fermentation – Homestead Kitchen

Yogurt

Full fat yogurt from organic milk is expensive. Make your own, for the cost of milk and an heirloom starter culture. You can use plain, store bought yogurt to culture your milk, but I have had better success and more consistent results using a dedicated starter. The Bulgarian strain is hearty and produces a thick,Continue reading “Yogurt”

Kefir

This post is part of series on different ways to use, transform and preserve fresh milk. Main article here. There’s no comparison between store bought and homemade kefir. Fresh kefir tastes rich, tangy without masking all other dairy flavors, and is slightly effervescent. Similar to how a kombucha “mother” turns sweet tea into kombucha, aContinue reading “Kefir”

Buttermilk

This post is part of series on different ways to use, transform and preserve fresh milk. Main article here. Here, I am referring to cultured buttermilk, not the leftover liquid from churning butter. My buttermilk isn’t as thick as strained yogurt or kefir. I use it mostly for fresh cheese recipes (farmer’s cheese, pot cheese),Continue reading “Buttermilk”

Fresh Milk Many Ways

Every other week we drive 15 min to our small, local dairy to buy four gallons of milk. The farm’s small herd of grass fed Dutch Belted cows produces incredible milk. Even though it is not raw, the low temperature pasteurized and non-homogenized creamy goodness rivals any of the best raw milk I’ve had. WeContinue reading “Fresh Milk Many Ways”