It is best to put the butter in cold water before it is used, and, if salt butter, it should be washed in several waters to extract the salt.

The next thing necessary is to beat the butter to a cream.

To do this it must be worked about in a basin with a wooden spoon.

The basin should be a strong one, and a wooden spoon is far preferable to a metal one.

You simply beat the butter and spread it against the sides of the basin and knock it about till it loses its consistency.