I’m going to make yogurt today. And mysost cheese.

My neighbor wants to come over so I can show her how to make the cheese and crackers. We want to have a baking, making session because she wants to make and give them as Christmas gifts. So, obviously in December. She also was wondering about some pumpkin flavored farmer cheese, as her daughter-in-law has a big Halloween party every year. We brainstormed pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, maple syrup somewhere in the mix, maybe drizzled on, or maple sugar crystals. I have those from the sugar house … thinking thinking…

I made yogurt today and it went faster (the temperature) than last time so hopefully I did it right. I cross reference a few instructions so…It’s never a failure, just not what was envisioned.

Then I made mysost from the left over cheese whey, 1 1/2 quarts this time. I took pictures of the progress. It took a little over an hour and now the final product is in the refrigerator, setting. What’s in the pictures is the water is being evaporated out. I added a little cinnamon after adding the cream, fourth picture. The final color is not from the cinnamon but from the caramelization.

I tasted some from the pan after I put it in the container and it is incredible.

My yogurt didn’t yogurt but the upside is that it has the consistency of kefir. It’s not, of course, and tastes like yogurt. I put it in the blender with berries and unflavored protein powder and will just drink it over these next few days.

It was definitely very fast to the temperature when I made it, faster than the other times, so there’s that. Everyone is probably saying, “GET A YOGURT MAKER ALREADY” 🤣 I’m not in a rush. Maybe one day. But no matter, it’s never been bad and I can always consume it, although maybe not as planned.

I also made butter with the cream. And I have leftover buttermilk, which I really don’t like, except in baking. That will be easy. I’ll just make a pumpkin thing with it and that will be good.

The mysost came out delicious and is a bit soft, maybe like a firm brie consistency. That’s apparently ok. I think last time I cooked it a few minutes longer until it was almost stiff in the pan. It’s a very interesting thing to make, very basic, with timing and getting a feel of it while cooking it. Spinning fiber is a little like that. 

I adore sautéed greens. My mom used to make them several ways, including Southern style with collard greens and bacon. I daydreamed of having all the leaves I wanted, whenever I wanted when I grew up. So now I eat them almost every day.

Last night, I sauteed some arugula to try to save it, because it was starting to get wilty and some leaves were a lil slimy. I tried a bite and the taste and texture were too off, so I chose not to risk it and conceded defeat. It went in the compost so nothing was stolen from the Earth.

Then I did some spinach the same way, with salt, pepper, garlic, and a few drops of soy sauce, and it was looking so good, and I got aaaall the way to plating it, and then I saw a GRASSHOPPER in it. At that point I realized God just didn't want me to have my veggies. I gave up and fried some eggs. 

Garden spinach and beet salad... with green apple, quinoa, and sunflower seeds... Making a tahini dressing... with home made apple cider vinegar and maple syrup, and home grown garlic and ginger! Taking this to my women's group tonight.  

It's fun cooking for someone other than my husband once in a while. He doesn't love beets (but hates when I make him out to be a picky eater). The tahini dressing is so good, it can be diluted with water. I could drink it!