It’s Simple. It’s Compound. It’s Butter.

Image: Amy Loeffler

I was introduced to compound butter during family outings to Sunday brunch in the basement of the Smithsonian Castle. On special Sundays we would all pile into our mammoth 1977 baby blue Ford LTD station wagon (pre-wood paneling of the country squire model) and head into the city from Alexandria.

Sure there was a roast station, a waffle station and the all important dessert station.

But out of the attention-getting stations, I remember most vividly the bread baskets and the butter that flanked them.

There was there regular whipped butter at which I marveled how the texture allowed the butter fat to dance cooly on my tongue and coat the inside of my mouth.  Could I do this at home I dared to dream? My pre-teen self was awed by what seemed like such an extraordinary amount of culinary detail that even the butter would be elevated to heights of exocitism like “honey” and “strawberry.”

Culinarily speaking we are light years away from 1977. We are so food aware now that I think even the term “rate of iterative change” not only applies  to computers, iPhones, and technology in general, but culinary know-how as well.

Compound butter has evolved too, but it’s still an efficient way to use up herbs you probably already have on hand from the Thanksgiving feast. And, yes, will even make you feel as fancy as a 12-year-old being allowed to gorge on pastries from the dessert station.

I made some simple recipes with things you may already have on hand from cooks101.com and bohemainrevolution.com The cranberry was my own concoction.

Smoked Paprika Butter from 101cookbooks.com

4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, room temperature
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Cranberry Butter

(If you made your own sauce, just spoon it in there.)

4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon leftover cranberry sauce
A few scrapings of nutmeg from a grater
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Lemon Tarragon Butter

Lemon Tarragon Butter
4 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon tarragon
2 teaspoons lemon juice to taste
salt to taste