Raw Milk Anyone?

Have you ever had raw cow milk?  Well, if you haven't you are in for a treat.  It taste so much sweeter and richer than the ultra pasturized version you find in the store. But you must be careful where you get your milk.  It must be a VERY VERY clean facility.  We get ours from Lomah Dairy near Tiff City, MO.  These folks are wonderful and take pride in their produt.  They are also gearing up their facilty to make and sell cheeses.  If you live in the area I recommend you go see them. 

There are several other benefits to raw cow milk.  For instance you can skim off the heavy cream and use it to make whipped topping for desert.  Just add about a tablespoon of sugar and about 1/8 teaspoon vanilla and mix on high with your whisk attachment until peaks form.   Or you can mix the cream with a paddle attachment on medium to make butter.  This takes about 10- 20 minutes. Or if you need something to keep the kids busy.  Put it in a glass jar with a lid and let the them take turns shaking the jar.  Drain off the liquid (this can be used for buttermilk busicuits) and VOILA....you have butter.

Another wonderful thing to make is mozzarella cheese.  It's easier than you think and only takes about an hour.  In large stainless steel pot put 1 1/2 teaspoon citric acid disssolved in 1/2 cup water add 1 gallon of milk and heat it up slowly to 88 degrees F.(you will need a thermometer with a long stem to get the temperature in the middle of the pan).  Stir slowly so the milk doesn't scorch the bottom.  Take the milk off the heat as soon as it reaches 88 degrees.  Add 1/4 rennet tablet already disssolved in water. mix well into milk. Let stand 5- 8 minutes.  There should be curds forming.  With a slotted spoon remove them from the whey(this can be used in bread recipes).  Then put the curds in the microwave for 1 minute.  Put on some heavy rubber gloves to protect your hands drain off any excess whey. Try to stretch the cheese.  If it doesn't stretch well it's probably not hot enough.  Put back into the microwave  30 seconds and repeat...knead, stretch, pour off liquid.  If the cheese is not real shiney and stretchy at this point put it in the microwave again at 30 seconds and reapeat the stretching, and pouring off excess liquid.  Depending on your microwave you may have to repeat this last step one or two more times.( I ususally only have to put it in for 1 minute once and 30 seconds twice.)   Form your cheese into balls and ENJOY! 

Of course there are other easy cheeses you can make as well as homemade ice cream and yogurt.  Here are some websites for more ideas and how-to information that I like to use: http://www.cheesemaking.com/ you can order cheesemaking supplies as well as instructional videos on cheese.  Another helpful  video is Homestead Blessings:The Art of Dairy Delights which you can order from http://www.visionforum.com/ .

If you haven't tried fresh cow's milk I would encourage you to find a local dairy near you and enjoy all the fresh things you make with it not to mention the simple indulgence of a cold glass with warm chocolate chip cookies.  Yum yum yum!