Yep. You should be able to buy it if you have any kind of high end market, food craft shop, or similar. My very favorite is from Vermont Creamery (nee Vermont Butter an d Cheese Co.). They make a log, which is regular cultured butter, and a ball wrapped in blue plaid waxed paper sold in a little wood slat basket which has sea salt, and is saltier. The latter is excellent for bread and butter or toast, but a waste and too salty for anything where the butter isn't the point. The regular log is good for any kind of table use. I use regular sweet cream butter for cooking and baking. Organic Valley makes cultured butter with wider distribution. I can usually find it, whereas the Vermont is hit and miss. Organic Valley also make pasture butter. I'm sure there are plenty of other makers as well. Other than for the experience, I can't imagine it being worthwhile culturing your own butter if you can buy it easily. :)

Chocolate's not one of my favorite flavors, but even I love a good rich brownie. Or a chocolate cake with port sauce. The recipe is from Ficklin Cellars website. Um...*whistles*...I've never used Ficklin port in it. We usually buy other brands. Guess I shouldn't admit that, huh? Eh, maybe I'll buy a bottle one day to see how theirs is. The cake is good, though. FICKLIN PORT CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE This is a confection of chocolate sauce on dense-chocolate brownie-like wedges. It is a delicious and exotic dessert, with intense chocolate flavors in harmony with the spirit and vibrancy of Ficklin's port wine. Serves 12. 2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional) Port chocolate sauce (recipe below) Coarsely chop chocolate squares. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat until half melted. Add chocolate and stir with a wooden spoon until chocolate and butter are melted and blended. Remove from heat. Stir in sugar, stirring until dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat with spoon after each addition until mixture is thoroughly combined and shiny. Stir in vanilla and salt. Stir in flour. Turn into a buttered 9-inch round layer cake pan and spread smooth. Bake in a 350 F. oven until slightly firm to touch and toothpick inserted in center shows mixture is a little moist, about 25 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack. To serve: Cut into wedges and top each with warm sauce. FICKLIN PORT CHOCOLATE SAUCE Combine in top part of double boiler over hot (not boiling) water 1 package (4 ounces) sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped, and 1/2 cup Ficklin Tinta Port. Heat and whisk until smooth. Makes about 1 cup, or topping for 6 to 8 dessert servings. Note: The sauce is the consistency of syrup. It is an excellent topping for vanilla ice cream, egg-white butter cake or pound cake.

I keep it simple, and use just one sort of butter for almost everything. Unsalted American butter. Land O Lakes, usually, because someone showed me, 30 years ago, that if you take two Land O Lakes packages, cut the maiden's knees from one package, and glue that piece onto the chest of the maiden on the other package, her knees look just like breasts. It was a silly little gag that got me thinking about subliminal advertising and still makes me giggle today. So I guess the advertising worked. Sometimes I buy a European butter, for spreading. But practically all of my butter use is for cooking. I don't eat buttered toast or croissants but once in a blue moon.

Not sure what those are, just hose off. Wouldn't worry about it, you can't stop all nature. The lettuce leaves should be picked soon anyway, the plant seems to be bolting.