastic ‘tude!! All that and you had me with the picture of the prosciutto wrapped shrimp. I find myself wondering why I haven’t done that yet. Can’t wait to dig deeper!!
March 22nd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Hi Jen,
Love photos on your blog. I myself love baking. I tried to blog my culinary experience as I don’t want them to fade away with time.
I live by myself. When I bake, even I halfed the portion, it came out too much for one person. I frequently ended up, shared my goodies with my colleagues (so call guinea-pigs), landlady’s family, friends, friends of friends. I wonder who do you share your food with? :-D
Are the recipes you posted for high althtude?
March 25th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Ning – the recipes are for sea-level and usually high altitude instructions are listed in parentheses. I distribute extra portions from my kitchen to friends and neighbors.
April 12th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Hi, came to your blog from Rasa Malaysia. Love the egg-roll recipe. Never thought to use the red bean paste to make sweet roll. Thanks for sharing.
April 13th, 2009 at 7:49 am
Hi, i came to your blog from Rasa Malaysia too… saw your post on your kitchen… love it :) are you from Malaysia as well?
April 13th, 2009 at 9:24 am
newcook – nope! I’m from Virginia, but I’m Chinese :)
April 15th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Started poking around your site some more after tastespotting.com led me to it on several occasions – the soy sauce chicken + soy sauce eggs were what first led me here, and today, the scallion pancakes.
Spent some time looking at your photos and personal website. Beautiful pictures!
Now I’m subscribed to your RSS feed :)
Keep up the lovely posts!
April 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I stumbled upon your site while reading another food blog (I think…Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)…and, I just wanted to say ‘Wow’! You’re awesome – photos, commentary, recipes! Your photos next to each recipe on the Recipes…BRILLIANT!How I wish that all food blogs and food websites did the same thing when listing a recipe!! And, your comments and explanations are hilarious! So happy to have found URB! Wish I had half of your talent behind the camera and in the kitchen! Thanks for a great blog!
April 29th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Hi, Jen,
I just discovered your websites today from Rasa Malaysia which I go to a lot and totally enjoyed it. Your pictures are magnicent and so sharp and clear, what type of camera do you use and what type of camera do you recommend to a novice like me? Your advise is greatly appreciated, and by the way I love your recipes, must try to make some of it.
Regards,
Susan
May 6th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Hi Jen! What a great website! I am new to Colorado (Monument) from the central coast of California. So I’ve gone from 300 feet to 7200. GAH! I used to be a pretty good cook, now not so much! Anyway, your high altitude baking gives me hope! And yes, I’ve purchased all the high altitude books I can find but my 20 year old oven isn’t helping me out either! So glad to have found you! Arlynn
P.S. I grew up with In and Out Burgers, oh how I miss them!
June 4th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Thank you. I am very excited. As a wheat-sensitive person with great love for food of all nations, I am always looking for ways to recreate the original with spelt. I withstood the initial goo-or-two experimentation with Jeff Varasano’s pizza blog dough recipe to be able to reliably create a crust that is not only pizza worthy but also great as home-made naan (BIG fan of Indian food). I’ve done normal doughs for 50 years, so getting ravioli to high levels was pretty straightforward, but something like potstickers seemed out of reach. Tonight we’ll find out.
By the way, before I saw the main page, I looked at you making the dumplings and (after long sighs at their perfect perimeters) thought – very Asian looking hands. Beautiful, and delicate yet capable looking, just like my old roommates. So thank also for reminding me by accident that I owe her a call!
June 4th, 2009 at 4:04 am
p.s. I”m thinking about Mu Shu Pork and saw this pancake recipe. http://chinesefood.about.com/od/beijingcuisine/r/mandarinpancake.htm
Any opinions on the methodology? I’m also a programmer-scientist but specialized in testing and quality, so I’m big on trying to predict the failure points before starting, and with all the fooding you’ve done here, you’re bound to have a sixth sense on how this will go without doing it yourself.
p.p.s Don’t mention burgers, anyone. I can nearly reproduce a good bun, but the burger itself – no chance. And in Switzerland (current home) you can forget anything that resembles a Val’s Burger (Hayward, CA) which is the gold standard of the East Bay (former home).
June 7th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Rozi – I don’t know, I’ve never tried making mushu shells by hand. The recipe does seem to be similar to others I’ve seen though.
June 10th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
I just stumbled on your blog. Thank you! My husband and I were married in southern Colorado and lived in a little town called LaVeta. It was 15 years ago, almost to the day. Looking at your pics just brings back memories. We got our culinary start there at the Cuchura ski resort …were married there…had our first son there…a lot of good things come from Colorado and it looks as if I found another to add to the list! Thank you!
-kristin
June 20th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
I’ll be scouring your archives – great to meet you today!
June 28th, 2009 at 8:46 am
I stumbled on this page while looking for a gallette recipe. I love the photos and can’t wait to try some of them. Definitely will be visiting again. Looks like great food and humorous banter–what could be better? Addy.
July 2nd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
LOVE Your Website, Photos and Enthusiasm!! Rock on Girl!
July 15th, 2009 at 12:47 am
you are so funny and i love your attitude! and i so envy where you’re living!! colorado rockies!!! so so sooooo lucky!
July 30th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Great site! I am really impressed with the clean aesthetics and great recipes. Thanks for providing all this :)
July 31st, 2009 at 6:42 am
My friend just referred me to your website and it’s a great read. Love the pictures too. And then the best part is that we’re neighbors–I’m up above 11,000 in the Colorado Rockies. Happy first snow of the season! Mine’s a personal blog in its infancy about assorted topics, but my latest obsession is wild edible plants. Cooking is suddenly fun for me again! Cheers.
August 12th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
This is a great website, Jen. I don’t really cook but your recipes and humor make it so not intimidating. Love the attitude and humor. My dog will benefit from licking the dishes of your creations, definitely. Also thanks for posting lots of recipes (soy sauce eggs, zhajiang mien) which i grew up with and are comfort foods to me.
September 5th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Hi Jen
I really love your site and your photos are amazing.
Not sure how I ended up here but I think I was looking for chinese dumpling dough recipe.
Do you have culinary training in food and pastry?
You do it really well – the photos really make each recipe alive on the page.
I am going to cook some of your dishes very soon.
September 9th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Lauren – I’ve only taken a pastry class at the local Culinary school. Thanks!
September 21st, 2009 at 10:46 am
Hi Jen! I wanted to tell you that today I was eating breakfast and I heard a horrible thump against the window. I was afraid to look because I was sure it was going to be a hummingbird, and sure enough it was. Poor thing was laying upside down with its wings and tail spread. Luckily you had posted about your hummingbird rescue and so I knew how to help! Eventually it recovered enough to fly away so I’m hopeful it will be ok. Thank you for your post on the hummingbird, I would have hated to leave it that way on the ground! Still lovin’ your blog! Arlynn (in Monument Colorado)
September 21st, 2009 at 12:40 pm
fantastic blog, website, etc!!! I don’t know how I didn’t run across you sooner but I am glad I have you saved and secured now. I am about to embark on a second career (third or fourth or fifth actually but …who’s counting???) at 40ish and have enrolled myself in the patisserie/baking program here at Le Cordon Bleu. I want to blog the entire event and need a camera but don’t have endless $$ to spend. Can you recommend a good point and shoot type that will serve my purposes of mostly food pics, etc? Eventually I will move up to a DSLR..but for now….I am on a student budget once again! Thanks again for the entertaining and ever so informative info you have posted here ….I apprecite the dedication you have to all that you do! Very inspiring…
September 22nd, 2009 at 10:50 am
Arlynn – congrats on the save!!
Margaret – I cannot honestly give you a good rec because our point-and-shoot is 5 years old (Canon elph – it’s great). If you want to a good place to read reviews of various models, try dpreview.com. Good luck.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Dear Jen – I know we only connected for a few moments yesterday – but you made a lasting impression on me – and I just wanted to pop by and let you know that. It only took me a few seconds to cotton on to the fact that you are one helluva individual. Thank you for making yourself known to me.
Sam
October 4th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Fascinating website! I love the recipe interaction boards, the restaurant notes, and of course a small glimpse into Jen! Thank you for this creation. I am 86 days until I ship off from the US to Paris, France to study at Le Cordon Bleu. This process (of waiting for Paris to come) has been a 400 plus day adventure for me. As I near my culinary-max experience I enjoy pouring through this website to help expand my food knowledge. Keep it up and soon I’ll be “tuning in” from one of the greatest food places on earth!
~Anthony
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:47 am
Just found your web site while searching for mu shu recipes. We share love of food, love of labs, and a love of mountains and pics of mountains.
I live in Seattle temporarily, but call Bellingham home, and your pics from the Colman Glacier, and Whistler made me write you.
Plus, your attitude during chemo reminded me of my husband, a cancer survivor.
But this was all after the initial impression of you as as a great cook! I was totally impressed by your recipes… Can’t wait to try a bunch of em!
Donna
November 18th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I saw you on Twitter looking for fudgey brownie recipes. I have one – it is hands down the best brownie I’ve ever had. I don’t like posting links in people’s comments section, but I could not find an email address on here for you. DO you have an email I can send it to? It is the best brownie recipe ever!
November 18th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Jessica – you can email me at the address listed under “drop a line” :) thanks.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:20 am
Hello Jen, I was looking for a recipe for a candied orange peel and nuts and found your site. I love your website (my son is a professional photographer and web designer!:) Have you tried making candied pecans?
Best Regards,
Maria
November 29th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Maria – haven’t tried pralines, if that’s what you mean? I’d like to get around to it sometime… Perhaps in early 2010 :)
December 14th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I liked your Chocolate Mousse and Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Recipe and wanted to know I could get a copy of both of them.
Do I have to join your website to get them or what?
December 23rd, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Rue – you can use your mouse to highlight and then copy the text, then paste it into a text file somewhere on your computer.
January 10th, 2010 at 8:42 am
Hello Jen,
Thanks so much for your recipes and philosophy on life (‘real butter’, a nice way to express doing everything with complete commitment). I stumbled on your blog this morning when I was looking for a recipe for macarons with raspberries and chocolate. Fell in love with your gorgeous photos of macarons, raspberries and chocolate! Tried them and the ganache is delicious.
It’s also special to read about someone half a world away. My daughter and I have had a lot of fun trying to create the perfect macaron — and you might enjoy our blog about it: http://www.parisperfect.com/blog/2009/10/making-the-best-macarons-in-the-world/
Kind regards,
Madelyn
January 20th, 2010 at 10:46 am
I’m sure you get this all the time but I just found your blog and have been cruising ’round it and…you’re awesome! Great voice, lovely pics and delicious looking recipes. I’m a Kiwi (living at altitude too, in Austria! Though I haven’t noticed it affecting my baking) and while I was a professional cook for a while, I gave it up for various reasons and now I take joy in domestic cooking. Thanks for giving me lots of new ideas!
February 1st, 2010 at 4:23 pm
THANK YOU SO MUCH for your wonderful blog site! This is one online detour I will visit on purpose over and over. Your words and photos are an inspiration, food-wise and otherwise.
February 11th, 2010 at 1:17 pm
Your blog is my new fave. Haha, you’re freaking hilarious.
February 18th, 2010 at 7:21 am
Hi Jen. I just happened upon your blog via Foodgawker. Anyone who can make brown food lumped in a bowl – kung pao chicken – look delicious is a food blogger worth following. ;D
I’m also a Nikon shooter. Just got the 60mm macro. The older model with the aperture ring. I shoot film, too. That’s how I roll. Enjoy your new lenses; they’re lovely!
Also, the layout of your blog is beautiful. We’re entering our second year and will soon be self-hosted and have a more organized look. Blogs like yours are inspiring and show the ‘light at the end of the Interwebs tunnel.’
Can’t wait to read more and see more photos!
Buen provecho,
Stacey
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:22 pm
hi Jen,
i’m a newly wed of almost 4 months now, not much experience with cooking at all. I work full time and am always browsing around for recipes whenever I get the chance. Suffering from insomnia one night (I think around 3 am?), I started browsing the web, stumbled upon your site for soy sauce eggs and just fell in love with it. Coming from a Chinese background myself and marrying someone from a different background makes me feel like I can relate to you.
Your pictures make me so HUNGRY! lol.
Thanks for your awesome blog.
(;
March 9th, 2010 at 12:49 am
I stumbled upon your website whilst searching for chinese chives pancakes.
Amazing photos – love the snow. And the food photos… superbly sharp and makes me hungry.
Love the dog
April 9th, 2010 at 6:18 pm
You have an absolutely gorgeous site! I’m glad I discovered it! :)
April 16th, 2010 at 11:37 pm
I am so glad I found your website — it’s got all my parents’ recipes but with exact measurements — wonderful! Beautiful pictures. I just tried the sa cha beef and used spinach — my son who has an aversion to beef ate it all up!
April 27th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I am wondering if you can come up with a recipe for 糙米粥?
April 27th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Lisa – I can’t read Chinese, so I have no idea what that is.
May 9th, 2010 at 4:02 am
Just wanted to say thanks for the great recipes and wonderful photos. I just finished making bean curd skin rolls. They are incredible! Better than I could have imagined. These are the first chinese food recipes I have ever read that I felt I fully understood before I started and was confident about. I have a Chinese friend at work but I still don’t understand things even when she explains because specialty items don’t seem to translate well. I hope you don’t think I’m a complete cretin for saying this, but this is also the first blog I ever read that I understood the point of. I really appreciate you writing this.
May 13th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
At a glance, I love your style! I agree on real butter, noodles, and following butterflies…
The Art of Homebiscuitry throws a couple of buttered ones your way!
Great Summer to you.
Cheers, Karen
May 13th, 2010 at 1:25 pm
By the way, my husband’s name is Kaweah..
May 19th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
fantastic blog, website, etc!!! I don’t know how I didn’t run across you sooner but I am glad I have you saved and secured now. I am about to embark on a second career (third or fourth or fifth actually but …who’s counting???) at 40ish and have enrolled myself in the patisserie/baking program here at Le Cordon Bleu. I want to blog the entire event and need a camera but don’t have endless $$ to spend. Can you recommend a good point and shoot type that will serve my purposes of mostly food pics, etc? Eventually I will move up to a DSLR..but for now….I am on a student budget once again! Thanks again for the entertaining and ever so informative info you have posted here ….I apprecite the dedication you have to all that you do! Very inspiring…
+1
May 20th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Farab – sorry, I don’t have a compact camera to recommend. You might want to read up on different models on dpreview.com though! Good luck.
June 4th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Hi!
I followed your recipe for Chinese dumplings and dipping sauce tonight.
It was probably the greatest thing I’ve ever cooked to date – your recipe was wonderful.
Thank you!
June 14th, 2010 at 3:38 am
Great blog.
The title is about more than food…. it’s a allegorical philosophy upon which to base real life, surely? :)
June 20th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
Hi Jen! I found your blog while checking out the attendees for IBFC 2010. I’m still fairly new to blogging and am also not a “traditional” food blogger. I’ve been trying to check out all of the other bloggers sites so I know a bit more before attending. (I am still trying to figure out the details, mostly money and babysitters). I love your style and hope to learn a lot from you! Happy eating!
~Katie :)
June 22nd, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Thank you so much for posting the authentic Chinese recipes! My mom doesn’t know how to tell me in English and yes, I’m the bad ABC kid that didn’t learn to speak Chinese. But now I have a resource to learn how to make all these dishes at home. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
July 1st, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Hey Jen,
I love looking at your photographs, they take me to a whole other world where the air smells like pine trees and it’s just rained, and the sky is sunny-cloudy with bright blue background. Keep it up.
July 3rd, 2010 at 7:50 am
Hi Jen! Your website (and your story) are truly inspiring. Because of you, I’ve decided not only to pick my camera again, but to pursue all the art forms I left behind in my twenties. You are a wonderful role model, thank you! ~Melissa in Pennsylvania :)
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:52 pm
I really like some of your photos and I am not asking if I really post your pictures but I am asking if it will be ok if I recreate them in a drawing or painting a post/sell that once I finish the piece.
thanks
July 9th, 2010 at 7:18 am
[...] Jen lives local to the area & she expertly made sure that all of our needs were met leading up to and while we were at the event. The most important was making sure our coffee needs were tended to. And they were! I must have stopped at Atlas Purveyors 3 times a day and my bill was magically “paid.” Thanks for that perk my friend. [...]
July 12th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Shayne – absolutely. My aunt does that with some of my photos :)
September 23rd, 2010 at 3:12 pm
Wow! – what an amazing site… your photography is just breathtaking and your commentary is colorful to say the least. I will share you site w/ friends and may ask questions about how you take such beautiful shots. I have a Nikon D80 but I think I should take a photography course or something… not a photographer am I. :)
October 6th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Jen,
You have no idea how much you, and your life, inspires me. I relate to much to you and your determination. I just wanted to let you know that I am a regular reader and am so thankful that you are putting your positive energy out into the Universe.
– Alena
October 7th, 2010 at 11:31 am
so great to find another colorado blogger! i love all of your photos and recipes so far…can’t wait to read more!
October 12th, 2010 at 9:52 am
Hi Jen!
Found your site and it’s just great! I recently moved FAR away from my parent’s home cooking and I didn’t get the chance to learn many while I was still in there area. Your Asian food section is wonderful and has brightened my life — especially since there isn’t much REAL Asian food in the area =(
Regards, Helen
October 14th, 2010 at 12:36 pm
Nice photos you have..just had a brief look and as my per usual had read at your About Me page – always interested to know the sort of person behind the blog…like the sound of your personality :)
November 8th, 2010 at 12:58 pm
Hi, you used to have a recipe for Chocolate Molten cake.. it was the best recipe ever. Now, i can’t find where i put it. Is there any way you can send it to me!
Thanks
Alexis
December 14th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I found your website a year ago when I was searching for candied orange peel recipes for my annual holiday “lebkuchen” making. I love your photographs! I used to live in Boulder where I met my German husband 23 years ago. I used to rock climb, ice climb, cross-country ski, hike there. Great place to live! I saw a couple sushi restaurants I used to go in your restaurant page. Only I didn’t find Bohemian Cafe and Sunshine Cafe, my favorite lunch places. Boulder must have changed a lot. I love cooking and you have great recipes!
Etsuko
Phoenix, AZ
December 25th, 2010 at 7:59 am
Jenny,
Thank you for your recipes and beautiful photography. I look forward to your posts. Here’s wishing you, Jeremy and Kaweah all the best in the new year.
Marna
Santa Cruz, CA
January 24th, 2011 at 4:44 am
I could not have made dumplings without you. If I had continued rolling out the shells as instructed in another recipe I would not have gone to bed last night. It took me awhile to figure out the Italy comment, but I get it now. My pleats improved. I didn’t have room in my freezer to flash freeze them, so I put them outside in the -14 degree night. Now they are frozen in little baggies. I was inspired by a book I am reading, Ursula Under, about a little girl with Chinese and Finnish ancestors who falls into a mine shaft. There are a lot of references to Chinese food. I actually made the filling with duck meat. The duck was raised locally. I boned and skinned once whole duck and it was just enough for filling for 48 dumplings. My daughter lives in Crested Butte skiing to her heart’s content. I will tell her about your website. She also loves to cook. Thank you for your beautiful photography.
Bobbi
Warren, VT
January 27th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Hi Jen!
I came across your beautiful webpage while searching for a recipe and I was instantly hooked! Your photography and cooking skills are amazing and I especially love how you have so many asian recipes. I will be sure to try them out soon! Thank you for creating such a beautiful site and for sharing your recipes and experiences with everyone.
Best Regards,
Sharon
February 24th, 2011 at 10:02 am
Hi Jen,
I just found your site while looking for an answer to my orange peel question and might have an answer to an old post on your blog:
“Lisa says:
April 27th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
I am wondering if you can come up with a recipe for 糙米粥?
jenyu says:
April 27th, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Lisa – I can’t read Chinese, so I have no idea what that is.”
Babelfish translates words or phrases of foreign languages with moderate results at times (must be better sites around, but I don’t need exact translations often enough to bother searching for another one) and it translated the Chinese characters as, “coarse rice gruel” or JOOK, as we call it in Cantonese. Here’s the link for you.
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_txt
You have an interesting site. Thanks for the zong zi recipe accompanied by helpful photos.
Linda
Florida
May 10th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
Jen,
Love love love your blog and your fabulous photography! Amazing work; you are so talented. Hoping to get out to Boulder in the very near future and would love to meet you!
Keep up the great work.
Best,
Amie
July 7th, 2011 at 9:11 am
LOVE your comment about the Steinway! When asked about my camera/lens/tripod(!) I often ask people if they question painters about their brush.
thanks for sharing a lovely site with wonderful photos and recipes!!
Ajoy
July 27th, 2011 at 9:37 am
i know you said use real butter is more about your directive for life rather than your food ethos, but I jsut want to say I’m totally for using real butter (: looking forward to exploring the rest of your beautiful blog.
August 14th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
I came across your site when I searched for lemon ice cream. I made it and it was excellent! the entire family enjoyed it and have asked me to make it again.
Your site is done well. so much so I have saved it as a favorite. While you might bee OCD, and who am I to argue, the results of that are reflected in your photo’s which is a very good thing. Being detail oriented is something that a great many folks just do not pay attention to. it does make a difference.
September 4th, 2011 at 11:46 pm
I have been trying to get in touch with you regarding posting one of your pics on my site. I had found it on pinterest and had embedded it in my site. Tonight, when I came to your site and realized I needed permission, I deleted it from my website. I am hoping you will allow me to use the photo I found on pinterest to simply add to one of my blogs.
Thanks. Check out my website if you can.
October 7th, 2011 at 8:08 am
I love everything about this! I am a senior in highschool in my second year of culinary arts planning on getting my bachelors in culinary arts. You inspire me:)
October 8th, 2011 at 1:35 pm
I just discovered your blog today, as the result of a web search for an interesting seared tuna steak recipe (yours wins!), and am very excited to peruse the older postings and keep up with new postings. Thanks for all the effort, passion, art, and love you put into your blog!
October 9th, 2011 at 3:51 am
I enjoyed your blog so much. Thank you. Bravo!
December 3rd, 2011 at 3:35 pm
[...] Cut dough like a pizza, into 8 slices, here’s a great how to shot from my friend Jen [...]
January 11th, 2012 at 1:45 am
Hi Jen, Nice blog, very adventurous. I envy you. you can do whatever you want. I wanna be a photographer too. I enjoyed your blog. thanks
January 17th, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Hello there. I found your charred cabbage recipe as I was searching for a charred radicchio salad I’d had in Austin and am desperate to try and recreate. Would you give me permission to copy this recipe? If my salad turns out I will share with you- it’s a bit different with charred radicchio, arugula, pine nuts, mushrooms, gorgonzola and roasted shallot vinaigrette-but very memorable! Thank you
January 18th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Just found your blog. LOVE IT. Question, is there a place to print your recipes? I can not seem to copy and paste and there is like 100 things I want to make!
Thanks!
January 18th, 2012 at 11:06 am
carol – oh hon, you don’t need my permission to jot the recipe down and adapt it for yourself! just if you post it anywhere, please link back and give credit, that’s all :) thanks for asking!
Jamie – yeah, I’m supposed to fix that (someday), but for now right-click is turned off. But! You can easily highlight the recipe, copy it using CTRL-C or Apple-C and then paste it into your favorite word processor or text editing program. I’ll get on it eventually!
January 25th, 2012 at 10:00 am
Stunning, amazing photography and lovely blog.
And I wholly agree about the “real butter”. ;)
January 29th, 2012 at 8:41 pm
are you okay with your recipes being pinned on pinterest? I use it as a way to track new recipes and the tweaks I made. Of course, it links right back to you. But I wouldn’t want to do it without your okay.
January 29th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
anne – if you’re going to post on pinterest, i’d prefer you post just the photo and not the entire recipe, although people seem to do that on occasion too. certainly post your own notes though!
January 29th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
thanks! i do just the photo.
made your butternut squash pasta sauce tonight, with the addition of some toasted walnuts. delish!
January 29th, 2012 at 8:54 pm
anne – so glad you liked it! i’m kinda hooked on it myself :)
February 9th, 2012 at 9:25 am
Hi, Jen~
Saw the recipe for strawberry sorbet on Pinterest….don’t know if that person had permission to use it, but I’m asking if you wouldn’t mind my sharing your site there as well? I love it!
~Angela
February 9th, 2012 at 9:35 am
angela – thanks for asking! i’m fine with folks posting to pinterest, but please don’t post the recipe. hope you like it!
February 11th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Hi! I love your pics. I have a Canon Powershot SX20 with 12.1 MGPixels and was wondering what kind of lens you have? I am looking for a lense I can add on to my camera that will give me better shots! Thanks – Alexa
February 14th, 2012 at 7:46 pm
Alexa – I have several lenses, but the main one I use for food photography is the Nikkor 24-70mm 2.8.
February 15th, 2012 at 7:56 am
Chanced upon your blog while searching for a pound cake recipe.
:-)
February 19th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Jen, quick question! I was browsing through some of your posts and was thinking that it’s finally time to make the pressure cooker plunge. What pressure cooker do you use? It must work insanely well since all your food turns out heavenly!
February 20th, 2012 at 10:47 am
Tiffany – I use a Fagor Duo – I think it’s the 8 liter. I love it. I didn’t pick it out though, my MIL gifted it to me for my birthday :) There are other models too, so definitely shop around!
February 26th, 2012 at 11:23 am
hi – been looking at your blog for a bit and just wanted to say that 1) your recipes all look delicious and 2) your photography (esp the food!) is amazing! really love how your capture all the individual components of the dish.
March 8th, 2012 at 10:56 am
Pardon my french.. But you are pretty much the shit. I read your “about me” section and then I wanted to be you.
April 10th, 2012 at 8:38 am
Amazing mantra. Thank you for not being another figure obsessed, diet pushing, unintelligent blog. This is so refreshing.
April 20th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
I’m a little surprised that you deleted my post about Iams dog food. I didn’t see that comment as being incendiary or rude. I’m sorry if it offended you, I was just trying to tell you what I know for the health of our pets.
April 20th, 2012 at 9:28 pm
lindsay – I considered it inappropriate in tone and rather rude to go on at length in that manner. Feel free to write whatever you like on your own blog.
April 28th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
You would probably like the information and opinions expressed by the Weston Price Foundation regarding real butter. It changed my life as far as what I consider “healthy” eating. No more low-fat, low calorie bulls$#^$. Go to their website and your eyes will be opened if not already. Rock on real butter…(and raw whole milk, and liver, etc)
June 1st, 2012 at 9:57 am
Jen,
Westwood has an opening for a food critic, I want you to take the job! I love reading your blog :)
June 1st, 2012 at 10:39 am
Kassidy – that’s very very sweet of you, but that is not a job I’d want. I like being in the mountains, not Denver :)
July 23rd, 2012 at 4:44 pm
I just found you when I googled roasted vegetable quiche and I am so happy I did! Your quiche is in my oven right this minute making my house smell totally divine. I’ve poured my glass of wine and am ready to taste test as soon as possible! I had vegetable quiche last week while in France and just felt the need to make my own. I added some garlic and a zucchini.
I look forward to more recipes and stories from you.
August 7th, 2012 at 9:25 pm
[...] and some of the cleanest food porn; I become a fan instantly. Today, I am very happy to feature Jen Yu of Use Real Butter as our guest writer. Jen shares her easy egg roll recipe (with sweet egg roll) [...]
December 7th, 2012 at 8:54 am
Just came back to your blog for the espresso chip shortbread recipe and read more carefully this time, learning that you’ve had cancer (which I’m now dealing with) and that you went to Cornell (as I did undergrad). These coincidences probably don’t mean much, but they cheered me up. Thanks for being smart, beating cancer, and making cookies.
December 7th, 2012 at 9:41 am
Becki – best of luck to you, Becki. I hope you pull through it. I’m rooting for you. xo
December 10th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Hi Jen,
Thanks for sharing the great recipes and information on your blog. It’s great to see all the fantastic blogs that come out of the Boulder area. We are blessed to live in such a wonderfully creative and beautiful extended community.
December 14th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
I love your blog…and i love your photography even more! Please let me know if you ever do a photo workshop in the SF Bay Area sometime. :)
December 27th, 2012 at 12:58 am
Merry Christmas Jen,
I’ve just come to your blog from David Lebovitz. Got a real kick out of your introduction, well done….well said!
We seem to have the opposite lifestyles.heh, heh. I live on the beach in Southern Spain but did 18 years in the Andes so do understand mountain life….keep up the good work and writing.
Now I am going to go have a look at your photos and sign on to your blog.
Best to all of you up there in the Rocky Mountins
December 30th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Thanks for your blog. I found it looking for information about cooking frozen pork dumplings and read your introduction and enjoyed your nature photos.
January 19th, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Thanks for all the lovely recipes and photos.
January 21st, 2013 at 12:12 pm
I am having a serious problem with your recipes….. It is too hard to choose between so many good options (and wonderful pictures). I end up here from your turkey burgers (pinterest) and just loved everything. I will probably get some of those weck glasses too.
Congrats for the nice blog.
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Terrific blog. I was looking through the internet for a recipe for fu zhu juan (tofu wrapped pork rolls at dimsum) when I found your blog. Then I started clicking on all the different recipes and an hour later, I was still reading. Everything you make looks amazing and I am so impressed with how organized your food blog is. I blog so infrequently that each time I log into my blog, I sometimes have to try a password or two before the right one comes up! Kudos to you and Happy Eating in the Year of the Water Snake!
January 25th, 2013 at 8:00 am
Came across your blog this morning and I LOVE IT already! Your recipes are refreshing and your photography makes me want to look at it more. Can you also write about your thoughts and inspirations on photography and food.
January 26th, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Love your blog. I found you by looking up a recipe for a savory bread pudding. I will be making yours for a dog mushing team staying with us tomorrow night as part of the IPSSSDR that will be passing through Star Valley,Wyoming.It will be their hearty breakfast before they begin the Alpine leg of the race. Thank you!
February 2nd, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Beautiful photos — and a very funny intro. I like the idea of making steel cut oats in my crock pot; I’ll give that a try some time. Here’s an additional way of making steel-cut oats a quicker fix: soak the oats overnight in water (equal parts water and oats) with a tbs or so of yogurt and/or the whey from the yogurt. Once soaked, the oats cook very quickly (10 minutes tops). I like to add finely ground flax seed, dried cherries, and various spices (cardomom, etc) to the finished product.
February 3rd, 2013 at 5:30 pm
[...] somehow found my way on to this awesome blog Use Real Butter - which I would suggest you read, but also follow as your one and only important kitchen rule, who [...]
March 26th, 2013 at 8:48 am
Hello, Lucky for me to find your blog about high altitude macarons. Somehow it is comforting when others are struggling with the same problems. Although I am at a lower altitude (5700′), I wonder if your recipes will work for me? Do you have any other suggestions in making a successful batch of macs? I am determined not to give up. I gather that I could add two more tbsp. of powdered sugar if I didn’t want to make chocolate. Thanks so very much! I am really anxious to hear from you! :)
March 26th, 2013 at 8:09 pm
DeeDee – The mac recipes I list on the blog are all for sea-level, but the adjustments I make at 8500 ft. are listed in parentheses. For 5700 feet, I would try to follow the sea-level instructions first. If that doesn’t work, then adjust for 8500 ft. The ingredients don’t really change much, it’s more the baking temperature and time. Also, I’ve been told that doubling the baking sheets (to provide more insulation) helps, although I’ve never tried it myself. Good luck!
April 13th, 2013 at 9:00 pm
LOVE YOUR BLOG!!! Just found you and I am all excited and inspired, hanks for that!!!