[1] Basil compound butter. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #2 © Vermont Creamery).

[2] Vermont Creamery’s cultured butter, a NIBBLE favorite, is available both unsalted and salted.

[3] Fresh basil (photo CCO Public Domain).

[4] Maître d’Hôtel butter, the original compound butter (photo © Brown Eyed Baker).

[5] Five different flavors of compound butter. To see an extensive selection, check out the compound butter at Epicurean Butter (photo © She Knows).

[6] Take your pick: corn on the cob with three flavors of compound butter (photo © Kraft).

[7] Cooking scallops in Maître d’Hotel Butter (photo © Epicurean Butter).

Compound butter (flavored butter) is a chef’s trick to make savory dishes—and some sweet ones—taste better.

Seasoned with herbs, spices, or any other ingredients that would enhance and elevate a dish, compound butter can be used for/on/as a/:

 
The recipe for Basil Compound Butter follows, but first:

> The history of butter.

> The history of compound butter.

> The different types of butter: a glossary.
 
 
RECIPE: BASIL COMPOUND BUTTER

This recipe (photo #1), from Vermont Creamery, uses Vermont Creamery Unsalted Cultured Butter with 82% Butterfat (photo #2).

All of Vermont Creamery’s butter types are a cut above (or several cuts above). But you can substitute another unsalted butter.

Vermont Creamery’s lines of butter, cheese, and other dairy products are made with remarkable craftsmanship. Cultured cream (crème fraîche) is churned into thick, extra-flavorful butter. (See more about cultured butter below.)

Churned in small batches, the cream transforms into a rich European-style butter with up to 86% butterfat and a fresh-off-the-farm taste.

Use it as you would any butter: for baking, pan searing, sauces, and of course on bread, including toast.

Prep time is 30 minutes.
 
Ingredients For 6 Servings

 
Preparation

1. BRING a small pot of water to a boil. Make an ice-water bath in a medium bowl.

2. ADD the basil leaves to boiling water; cook for 20-30 seconds or until bright green and wilted. Drain well.

3. SQUEEZE the basil with your hands to remove as much liquid as possible. Chop the basil finely.

4. PLACE the butter in a medium bowl; beat with a spatula or electric mixer to lighten it. Add the lemon zest, salt, and chopped basil; mix well.

Alternately, place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a small blender or food processor; pulse until lightly aerated, being careful not to melt the butter. Swirl the butter into a serving bowl or storage container.

5. USE immediately or refrigerate until cold or up to several weeks. Freeze for longer storage.
 
 
COMPOUND BUTTER HISTORY

Compound butter has long been a basic ingredient in French cooking. The French name is beurre composé (plural beurres composés). They are mixtures of butter and supplementary ingredients, used to enhance flavor in various dishes. They can serve as a sauce.

The original compound butter, Beurre Maître d’Hôtel (in English, typically called Maître d’Hôtel butter or parsley butter; in the U.S., steakhouse butter is a common term) was traditionally made tableside—by the Maître d’Hôtel†. This title usually referred to the head waiter. In French, the literal translation is “Master of the Hotel.”

We haven’t discovered which restaurant first created it, but it was a staple in fine French restaurants in the 19th century. According to one source:

A century and a half ago, it was the go-to accompaniment for tender grilled beefsteak….Period recommendations were to cut steaks a minimum of 3/4 of an inch thick, or up to twice as thick if preferred.

The maître d’hôtel whipped finely chopped parsley, lemon juice, and a bit of salt into softened butter* (it looked somewhat like photo #1), and pats were placed onto a freshly seared tenderloin steak to melt into the meat as it rested. The herbs and citrus added a fresh, bright note to balance out the richness of the butter [source].

Its use was extended as a flavor enhancer for baked goods, meats, seafood, and vegetables, and some flavors became popular as bread spreads (think of strawberry butter at brunch).

Over time, the ingredients whipped at tableside by the Maître d’Hôtel were transformed in the kitchen, blended, and rolled into a log that was kept in the refrigerator. The chef would take pats as needed for his dish.

When used as a topping, it is typically added just before the dish is served. Cinnamon butter, maple butter, and strawberry butter have emerged for pancakes, waffles, and toast.

When served atop the food, it can be placed on top during the last few minutes of cooking. Or, the pat is placed when the food is sent to the table. It can also be served melted from a small pitcher.
 
 
WHAT IS CULTURED BUTTER

Cultured butter is made in the European style, with pasteurized cream in a churn. This is just like regular butter but with one added step.

After pasteurization, the cream is fermented by adding a carefully selected bacterial culture. The cream rests for one day in a vat to allow the culture to produce a complex blend of flavor compounds.

As the cream thickens, it develops wonderfully tangy flavor notes of buttermilk and hazelnuts.

This is the source of the flavor difference between cultured butter and sweet cream, or American-style butter. After the fermentation, the cream is churned into butter.

“Making cultured butter is much like making wine,” says Vermont Creamery. “You want to ferment your cream like grapes, slowly, to produce the best aromas. The longer you culture, the better.”
 
 
________________

*We don’t know who created the first recipe, but subsequently, different maîtres added their own touches for flavor and color. Some of these include cayenne, Dijon mustard, garlic, paprika, shallot, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce [source].

†At fine restaurants, the head waiter prepared certain dishes at the table for flare and showmanship. In addition to sauces, salads were tossed at the table, and desserts like Crêpes Suzette were flamed in front of enthralled diners.
 

June 16th is National Cannoli Day. Cannoli (singular, cannolo) are one of our favorite desserts: crunchy, soft, and sweet. But what if there were savory cannoli? Filled with truffled mashed potatoes, for example, instead of sweetened ricotta cheese?

Sign us up!

You can serve these savory cannoli (photo #1) as a first course with salad or as a side with the main course.

The recipe was created by Executive Chef Martin Wolf of The Culinary Institute of the Carolinas at Greenville Technical College.

They are definitely finger food: The crunchy shell will crack if subjected to a knife and fork.

You can buy cannoli shells (tubes) at many Italian bakeries. If not, here’s a recipe to make your own.

> The history of cannoli.
 
 
RECIPE: TRUFFLED MASHED POTATO CANNOLI
 
Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MIX the mashed potatoes with truffle oil, butter, and salt. Add to a pastry bag.

2. HEAT a small nonstick skillet to very hot. Scatter the Parmesan, cook until browned, and roll around the cannoli tubes, one at a time, to coat in the Parmesan. Use about one ounce of Parmesan for each cannolo.

3. FILL the cannoli tubes with the truffled mashed potatoes. Plate each one with a garnish of choice.
 
 
MORE CANNOLI RECIPES

[1] Savory cannoli filled with truffled mashed potatoes (photo © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] Here, a savory filling of asparagus and ricotta. The cannolo is served with slices of duck prosciutto and gourmet greens (photo © Marea Restaurant | NYC).

[3] Parmesan and herb cannoli, Italian-inspired with marinara sauce. Here’s the recipe (photo © Tastemade).

[1] Comfort food: Lobster Hash. The recipe is below (photo and recipe © Idaho Potato Commission).

[2] More lobster comfort food: Lobster Mac & Cheese. Here’s the recipe (photo © Tillamook Dairy Co-Op).

[3] Another lobster fave: Lobster Roll BLT. Yes, this one is a fusion of lobster roll and BLT. Here’s a recipe (photo © Tommy Bahama).

June 15th is National Lobster Day. While the lobsters may not be too happy about that, we always welcome the excuse to splurge on a lobster roll—or if we’re especially flush, a deluxe lobster dinner.

When we saw this Lobster Hash recipe, however, we knew we could be happy with it as a main course with a big salad, or as a side dish.

The recipe was created by Jason Knoll, vice president of culinary for the breakfast restaurant chain Another Broken Egg Café. It was shared with us by the Idaho Potato Commission.

Per Jason:

 
> The history of lobster.

> 30 more lobster recipes.
 
 
RECIPE: LOBSTER HASH
 
 
Ingredients For 1 Serving

The Kraken is an enormous sea monster of legend, said to appear off the coasts of Norway. It had a co-starring role in “Clash Of The Titans,” where it was commanded to destroy cities by the Greek Gods.

It will appear this month in a less frightening, animated version, “Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken.” Ruby discovers she’s a direct descendant of the Kraken warrior queens sworn to protect the oceans of the world against the vain, power-hungry mermaids. O.K.!

The Kraken, one of the numerous superstitions and myths among sailors of old, was first described in the modern era in 1700. An enormous octopus that could pull down ships, it was written about by authors including Victor Hugo and Jules Verne [source].

In modern times, the belief is that the legend of the Kraken may have originated from sightings of giant squid, which can grow 40–50 feet in length. Here’s more about it.

Now: How do we get from the malevolent Kraken to a bottle of spiced rum?

Kraken Golden Spiced Rum begins with a legend:

“A lone ship, carrying barrels of spiced rum across the Caribbean, was viciously attacked by the massive tentacles and colossal strength of an unknown beast. All aboard the doomed vessel were dragged into the watery depths, never to be seen again. We now know this dreaded beast to be The Kraken.

“All but one of the rum barrels were destroyed in the carnage. Stained by the ink of the beast, the surviving barrel came to be known as The Kraken Rum.

“It is now known as a sacred libation of unparalleled flavor and darkness.”

The 70-proof Dominican Gold Spiced Rum is (so they say) “aged for two years at the bottom of the sea.”

As the legend says, “To not respect the power of the Kraken is to not respect the sea.” So, drink with respect.
 
 
HOW DOES IT TASTE?

Kraken can be sipped neat, yielding the flavors of spice, toasted oak, and vanilla. Sophisticated palates will detect molasses and caramelized sugar.

The aroma is sweet caramel, cinnamon, and vanilla.

You can, of course, mix your favorite cocktails. There are recipes on the website.

How About Some Dark Rum?

People who prefer dark rum should consider Kraken Black Spiced Rum, “infused with the darkness of the depths.”

The nose delivers aromas of allspice, clove, and toffee, with a palate of ginger, peppercorns, and vanilla.
 
 
GET YOUR KRAKEN

It’s a gift that’s bold, rich, and smooth. The SRP is $21.99.

Head to The Kraken website.
 
 
ABOUT SPICED RUM

Spiced rum is any kind of rum that has been flavored with natural herbs and spices: barks, dried fruits, leaves, roots, and/or seeds.

Allspice, cardamom, cassia, cinnamon, citrus, clove, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, orange peel, pepper, star anise, and vanilla are some of the spices that can go into a blend.

The spices are added to distilled white rum, along with molasses (which provides the golden color).

The result does not have to be spicy, just flavorful.

Spiced rum is a type of flavored rum, but there are other rums that are simply white rums flavored with fruit extracts (cherry, citrus, coconut, mango, etc.).
 
 
> The history of rum and the different types of rum.
 
 

[1] The Kraken Golden Spiced Rum. BYO tentacles (all photos © Proximo Spirits).

[2] Was The Kraken rum really found at the bottom of the sea?

[3] Washed up from the depths of the ocean, ready to be enjoyed at your home.

[4] The Kraken Black Spiced Rum.

Last month for Mother’s Day we treated ourselves to a Lady M Mille Crêpes Cake in the special flavor for the season, lavender (photo #3). It was divine (here’s our review).

Now, in time for Father’s Day and all of summer, Lady M launches another flavor (and we hope, a permanent addition to the collection), Lady M’s Guava Mille Crêpes Cake (photo #1).

If you’re a guava lover—and we sure are—you’ll go wild for this luscious new cake.

If you’re not familiar with the sweet, succulent flavor of pink-fleshed guava (photo #2), this is an exquisite introduction.

Layers of at least twenty handmade paper-thin crêpes are spread with guava-infused pastry cream. In the center of the layers is a filling of guava jam.

Topped with a rosy pink guava glaze, this divine new cake will transport you straight to paradise. (Are we raving too much? Take a bite and you’ll join us.)

All of THE NIBBLE’s tasters, who have loved every Lady M cake we’ve featured, gave an extra “wow!” to the guava flavor.

Lady M says the inspiration for this tropical treat is the Hawaiian Guava Cake (photo #6). We enjoy a great HGC, but Lady M’s Guava Mille Crêpes Cake is in a class of its own.

Order Your Cake

Head here, and the cake will be rushed to you directly from Lady M. It’s also sold on Goldbelly.

About Lady M

Japanese-French bakery Lady M Confections creates irresistible cakes for special occasions and everyday desserts, combining French techniques with Japanese sensibilities.

Founded in 2001 in New York City, the cakes are available at retail boutiques and online. The Mille Crêpes Cake, an innovation in the world of pastry, is its signature creation.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF GUAVA

Guava is a tropical fruit that is cultivated around the world.

The common guava (Psidium guajava), also called apple guava and lemon guava (because of its shape), is the fruit of a small evergreen tree in the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). Botanically, the fruits of the tree are berries.

“Cousins” in the family include other foodstuffs such as acca (feijoa), allspice, and clove.

Guavas are believed to have originated in southern Mexico or nearby in other Central American countries. It was transported easily to northern South America and the Caribbean [source].

The fruit was highly regarded by the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

The ancient Mayans and Aztecs valued guava fruit as a food source and its leaves and bark for medicinal purposes—for wounds, respiratory and digestive ailments.

The trees were carried southward as far as Peru, where archaeological sites have yielded evidence of guava cultivation as early as 2500 B.C.E.

In the early 1500s, Spanish explorers discovered the indigenous peoples growing guava trees in what is now Mexico.

Spanish and Portuguese explorers and colonizers carried guava plants on their voyages to the Caribbean, Brazil, and Southeast Asia.

In that latter region, in countries such as India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, guava became an integral part of the cuisines, used in both sweet and savory dishes.

The Guava Evolves

Over time, different varieties of guava were developed through selective breeding and cultivation.

Today, there are more than 400 guava cultivars, which vary in size, shape, color, and flavor.

Only a few dozen varieties are commercially cultivated [source]. Guava was introduced to Florida in the 19th century. Historical records indicate that Seminole Indians were cultivating guava trees in Northern Florida in 1816 [source].

Fast-forward two centuries: So much guava is grown in Florida that in the 1970s, Tampa, Florida earned the nickname The Big Guava, coined by a newspaper columnist.

Elsewhere in the U.S., guava is grown from the east (North Carolina, Tennessee) to the west (California, Hawaii), and south to Puerto Rico.

In other parts of the world, guava is grown commercially in Africa, Europe Portugal, Southern France, Spain), and Israel. Who wouldn’t want to enjoy this sweet treat?

In 2019, 55 million metric tonnes (about 50 Imperial [U.S.] tons) of guavas were produced worldwide, led by India with 45% of the total [ibid].

The skin of unripe guavas is green, but depending on the variety, it will mature to maintain a green skin, or show off a maroon or yellow skin (photo #6).

The pulp inside can be pink, red, or white.

And beyond the fruit, the leaves can be boiled into an herbal tea.

In recent years, guava has been crowned a top superfood, high in antioxidants including the heavy-duty vitamin C, with fiber and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin A.

Growing evidence points to medicinal benefits for diarrhea, diabetes, and digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome [source] [source].

Guava is not only consumed fresh but also in candies, jams, jellies, juices, desserts, and alcoholic beverages (oh how we love a Guava Frozen Margarita!).

If you live in Zones 9-11, you can grow your own in-ground.

In containers as patio plants in cooler climates, they can be protected in the winter.
 

[2] A bin of pink-fleshed guava (photo © Margo Schmiederer | Pexels).

[3] Lady M Lavender Mille Crêpes Cake is available through the end of June. Order yours here and read our review here.

[4] A perennial favorite, the elegant Green Tea Mille Crêpes Cake is finished with Japanese powdered matcha. Order yours here.

[5] Hawaiian Guava Cake, inspiration for Lady M’s guava cake. Here’s the recipe (photo by Romulo Yanes © The New York Times).

[6] Buy yourself a strawberry guava plant (Psidium littorale). The rind is yellow, the shape can resemble a lemon (photo © Urban Perennials).