Pass the Butter Please

Mrs. Sheets used to spend the time after recess reading to us different books. Maybe that was her way to calm us third graders down after spending 20 minutes or so releasing our wild energy only children can feel. 

Charlotte's Web and some really fascinating story of a young witch who would mix colorful potions for reasons I don't remember. Maybe she wasn't a witch, cause that seems weird, I need to google what that kid's story might have been. 

But what I remember most was one afternoon was not the class reading after recess, but the recess itself. 

Penny was my best friend in first grade. We were the teacher's pets sitting in the front of the class. 

Yes, I was THAT girl. Not Marlo Thomas That Girl, but the one that never wanted to get in trouble and most teachers liked, at least until junior high. Any wonder why I was bullied a lot?

Anyway, The school decided that Penny and I shouldn't be in the same class in second grade because we were too close of friends.  I have no idea whether that was a good or bad thing.  I just don't remember specifically any kid who was in my second grade class. 

But I guess it was okay for Penny and I to be in the same class again in third grade. 

Penny lived on a small dairy farm about a mile from our house. We would often spend the night at one house or the other. I can still remember her dad milking the cows and suddenly aiming a teat right at me and giving that sucker a squeeze. He even showed me how to milk a cow. It's a little harder than you think. You just can't pull the thing down, there's a bit of a method to squeezing the milk out. 

One day Mrs. Sheets thought it might be an interesting lesson to show the class that cows milk could be turned to butter.  Back in the mid sixties, most households stocked only margarine. 

Since Penny had easy access to fresh cow's milk, she brought a jar of the milk in that morning. She also got to pick three other children to stay in during recess to shake the milk jar until it turned to butter. 

She picked two of the best looking boys in the class and, of course me.  

It takes quite a bit of shaking to turn the fresh milk to butter and I still remember passing the jar around between the four of us and seeing the beginnings of a clump of the milk starting to bind together. 

By the time the other kids came in from recess, the butter was almost ready. We took the white clump out of the remaining cream and let the excess liquid drain just a bit.  All the kids were surprised like I was that the butter was white, not bright yellow like Blue Bonnet. 

Mrs Sheets had brought in crackers and each of us then tasted real fresh white butter, churned right before our eyes. 

I remember thinking it was rather bland, so I would stick with the margarine at home. 

Now I know it was because there was no salt added to it. 

Especially this time of year I buy unsalted butter for the sweet corn. Of course I add salt to the ear before I chomp down.  

I happened upon this brand a few years back. It's the best tasting stuff for homemade bread and sweet corn. 

It's expensive, but well worth it.