Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

So Far This ....

...Week:

  • Started a batch of home cultured buttermilk.   It was easy to make from a good starter product I purchased ... tucked away in the fridge ... won't have to buy buttermilk again if I keep making a little batch each week.
  • Got a jar of sour dough starter waiting to ferment with natural air born yeast.
  • Purchased a one gallon glass tea jug (at a thrift store) with lid and spigot to separate non-homogenized  milk ... now we have cream (should I make butter?)
  • Made a large pot of porridge (first soaking the rolled oats ... then slow cooking for 1 hour). So far it has provided breakfast, an addition to a loaf of bread and was added to pancake batter two mornings.  It's one way to get picky eaters to eat their oatmeal. (Make a large batch and keep in the fridge for a few days of effortless mornings.)
  • sandwich/salad sprouts are growing in the pantry.
  • from a few pieces of home made bread ... I made a delish salad topping of croutons and roasted pumpkin seeds.  Nothing goes to waste in a thrifty home:)
I was thinking yesterday:  If something should happen to me ... and my kids have to clean out the fridge or pantry ... they might have no idea what all the little fermentations are so I'm posting it on  my blog to alleviate confusion.  It'd be a waste of good starter to have them just toss the stuff in the trash:)

5 comments:

Felisol said...

Oh, my. You are clever.
I once had a sour dough project, but had to let it go. Couldn't keep on the regular bread baking.
Of all the healthy products, my stomach goes crazy every time I try to digest oatmeal. That is so sad cause I like it, and it keeps me full-fed til dinner.

I used to make butter with my 1 graders. Much fun to shake the jar of cream and see how it turned into butter.
In fact my 1 grade teacher did the same with us, and I could never forget the fun. I added some salt and had oatmeal crackers so the children got to taste it.

It's definitely more healthy than the butter we buy. I doubt it is cheaper though.

I envy your growing salad and sprout already.
We still have a half meter of snow in the garden.
I have been self supplied with yellow blooming forsythias since January 2nd.
The bush in our garden has been halfed in size though.
My mother says I can get new roots on the branches I keep indoors, but so far I have not succeed.
And I still have 50 bulbs lying outdoors which were to be planted in February.
Dear Snow Queen.
Thank you for being so generous, but we've had enough now!
From Felisol

Mary Bergfeld said...

You've really been busy this week and I must admit I'm more than a little impressed. I hope you have a lovely day, Mrs. Mac.

Kathryn said...

Oh, Mrs. Mac - i'm tired just reading this! Wish i had the energy to try these.

But - i did find someone to help me cook/bake & clean up. Maybe after we get some of the basics down we'll branch out into these alternatives.

What do you use the buttermilk for?

Mrs. Mac said...

Kathryn ... I just make one project per day. We use buttermilk to make ranch dressing ... add to mashed potatoes ... etc. I'm glad you got some help at home.

Mary ... you have quite a nice recipe blog ... I like all of the old historical recipes you've lovingly written about and made.

Felisol ... I promise to stop making it snow everywhere EXCEPT Idaho (promise:) Some of my bulbs got up rooted by the deer .. they were daffodils so they were not eaten ... the rest sit (sad sigh) in a bag unplanted .. waited too long and the ground froze ... but I was able to use some in a planter box and they are starting to poke through .. they will be a delight as they sit just on the outside of my dining room windows.

Ruth Trowbridge said...

My kitchen is also a science lab. I don't like anyone to cook or clean up for me because inevitably they throw out my fermentations and such. My husband will attest to this. One day I was gone and he was going to make the supper. It was tomato sauce. The meat was cooked he just had to add the jar of sauce in the freezer. Well he took the jar from the freezer and added it to the meat and served it over pasta. They gagged tasting it, eating it was impossible. You see I wondered if I could make alcohol for my tinctures by freezing the dregs from the bottom of my wine fermentation. It was this dead yeast he added to the tomato sauce. Excellent post here, peace