There's nothing quite like the taste of freshly made butter on hot biscuits, cornbread or a steaming baked potato. It's believed that the Nomads first discovered butter-making by mistake. They are said to have collected milk from cattle and goats, separated the cream from the milk, and continuously mixed the cream until it turned into butter. Churning sweet cream until the fats separated from the liquid and the fat was in a semi-solid state produced butter.

Making fresh butter at home is easy with cream and a food processor or stand mixer.

You will need some kitchen equipment to get started:

• 1-2 cups heavy whipping cream or double cream
• A food processor or stand mixer
• A butter crock

Steps

• Fit a food processor with a plastic blade, whisk, or normal chopping blade. Fill the food processor about ¼ - ½ full. Or fit a heavy-duty stand mixer with whisks and pour the cream into the bowl.
  
  
• Blend or mix. The cream will go through various stages until it begins to seize or solidify. Its smooth shape will collapse, and the stirring will change to sloshing. The mixture will be lumpy, with fine-grained bits of butter in buttermilk.

Within a few seconds, a glob of yellowish butter will separate from the milky buttermilk.

Drain the buttermilk (save it for baking biscuits or making pancakes) and you will have fresh butter.

The butter can be eaten at this stage and has a light taste. You now know how to make butter!

If you wish to save the butter for a later use, it will store better if you wash and work it further. Add ½ cup of ice-cold water, and blend. Discard the wash water and repeat until the wash water is clear.

Place the damp butter into a cool bowl and kneed with a potato masker or two forks, or put it into a large covered jar, and either shake or tumble it.

Continue working, pouring out the water occasionally, until most of the water is removed.

The butter is now ready for your fridge. Put the butter into a butter crock, or roll it in waxy freezer paper and refrigerate.

Yield: About half as much butter as the amount of cream you started with.

Once you learn how to make butter at home, you can start adding it to your favorite meals; French bread, savory baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and even kettle pop corn.