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!