Friday, December 21, 2007

In search of butter mints


In this Sunday’s paper, I’ll be writing about my recent quest to find butter mints in the stores of Charlotte.

They’re a formerly ubiquitous Southern tradition, usually found in glass bowls at weddings, bridge parties and other special occasions.

I decided to try a cookie recipe calling for crushed butter mints. The candies used to be pretty common around here, but after searching a half-dozen mass retailers, I discovered they’re more rare than I thought. (Harris Teeter and other stores had an alternative called “pastel mints” or “pillow mints,” but trust me, they’re no good without the butter).

I finally found them at Reid’s Fine Foods in uptown Charlotte, which is more of a specialty retailer than a full-service grocer.

I’m sure they’re available at other specialty stores, but it made me sad to think that a taste that reminds me of home has gotten so hard to find.

Read on Sunday if you’re interested in seeing the cookie recipe; meantime, please clue me in if you’ve found this delicacy anywhere else, and let me know if there are any other hard-to-find traditional foods you’ve been looking for, and maybe I can give you a tip or two.

Happy holidays, everyone!

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

my younger child and i devour them,and we get them at captain's galley (i think that's the name) restaurant across the road from concord mills mall. $3.99 a box. we usually buy four boxes at a time. LOVE them.

2:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can't verify at the moment, but I think I have seen them at Party City - along with the wedding stuff.

5:11 PM  
Blogger Justin Ritchie said...

Mert's Heart and Soul sells Butter Mints. They are delicious!

10:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Captain Steve's restaurant on Monroe Rd sells them out front.

2:25 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

If you've got some time and want some REALLY good "melt in your mouth" southern style butter mints, make them yourself!

I give so many baby showers that I keep some in the fridg ready to cut into pieces.

You can find the recipe online!

Jan from Unique Baby Gear, Baby Room Themes and Nursery Decorating Ideas

6:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just ate at Captain Steve's on Highway 21 in Fort Mill, SC at the corner of 21 and the Springfield Parkway. We were there just yesterday and they had tons of containers at their counter full of homeade butter mints. Granted, this is Fort Mill, SC, but it's just down the road, and a great place to search for some good old Southern specialties. Also, try the Peachstand for Homeade Southern goods, on the corner of Highway 21 and Highway 160 in Fort Mill, as well.

4:58 PM  

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