The Rise of the Butter Board: A Culinary Craze Sweeping TikTok
The concept of a butterboard, a novel culinary trend potentially overshadowing charcuterie, has garnered attention.
Forget charcuterie, enter the realm of the #ButterBoard. This latest craze on TikTok has swiftly gained traction.
The Danes have coined a term for butter so generously spread that it leaves indents with each bite: tandsmør (tooth butter). Butter boards, the new sensation on TikTok, abandon traditional bread in favor of a wooden board, maintaining the lavish butter spread akin to Danish smørrebrød.
Justine Doiron, a recipe developer and food stylist based in Brooklyn, catalyzed the viral spread of the butterboard trend with her instructional video on September 15th. Amassing a staggering 173.4 million views and counting, the #butterboard has taken TikTok by storm.
“I’ve been taken aback from the outset,” remarks Doiron in an interview with National Post. “When I initially created the video, it was simply to share a beloved recipe from one of my cherished cookbooks.”
The pivotal book in question is “Six Seasons” by Joshua McFadden, a chef, author, and restaurateur hailing from Portland, Oregon. The catalyst for the trend, found within its pages, is McFadden’s “Herbed” Butter with Warm Bread recipe.
Within “Six Seasons,” McFadden advocates for seasoning the butter base with flaky salt, pepper, and chili flakes, then embellishing it with greens, herbs, grated citrus zest, and chopped pickles or capers.
In Doiron’s viral rendition, viewed over eight million times, she adorns the butter with flaky salt, lemon zest, edible blossoms, fresh herbs, ground coriander, and cardamom, finishing with a drizzle of honey and a swipe of warm bread.
Similar to other snack boards—be it charcuterie or cheese—a butterboard doesn’t necessitate a strict recipe. Begin with softened butter on a wooden board or platter, season with salt, and layer on the toppings of choice. (Doiron emphasizes the importance of flaky salt and citrus zest; the remainder is left to personal preference.)
When brainstorming flavor pairings, she envisions her “ideal bread and butter recipe”—perhaps honey, figs, and toasted sage, or a “deconstructed garlic bread” featuring garlic confit and chili oil—and scales it up.
For simplicity in cleanup, Doiron recommends placing a sheet of wax paper on the board before spreading the butter. While she opts to dip warm bread directly into the butter in her video, the board can also be served with knives, akin to a cheese platter.
Doiron attributes the allure of the butterboard to its adaptability. Despite her delight in its popularity, she admits to feeling out of her element in the role of a viral content creator.
“This is the first trend I’ve ever ‘pioneered,’ but I’ve observed numerous accounts that are heavily trend-focused. While that’s commendable and enjoyable, and it’s certainly amusing to adopt and customize ideas,” remarks Doiron. “I’ve never been fixated on trends. Therefore, spearheading a trend is uncharted territory for me.”
TikTok users have innovated with the concept, experimenting with alternatives such as labneh in a Mediterranean rendition or sweetened yogurt for an Indian chaat board.
Inspired by Doiron and McFadden, Toronto-based food blogger Snejana Andreeva has crafted several butterboard recipes and has plans for additional sweet and savory variations.
“I was utterly astounded because it felt like reinventing the wheel. It was fresh, different, and enjoyable. A shareable creation that can be adapted in numerous ways—not limited to butter alone,” expresses Andreeva.