So, when it gets hot, I tend to lose my appetite. By late July I only want to eat plain yogurt and sliced cucumbers. Maybe some cold applesauce, or a tomato.
Strangely, since last summer, I haven’t really stopped with the yogurt. I crave it. Dipping into a bowl of Brown Cow whole milk cream-on-top yogurt is like heaven.
But it gets expensive. And I ran out of room for the quart sized plastic tubs.
So I decided it was time to start making my own yogurt.
We will not discuss my first attempt. Apparently maintaining the proper temperature is harder than I thought.
I broke down and bought a yogurt maker. The one I wanted was out of stock at the factory and all vendors. So I got this one, which is a bit more expensive than the other. But I got super saver free shipping and they happened to be running a $10 off promotion (valid through June 30, 2008).
Because I am a big old nerd and more and more of a tightwad, I made a spreadsheet to track my progress on recouping the yogurt maker expense with money saved by making yogurt at home.
And because I am an even bigger nerd, I published it on Google Docs for the world to watch my progress.
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4 comments ↓
So is it any good?
It’s excellent when made with whole milk, ok when made with 2%. I add powdered milk at the start to help thicken it.
My only complaint is that the issue of liquid separating and pooling on the top is worse with homemade yogurt than storebought. No big deal, though… I just pour it off.
we are lucky here in seattle because the yogurt containers are recyclable.
perhaps you are self regulating candida ?
The yogurt containers are recyclable here, too, and I reuse them a lot for storing dry food. But I think “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” is meant to be a hierarchy with reduce as most preferred. :-p
No idea about candida. I just loooove me some cold whole milk yogurt with honey stirred in. Nom nom nom!
As I know you are probably aware, a lot of yogurt is used in Indian cuisine. My theory has always just been that yogurt is an easily digestible protein source that requires no cooking (after the milk is initially boiled), that also settles the stomach;* and therefore it is perfect for hot hot hot weather. It’s also a good thing to do with milk to make it a bit less spoilage prone.
But that is just my brain extrapolating from assumptions…
* it settles mine, anyway. For years, when I got all nauseated from heat, all I wanted was a salted lassi.
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