99 Skills Challenge: #4 Make cheese, yogurt, and kefir from local milk

#4 Make cheese, yogurt, and kefir from local milk

This is kind of a trick item, because, honestly, it's more like 3 skills instead of one.  I've never made cheese by myself, but some of my past housemates have.  I plan on trying it out in the next few weeks, but we have so much cheese in our fridge right now, that it doesn't seem worth it.  Maybe a mozzarella to put on a pizza?

We're not huge kefir drinkers.  So, I might not try this.  Unless anyone wants some homemade kefir?

I have however, made yogurt.  I started making yogurt at some point within the past year, after I picked up a copy of Edible Portland, a free local publication, focusing on things that you eat.  There was an article about yogurt and a super simple recipe.  I cut the recipe out so as of now, I am unsure of who the author is.  

I don't even really like yogurt.  I do, however, love the "cream on top" yogurt by Brown Cow, because it tastes like ice-cream.  And guess what, so does homemade yogurt!  It's so creamy and you can add your own sweeteners or flavors.

And yes, I used "local" milk.

Yogurt

3 1/2 cups milk
2 heaping Tbsp plain yogurt

1. Place yogurt in a bowl, whisk until smooth, and leave on the counter until it reaches room temperature.

2. Heat the milk to 180 to 190 degrees. Remove the milk from the heat and let cool to between 115 and 120 degrees.

3. Whisk a small amount of the warm milk into the yogurt to thin it. Then pour the loose yogurt back in to the milk.

4. Pour the milk into a sterile quart jar or an insulated bottle, cover it, and keep still and warm until the yogurt sets-anywhere from 4 to 10 hours.

I place some towels in my freezer bowl and let the yogurt set in there.

5. Once the container is set, place it in the refrigerator to firm its structure and slow the continuing acid production. Then enjoy! But remember: Before you've eaten all the yogurt, set aside 2 heaping Tbsp as a starter for the next batch. Make yogurt again within 4 to 5 days for the best results.

Makes 3 3/4 cups.

I actually cut this recipe in half.

I know I didn't fulfill this whole challenge with the cheese and kefir, but I did make butter!!  I'll tell you more about that later.


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Tilly and the Wall - Rainbows in the Dark

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