This activity is by Donna Erickson, a family lifestyle columnist with King Features Syndicate and host of Donna's Day on public television. For more ideas, visit www.donnasday.com.
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Activity Photo credits: Donna Erickson and Paul Nelson.
MAKE A BATCH-O’-BUTTER
Where do you think the butter you spread on your toast in the morning comes from? Maybe you’ve never thought about this question before. Are you curious? Let’s make some and find out!
Here’s the stuff you’ll need:
•1 fresh half-pint of heavy whipping cream in a carton
•Small clean plastic jars with tight lids
•Medium size bowl
•Strainer
•Salt (optional)
•Toast or crackers
Here’s the fun:
1. Pour the cream into the jars, leaving at least half the jar empty. Screw the lids on very tight.
2. Here’s the part where you let out the wiggles. Give an adult one of the jars too, and start shaking the jars. Run around the yard and shake! Talk a walk up and down the block together shaking all the way. This requires real muscle! Shake for about 15-20 minutes until chunks of butter start forming inside.
3. Set the bowl on the counter with the strainer on top, unscrew the jars, and pour the contents into the strainer. Lumps of butter should appear. Globs of it! Delicious sweet butter. Buttermilk will drain into the bowl and you might want to save it for pancake batter, or just to drink.
Spread a little butter on small squares of toast or crackers. Add a bit of salt if you wish. Or spread the butter on salted soda crackers.
TABLE TALK:
Think about ways to serve your butter up with a little style. For example, press it into a plastic candy mold. Fill each little form and set in the refrigerator until butter hardens. Then place a few butter pats on a fancy plate alongside a basket of mini-muffins and juice.
