This is part-two in a three-part series about fermentation. Part-one contains information related to the nutritional value of fermented foods. It also touches upon the role that fermentation might play in personal, societal, and ecological renewal. It concludes with recipes for fermented vegetables. This section deals with dairy products and their non-dairy counterparts. Part-three will be devoted to fermented grain products.
"Don't you know that they sell milk at WalMart?" This question was directed to me. I had spent the better part of a day wandering around the state of Utah in pursuit of raw milk from grass-fed cows. The mission had been successful but I had seriously underestimated the weight of my bags. They contained: five gallons of milk, two pounds of butter, one chicken, dozens of apples, and a few additional items. "A hedgerow might make a fine bed," I thought. But just at that moment a cheerful question found me: "Do you need a lift?" I accepted this kind offer from a woman in a vehicle when what I needed was wheels. This led to inevitable inquiries regarding my mission. Some time has elapsed since that incident. I am no longer as young, healthy, or idealistic as I once was. While WalMart milk would not satisfy me, I might settle for pasteurized organic milk from grass-fed cows. But back then adventure always included the beauty of eating nourishing, local foods.
Why would I walk all over the state of Utah to obtain organic, raw milk from grass-fed animals? In the first place I was young and crazy. In the second place, there are many nutritional and environmental advantages to consuming milk produced in such a manner. Grass is the natural food of ruminant animals. It contains higher levels of vitamins and minerals than does dried plant matter. As a consequence, dairy products produced by grass-fed animals offer more beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E than dairy products produced by animals raised on grain (See the document titled More Vitamins and Disease-Fighting Antioxidants). Milk from grass fed animals also contains more CLA, which is potentially important for fighting cancer (See 'Greener Pastures,' a publication of The Union of Concerned Scientists). And what does organic dairy offer? Such dairy is free of the antibiotics, hormones, and pesticide residues found in conventionally produced dairy.
The environmental benefits of organic, grass-fed animal products are numerous. Grass-fed cows are not raised in feedlots as are many other unfortunate creatures. Feedlots generate massive amounts of manure which can contaminate water supplies. In addition, feedlots produce air pollution. (Check out this page for additional information.) The unsanitary conditions in feedlots necessitate excessive use of antibiotics. This contributes to bacterial resistance. (For some fascinating facts related to bacterial resistance, see the chapter titled 'The End of Antibiotics' in The Lost Language of Plants.) The excrement of grass-fed animals is consumed by other organisms. Nutrients are released slowly into the soil where they nurture plant growth.
All grazing systems are not created equal however. It is possible to inflict much damage upon ecosystems through overgrazing. Rotational grazing, which enables pastures to rest between each use, is an ideal system. Plants which populate pastures also play important roles in the health of ecosystems and animals. For more information, you can visit Grass Works, a non-profit educational organization. You can also check out 'Native Plants for Your Farm,' a publication of Grow Native which is a program of the Missouri Department of Conservation.
We have seen that organic milk from grass-fed animals offers many nutritional and environmental advantages. But why would I seek raw milk? Raw milk from pasture-raised animals provides enzymes and vitamins that are destroyed during pasteurization.
According to Sally Fallon (2001):
Vitamin C loss in pasteurization usually exceeds 50 percent; loss of other water-soluble vitamins can run as high as 80 percent; the Wulzen or anti-stiffness factor is totally destroyed as is vitamin B 12, needed for healthy blood and a properly functioning nervous system. Pasteurization reduces the availability of milk's mineral components, such as calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulphur, as well as many trace minerals. (pp. 34-35)
A word of caution: if you choose to use raw milk, make sure that the milk comes from a healthy herd of grass-fed animals who have been tested and found free of disease. Also inquire after practices of sanitation. For specific questions you should ask, see this page from the website of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Improperly handled raw milk or raw milk from sick animals can cause illness. But then, so can improperly handled pasteurized milk. As Sally Fallon points out, "all outbreaks of salmonella from contaminated milk in recent decades--and there have been many--have occurred in pasteurized milk" (p. 34). The bottom line is that source and handling matter, whether milk is raw or pasteurized.
Happy, healthy herds tended by conscientious small producers produce nutritious milk. If you ferment your milk, it will provide you with additional nutrients. Fermentation increases the quantities of vitamins B and C that are found in milk. Fermentation also breaks down casein and introduces beneficial enzymes and microorganisms. All of this raises an interesting question: Are you what you eat; or are you what is eaten by what you eat; or are you what eats what you eat; or are you the product of an endless appetite for life?
Ok, enough circular philosophy: let us turn now to tasty food. I will provide recipes for kefir, yogurt, yogurt-cheese, and butter. I will also include yogurt cheeses; herb butters; and non-dairy alternatives to yogurt and kefir. There are countless other treasures from many cultural traditions which you might explore as well. Enjoy!
Yogurt
You will need: Milk, Yogurt With Live Active Cultures
Pour milk into a pan. Place the pan on a burner set on low. Heat milk to 180 degrees. If you have no thermometer, heat milk until it is scalded, i.e. bubbles form around the edge and the milk has a skin on it. Cool to 115 degrees. If you have no thermometer, cool milk until it feels pleasantly warm (think bath temperature). Whisk one tablespoon of yogurt into each quart of milk. Pour the mixture into clean, quart-sized jars. Place jars in a very large soup pot or a small cooler filled with warm (110 to 120 degree) water. Set the pot or cooler in an oven with a pilot light or another warm place. Let the milk sit for 8 hours (or longer if you are into sour flavors). Reheat water as necessary. Remove yogurt prior to heating water. Do not jostle the yogurt while it is "yogifying." Let the yogurt sit for some time in the refrigerator before attempting to eat it.
Non-Dairy Yogurt Options
Variation 1
- Sweet Potatoes
- Cooking Water From Sweet Potatoes
- Finely Ground Pecans
- Pro-biotic Capsules (MegaFlora Capsules by MegaFood Provide all Necessary Organisms)
Variation 2
- Mashed Bananas or Mashed, Cooked Plantains
- Mashed Beans
- Cooking Water From Beans
- Pro-biotic Capsules
Variation 3
- Smashed Squash
- Coconut Milk
- Pro-biotic Capsules
Variation 4
- Ground Nuts
- Coconut Milk
- Pro-biotic Capsules
For any of the above, mix all items together. Heat to 120 degrees. Whisk one pro-biotic capsule into each quart of liquid. Note that non-dairy yogurts do not solidify in the manner of true yogurts. Hence you will want to make your mixture nearly as thick as you would like the resulting yogurt to be. Pour mixture into quart-sized jars and incubate as for dairy yogurt (above).
Yogurt Cheese Variations
Variation 1
- Yogurt
- Dill
- Fresh, Minced Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Freshly-Ground Pepper
Variation 2
- Yogurt
- Chives
- Thyme
- Oregano
- Olive Oil
- Salt
Variation 3
- Yogurt
- Mint
- Honey
- Olive Oil
- Oregano
- Salt
Variation 4
- Yogurt
- Walnuts
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla
- Orange Peel
Line a bowl with a clean, white dishtowel. Pour the yogurt into the towel. Gather the ends of the fabric and tie them together. Hang the bundle from a nail or a hook or place in a colander with a weight on it. Place the bowl beneath the yogurt bundle to catch the liquid (whey). Let the bundle drain until dripping stops. Remove the yogurt which has thickened and become yogurt-cheese (a healthy version of cream cheese). Save the whey for making fermented vegetables or for using as broth in soup. Mix the yogurt cheese with herbs and spices. Try one of the combinations suggested above of create your own mixture. Use unrefined, extra virgin olive oil with a rich, fruity flavor.
Kefir
Kefir grains. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
- 1Tbsp. Kefir Grains
- 2.5 C Milk
In case you have not yet encountered kefir, it is a delicious, slightly effervescent drink from the Caucasus mountains. Kefir grains, which are composed of yeast, bacteria, casein, and polysaccharides, are used in the production of kefir. You can obtain grains from G.E.M. Cultures or Moonwise Herbs (see references listed at the end of Fermentation, part 1) or at your local food coop. Place kefir grains and milk in a jar. Shake. Let ferment for 12 to 48 hours. The longer you leave the milk to ferment, the more sour it will become. Shake milk periodically during fermentation. Strain finished kefir into a new container. Store kefir in the refrigerator. Rinse the kefir grains and place them in a small jar of milk in the refrigerator. They should be used every week or two unless you freeze them. According to Sandor Katz, they can be frozen for two month or dried for two years. I have never tried either of these things.
Kefir Smoothy
- Kefir
- Blueberries
- Bananas
- Maple Syrup
- Orange Peel
- Vanilla
- Nutmeg
Blend all items together and serve.
Non-Dairy Kefir
You can make kefir with any type of nut or seed milk. To make the milk, soak nuts or seeds overnight. Rinse and drain nuts or seeds. Place them in a blender or food processor with a small amount of water and blend until very smooth. Add more water. Strain through a cheese cloth.
Add kefir grains to nut milk and proceed as for dairy kefir. You may also use juice to make kefir. During one scorching, fruit-filled summer, I made some kefir with watermelon juice (watermellon pressed through a strainer), raspberry juice, and fresh mint (which I added after the fermentation process was complete). Experiment with ingredients that you have on hand. Something delicious will undoubtedly emerge. Take extra care when rinsing kefir grains for storage after making non-dairy kefir drinks. Also note that only real milk will cause kefir grains to multiply. Therefore you should store kefir grains in real milk and make kefir with real milk upon occasion. You can give this kefir to friends if dairy does not agree with you.
Butter
You will need: Cream
Obtain cream from a cow, a supermarket, or a refrigerator. Set it in a clean glass jar at room temperature for approximately eight hours if raw, four hours if pasteurized. Shake the jar vigorously. This is a fun activity to perform with children. If you choose to do so, use small jars with small quantities of cream. Involve multiple children so that jars can be passed around when small arms tire. Even if you make this yourself, you may want to recruit additional pairs of arms. Shake jar until butter forms. You should see a distinct, solid lump (that is your butter) surrounded by a watery substance (that is your buttermilk). Place the butter in a wooden bowl. Use a wooden spoon to press pockets of buttermilk out of the butter. Rinse the butter with water and continue to press upon it. When no evidence of buttermilk remains, dry butter and it is ready to eat. You may store surplus butter in the refrigerator.
Herb Butter Variations
Variation 1
- Butter
- Salt
- Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Dill
- Black Pepper
Variation 2
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Chives
- Oregano
- Thyme
Variation 3
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Rosemary
- Orange Peel
- Ginger
Variation 4
- Butter
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Honey
- Ginger
- Orange Peel
- Minced Nuts
Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Use as a garnish for soups or a spread for bread.
Click here to go to Part 3: Grain Ferments.
Bernadette Miller is a student of silences, wild places, and children. Those sages teach that savoring the substance of existence is a serious frivolity. So she aspires to spend more time mucking about in gardens and streams, sunsets and impossible dreams. She has a masters degree in Health Arts and Sciences. She loves gardening, cooking, playing music, playing with children, playing with words, and watching sunsets. She hopes, some day, to find the foreign land where opinions lose themselves in the original passions and stories that birthed them. Her last article for us was: Fermentation: Living with wild things.
