Individual butter dish

An individual butter dish is a small vessel placed before each guest to present a portion of butter, often kept cool on a bed of ice or cold water. Made of porcelain, glass or silver plate, it comes with a dedicated butter knife bearing a short, rounded blade. In palaces the butter is sometimes shaped into shells or rosettes, offered in salted, half-salted or flavoured versions, and renewed at each service to guarantee its freshness.