West Virginians were on a roll last year when it came time to butter up their meals, compared to the rest of the country.
Why it matters: It's Thanksgiving. Butter is everywhere and on everything.
Details: Data from Instacart show that West Virginians bought the most butter in November 2021, compared to the rest of the country, with 10.7 ounces per customer on average.
- The state ranked ahead of Vermont (10.2 ounces), Iowa (10.1), Wisconsin (9.6) and Ohio (9.4) to round out the top five last year.
The rub: Not all states favor butter equally. Texas, for example, lagged behind the rest of the country.
Backstory: The "butter divide" stems from regional history, Elaine Khosrova, author of "Butter: A Rich History," tells Axios.
- "The butter 'divide' is not surprising considering that much of the Midwest and East Coast was settled by Europeans who brought with them a long tradition of dairying and buttery cuisine," Khosrova said.
- "In the West and Southwest, of course, you have more settlers from Hispanic cultures, where butter was not a prominent ingredient in their dishes."
More from Axios:
Texas' butter consumption lags behind other states