Starting a search for local foods in the middle of winter? Maybe not such a hot idea when the growing season around here is so short. However the farmers that I have been talking to are saying that the plants will be going into the ground soon. How encouraging is that? In 4-6 weeks we'll start seeing fresh local produce that hasn't been grown in a hot house. Yay!
In the meantime, I've been doing my research. I've found CSA that are closer to home. Sunshine Miles Farm Farm (from Durham) and Jemseg Farm (from Jemseg), while Jolly Farmer is from just outside of Woodstock. All three have presently sold out their boxes, although they are accepting names for their wait lists. You'll be able to sign up for their waitlist at the links that I have provided. You will be able to find some of these farmer's produce locally. Jolly Farmer products can be found at Norm's Butcher Block (out on Hanwell Road) and the Jemseg Farm products can be found at the Boyce's Farmers Market (downtown Fredericton - on block of Regent/George/St. John/Brunswick).
At Easter, I was able to find local lamb. The recipe? Simple. Garlic cloves, robust herbs (thyme/rosemary/oregano/mint), shoulder or leg of lamb, salt and pepper. Throw everything in the pan, cover and cook at 250F for 5-6 hours. I roasted root vegetables at the same time. For a special family meal and family gathering, what could be better than "setting it and forgetting about it" (as that certain infomertial repeats so often)? We visited, we went to Mass, we had a blast. Then when it was time for supper? Simply pull everything from the oven and serve with a nice red wine. Where did the key ingredient for this lucious meal come from? Yerxa Meats from Scotch Settelement, who can also be found at Boyce's Farmers Market.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
If you live in the United States or in Canada, and you watch TV, you've surely seen the ads for Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution reality TV show. He's been doing the talk show rounds lately, sitting down with Jon Stewart on the The Daily Show and David Lettermen on The Late Show. He's appeared on ABC's Good Morning America all in promotion for his show. Last night was the premier.
If you didn't see it and want to, go find it somewhere - I'm sure you'll find it on the web somewhere. If you can't find it, here is a quick run down of what happened.
The show opens with Jamie on the Ryan Seacrest radio show saying that he's been banned from entering the LA public schools. He is looking forward to meeting the people of LA and has his kitchen open. He's hoping that the parents of LA will bring him examples of what their kids are eating at school. Not only was his counter covered with garbage food, it was covered with just plain old garbage! It turns out that not only does the LAUSD serve mystery meat, they serve centrally prepared meals which are then packaged in plastic containers and wrappers to be microwaved and re-heated at school then served to the children like the TV dinners they remind me so much of. (On a side note: when my first child was born, she was a high need child. I ate those frozen dinners often in those days, and I felt best about myself when I was able to eat that meal off a real plate rather than from the box it cooked in... Imagine how these kids feel when they are forced to eat off a plastified paper plate daily!) Jamie did find some fresh/whole/real food on his table. Turns out that the children who brought those foods in are being homeschooled.
He asked a very important question: How many kids changed their food habits after they started going to school? Many parents raised their hands. He explained where he's coming from. He is a chef. He's passionate about food. He's a dad. He's passionate about kids. He sees that some kids are not living the full life they could be living because of preventable illness and it's too often related to poor food and low food quality.
He went on to do a few demonstrations: where does meat come from? what do they do with remnants usually reserved for animal to make it okay for human consumption? how much sugar do the students in the LAUSD consume with their milk?
He tried to talk to the LAUSD at an open meeting, where anyone can have three minutes to present their case to the board members. I so loved the way he was politely told to speak to Mr. Barret in charge of food services, and then how Mr. Barret politely showed him the door. Then Mr. Alaniz steps out of the board room to inform Jamie that the Superintendent wants a written proposal of what's going on. Wasn't it a nice way to tell Jamie to get lost and never darken our doorstep again? I'm sure that Jamie and his crew dotted their i's and crossed their t's and minded their p's and q's, and that all of this information had already been provided to the LAUSD. Ah well. Who know's? Maybe the original request got lost in the mail.
He talked with a local fast food shop owner about his menu. Could there be something done to tweak the menu so that better options were available to clients. Sure, as long as long as nothing comes off the menu. Sure, as long as it doesn't affect the bottom line. The owner even admitted that he would not serve his own children the syrup that he serves to his clients! As a business owner, my clients are family! If I wouldn't treat my family this way why should my clients be any different? Granted, a milkshake is made with ice-cream. However when I make a milkshake, I use about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of ice-cream and frozen fruits so that my milkshake has both the richness, flavour and mouthfeel of a typical milkshake. We don't need to have so much ice-cream in our milkshakes that it nearly half fills the blender. Slight tweaks like this make for better food, better quality food and most wouldn't know the slight difference.
Jamie is asking us to be aware of what is in our foods, and where it comes from. Personally, I think this is something we can all easily do - simply by looking at the ingredient list on the foods we eat. If you feel you need a science degree to understand what you're eating, it might just be something that shouldn't be on your table regularly. As treats occasionally? Ok. Maybe. But most certainly not every day.
So let's encourage this movement. Let's be aware of what we eat and what is being offered to our children in the cafeterias at school.
If you didn't see it and want to, go find it somewhere - I'm sure you'll find it on the web somewhere. If you can't find it, here is a quick run down of what happened.
The show opens with Jamie on the Ryan Seacrest radio show saying that he's been banned from entering the LA public schools. He is looking forward to meeting the people of LA and has his kitchen open. He's hoping that the parents of LA will bring him examples of what their kids are eating at school. Not only was his counter covered with garbage food, it was covered with just plain old garbage! It turns out that not only does the LAUSD serve mystery meat, they serve centrally prepared meals which are then packaged in plastic containers and wrappers to be microwaved and re-heated at school then served to the children like the TV dinners they remind me so much of. (On a side note: when my first child was born, she was a high need child. I ate those frozen dinners often in those days, and I felt best about myself when I was able to eat that meal off a real plate rather than from the box it cooked in... Imagine how these kids feel when they are forced to eat off a plastified paper plate daily!) Jamie did find some fresh/whole/real food on his table. Turns out that the children who brought those foods in are being homeschooled.
He asked a very important question: How many kids changed their food habits after they started going to school? Many parents raised their hands. He explained where he's coming from. He is a chef. He's passionate about food. He's a dad. He's passionate about kids. He sees that some kids are not living the full life they could be living because of preventable illness and it's too often related to poor food and low food quality.
He went on to do a few demonstrations: where does meat come from? what do they do with remnants usually reserved for animal to make it okay for human consumption? how much sugar do the students in the LAUSD consume with their milk?
He tried to talk to the LAUSD at an open meeting, where anyone can have three minutes to present their case to the board members. I so loved the way he was politely told to speak to Mr. Barret in charge of food services, and then how Mr. Barret politely showed him the door. Then Mr. Alaniz steps out of the board room to inform Jamie that the Superintendent wants a written proposal of what's going on. Wasn't it a nice way to tell Jamie to get lost and never darken our doorstep again? I'm sure that Jamie and his crew dotted their i's and crossed their t's and minded their p's and q's, and that all of this information had already been provided to the LAUSD. Ah well. Who know's? Maybe the original request got lost in the mail.
He talked with a local fast food shop owner about his menu. Could there be something done to tweak the menu so that better options were available to clients. Sure, as long as long as nothing comes off the menu. Sure, as long as it doesn't affect the bottom line. The owner even admitted that he would not serve his own children the syrup that he serves to his clients! As a business owner, my clients are family! If I wouldn't treat my family this way why should my clients be any different? Granted, a milkshake is made with ice-cream. However when I make a milkshake, I use about 60 ml (1/4 cup) of ice-cream and frozen fruits so that my milkshake has both the richness, flavour and mouthfeel of a typical milkshake. We don't need to have so much ice-cream in our milkshakes that it nearly half fills the blender. Slight tweaks like this make for better food, better quality food and most wouldn't know the slight difference.
Jamie is asking us to be aware of what is in our foods, and where it comes from. Personally, I think this is something we can all easily do - simply by looking at the ingredient list on the foods we eat. If you feel you need a science degree to understand what you're eating, it might just be something that shouldn't be on your table regularly. As treats occasionally? Ok. Maybe. But most certainly not every day.
So let's encourage this movement. Let's be aware of what we eat and what is being offered to our children in the cafeterias at school.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Boyce's Market...
This past Saturday I spent a lovely few hours at my local market. In town it's the place to be on a Saturday morning. Sometimes I'm not sure if people are there to shop the market or to socialize. Does it really matter? I don't think so, it's fun to see people socialize with a fresh squeezed orange juice in one hand and bags overfilled with salads, vegetables and quality crafted goods in the other. This weekend was no different. In this cold winter season, the infants were immobilized in their snowsuit bundles, the children were perched on their father's shoulders with mittens dangling like odd, fuzzy earings. The mothers negotiating with the vendors, looking for those perfect ingredients for a lovely family Sunday dinner.
As it's winter, the vegetable selection from local farmers are surprisingly varied. Mind you there are not many vegetable vendors this time of year. The Villeneuve Farm was present, with carrots, potatoes and a local delicacy - salted herbs. Most of what I saw reflected the season - root vegetables apples and squash, those hearty fruits and vegetables that have that earthy flavour and remind me of my grandmother's favourite dishes. Mmmm... Miosh, that mashed blend of carrots and turnip with a hint of butter, salt and pepper... A Sunday staple at my memere's table. Mashed potatoes... Mind you memere would have reached for the staple russett potato. She would not have considered the rose potato, the yukon gold, the fingerling or red potato that I found at the market. Never mind the vibrant blue potato!
But I was here on a mission. I had a dinner party dish to prepare and I was looking for inspiration. I knew I was going to be making pulled pork. We had a themed menu with homemade baked beans (courtesy of my sister) and two types of coleslaw and crusty rolls (courtesy of my sister-in-law). Pulled pork was just the ticket to complete the meal. So off to get the pork butt I was. I found a beautifully bound 2.5 kg roast. To feed a crew of 15 this was plenty. All I needed were the ingredients for a sauce that would have a hint of a kick and that savoury sweetness that we enjoy so much with pulled pork. I wandered the market and found the Pleasant Vale Maple Products table. Maple syrup would most certainly cover the sweetness aspect that I was looking for, and who doesn't like that yummy maple treat? I picked up a bottle, but what would I pair it up with that would give it the counterbalance and pungent kick I was looking for? While looking at their table, inspiration struck...
Even measures of Dijon mustard blended with maple syrup and a healthy pinch of chili pepper. Perfection! Slather this blend over the lightly seasoned pork butt, and place in a deep dish with two cups of white wine. Cover and cook at 275F for 4-5 hours. Remove from the oven, place the pork in a bowl and tear it completely appart. Reserve the cooking juices and refrigerate over night. About 30 minutes before the party, steam the pork and bring the reserved juices to a simmer, taste the sauce with a bit of meat and adjust the seasoning. I needed more sauce so I added more syrup, mustard and some of the steaming liquid which had absorbed some of the pork flavour. I ended up with about 250 ml of sauce. Once the pork was warmed through, I placed it in a bowl and stirred in the sauce and served.
We had such fun celebrating, unfortunately forgot to get pictures of the delicious spread. However I'll end with the picture of the stand that tempted me most as I was leaving the market.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Disaster...
During the Christmas vacation, disaster struck. My five year old immersion blender broke. Over the years, it had been a faithful companion to me in the kitchen. I lost track of how many soups, purées, smoothies we had made. So many times I turned something from ordinary to extraordinary with a quick blitz of my immersion blender. Have a regular old vegetable soup? Find my old red, add a little milk and as quick as that I have a lucious and creamy cream of vegetable soup. Have a cup of frozen fruits? Find my old red, add a little honey and yogourt and I have a yummy smoothie that reminds me of the fun we had last summer. Have company drop in unexpectedly? Some ice, a shot of a favourite drink, a bit of juice and old red... Yeah... Old red... through thick and thin has found its way as one of my favourite kitchen tools.
I never realized how much I relied on old red until that fateful day during the Christmas vacation. A quick stawberry smoothie. The berries grown locally, picked at their prime and IQF'ed that same day, and they waited their turn. They waited for that day where I would reach into the freezer, pull out their bag and make some little treat for the family. Finally it came. Before we had all of the snow blanketing the area in a massive duvet of cold, white mounds, we had warm days. The kids were playing with their Christmas gifts and we were still eating the ci-pate (a traditional French Canadian pie that deserves a blog of its own...) and enjoying a quiet afternoon after all of the fun family rush. Snack time came, and what better snack than a smoothie? So out came the strawberries, the yogourt, the honey, a splash of milk and vanilla. The all found their way into a large measuring cup and I reached for old red. I turned the nob for maximum speed and started to blitz everything together. I worked at emulsifying everything for a minute or two. Maybe three... Just to make sure that everything was well blended.
Then it was time to serve the smoothies in tall glasses with fun straws for the girls. I drink my smoothie straight. You can imagine my surprise when I find half of the blade in my cup! Luckily, I was able to quickly determine that the blade had broken clean. There was the part still in the blender and the edge matched the edge of the part in my glass. Yet here I was, smoothies all poured down the drain - just in case :( - and a blender that I couldn't trust to use anymore. I loved old red and as a mom on a budget, I was not looking forward to investing into another quality immersion blender... even if it lasted me five years. We had just spent a lot of money for Christmas. I was no longer working, so where would I find the money necessary to buy another immersion blender?
I have to say, I was lucky. Kind of. I went to the internet and searched the maker's website and found a replacement arm. For the same price as an old el'cheapo immersion blender that would last me maybe 9-12 months, I could have a replacement arm for my immersion blender. Since it was only the blade that gave out, and not the motor, I could just replace the blade. So with a quick call, I was waiting for my replacement arm. You can only imagine my deception when it arrived and it didn't fit! I had ordered the wrong part! More accurately, I had ordered the right part for the wrong model. Not only that, but after a call to the manufacturer, that model wasn't being produced anymore. D'oh! At least I was able to return the part for a full refund.
This left me still without a blender. I had all options open to me. Should I go for the large counter top version? Should I go for another immersion blender? Should I even consider those infomertial blenders? Seeing how much I used my immersion blender, a countertop version could be practical - it would always be at hand because there was no way it would have time to collect dust nor would it find its way to the back of a cupboard. Mind you, the cleaning of the cup, or working in batches, I use my immersion blender too much to be bothered with the continual rinsing or refilling. Plus it means more dishes to do... Plus it's large and combersome. I don't have the room on my counter to keep it there - it's already filled with my stand mixer, toaster, Dr. Who cookie jar, small fryer and a little work surface.
Immersion blender? Well, I've loved mine for years. It's an extension of my arm and I can use it in any pot I'm already cooking in. It's quick and easy to wash - like I said, a quick blitz in a cup of warm soapy water and it gets well rinsed. Seperate the arm from the motor and wash it quickly and easily. It doesn't need a lot of storage space. It's practical and it's what I've had for a number of years. It's certainly a favourite.
Infomertial blender? Ooooh! If only I knew anybody who used one. If only I knew that it would last. They certainly make it look good, but will it be useful in my family situation? I'm not so sure. And all those extra parts. It adds up to a lot of extra dishes and necessary storage space. Things I don't like or have. And then to spend all of that money to be frustrated with an appliance. So the decision is pretty much made - Immersion blender it is.
Then we have to look at the different brands. Many of them household names. With a variety of price points. I have to say, I'm frugal. If it's cheap and only lasts me a year, if that, I won't be impressed. If it's cheap and it lasts me a few years, I'll be happy. I expect a lot of value for my dollar. I have 6 mouths to feed. I have 6 bodies to clothe. I have to pay for a roof over our heads, gas in the car and the typical bills. So I have to get the biggest bang possible from my purchases. As a cook, I use my kitchen to its fullest extent. Appliances are put through their paces. There's at least one that'll be used daily - and I don't mean my stove, my refrigerator or my microwave.
There is also the available attachements. Do I go with a basic model or do I look at the extra attachements? They certainly would need storage which is problematic. It would mean a few more dishes which I don't like. It would make my immersion blender more utilitarian which I appreciate. It would be more expensive - ouf! Would it be worth it? Would the motor be strong enough to crush ice? Would it be delicate enough to whip cream into a lovely topping or would it blitz the cream into butter in mere moments?
I finally I decided to go with another version of immersion blender from the same company as my original. At nearly $100, my previous immersion blender had lasted me five years. That was a good investement. I was always happy with it. I've actually been at a loss without it in the kitchen.
I also decided to get one with all the bells and whistles. The whisk attatchement would certainly come in handy for whisking egg whites without having to pull out my big mixer. The chopper attatchement would mean that I wouldn't have to pull out the big machine for the little jobs like a quick bread crumb. My new immersion blender will cost me more than the $100 for the basic model. On sale, and with taxes in, my new tool will cost me just over $150. This is expensive. How can I say that this is the best purchase with the few dollars I have? Isn't it a luxury to spend $150 on a handheld blender?
My last one lasted through five years of ardious culinary fun. Not only that, but the motor is still in perfect running condition. And with it's variable speed control, it was very practical. If only I could have gotten the right attatchement arm. In accounting terms, I "spent" $20 per year of use. At $150, I'll likely see another 5 years or more of use. Considering that the average basic model is about $30, I'll pay the $150 for the peace of mind that I'll have an appliance that will work when I reach for it. The manufacturer of my handheld blender has an excellent customer service program. It has a quality product and I can order necessary parts for my appliances - usually without too much of an issue.
So to my local store I go and buy my new immersion blender with attatchements. Imagine my surprise when I reach for my old motor - a quick test - and click the blending arm into place! Yes!!! I now have 2 motors to work three attatchements. Not only that, but an even better surprise is that this new machine comes with a small bag that will hold both the blade and whisk attatchements AND both motors! Now, not only do I have essentially two machines, I also have an easy way to store them compactly and safely. With a little hook on my stand mixer attatchement pegboard, I now have my most used tool neatly stored and at hand's reach.
So I'd like to introduce you to Blackie. You'll surely see her gleaming arm in my pots as I puree vegetables and cream soups. You'll notice her handy work in meringues, herb emulsions and gratins. I'm sure we'll have a lot more fun in the years to come as smoothies, soups, meringues and nice cold drinks make their way to smiling faces and appreciative tummies.
I never realized how much I relied on old red until that fateful day during the Christmas vacation. A quick stawberry smoothie. The berries grown locally, picked at their prime and IQF'ed that same day, and they waited their turn. They waited for that day where I would reach into the freezer, pull out their bag and make some little treat for the family. Finally it came. Before we had all of the snow blanketing the area in a massive duvet of cold, white mounds, we had warm days. The kids were playing with their Christmas gifts and we were still eating the ci-pate (a traditional French Canadian pie that deserves a blog of its own...) and enjoying a quiet afternoon after all of the fun family rush. Snack time came, and what better snack than a smoothie? So out came the strawberries, the yogourt, the honey, a splash of milk and vanilla. The all found their way into a large measuring cup and I reached for old red. I turned the nob for maximum speed and started to blitz everything together. I worked at emulsifying everything for a minute or two. Maybe three... Just to make sure that everything was well blended.
Then it was time to serve the smoothies in tall glasses with fun straws for the girls. I drink my smoothie straight. You can imagine my surprise when I find half of the blade in my cup! Luckily, I was able to quickly determine that the blade had broken clean. There was the part still in the blender and the edge matched the edge of the part in my glass. Yet here I was, smoothies all poured down the drain - just in case :( - and a blender that I couldn't trust to use anymore. I loved old red and as a mom on a budget, I was not looking forward to investing into another quality immersion blender... even if it lasted me five years. We had just spent a lot of money for Christmas. I was no longer working, so where would I find the money necessary to buy another immersion blender?
I have to say, I was lucky. Kind of. I went to the internet and searched the maker's website and found a replacement arm. For the same price as an old el'cheapo immersion blender that would last me maybe 9-12 months, I could have a replacement arm for my immersion blender. Since it was only the blade that gave out, and not the motor, I could just replace the blade. So with a quick call, I was waiting for my replacement arm. You can only imagine my deception when it arrived and it didn't fit! I had ordered the wrong part! More accurately, I had ordered the right part for the wrong model. Not only that, but after a call to the manufacturer, that model wasn't being produced anymore. D'oh! At least I was able to return the part for a full refund.
This left me still without a blender. I had all options open to me. Should I go for the large counter top version? Should I go for another immersion blender? Should I even consider those infomertial blenders? Seeing how much I used my immersion blender, a countertop version could be practical - it would always be at hand because there was no way it would have time to collect dust nor would it find its way to the back of a cupboard. Mind you, the cleaning of the cup, or working in batches, I use my immersion blender too much to be bothered with the continual rinsing or refilling. Plus it means more dishes to do... Plus it's large and combersome. I don't have the room on my counter to keep it there - it's already filled with my stand mixer, toaster, Dr. Who cookie jar, small fryer and a little work surface.
Immersion blender? Well, I've loved mine for years. It's an extension of my arm and I can use it in any pot I'm already cooking in. It's quick and easy to wash - like I said, a quick blitz in a cup of warm soapy water and it gets well rinsed. Seperate the arm from the motor and wash it quickly and easily. It doesn't need a lot of storage space. It's practical and it's what I've had for a number of years. It's certainly a favourite.
Infomertial blender? Ooooh! If only I knew anybody who used one. If only I knew that it would last. They certainly make it look good, but will it be useful in my family situation? I'm not so sure. And all those extra parts. It adds up to a lot of extra dishes and necessary storage space. Things I don't like or have. And then to spend all of that money to be frustrated with an appliance. So the decision is pretty much made - Immersion blender it is.
Then we have to look at the different brands. Many of them household names. With a variety of price points. I have to say, I'm frugal. If it's cheap and only lasts me a year, if that, I won't be impressed. If it's cheap and it lasts me a few years, I'll be happy. I expect a lot of value for my dollar. I have 6 mouths to feed. I have 6 bodies to clothe. I have to pay for a roof over our heads, gas in the car and the typical bills. So I have to get the biggest bang possible from my purchases. As a cook, I use my kitchen to its fullest extent. Appliances are put through their paces. There's at least one that'll be used daily - and I don't mean my stove, my refrigerator or my microwave.
There is also the available attachements. Do I go with a basic model or do I look at the extra attachements? They certainly would need storage which is problematic. It would mean a few more dishes which I don't like. It would make my immersion blender more utilitarian which I appreciate. It would be more expensive - ouf! Would it be worth it? Would the motor be strong enough to crush ice? Would it be delicate enough to whip cream into a lovely topping or would it blitz the cream into butter in mere moments?
I finally I decided to go with another version of immersion blender from the same company as my original. At nearly $100, my previous immersion blender had lasted me five years. That was a good investement. I was always happy with it. I've actually been at a loss without it in the kitchen.
I also decided to get one with all the bells and whistles. The whisk attatchement would certainly come in handy for whisking egg whites without having to pull out my big mixer. The chopper attatchement would mean that I wouldn't have to pull out the big machine for the little jobs like a quick bread crumb. My new immersion blender will cost me more than the $100 for the basic model. On sale, and with taxes in, my new tool will cost me just over $150. This is expensive. How can I say that this is the best purchase with the few dollars I have? Isn't it a luxury to spend $150 on a handheld blender?
My last one lasted through five years of ardious culinary fun. Not only that, but the motor is still in perfect running condition. And with it's variable speed control, it was very practical. If only I could have gotten the right attatchement arm. In accounting terms, I "spent" $20 per year of use. At $150, I'll likely see another 5 years or more of use. Considering that the average basic model is about $30, I'll pay the $150 for the peace of mind that I'll have an appliance that will work when I reach for it. The manufacturer of my handheld blender has an excellent customer service program. It has a quality product and I can order necessary parts for my appliances - usually without too much of an issue.
So to my local store I go and buy my new immersion blender with attatchements. Imagine my surprise when I reach for my old motor - a quick test - and click the blending arm into place! Yes!!! I now have 2 motors to work three attatchements. Not only that, but an even better surprise is that this new machine comes with a small bag that will hold both the blade and whisk attatchements AND both motors! Now, not only do I have essentially two machines, I also have an easy way to store them compactly and safely. With a little hook on my stand mixer attatchement pegboard, I now have my most used tool neatly stored and at hand's reach.
So I'd like to introduce you to Blackie. You'll surely see her gleaming arm in my pots as I puree vegetables and cream soups. You'll notice her handy work in meringues, herb emulsions and gratins. I'm sure we'll have a lot more fun in the years to come as smoothies, soups, meringues and nice cold drinks make their way to smiling faces and appreciative tummies.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Yogourt
Who doesn't know about yogourt? That cultured milky goodness that is so versatile. It can be eaten sweet or savoury. Let it strain in a square of cheesecloth hanging over a bowl in the refrigerator and you get anything from a thick yogourt to something similar to a tangy ricotta cheese... And who hasn't heard of all of the health benefits of yogourt.
We enjoy yogourt as a low fat alternative to sour cream in our dips and creamy salad dressings, or simply with a little local granola, some warmed honey, and a few berries tossed in for colour. So you can imagine my dismay when I found that there is no local yogourt! There are local dairies, so we can have local milk, local butter and cheese, but no local yogourt. Luckily I know how to make yogourt at home, and it's supremely easy.
Yogourt:
1 litre of milk
1/3 cup of plain yogourt
In a medium non-reactive pan, bring your milk to a simmer. There will be bubbles just starting to appear on the edge. Remove from heat immediately. This is the most difficult part, because once milk simmers it'll very quickly boil over, so watch your milk. Once the milk has cooked to body temperature (yes, you can stick your finger in it, or you can take a spoon and pour a few drops on the inside of your wrist like you would a baby bottle) pour the milk into a large jar and stir in the yogourt. Cover loosely and let sit on your counter for 8 hours, or up to overnight. Then keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If it lasts that long. When your jar is nearly empty, it's time to boil some more milk and start the process again.
The question is, where do I get the first bit of yogourt to start off with? Well, I admit, I had to cheat slightly. I found the yogourt from the closest source possible which was well into Québec. However I now have local yogourt because I make it myself with local milk and my yogourt remnants. Admittedly, my homade yogourt is full of whey and as such doesn't have the thickness that some commercial yogourts have. If you miss that rich thickness, you can easily get it by straining the yogourt in a cheesecloth lined fine strainer over a bowl in the refrigerator. The liquid that strains out is whey... Yes, as in Miss Muffet's curds and whey.
My question now is what to do with the whey. I'm told that I could actually use the whey as a yogourt starter. I'm not sure about that. The only thing that I know is that there is likely a lot of nutrients in that liquid and I'm not particularly willing to just discard it. So I take my yogourt as is. If anyone knows what I can do to use the whey, please let me know. Thanks!
We enjoy yogourt as a low fat alternative to sour cream in our dips and creamy salad dressings, or simply with a little local granola, some warmed honey, and a few berries tossed in for colour. So you can imagine my dismay when I found that there is no local yogourt! There are local dairies, so we can have local milk, local butter and cheese, but no local yogourt. Luckily I know how to make yogourt at home, and it's supremely easy.
Yogourt:
1 litre of milk
1/3 cup of plain yogourt
In a medium non-reactive pan, bring your milk to a simmer. There will be bubbles just starting to appear on the edge. Remove from heat immediately. This is the most difficult part, because once milk simmers it'll very quickly boil over, so watch your milk. Once the milk has cooked to body temperature (yes, you can stick your finger in it, or you can take a spoon and pour a few drops on the inside of your wrist like you would a baby bottle) pour the milk into a large jar and stir in the yogourt. Cover loosely and let sit on your counter for 8 hours, or up to overnight. Then keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If it lasts that long. When your jar is nearly empty, it's time to boil some more milk and start the process again.
The question is, where do I get the first bit of yogourt to start off with? Well, I admit, I had to cheat slightly. I found the yogourt from the closest source possible which was well into Québec. However I now have local yogourt because I make it myself with local milk and my yogourt remnants. Admittedly, my homade yogourt is full of whey and as such doesn't have the thickness that some commercial yogourts have. If you miss that rich thickness, you can easily get it by straining the yogourt in a cheesecloth lined fine strainer over a bowl in the refrigerator. The liquid that strains out is whey... Yes, as in Miss Muffet's curds and whey.
My question now is what to do with the whey. I'm told that I could actually use the whey as a yogourt starter. I'm not sure about that. The only thing that I know is that there is likely a lot of nutrients in that liquid and I'm not particularly willing to just discard it. So I take my yogourt as is. If anyone knows what I can do to use the whey, please let me know. Thanks!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)