Yogurt: The Search for More Dairy May 9, 2018 10:49

When we host events at CSF, we like to make food highlighting products we sell. For our second edition of “The Almost Regular Wine Thing,” we crafted a plan to make dips from sour cream (using the Sour Cream starter we carry from New England Cheesemaking). That had to be put on hold to test some ingredient options, but you know what else can be used to make dip? Yeah, yogurt!

I took home the store’s Yogotherm (a fine product we carry) and a pack of sweet yogurt culture (included in said Yogotherm). What is this contraption? Well, it is basically an insulated vessel meant to hold milk at a steady, high temperature for several hours. I can say that it works!  I live in an old farmhouse, with questionable insulation in the kitchen part of the house. Overnight May 8-9, 2018, temps dipped down close to the 30s, which meant the kitchen got down to about 60. When I opened the Yogotherm, after 10 or so hours, it was noticeably very warm. (More on that in a few.)

Here’s how it goes:

-Recipe calls for 2 quarts milk. I didn’t want that much, so I used a little more than a quart of local, whole milk.

-1 pack yogurt culture. In this case, Y5: Sweet.

-That’s it for ingredients.

Directions:

  • Warm milk to 185 degrees.
  • Let set for 10 minutes.
  • Cool to 110 degrees. (I did this in an ice bath.)
  • Dump into Yogotherm.
  • Add culture and stir.
  • Leave 6-12 hours.

Simple enough, right?

I also made three blueberry pies and my own dinner at the same time. Then I ate dinner and watched Ant-Man. I also tended to chickens, walked the dog various times, cuddled with cats, stared into an existential abyss, slept for several hours, and fed all of said animals in the time it took to make yogurt. It’s a great way to DIY while also D-everything else-Ying.

And now, I am making some of the yogurt into dip featuring Gryffon Ridge spice blends (made in Maine!) purchased at Tiller & Rye for our Wine Thing. Next? Gonna figure out the Sour Cream situation. (It calls for pasteurized cream and I don’t know if I can make ultra-pasteurized work with some added calcium.)

Peace!