by Maureen
Home Made Mothering
About a year and a half ago I wrote a post about my interest in raw milk. All the milk sold in American grocery stores is pasteurized at either 161 degrees for 15 seconds or 145 degrees for 30 minutes. Pasteurization kills any dangerous bacteria potentially lurking around, but this process also “destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamin content, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamins C, B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria, promotes pathogens and is associated with allergies, increased tooth decay, colic in infants, growth problems in children, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease and cancer,” according to the Weston A. Price Foundation. The government strictly controls raw milk sales, and it is largely illegal in most states. To purchase it, you often need to join a co-op (like what we did), own a cow or drive to a farm with your own containers. A lot of hoops to jump through for something much safer than legal indulgences like cigarettes.
I drink raw milk occasionally, but more often than not the milk we drink with our dinner comes from Castle Rock Organic Farms. It is only lightly pasturized and non-homogenized, so a line of lovely cream floats on top of every returnable glass bottle. It is truly delicious, and I feel safe serving it to my little ones.
However, every two weeks I buy a gallon of raw milk from our co-op. Not only do I like supporting my farmers, but I support the notion that Americans deserve the freedom to buy milk in whatever form we like. If the government is ok with citizens smoking cigarettes and jumping out of airplanes, then I don’t understand why raw milk has become such a contentious and polarizing issue.
Most of the raw milk we purchase is put to use in cooked recipes. I particularly love making delightful batches of homemade yogurt, but raw milk makes any recipe calling for milk significantly better. If you can get your hands on raw milk, try a cold glass on its own, or turn it into:
*Homemade Yogurt: Yogurt made with raw milk is a dream. It doesn’t resemble a gelatinous blob like the stuff bought at the grocery store. Rather, it is creamy, light and totally satisfying. Because the process of making homemade yogurt requires heating the milk to 180 degrees, it is safe to share with young and old alike.
We stir raw honey from our co-op into fresh homemade yogurt, and the kids can’t get enough of it. I like to sprinkle in some walnuts and a shaved tart green apple. Divine!
Here’s my method for making homemade yogurt (with or without raw milk): http://homemademothering.com/2009/05/homemade-yogurt-yummmmmm.html
*Oatmeal: Oh la la! Oatmeal made with raw milk tastes so rich and satisfying! We buy organic oats in bulk from Green Grocer Chicago – priced right and I can bring in my own bag so we cut down on the waste we generate.
To make a simple batch big enough to feed all four of us, I heat 2 cups raw milk to nearly a boil, stir in 4 cups old fashioned oats and reduce the heat. Five minutes later, I pour the oats into bowls and top off with a generous drizzle of maple syrup (also from our co-op), a palmful of walnuts and a sprinkling of dried berries. A healthy and filling way to start the day!
*Creamy Soups: Raw milk is wonderful in any soup recipe that calls for milk or cream. The natural fat rounds out the taste and adds a smooth consistency. I won’t make a milk or cream based soup unless I have raw milk in the fridge.
Here are a few soup recipes I make with raw milk:
Potato Soup: http://homemademothering.com/2010/11/a-potato-soup-so-good-an-8-month-old-likes-it.html
Cream of Mushroom Soup: http://homemademothering.com/2009/12/soup-for-a-chilly-day.html
Broccoli-Cheddar Soup: http://sisterkitchn.blogspot.com/2011/04/broccoli-cheddar-soup.html
*Breakfast Strata: This is a family favorite, and its even better when made with raw milk.
*Baked Goods: If your favorite cake recipe calls for milk, try it with raw milk. My new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe requires three tablespoons of milk, and they always turn out better when I use raw milk.
Full Article Here: http://homemademothering.com/2011/07/raw-milk-cooked.html