butter molds
I haven't obsessed over finding a wooden butter mold like Ma's, carved with a strawberry and two strawberry leaves (see Little House in the Big Woods, Chapter 2, "Winter Days and Winter Nights"). Laura's butter mold is on display in Mansfield; it's carved with a swan. I've seen a few like Laura's over the years, but antique butter molds are pricey. I bought a couple of small wooden butter molds once, but they didn't make the nice smooth pat of butter I dreamed of.

I was watching a bit of one of the "Antique Roadshow" spinoffs the other day - I think it was the FYI one. There were two women who collected "molds," mostly copper food molds lined with tin. They said that little tart molds or candy molds were great for butter. Just spread softened butter in them, tap to get rid of bubbles, and smooth the top with a knife. Place in the freezer until firm and then pop the butter pats out with the tip of a knife.

Doink. With all those candy mold possibilities out there, surely there are some that are "Little Housey." Log cabin? Rose? Strawberry? Bear? Fiddle? Then I remembered. A few years ago, I bought a little tin covered wagon candy mold. I'm not sure where it's hiding, but I definitely see shaped butter in my future.
- posted by pioneergirl at 1:18 AM