You can have real butter to go with your Christmas dinner even if you don't have a cow, or goat.

This will be fun for the entire family especially if you have guest from the city.

You will need whipping cream (i find that one pint makes about one stick of butter) You will also need a jar with a lid that can be screwed down tight. I found that a quart mason jar works great with one pint of whipping cream.

Pour the whipping cream into the jar, twist lid on tight and shake, shake, shake. I open the jar every few minutes to realease pressure. At first it will seem like nothing is happening. After a little while it will seem like the whipping cream has turned to whipped cream. I put the jar on my lap and roll it back and forth when I get tired of shaking it. Soon you will see that you have what looks like cottage cheese in the jar. Keep shaking, you will notice that the cottage cheese look will start to notice liquid seperating from the butter (this liquid is the butter milk). Once the butter has stuck together pour out the buttermilk. Pour cold water into the jar with the butter and swirl jar around to rince the butter milk off the butter, you may have to do this a few times until the water stays clear. You now have butter. You can add salt to your liking or leave it as it is. Enjoy your homemade butter. This will be fun to do while everyone is waiting for the meal to cook. Enjoy!!

-- george (bngcrview@aol.com), December 23, 2001

Answers

George----I don't have a cow or goat----but got some lovely rich cream for a lady not far from here (who milks her own cows)----I plan on getting down the dazie churn this afternoon & makeing butter today!!!!! I agree it is great fun for all ages!!!! I have used that old churn in many school rooms & homeschoolers have used it (and more neighbor kids over the years than I can count) ----plus they had their own jars they shook that cream to butter!!!! ha!! It is something we should share with the young ones---I have adults come to me now & say they remember /me teaching them how to make butter /or how to darn a sock/ or how to do needle work--etc/etc/etc/ Somethings have become lost arts in many areas----lets always share!!!! Sonda

-- Sonda (sgbruce@birch.net), December 23, 2001.

George- What a great idea, thanks for passing it along. I am definitely going to do this the next time I have guests with kids. Happy Holidays.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), December 23, 2001.