Good things that are made with milk

[luzula]

I am almost well from my cold/flu/whatever it was. *relieved* The last few days I have really enjoyed hot chocolate made from:
- the unhomogenized milk with natural fat levels that we buy from a local dairy
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- housemate's homemade peppermint liqueur.

It is delicious. I also bought a Bulgarian heirloom yoghurt culture, and I can say that it is totally worth it compared to making yoghurt descended from store-bought yoghurt (which typically only contains two species of bacteria). It consistently sets really well and also the taste is richer and more complex. Of course, it also makes a difference what milk you use.

We still have apples left in the food cellar, which I eat every day with the yoghurt for my breakfast (yum!). The apples will soon be gone, though, which tells me that we should plant another apple tree, one with apples that keep through the winter.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

try making milk curds/quark/cottage cheese. best breakfast ever. especially with sour cream.

[luzula]

Hmm, yeah, I have thought about experimenting with making fresh cheese! That is probably the next step in my dairy experiments. Housemate has made mozzarella already.

[(Anonymous)]

also, note that leftover whey might be used to make whey bread. if you wish to consume whey directly, i would say that it tastes better chilled. it's an acquired taste nonetheless.

if the whey comes out acidic and it's summertime it can also be used for a so-called cold soup.

cucumbers, radishes and hard-boiled eggs are diced and mixed. then chopped dill, chopped parsley and salt are added to taste. finally, the dish is completed with cold whey or liquid yogurt. optionally, green onions, diced meats, potatoes, sour cream or mustard can be added (not too much). the object is an idiosyncratic "refreshing, yet hearty" taste.

[luzula]

Yeah, my impulse if I had leftover whey would be to use it in bread dough. But the soup sounds interesting, I might try that in the summer! Thanks, anonymous. : )

[regshoe]

Oh no, I'm sorry you've not been well, but that's good that you're recovering now.

Those things sound delicious. I used to buy unhomogenised milk sometimes and am considering doing so again, but I would too often just eat the cream off the top with a spoon and then end up with relatively untasty mostly-skimmed milk for the rest of the bottle... Another apple tree is certainly a good idea :D

[luzula]

The cream is delicious, it's true! I usually shake the bottle before use.

Another apple tree is certainly a good idea :D
The only difficulty is choosing which kind! But then, I have space for several more...ideally I'd like both a summer apple, which we don't have any, a winter apple, and one tree for making sure we also have enough to make juice/cider.

[dolorosa_12]

That homemade yoghurt sounds delicious!

We still have apples from our one tree left — I picked and stored them in mid-August (which is early, this should really be happening in September), and I estimate that what's left will last until about mid-March. Next year, I want to turn some of them into vinegar, and preserved in other ways, but this requires a bit more forward planning.

[luzula]

Our apples would have lasted longer, except that I made many of them into apple sauce, not knowing how long they would keep as they were. But now I know that the ones from our old tree actually keep pretty well! We also have three younger trees, which don't yield as much.

[dolorosa_12]

Oooh, apple sauce is a great idea as well! Do you have a specific recipe?

[luzula]

Well, I basically just remove the seeds and stuff in the middle, and chop them into bits (I don't bother peeling them, it's too much work). Then I put the apples in a pan and add a little water so it won't burn and just cook until the apples are soft. It can help to use a potato masher at the end, depending on how much you like your apple sauce with pieces. Then add sugar to taste. Disinfect glass jars (by heating in the oven or putting them in boiling water) and put the sauce in them and let cool. And that's it! I like apple sauce made from tart apples, otherwise I think it's a bit boring. Of course you can add some lemon juice if you want, but otherwise my big discovery this year is to add the fruits of flowering quince! OMG, it's delicious. Flowering quince is almost too tart on its own, but the combination is great.

If you just want apple sauce for one meal (for example, if I'm making pancakes/crepes) and you have fresh apples, I prefer making it in the oven. I sprinkle the chopped apples with brown sugar, cinnamon and some butter, and toast until soft. This can also be a dessert on its own, with cream, custard, ice cream, or the like.

[dolorosa_12]

Thanks! That sounds simple enough, and delicious.

[chestnut_pod]

What a world we live in where we can buy Bulgarian heirloom yoghurt culture.

[luzula]

I mean, yoghurt culture is not hard to propagate? If I knew someone nearby who was already making it, they could just give me some. But given that I don't, I am grateful someone had it for sale!

Scandinavia has its own native cultured milk traditions (fil and långfil), which are easier in that they don't require heating of the milk--you can just mix in the culture and let it stand in room temperature for a while. But I happened to eat yoghurt growing up and so that's what I prefer. Långfil especially is really slimy, and is an acquired taste for those who didn't grow up with it!

[nineveh_uk]

Is långfil the Swedish version of Finnish viili? A texture I tasted once and have never forgotten!

Homemade yoghurt, OTOH, is certainly delicious.

[luzula]

Well, "fil" and "viili" are basically the same word. I've never been in Finland (except for Åland) and I haven't tasted their version. But yeah, the "lång" in långfil is the same as "long" and describes the way you can pull it out into long threads.

[nnozomi]

That sounds like fantastic hot chocolate... (and glad you are feeling better!)

"yogurt" is almost the only thing most people in Japan know about Bulgaria, so good to know that it lives up to its billing.

[luzula]

I'm trying to think about what I know about Bulgaria, and sadly, it isn't that much! They have cool choirs, I think?

[garonne]

Glad you're almost recovered!

Apple + yoghurt is one of my favourite things, even when it's the industrial store-bought yoghurt. I can't imagine how much yummier a heirloom yogurt culture must be!

[luzula]

I'll have lots of apple sauce when the fresh apples are gone, so that's good. And lots of other homemade jam, as well. My goal is never more to buy fruit and berries again!