Much like a charcuterie board, you take butter and artfully spread it on a board. Then you put your favorite toppings on it and serve it with fresh bread. The trend comes from a cookbook called “Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables.” It’s by Joshua McFadden, and he’s been making butter boards for years.

The idea is simple, add ingredients like herbs, olive oil, dried fruits, nuts, or honey. Whether you choose a sweet or savory route, the fun flavors can be sampled with various slices of bread, crostini, or pretzels. But it’s also so much more.

“This is essentially a glorified stick of butter,” said Justine Doiron, a recipe developer in New York

After doing some research, I learned that many wanna-be health inspectors have concerns about mushing butter into wooden serving boards, as the cracks/grooves in the wood can be hard to clean and may promote bacteria growth. So, for the sake of food safety, I decided to make my butter board on a large ceramic platter that is easier to wash and safe of course.

If you want to create your own showstopping butter board, start with just three ingredients you want to put on top. Then it’s all about the final touches, texture, acidity, salt, and herbs working through all those components. So really, the sky is endless. The whole thing about butter boards is it’s not a recipe. It’s more so a technique and an idea, so there’s really no wrong way.

If you like a little sweet but spicy start with smearing butter flat on a cutting board or plate, next season generously with flaky salt, several cranks of black pepper, and a sprinkle of chile flakes. Then just start layering on the greens and herbs, some grated citrus zest if you have it, toss on some chopped pickles or capers, and keep adding. Place on the table with a nice warm country loaf to rip into and let the feasting begin.

For more information check out the WBNS 10TV Butter board TikTok trend.