Loving Compund Butters

Above 3 photos: even into September the golden raspberry bush at Cafe Drake HRV continues to reward us with sweet, ripe specimens every morning we approach it, bowl in hand, respectfully, like a supplicant.

To make Raspberry Compound Butter, allow 1 stick of butter to soften at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. The butter should be very, very soft. Mix the butter in a bowl along with a handful of fresh raspberries and 1 or 2 T. of honey. If the berries are naturally quite sweet, go with only a tablespoon. Make sure all is incorporated fully and then stir in a large pinch of ground cinnamon. Take a piece of plastic wrap and place it on a flat surface, a 10" square size will do. Heap the butter in the center and form into a log shape. Fold in the left and right sides of the plastic wrap first, then continue to roll up like a burrito. When tightly wrapped roll the butter back and forth, gently, until you have a smooth log. This may be easier to do if you refrigerate the butter for 15 minutes to re-firm. Place back in fridge to harden and store there for a few weeks if needed. Otherwise, roll entire plastic-wrapped log in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 6 months.

The same procedure is used exactly for making a fresh herb compound butter. Cafe Drake HRV used lovage, basil, savory, dill and oregano from our garden. Start with unsalted butter and season with 1 T. Worcestershire sauce per stick. Finely minced capers - rinsed and drained - are a nice bonus.