Butter that isn't too damn cold spreads nicely.
But it's usually too damn cold. I remember noon meals at the town cafes. Along with your plate, you would get a little plate with a slice of white bread, a slice of whole-wheat bread, and two pats of butter betwixt a thin piece of shirtboard and two squares of waxed paper. The pats were solid. I've had more butter that was like that, even when left out (unless it was 90 degrees in the house).
