The Basic Preparation Of Foodstuffs: Dairy Products
These basic tips may seem unnecessary for most modern households with a refrigerator, but modern devices can make people lazy and it is well-worth while knowing ‘why’ we must do certain things. It is also worth remembering these tips when refrigerators are not at hand or are so small that they will not hold everything, such as when camping or boating or on holiday in some parts of the world.
MILK:
Milk is known as ‘nature’s perfect food’, because no other food, consumed on its own, can support adult human life. It is of the utmost importance for the growth and development of adolescents, but it must be clean, because bacteria find it very nourishing too and quickly grow in it. If you did not buy your milk pasteurized, then you should scald it and cool it quickly before drinking it.
How To Scald Milk: Rinse out a clean saucepan with cold water, pour in the milk and apply heat until bubbles form around the side of the pan. Keep it at this temperature, that is, do not let it boil, for 3 minutes. Do not let it overheat, as milk burns quite easily. Pour immediately into a clean receptacle and put in a basin of cold water and cover with a fine cloth to prevent flies and dust getting in.
How To Keep Milk Fresh: If milk is not be kept in the receptacles in which it was bought, pour it into a clean bottle, which has been rinsed with cold water. A warm jug will cause the milk to stick to the sides and go off much more quickly. You should always keep milk in the coolest place in the larder and always keep it covered. it is worth remembering that draughts occur most often at ground-level and that hot air rises. Never keep milk in an airless cupboard and in hot weather stand the receptacle in a bowl of water with the cloth covering hanging in the water. The muslin cloth will soak up water, which will evaporate, which dissipates the heat, ensuring that the jug remain cool. Keep milk away from strong-smelling foods, as it absorbs smells easily. Never mix new and old milk together.
Sour Milk: When milk comes straight from the cow, it is a little alkaline, but as time passes, lactic acid is created and it becomes what is called ’sour’. Pasteurizing or scalding the milk retards this process. Milk which is just “on the turn” can be rejuvenated by boiling with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to restore its alkalinity. However, once the milk has gone too far and has curdled, it can be strained through (cheese) cloth, thus separating the curds from the whey. The curds can be used as a filling for cakes, tarts, scones etc and the whey can be used as the liquid for making scones, cakes and soups etc., because it still retains a lot of goodness.
Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk is ordinary milk, which has had some of its water content evaporated by heat in some form or another before being canned. Once reconstituted by adding water, it will last only a little longer than fresh milk does.
Condensed Milk: This is simply evaporated milk to which sugar has been added before canning. The sugar acts as a preservative and will keep the milk for about a week. Do not keep in the tin, but decant it into a jug.
Dried Milk: Dried milk comes in a variety of forms and particular attention should be paid to the instructions on the label. Specialized products can be bought for babies, invalids, convalescents and dieters, all of which contain varying amounts and types of added vitamins and minerals. Usually, they are very much lower in fat content than ordinary milk.
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