Magical Vegan Butter

In my previous posts—about ice cream and Vegan Tuna Salad—my associations were tied to experiences of scarcity.

But the truth? I was a spoiled child. A real princess (a daughter after three boys) who usually got almost everything she wanted.

A Warm Childhood Memory

My father would pick me up from kindergarten, and we'd stop at the kiosk near "Itzkovitz"—the legendary synagogue in Bnei Brak. He would buy me a “Green Tassas” (a fizzy mint-flavored drink) or a block-shaped vanilla ice pop, wrapped in silver foil—just like butter.
Those were days filled with warmth, love, and attention.

Back then, milk bottles waited for us by the door, and sour cream was sold in curvy glass jars. Usually, we returned the empty jars to the grocery store, but in the summer—when our self-organized neighborhood day camps were in full swing—we repurposed them into tiny vases. We coated them with a mixture of torn newspaper pieces, painted them with black gouache, and decorated them with yellow melon seeds.

There was a small lime factory on our street, where we bought a bucketful for a few cents, whitewashed the walls of the stairwell landing, and transformed it into our activity space. There, we rehearsed the plays we wrote, directed, and performed. Even our parents got involved—they were in charge of costumes!

Like all kids back then, we spent hours playing outside.
The song "Lonely Streetlamp" by Haim Gouri? It was practically written about us!

Why Butter? Because We Don’t Settle for Less

At that time, butter and sour cream were considered luxuries.
Most of our neighbors, who were in a similar financial situation, settled for margarine, soybean oil, and labneh.

But in our home?

💛 We spread butter on our bread.
💛 We fried eggs, omelets, and French toast in it.
💛 Sour cream starred in everything—from Hungarian potato soup to sweet-filled crêpes.

I remember a relative scolding my mom for her "extravagance."
But my parents weren't willing to give up on those small things that made a big difference. There was always a sense of abundance at home. Substitutes? Not an option.

As for candy and other treats—well, that’s a story for another post... 😉

This butter is dedicated with love to my dear parents and to those innocent childhood days.

This butter is one of those staple ingredients that takes my kitchen to the next level.
And here’s a huge shoutout to Miyoko Schinner—she’s truly the queen of vegan cooking!

💡 Over 20 years ago—when veganism was still considered a niche movement—she ran a groundbreaking restaurant in San Francisco called Now and Zen. There, she developed revolutionary recipes: vegan butter, “bacon,” “turkey” with crispy yuba “skin,” and of course—her legendary cheeses.

This recipe is a variation of hers, combined with inspiration from the book The Gentle Chef.
And trust me—after making this butter once, you’ll never go back to store-bought. The difference is unbelievable—both in quality and cost.

Why Is This Butter Perfect?

🧡 Cold-pressed coconut oil instead of refined—and surprisingly, no strong coconut flavor!
🧡 A subtle natural sweetness—just like traditional butter.
🧡 Rich, creamy, and indulgent—without guilt!
🧡 Works beautifully in both savory and sweet dishes.

💡 You can mix in garlic, herbs, saffron, or truffle oil.
💡 You can mold it into fun silicone shapes: coins, hearts, even pralines!

This butter is pure magic. I hope you love it as much as I do!

Enjoy every bite😋❣