The Parts: The Butter

Part of the fun of Thanksgiving is the excesses. Yes, there is too much food for anyone, but even better, there are treats that we're not willing to put the time into every day.

Some people love their sweet potatoes with marshmallows, or candied with apples and cinnamon, but at our house, our favorite way to eat the buggers is simply roasted with butter and salt. And that's how I'll serve them on Thursday. How can I dress that up for a holiday?

Don't dress up the sweet potato, dress up the dress: add sequins, pearls, diamonds. Add a flattering ruche or detailed embroidery. In other words, dress up the butter.

Flavored Butter, 3 Ways


Chipotle-Honey
Mix 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon caramelized honey (use any honey you can get your hands on as you won't be disappointed), and 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle. Stir together until completely combined, scrape into a serving container, and refrigerate until use.

Sweet-Spiced
Mix 1 stick of softened unsalted butter with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked grains of paradise (if you don't have grains of paradise, use black pepper). Stir together until completely combined, scrape into a serving container, and refrigerate until use.

Roasted Garlic
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and once hot, roast a whole small head of garlic drizzled in olive oil and wrapped tightly in tinfoil for an hour. Remove the head of garlic and let it cool. Squeeze the guts of each clove into a small mixing bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mash the mixture into a paste. Mix in 1 stick of softened unsalted butter, and stir together until completely combined. Scrape the mixture into a serving container, and refrigerate until use.




And for those following along with "The Big Project," here is this post's picture of a part of it. It's coming along, don't you think?