HOLY COW BATMAN! I MADE YOGURT!
I don't know why but lately I have felt more creative then usual, and unable to sit idle reading a book I decided to tackle a project that I had not yet worked up the courage to try yet….Making Yogurt! I had actually been reading different articles all week on the web in some Homesteading books we own. After washing my equipment in HOT soapy water and boiling my milk solution, I jury-rigged a double boiler to place my glass jars in which my yogurt would incubate in. I already had some lovely Stonyfield Organic Yogurt on hand to use as a starter so after stirring that in and making sure the water in the double boiler was hot enough, I got on the computer.
Ok, I confess I am not a patient person, and like the first time I made soap, while the soap was supposed to be setting up I had to keep going into the kitchen to peek. It really is true, a watched Pot never boils! Time to go goof around on Gather some more…
After about an hour I noticed a change taking place-look Houston! We have lift-off! However when I unscrewed the lid the mixture had a distinct BASIL smell from the Newman's Own sauce jar it was in…despite washing it thoroughly in hot soapy water! ARGH! Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound! It was too late to turn back now! I would just have to figure out how to use 2 quarts of Basil tasting yogurt, Onward and Upward!
The second hour goes by…and then the third…..Blimey! This takes a long time, and I wonder if I used enough of the pre-made yogurt as a starter. At the end of four hours I can see things are definitely happening, but here it is midnight, and the yogurt is not fully set up yet. (Note to self, next time do not start project at 8pm.) I shut the computer down and head for the bedroom where my Gather addicted spouse lays unconscious with a book on his chest. Obviously he wasn't feeling well or he would have been parked in front of the computer as well as had his nose in my yogurt making project. (It is such a curse being born knowing everything.) I read for a bit from Willa Cather's "Death comes for the Archbishop," and then go check on my yogurt again. Ok, finally around 1 am, the yogurt is set up and I remove it from the heat source. Both jars now sit in my refrigerator awaiting consumption. It looks nice and thick, and has a a bit of a tang to it, but not too much. But I still have 2 Quarts of yogurt that smell like Basil.
Should I try sweetening it and adding fruit? Or should I make yogurt cheese out of it and then mix in some garlic and herbs and a bit of salt?
The next time I will definitely start earlier in the day, and wash the jars with bleach and maybe some baking soda to get rid of that basil aroma. Things did not go as smoothly for my first time, but still I am rather proud of myself. Next year we plan to begin raising Kinder Goats and I am dying to make Goat Cheese. Isn't it strange how what some people would classify as hard work, others call fun?
© Leslie Townsend 2006
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Comments: 15
I learned how to make it some 35 years ago from a Lebanese woman. I just used an ordinary cooking pot. I put in a litre of milk and heated it up to baby bath temperature (no boiling!!!) Stirred in the starter. Wrapped it well in a thick wool sweater and went to bed, leaving it out on the counter.
In the morning, it was done. Put it in the refrigerator and enjoyed it, taking care to save about 200ml to use as starter for the next batch.
Making yogurt cheese only works is you have used full-fat milk. If you used low fat or skim, the cheese never sets up.
I like yogurt cheese with caraway seeds mixed in it.
Thanks for telling about it. Do you feel proud of yourself?
I rated your article a 10
In this case I was more motivated by money, since or costs something like $2.50 for a quart of good yogurt and it is less then half that to make it.