Keeping Butter Sweet

Ingredients

• a large crock of unglazed earthenware
• a clean towel

Method

1. 1

   Invert a large crock over the dish containing butter, wrapped in a wet cloth, to keep it hard.

2. 2

   Alternatively, place butter in a silver-plated dish, cover with a wet towel, and let stand in a shady place until the next meal.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The household cook book (1902) by Smiley, James B[ethuel],, page 149. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

o keep butter sweet when it seems likely to taint, take some lime water and put the vessel containing the butter into it, leaving it there until the sweetness is restored. Rancid butter may be sweetened and recovered (1) by washing and kneading it well, first in new milk, and afterwards in cold spring water; butyric acid, on which the rancidity depends, being freely solu- ble in new milk. (2). Beat the butter in a sufficient quantity of water, in which you put 25 to 80 drops of lime chloride to each pound of butter. After mixing it till all its iDarts are in contact with the water, it may be left in from 1 to 2 hours; afterwards withdraw, and repeatedly wash in fresh water. (3). Melt the butter and skim as for clarifying; then put into it a piece of bread thoroughly toasted all over. In 1 or 2 minutes the butter will lose its offensive smell and taste. (4). Thoroughly mix 1 teaspoon of soda and 1 tablespoon MILK, BUTTER AND CHEESE 197 of salt for each, pint of butter; then add equal parts of butter and cold water, set on the stove, and bring all to a boil; then remove, let cool, and take off the butter; it will be sweet, and good for cooking. (5). A little saltpetre worked into butter that has become sour or rancid will render it sweet. — Remember that great care must be taken not to burn butter when trying it out. A word about rancid butter. — Nobody eats it on bread, but it is sometimes used in cooking, although it really ruins every dish into which it enters. It is injurious, and many cases of dyspepsia can be directly traced to rancid butter. It should never enter into the composition of any dish which appears on the table. Sweeten it or throw it To keep butter hard in hot weather, without ice, invert a large crock of unglazed earthenware over the dish containing the butter (a large, clean flower=pot will answer); the porousness of the earth- enware will keep the butter hard if the pot is wrapped in a wet cloth. Another way is, after one meal is served, take a silver-plated butter= dish, clean and wash it, then when cool, place on it sufficient butter for the next meal; set the dish in a shady, airy place (in a draft if possible); wet a clean towel

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.