Here's my wish for you all: a year of butter, comfort and simple things done exceedingly well

Here's my wish for you all: a year of butter, comfort and simple things done exceedingly well.

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions as I don't think resolutions work (particularly if our current government is any indication but this is not about politics so don't get disgusted yet.) Nope. This post is about a New Year. And butter.

I really like butter. I like to cook with it, bake with it, spread it on fresh-from-oven baked goods or hot-off-the-griddle pancakes. Or simply mixed with pasta (noodles.) Mmmmmm.

As you can likely tell, I am a fan of comfort foods (particularly in these unsettling times.) Note: this is not to be confused with stress eating. That is for another post. Today is about acknowledging a simple pleasure. For me, butter not only enhances most things but delivers a bit of a zen-like ritual; meditative and contemplative in the spreading, the savoring and then the spreading a bit more. There is happiness and joy in butter; literally and metaphorically as we enter a new year. Spread the joy. Spread comfort.

At either end of the day. Throughout the day.

Appreciate the art and craft in a very simple thing like butter. Hopefully, many of you had the experience of making butter in early grade school. We'd pour some cream into a small (baby food) jar and shake it till our arms were sore. And at the moment of soreness, we'd see magic happen as the cream would metamorphize into the beginnings of butter. Then with renewed vigor, we shake a few more minutes to complete the process. Can each of you remember the moment? The delight? Spread that!

In my meanderings through Farmer's Markets and specialty food stores, I couldn't help but notice the range of butters. Butters from various regions where the terroir can make an extraordinary difference. Small batch, free range, single barrel butters infused with salts, truffles, maple syrup (third from the top). Butters signed and numbered by the maker with pride. Such pride and craft going into such a simple thing. It makes me smile. It makes me wistful. And wishful. So here goes:

I wish for myself and all those of you who can relate a year filled with comfort and simple things that make a difference. A year where we spread more things that make us happy. And then spread even more.

Happy New Year everyone.

#happynewyear #butter #simplicity #comfort #spreadjoy #atoasttobutter