Object Name
Paddle, Butter
Materials
Wood
Catalogue Number
2003-09.08
Dimensions
L: 25.8cm W: 7.5cm H: 0.8cm
Description
A wooden butter paddle. It is made of a yellow softwood. The handle is curved along the sides with a flat top and bottom. It widens to meet the head, which is a flat rectangle with even ridges and grooves running along its length. The back side is flat.
History
After churning, butter needs to be washed and the buttermilk drained. These paddles, sometimes called “butter hands”, were used in pairs to work and shape the butter. A farmhand would beat the butter with these paddles to squeeze out any excess buttermilk, then mix in salt and other flavourings. Then, the butter would be scooped into a mold or rolled into balls for individual portions.
