This is a story I’ve probably told on here a dozen times. I was probably 6 years old. My dad loved buttermilk and I can’t remember if I’d never had it or already knew I didn’t like it and didn’t know it was buttermilk. My dad got a big glass of buttermilk. I thought it was plain milk and reached for it to get myself a drink. My dad stood back watching. I took a big gulp and spit it all over the kitchen floor. I don’t remember what happened after that and that’s probably a good thing.
Somewhere along the way, I grew to love buttermilk but only “good” buttermilk and “good” buttermilk isn’t always easy to find. I mentioned the other day that I pretty much only like Bulgarian buttermilk but not all Bulgarian buttermilk is created equally. We have a Brookshire’s grocery store here and they have their own brand of Bulgarian buttermilk and I love it . . more than I love Dr. Pepper!
Brookshire’s Bulgarian Buttermilk
A week or so ago, it was announced that our Kroger store is closing in March. Vince buys his Uncle Sam’s cereal there so that’s the only thing we’re going to miss. We’ve not been big fans of the Kroger store here. But, that got me thinking . . what would I do if something ever happened to Brookshire’s. It’s a small store, rather expensive . . I don’t shop there except for my buttermilk.
In my recent buttermilk post, a reader commented about making more buttermilk by adding fresh milk to a bit of buttermilk and letting it culture and make more. So . . I’m trying it. I’ve made buttermilk but I’ve only made it from a purchased culture. Yesterday I began researching it and found (or I think this is what I found) that it’s a different culture that creates the Bulgarian buttermilk.
Buttermilk “Brewing”
I think I should be able to do it like I do my yogurt in the pressure cooker so I have a batch of that making now, and I have a jar of milk with buttermilk sitting out on the counter to see what that does. I don’t mind buying buttermilk but if I can make it from a culture and get a good product, that will make me very happy.
Of course, I’ll keep you posted on how it all turns out.
Donna says
How is Bulgarian buttermilk different than regular? Texture?
Sherrill Pecere says
Oh GROSS!! My dad liked buttermilk too but once I tried it, GAH! That was the end of my buttermilk tasting days. Never again! Eww! LOL
Margie says
When I was a kid on the ranch, we had cows and made butter and buttermilk. It wasn’t thick like you buy. It had little flecks of butter in it, yum. My brother and I thought chocolate cake and buttermilk was the best!
Pat says
I love buttermilk but can not find the nice thick buttermilk.
lacefaerie says
I am eager to hear how this turns out. I make my own yogurt. Sometimes I shorten the culturing time and it’s like thick milk and not as tart. Sometimes I let it culture till stiff, then strain any fluid off. One time I left it in a strainer in the fridge overnight and ended up with cream cheese, thick and tangy. If you do this, save the whey, it’s sweet and makes a great liquid for baking. I have a neighbor that takes it to ferment his veggies.
My 77yr old Dad reminisces about the buttermilk he drank as a child. Says nothing commercially made even comes close. I may try to make him some if your experiment works!