A tasty trend: butter boards

LACONIA — Have you heard of a butter board? Many people never have, but checking the internet will show many examples. Indeed, butter boards are trending on TikTok and other social media sites.

What is a butter board? It is different from a charcuterie board, which have been popular for a while. Many items can be used when creating a charcuterie board, from cheeses, crackers, vegetables, fruits, sweets and sauces.

Although both are made with food served on a board or platter, a butter board starts with a bottom layer of butter spread over a board. From there, it is topped with as many or few foods as desired (popular toppings include roasted vegetables and garlic).

Because the trend is new, many people have not had a butter board, but one area restaurant, the Laconia Local Eatery downtown, offers the board on its menu.

The butter board at the Local Eatery consists of quality-cultured butter, dressed in roasted garlic cloves, sundried tomatoes, red onion and scallions, finished with malden sea salt flakes and served with toasted focaccia bread.

Local people who love a food trend have seen butter boards and are expressing interest.

“Butter, peanut butter, hummus ... the creamy choices are endless. Served with veggies, fruit or pretzels, there are many possibilities. I’ve seen tons of these on TikTok. They come up on my Facebook feed, too,” says one Laconia resident who loves to try new recipes.

Kelly Ross, a local chef offering catering and enjoying cooking for himself and his wife, Melody, is very familiar with butter boards. He says if they are done right, they are delicious.

Ross explains, “I have done at least eight or nine butter boards, and they are a big hit at parties.”

The quality of butter is important for a successful butter board, and Ross advises to “use the best butter possible, along with sea salt, chopped bacon, roasted garlic, chopped nuts, chopped fresh herbs such as basil and parsley, citrus juice and/or zest. I also love the sundried tomato idea.

“In addition, use quality bread. Dessert butter boards are good as well. You can sweeten the butter with sugar/brown sugar and add cinnamon, nutmeg, or other spices of choice, and use sliced apples and a variety of fruits to dip.”

Butter boards were originally created to serve with bread and deconstructed butter. It is a snack that should be shared, with bread slices dipped in butter and toppings.

Those who wish can make a butter board by adding oil to a skillet and heating over medium. Once the oil is hot, add sliced garlic and fry about 30 seconds. Stir and flip garlic slices to fry on the other side. Remove from the heat and drain. Spread softened cold butter onto a wooden board of choice. (For a small number of diners, use a smaller board.) Top the butter with the fried garlic. Add items of choice for extra flavor such as pepper flakes, sea salt and maybe even a bit of honey.

The thing people love about butter boards is their versatility. Chefs can add whatever spices and toppings to create a variety of flavors enjoyed by everyone. Serve with strips of bread spread with butter. Diners can choose unsalted butter, but salted seems to work best, adding more flavor.

Ross has made butter boards in his catering business and picked up on the trend before many people heard of it. Like charcuterie boards, butter boards are growing in popularity. With the holidays soon arriving, there will be parties and gatherings and hungry guests. As butter boards become more well known, they will appear on holiday tables.

Lakes Region resident Cathy Court entertains often and recently had her first butter board: “I had not heard of butter boards until now. This was the first time I had one. I thought it was delicious.”

Court’s butter board had farm-fresh butter, onions and roasted garlic to spread on focaccia bread.

“The bread should be good quality,” she emphasizes. “I would serve a butter board at home if I was entertaining. I think it would be different, elegant and interesting. If I made one, I would create it with quality butter, roasted vegetables and make it for the correct number of guests.”

She says a guest would not want to fill up on butter board items, so it would be best to make a board tailored for the number of people versus making too large a board for just a few guests, especially if serving dinner immediately after.

“I have started to look for restaurants that serve butter boards and check out their menus to see how chefs make a butter board. The possibilities seem endless, and I would like to see what others are putting on the boards,” Court says.

For those who enjoy good butter and toppings, and like to keep up with the latest food trends, a butter board might be just the thing.