Terracotta Butter Bell

Before the icebox, a French kitchen kept its butter sweet with nothing but a little water and a clever clay pot. Found in Le Perche, it is terracotta, a two-part pot with a hand-carved pattern around the top and a soft matte finish. You pack the butter into the bell, pour an inch of water into the base and turn it over, the water sealing out the air so the butter stays soft and fresh on the counter for days. Sylvie keeps one by the stove, always ready for a late-night piece of toast.