Thoroughly scald the churn, then cool well with ice or spring water.
Now pour in the thick cream; churn fast at first, then, as the butter
forms, more slowly; always with perfect regularity; in warm weather,
pour a little cold water into the churn, should the butter form
slowly; in the winter, if the cream is too cold, add a little warm
water to bring it to the proper temperature. When the butter has
"come", rinse the sides of the churn down with cold water and take the
butter up with a perforated dasher or a wooden ladle, turning it
dexterously just below the surface of the buttermilk to catch every
stray bit; have ready some very cold water in a deep wooden tray; and
into this plunge the dasher when you draw it from the churn; the
butter will float off, leaving the dasher free. When you have
collected all the butter, gather behind a wooden butter ladle and
drain off the water, squeezing and pressing the butter with the ladle;
then pour on more cold water and work the butter with the ladle to get
the milk out, drain off the water, sprinkle salt over the butter--a
tablespoonful to a pound; work it in a little and set in a cool place
for an hour to harden, then work and knead it until not another drop
of water exudes, and the butter is perfectly smooth, and close in
texture and polish; then with the ladle make up into rolls, little
balls, stamped pats, etc.
The churn, dasher, tray and ladle should be well scalded before using,
so that the butter will not stick to them, and then cooled with very
cold water.
When you skim cream into your cream jar, stir it well into what is
already there, so that it may all sour alike; and no fresh cream
should be put with it within twelve hours before churning, or the
butter will not come quickly; and perhaps, not at all.
Butter is indispensable in almost all culinary preparations. Good
fresh butter, used in moderation, is easily digested; it is softening,
nutritious and fattening, and is far more easily digested than any
other of the oleaginous substances sometimes used in its place.