I got this wonderful book, The Home Creamery
, last week and it's pretty awesome. It's very simple and clear. There are no photos inside, but I don't mind that in the least in cookbooks. At different times, I have made creme fraiche, yogurt, sour cream, butter, buttermilk, yogurt cheese, and paneer, all from recipes I found online and in various cookbooks, and loved them all. But it's so nice having them collected in one book. Also, the trouble-shooting guide is helpful, detailed, and offers alternate methods. I want to try the mascapone, farmer's cheese, kefir, cream cheese, goat cheese, ricotta, and mozzarella next. The bonus in this book comes after all the cheese-making recipes. You also get recipes, savory and sweet, using all these dairy items--and they look so flippin' good and there are over 70. Seriously, I counted.
Here's some sour cream sitting next to some buttermilk. Labeling is so important, as I discovered, 'cause all this stuff is white, man. (The labels are from here, and I love them dearly.)
I use either Noris or Strauss whole milk or cream, I haven't tried any of this with raw milk. I don't have a source right now. I've heard making dairy products with raw milk is much less predictable, and the book confirms this--so of course I feel compelled to try it. I'd like to get a source for raw goat milk, too.
I love the idea of all these homemade dairy products, but in reality I find that we really eat only the homemade yogurt and butter on a regular basis. The rest is more for special occasions. The yogurt I make about every 5 days. I'm convinced my family is made of yogurt. There are worse things to be made of.
I use either Noris or Strauss whole milk or cream, I haven't tried any of this with raw milk. I don't have a source right now. I've heard making dairy products with raw milk is much less predictable, and the book confirms this--so of course I feel compelled to try it. I'd like to get a source for raw goat milk, too.
I love the idea of all these homemade dairy products, but in reality I find that we really eat only the homemade yogurt and butter on a regular basis. The rest is more for special occasions. The yogurt I make about every 5 days. I'm convinced my family is made of yogurt. There are worse things to be made of.