fundies and yogurt - WTF??

[ophelia]

Today I found the third blog with a recent post about yogurt making. The Maxwells made the start, than a few days ago Bethany Beasley had a post on on her blog (bloggingbeth.blogspot.com) and now this SAHM (one of Kendull's readers, but in my opinion less crazy and way more likeable than her; ramblingsofamommy-sahm.blogspot.com/) is also blogging about yogurt.. whats the big thing about yogurt and making it at home? Is it the pure boredom of their SAHM-life (in fact Jessica (ramblings..) has four kids under four so she is probably quite busy) or is yogurt so expensive in the USA that they can't afford to buy it?

[Witsec7]

Ah the power of lacto fermentation. Ask Emily and DNA.

[Jessica]

Candy used to make it too, and so do the Jeubs. Actually a lot of people make it. I've tried it but the method I used didn't work.

[Cheesemaker]

I think a lot of it has to do with frugality.

A lot of it also has to do with the whole "keeper at home" thing.

I make yogurt, it IS cost effective.

I buy milk from a neighbor, organic, for $4 a gallon ($7 in the store).

From one gallon I get 3-4 quarts of yogurt, so $1-1.25 a quart. For organic yogurt in the store, a quart is $4.28. So yep, cheaper.

It is very easy to make at home too. I'm not fundie, I'm feminist and WOHM. But I make it becuase it is easy and cost effective.

[Nora509]

Would you mind sharing your recipe, cheesemaker? I've been meaning to try it.

[Cheesemaker]

OK :).

There are A LOT of recipes out there on crock potting it and such, but those have always given me sort of meh results.

I ended up using this method now: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/ ... 292.0.html

Instead of the oven, though, I pre-warm my crockpot to low, then pour it in there, turn it off, then cover with a big blanket for the night and let it sit.

I also add my yogurt starter to the milk at about 112F instead of 100F. Oh, and I omit the powdered milk, haven't noticed a difference.

The difference is in the high heating of the milk at the start, the crock pot recipes, it is too variable for that, also, you might add your cultures too early/late without using a thermometer.

The only specialized equipment you'll need is a cheapie dairy thermometer, which you can buy at www.cheesemaking.com fairly cheap. One batch and you'll make up the cost.

My kids and us eat so much yogurt that I make a 1 gal batch every week and it is gone :).

[Witsec7]

I used Cheesemakers version when I was making yogurt. DD and her father ate pounds of it and I liked using the pressed version instead of cream cheese and mascarpone. And yea I went though a McMamma phase when I had massive quantities of goats and sheep milk so I spent a lot of my free time making cheese.

[Jessica]

I'm going to try some of these recipes. I tried one where you just mix 1 tbsp of yogurt per cup of milk and let it sit at room temp overnight. It was supposed to be thickened by then but it took over a week to get it somewhat thick. I ended up throwing it away.

[Wolfie]

I use a yogurt maker now, but I used to use this method http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/ch ... rt2000.htm I also used to be able to get goat's milk from a neighbor. I need a new source as she just had some big changes in her life and no longer has goats.

I think yogurt making is one of the curious intersections between fundies and hippies.

[emmiedahl]

I go through phases where I make yogurt, and phases where I make bread also!

There is definitely an intersection between hippie and fundie in that area. I find that homemade stuff is usually cheaper and tastes better, which is why I do it.

Yogurt is pretty cheap here, so it is not a cost thing. I just prefer DIY when I have the time.

[Lola]

haha!!!!!!!

[Caramel]

Or http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/

for the heating pad method.

[Elle]

An 8-ounce cup of yogurt here is a buck. We love yogurt and I want to make some because it would be cost-effective. We make out own butter and it costs half of what it would pre made, PLUS we get buttermilk.

[aubrietta]

I also used to be able to get goat's milk from a neighbor. I need a new source as she just had some big changes in her life and no longer has goats.

was it Mckmama? lol

[Wolfie]

was it Mckmama? lol

NO! Wacky in a different way sometimes, but not that crazy, and no human kids. She actually had the goats for years before stuff happened.

[gardenvarietycitizen]

There is definitely an intersection between hippie and fundie in that area.

That's true of a quite a few things the fundies blog about - including homeschooling - it's partly how I found fundie blogs.

If someone likes yogurt, making it at home seems like a good idea if they eat enough or cook with enough of it.

Me, I'll pass. I just don't like yogurt. But the bread making, yeah, used some of that definitely. Plus, again, the homeschooling.

[Witsec7]

That's true of a quite a few things the fundies blog about - including homeschooling - it's partly how I found fundie blogs.

If someone likes yogurt, making it at home seems like a good idea if they eat enough or cook with enough of it.

Me, I'll pass. I just don't like yogurt. But the bread making, yeah, used some of that definitely. Plus, again, the homeschooling.

Not to mention the big skirts and long hair. It takes a discerning eye in Boregonia to separate the Hippys from some Fundies. :lol:

But Emmies right about the crossover. Our Co-op (Hippy) was always a great locale for me to do Seppi sightings.

[Cheesemaker]

experiencedd, where/how did you get sheep milk? It is fairly uncommon, I'm about to start hobby milking a couple dairy sheep, time permitting. Cow/goat have never been that hard to find, but sheep milk, yes. Username per why ;).

[theologygeek]

I like Chobani yogurt better than homemade yogurt.

[Conuly]

I like Chobani yogurt better than homemade yogurt.

Well, yeah, it's been strained. You could get any yogurt from the store or homemade and strain it and it'd be the same texture.

[Wolfie]

Well, yeah, it's been strained. You could get any yogurt from the store or homemade and strain it and it'd be the same texture.

Not entirely- you have to read the labels. Some are thickened with other things, gelatin is the most common, pectin is also very common, and sometimes it's starch. I don't have any Chobani here, so I can't check. I always read labels. But it's pretty easy to strain yogurt to make it thick too.

OTOH, did anybody hear that Ben and Jerry's is comming out with greek yogurt?

[theologygeek]

Not entirely- you have to read the labels. Some are thickened with other things, gelatin is the most common, pectin is also very common, and sometimes it's starch. I don't have any Chobani here, so I can't check. I always read labels. But it's pretty easy to strain yogurt to make it thick too.

OTOH, did anybody hear that Ben and Jerry's is comming out with greek yogurt?

Greek frozen yogurt. I can't wait to try it.

[theologygeek]

Well, yeah, it's been strained. You could get any yogurt from the store or homemade and strain it and it'd be the same texture.

I like the taste better too though. I'm not big on yogurt, but I like Chobani.

[theologygeek]

Chobani has pectin in it.

[leena_noor]

Chobani--love it too. It's the only 'greek' yogurt that I like...because it doesn't take like greek yogurt. I was on a fage kick for awhile b/c it's so high in protein but I realized that I HATED how to tasted. Then...I found out that I can't have milk and now there are small containers of chobani sitting in my fridge looking at me all sadly.

(I stopped eating dairy b/c it caused so much mucus I couldn't breathe but oddly drinking milk straight causes it LESS than 2 bites of yogurt, which makes me oh so sad).

I have an Indian landlady who gave me some yogurt starter than her parents, no joke, brought back from India. It was AWESOME, and I loved the resulting yums, but my husband thought it was *his words* "too slimy." Oh well. Our friend's sheep and goats are pregnant so maybe I'll have a chance to try again with their milk. What does sheep's milk taste like?