Buttermilk Extras

Buttermilk is the liquid byproduct of churning cream into butter. With just a little creativity, you can easily incorporate this buttermilk into several types of recipes from pancakes to biscuits to your morning beverage. • Blend with fruit juices for a tangy twist • Add to smoothies.

• Use as a dipping liquid for fried chickened

and other battered meats. • Use in place of milk for fluffy pancakes,

waffles and biscuits.

• Make treats for hogs, chickens and dogs to

feed in small quantities.

• Add to the compost pile.

STEP 3. Once you notice clumps of butter forming and the mixture begins to leave the walls, reduce shaking to a moderate level.

STEP 4. When almost no liquid remains and the jar walls are clear, pour contents into cheesecloth, towel, etc. to drain. Catch the liquid buttermilk in a glass container for later use.

STEP 5. Using a spoon, move the curds around, pressing out as much buttermilk as possible. Gently rinse with cool water until water remains clear.

STEP 6. Place in a bowl, and add salt/seasonings — such as garlic powder, oregano, mint or thyme,

1⁄4 teaspoon at a time, to taste — if desired. Store covered in the refrigerator, or freeze for later use.

STEP 7. Store buttermilk in a glass container in the refrigerator for later use.

Simple Sour Cream

Recipes for milk products vary about as much as the individuals making them. This is certainly true for sour cream. My favorite version readily adapts to the quantity of cream I have on hand and doesn’t require the purchase of a starter culture.

STEP 1. Place 1 cup or more of fresh, raw cream or pasteurized cream in a sterilized pint jar.

STEP 2. Add 2 tablespoons cultured sour cream for every 1 cup of cream. Gently stir to combine. The cultured sour cream you use as a starter can be storebought sour cream as long as the ingredients list only “cultured cream” with no fillers or from a previous homemade batch of sour cream.

STEP 3. Leave cream at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. (The added cultured sour cream allows pasteurized cream to ferment safely.)

STEP 4: Taste periodically after 12 hours until the cream reaches your desired tanginess. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Sour cream (above left) thickens as it ferments. However, each batch of cream’s thickening ability differs, with some acquiring the texture of commercial sour cream while others remain looser.

Once the butter is finished, transfer it to the lined strainer, gather cheesecloth around the solids and squeeze out remaining liquid (above).