BUTTER

Always use the freshest butter - whether salted or unsalted [sweet butter]; unsalted butter, which has a fresher flavor, spoils faster so it is recommanded to keep it frozen.

Butter, as other fats, holds flavors well - ideal to mix with chopped fresh herbs, spices, chopped nuts and fruits melted chocolate.

Butter is an instant sauce for vegetables or grilled fish, meat and poultry.

Flavored butter: over a steak, use a mixture of butter, garlic and fesh tarragon.

Flavored butter: over corn-on-the--cob, use a mixture of butter and basil.

Flavored butter: over grilled salmon, use a mixture of butter and dill.

Flavored butter: over hot biscuits, or waffles, blend together 1/2 cup [125 mL] butter, 1/4 cup [60 mL] honey and the zest of 1 lemon or 1 orange.

Flavored butters must be used quickly, before they acquire other surrounding aromas.

Flavored butters will keep longer wrapped into wax paper, ends sealed; refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze.

Serve butter cut into rounds, shape into balls, curls, rolls or cut into shapes.

Try not to whip butter, since whipping adds air, diluting flavors and color; it also softens too much the texture.

To substitute salted butter for unsalted butter, decrease the quantity of salt you add to your recipe assuming that salted butter has 3/4 to 1 teaspoon [3.75 to 5 mL] salt per stick [1/2 cup - 115 g].