Raw Milk

So at long last, my raw milk connection came through (and no, it's not Avery's Branch for Richmonders in the know) and I'll be getting a gallon of bona fide raw milk every other week. I'm incredibly excited about this, and not just because of the known health benefits of raw milk. The real thrill in having access to raw milk is that I'll finally be able to make good yogurt. For some time now I've been mildly obsessed with fermented and live-culture foods, and I went through a phase about a year ago when I was making my own yogurt every week. Unfortunately, I had some mixed results (the yogurt didn't always solidify), which I've always blamed on the fact that I was using pasteurized milk. I'm not sure if this is true -- friends have suggested buying a more 'intense' yogurt from the Middle Eastern grocery store to assure an active culture, and also carefully sterilizing all the equipment -- but now I'll finally be able to test my theory!

Here's my process for making yogurt, and just a few tips for making it easier.

Get a medium-sized saucepan and put in either 1 or 2 quarts of milk. Use a candy thermometer or something similar to get a read on the temperature. Now heat the milk up to 180 degrees fahrenheit using a medium temperature setting so that it gradually heats without burning. I try to stir almost continuously anyway, because I hate the idea of having a burned taste in my yogurt. Once it reaches 180, take the pan off the heat and put it in a bowl of cold water. Now use the spoon to stir the water around the bowl and the milk itself alternately. This helps it cool down quickly, which will expedite the process for you -- the milk needs to get down to 110. Once you've got it there, put it in 1 or 2 Mason quart jars and add exactly 1 tablespoon of yogurt to each -- if you put too much, you'll get a watery, sour product. Stir them up. Now put on the lids and wrap the jars with dish towels, using string or rubber bands to hold them in place. This will help maintain the temperature of the yogurt so the bacteria can thrive. If it's cold, put the jars in your oven with the pilot light on. In warm weather, you should be able to just keep them on the counter. Now wait 8-10 hours. The yogurt should 'make' and be nice and solid. Don't disturb it too soon.

If you want a more detailed explanation of the process of making yogurt and why it works, check out the book Wild Fermentation. There's this whole fermentation subculture in the world of food and that book's author, Sandor Katz, is its fanatical cult leader.