A few years ago, I planted some sage bushes in Pete’s backyard, probably right after I moved here. A gardener can expect three productive years from a single bush, so last spring, I planted new ones. I’m up to my neck in fresh sage, so you know what that means: compound butters.

It’s easy. Take butter out of the fridge to soften. Put the soft butter into the bowl of your mixer. Chop up some herbs into tinytinytiny pieces. Add the herbs to the soft butter. Make your mixer go WHOOOOOSH. Taste the butter. If it needs lemon juice or sherry or more herbs or whatever suits your fancy, add that. Scoop into a bowl and refrigerate. Later, spoon a dollop on a baked potato, sauteed vegetables, broiled meat or fish. You can store your compound butter in the fridge if you’re going to eat it soon or in the freezer if you’re going to need some herby, butter summerosity in January, and who does not?