Most recipes will call for unsalted butter for baking. however, I often use salted butter (Ibuy on sale and keep it frozen) and then omit the salt in the recipe.
In many recipes you will not be able to tell the difference. A few cookies are predominately butter tasting. In that case I try to use unsalted.
As long as the date is 'fresh' on the package, most any brand will work fine.
Just like JoAnn, I often substitute salted butter and then omit salt called for in recipe.
Everything you ever wanted to know about premium butters....
Freshness, Not Fat Makes the Best Butter:
http://tinyurl.com/ysuqqt
Taste Testing Premium Unsalted Butter:
http://tinyurl.com/245d83
Margarine and Butter Overview:
http://tinyurl.com/ynmfkn
HTH
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