Butter Molds Have Been Around For Ages

Is there any meal in this world that butter can't improve? Whether you're using it to cook French toast, or slathering delicious restaurant butter all over your free bread, this dairy aisle delight is rich and creamy (and it freezes really well, too). The history of butter goes back thousands of years, and by the Renaissance, diners were fully invested in the luscious spread. During the 19th century in northern Europe, a practice of stamping and sculpting butter with carved designs sprung up, and these designs were transferred to the fat using butter molds.

These decorative molds were always made of wood, and they could be square boxes or cylinders. The butter was set into the mold space and tamped down into the lid, which would be carved on its underside with the design to imprint onto the butter. When removed, the beautiful pattern would remain, and the butter would slide easily out of the chamber to be served, no doubt garnering "oohs" and "aahs" from the impressed diners.

Butter molds weren't just carved to look pretty, though. The designs, which could represent images, patterns, words, or all three, served as a type of monogram or trademark for farmers who sold their creamery wares at markets. Many people in pre-19th-century England were illiterate, so pictures and stamps were essential to help farmers advertise their wares to the general public and help customers recognize their favorite butter brands.

Meanwhile, among the upper classes in both 19th-century Europe and America, beautifully molded butter became de rigueur at the dinner table, whether it was sculpted to resemble plants or animals, or stamped with a butter mold and served on a silver platter. One of the more prestigious fruits in the U.S. during this time was the pineapple (though it was native to South America, it remained an elusive and pricey fruit even for North Americans). Thus, if you couldn't have an actual pineapple at your table for your dinner guests to enjoy, then butter molded into the shape of a pineapple was the next best thing.

As with all things fashionable, the pendulum swings back eventually, and what's old becomes new. This is true for butter molds — they are becoming popular again as a whimsical way to serve spreads to restaurant patrons and dinner guests. You can buy butter molds at antique shops and flea markets, but if you prefer to shop online, you can find them on sites like eBay — though it may cost you dear depending on the make.

Vintage butter molds can be rehabbed and used again, but only if they remain whole and pristine. Otherwise, there could be bacteria lurking in the cracks or inside damaged parts of the wood. Also, while the traditional material for butter molds is wood, you can also shape your butter with silicone molds used for chocolates or cakes. You can find sets online featuring fun designs like plants and flowers, and yes, even pineapples — your dinner party guests are not prepared for what's coming to the table.