About Butter Decisions

My Story

Butter Decisions started as Pastry Passport, when I was just baking things on Instagram and scratching countries off a map at home. That was just before the pandemic. When the world shut down, I started learning to code and had plenty of time to bake. This project became a way to keep myself sane and connected to the world, even from my kitchen.

Living in Queens, New York City—the world's borough—I've always been inspired by the idea that you can eat around the world without ever leaving the city. There are so many food blogs and hidden gems out there, but they're not always easy to find, and reviews are scattered. I wanted to build a tool to bring everything together and help me (and now, you!) on this culinary journey.

I know there are big generalizations in this app, and it's far from perfect. Food and culture are deeply nuanced, and no single recipe can represent a whole country. My hope is to keep iterating and, with enough growth, bring in cultural experts to make this project even better. For now, it's just me, so please bear with how things are set up—and feel free to send suggestions, corrections, or ideas for features and design!

Why "Butter Decisions"?

The name comes from the economic idea of "guns vs. butter"—the choice between spending on military (guns) or on social programs and goods (butter). I feel like everyone gets along better around food. Almost every culture celebrates with a meal, and understanding someone through their food is a path to understanding. Needing less guns and more butter is a way to say we should focus on what brings us together: food, culture, and community. I hope this app helps you make "butter decisions" in your own culinary journey.

Thank You

Thank you for checking out Butter Decisions! I hope you find it useful on your culinary adventures, and that it brings you a little joy, curiosity, and connection along the way.