Down on the Farm

Last weekend, I set aside years of aversion to what I thought was buttermilk. That is, I thought buttermilk was what you bought at the grocery store. In more recent months, I have learned that buttermilk sold at the store is actually a cultured sour milk.  My dad and a friend who grew up on Pennsylvania Dutch cooking had praised buttermilk as a beverage, and so, when I made butter last weekend, I took a sip. And another, and another, and another.  I could easily have consumed the two cups of buttermilk that were the result of making a pound of butter, only I shared the experience with friends.  

Since I discovered the joys of fresh butter, I have been finding all sorts of uses for buttermilk.  Pancakes, for example.  When our last box of Bisquick ran out, I vowed to not purchase anymore, instead putting together a homemade pancake mix that I have dubbed "Disquick." Using that with fresh buttermilk resulted in just about the best pancakes I have ever had.  

Today, I am about ready to make butter again, this time thinking I'm going to use some of the buttermilk to make cornbread with our home-grown jalapeno peppers.  They are the first produce to ripen in our yard, and much bigger than last year's peppers.  Soon to follow will be our sole bell pepper so far.  

Tonight's menu looks like the following:

Frittata with home-grown basil

Salad-home-grown lettuce and cherry tomatos with homemade dressing

Cornbread-locally grown and ground cornmeal, homemade butter and buttermilk, and home-grown jalapenos. 

I can't wait until the day we have chickens and can have fresh eggs!