This guide reveals step-by-step techniques for using a variety of milks, both animal and plant, to make classic yogurt, kefir, and other specialty fermented dairy products including Icelandic Skyr, Asian Koumiss, and Danish Ymer.
With probiotic-rich foods increasingly recognized as essential to gut health, yogurt and kefir are gaining popularity as a source of protein and beneficial bacteria. In Homemade Yogurt & Kefir, cheesemaker and small-scale dairy producer Gianaclis Caldwell opens the door for fermentation enthusiasts and dairy devotees to make and use yogurt and kefir in the home kitchen. She explores the many culture choices and techniques for working with cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo, and even some plant milks. Step-by-step instructions cover the basics of making dairy ferments, from necessary equipment to the myriad options for thickening, sweetening, and flavoring. Along with foundational recipes, you’ll find instructions for creating different styles of yogurt and kefir as well as other traditional milk ferments from around world, including Icelandic skyr, Asian koumiss, and Finish viili. Techniques for making simple cheeses, butter, whipped cream, and other dairy products using yogurt and milk ferments broaden the possibilities of these probiotic-packed cultures, and a recipe section takes you beyond the expected pairing of yogurt with granola, offering creative ways to use fermented dairy products in sauces, soups, and even cocktails, while preserving their health benefits and flavor. Along the way, pioneering yogurt makers, kefir crafters, and famous chefs who are tapping yogurt’s potential for meals and libations, share their wisdom.
Gianaclis Caldwell, an expert on making artisanal cheeses, is the author of Small-Scale Cheese Business, Small-Scale Dairy, Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking, and Mastering Basic Cheesemaking. She is a regular contributor to Fermentation and Culture: The Word on Cheese magazines and teaches and consults across the United States. She lives in Rogue River, Oregon, where she operates her family's dairy, Pholia Farm.
"Caldwell gives thorough, detailed directions, and full-color photographs show both finished products and important steps along the way. This is a practical addition to any cookery collection, especially with the growing trend toward self-sufficiency." — Booklist, starred review
"What sets this yogurt book apart is the global range of yogurts featured—from Russian Ryazhenka and Vietnamese Sura Chua to Icelandic Skyr and Indian Mishti Doi. So many ways to transform my leftover milk! Caldwell also includes recipes for kefirs, cheeses, sweets, and many dairy-free options. With farmer profiles, bacterial charts and step-by step photos and illustrations, it’s a great primer for those new to fermented dairy, yet still has enough to challenge those whose yogurt making is already a weekly routine. " — Blyth Meier, Porchlight Books
“Gianaclis is a fermentation expert and natural teacher. Her deep knowledge paired with beautiful design has produced a book to treasure.” — Janet Fletcher, James Beard Award-winning journalist, and publisher of Planet Cheese
"This is a great guide to fermenting milk as well as various plant-based milks. Gianaclis Caldwell is experienced and knowledgeable, and presents information clearly, making the processes very approachable. What a wonderful contribution to the growing literature of do-it-yourself fermentation."— Sandor Ellix Katz, author of Wild Fermentation and The Art of Fermentation
“Homemade Yogurt & Kefir does a beautiful job of uniting a world of traditional fermented milks with easy-to-follow, delicious recipes for today. In this remarkable work, Caldwell’s approach is both practical and fun (yes, there are recipes for libations). This encouraging book provides a thorough understanding of why yogurt, kefir, and their many unique cousins have been, and must continue to be, a source of human nourishment.” — Kirsten Shockey, coauthor of Fermented Vegetables, Fiery Ferments, and Miso, Tempeh, Natto & Other Tasty Ferments
- Paperback
- 224 Pages
- 9 in H x 7 in W
- ISBN: 9781635861099
Table of Contents
Preface
The Magic of Fermented Milk
Part 1: History, Tools, and Techniques of Milk Fermentation
Chapter 1: In the Beginning, There Was Milk
Chapter 2: All about Milk and Microbes
Chapter 3: Tools and Equipment
Chapter 4: Dairy Fermentation Techniques
Part 2: Core Recipes: Yogurt, Kefir, Heirloom, and Plant Milk Ferments
Chapter 5: Warm Dairy Ferments: Yogurt and Kin
Chapter 6: Room-Temperature Dairy Ferments: Kefir and Kin and Heirloom Yogurts
Chapter 7: Plant Milk Ferments
Chapter 8: Cultured Butters, Cultured Creams, and Yogurt and Kefir Cheeses
Part 3: Dishes, Drinks, and Delights
Saucy Salads and Condiments
Chilled and Creamy Soups
Beverages and Libations
Sweets and Treats
Yogurt through the Ages
Acknowledgments
Resources
Metric Conversion Charts
Index