BUTTER TERRINE

Butter or margarine? While butter has been around for thousands of years, margarine is only 142 years old, and it was specifically designed to substitute butter. Which is better for you? That's a hard one to answer. The purist in me chooses butter - it only requires one ingredient to create it. 

 

Making butter couldn't be any easier with a standard mixer. Whip heavy cream until the fat separates from the milk. Strain in cheesecloth and give it a good rinse in cold water. It's important to squeeze all the remaining buttermilk out, otherwise the butter will spoil faster.

 

Compound butters are flavored butters, typically made by mixing in herbs, liquids, or spices. Here, I've gathered a number of ingredients to play with. My goal was to create a range of colors and flavors that work well together.

I was having so much fun that I concocted a total of 16 flavors...! Perhaps I went a bit overboard. Here are three savory butter terrines, and one sweet.

Because these are so colorful, they almost look like pâtés or desserts. I am typically very conservative on the use of butter, but I have been slathering these terrines on everything! They're so inviting, and are packed with a ton of flavors.

And finally, I couldn't resist. I love packaging.