Butter facts

Dear Gretchen,
We talked about ingredients--how choice of  flour, sugar, butter, and eggs defines a baker. Once,  I cut info about butter from a newspaper and pasted it onto a card. As promised, here are the highlights:
1. For mixing and creaming, 65 degrees. Don't let it melt: at 68 degrees.
2. Wrap butter in foil if it's not going to be used immediately. Seal with tape.
3. Never use a microwave to soften butter because it melts, even when it appears solid.
4. Cut butter into chunks to prepare for softening. It's ready to be creamed if it takes a fingerprint when gently pressed.
5.  Cream butter with mixer's paddle blade. Don't go above medium because that will heat the butter.

That was a refresher for me too. Now, to make crust for Thanksgiving pie!