WMAn
Well-Known Member
I'm reading Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morrell, and it didn't take long for her writing on lacto-fermentation to catch my eye. So this weekend at the Farmers Market, I picked up a gallon of raw milk and said let the fun begin.
First up, I tried raw milk. I did a comparison between the raw milk and whole milk I bought from a local dairy that is pasteurized but not homogenized. I poured one equally sized glass of each. There were no differences in appearance. I then smelt each milk. The pasteurized milk smelled the way milk has always smelled. To me, the raw milk had no real detectable scent. I then tasted each milk, rinsing my mouth with water in between tastings. Again, the pasteurized milk tasted like milk has always tasted. The raw milk tasted different and has a very silky texture. The texture reminds me of the last spoonful of melted ice cream at the bottom of the bowl.
Next, I needed whey for my lacto fermentation. I poured two quarts of raw milk into an airtight glass container and left it sitting out for a day and a half. Now, I am not squeamish, but this was tough. It kind of went against everything I thought I knew about how to handle dairy (i.e. keep it cold). After sitting out, the milk separated and I poured it into a mesh strainer lined with a kitchen towel. After the towel stopped dripping, I tied it around a skewer and let it sit a few hours to completely drip out. This separated the solids from the liquid, which left me with cream cheese and whey.
My first fermentation experiment is orangina. A fermented drink that includes:
- Juice of 12 oranges
- Two teaspoons salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon orange extract
- 1 1/4 quarts water
- 1/4 cup of whey
You combine all the ingredients in a glass container, stir well, close the lid, and leave sitting out for two more days. :crazy:
After two days, you put it in the fridge and after a week you should have a banana flavored fermented beverage.
I'll let you know how it turns out. Later this week, I'll be making sauerkraut. Does anyone else have experience with fermented foods and drinks?
First up, I tried raw milk. I did a comparison between the raw milk and whole milk I bought from a local dairy that is pasteurized but not homogenized. I poured one equally sized glass of each. There were no differences in appearance. I then smelt each milk. The pasteurized milk smelled the way milk has always smelled. To me, the raw milk had no real detectable scent. I then tasted each milk, rinsing my mouth with water in between tastings. Again, the pasteurized milk tasted like milk has always tasted. The raw milk tasted different and has a very silky texture. The texture reminds me of the last spoonful of melted ice cream at the bottom of the bowl.
Next, I needed whey for my lacto fermentation. I poured two quarts of raw milk into an airtight glass container and left it sitting out for a day and a half. Now, I am not squeamish, but this was tough. It kind of went against everything I thought I knew about how to handle dairy (i.e. keep it cold). After sitting out, the milk separated and I poured it into a mesh strainer lined with a kitchen towel. After the towel stopped dripping, I tied it around a skewer and let it sit a few hours to completely drip out. This separated the solids from the liquid, which left me with cream cheese and whey.
My first fermentation experiment is orangina. A fermented drink that includes:
- Juice of 12 oranges
- Two teaspoons salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon orange extract
- 1 1/4 quarts water
- 1/4 cup of whey
You combine all the ingredients in a glass container, stir well, close the lid, and leave sitting out for two more days. :crazy:
After two days, you put it in the fridge and after a week you should have a banana flavored fermented beverage.
I'll let you know how it turns out. Later this week, I'll be making sauerkraut. Does anyone else have experience with fermented foods and drinks?
