Compound butter is the highest return on effort in a home kitchen. Ten minutes of work makes a log that lives in the freezer for two months and turns a plain steak, a piece of fish, a bowl of rice, or a slice of toast into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant kitchen.

Thyme is the herb that rewards technique. Pinch the top of the sprig, run your fingers down the stem against the direction of growth, and the leaves come off clean without bruising. Chopping thyme on the stem gives you woody bits that never soften, and bruised leaves go bitter and grey in fat.

Whip it rather than stirring it. A balloon whisk works air into softened butter and gives you a light, spreadable texture instead of a dense paste, and Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil folds in without breaking the emulsion the way melted butter would.