Spread (food)

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Butter is commonly sold in sticks (pictured) or small blocks, and often served using a butterknife.

A spread is a dense, soft condiment that can be spread onto other dishes, for flavor or texture. Common spreads include cheeses, creams, and butters (spreads made from milk; though the term butter is broadly applied to many spreads); and jams and jellies (spreads made from fruit). Dulce de Leche is a popular Latin-American spread made from caramelized milk.

Spreads are also made from vegetables (e.g., vegemite, babaganoush, salsas) and meats (e.g., pâté, fleischbutter). Terms like "butter," "paste," and "sauce" are used casually in this context; and the line between sauces and spreads is rather fuzzy. Olive paste, Cranberry sauce and mayonnaise (the latter two also being sauces) are examples of spreads on the boundary of this category.