Party Potluck

Today we went to an anniversary party for some friends. It was held at Pamplin Grove County Park, truly one of the gems of the county in the Redwoods along Highway 36. A potluck - I was interested to see what I could find there that fit my Loophole Localvore parameters. But that was not until late afternoon - so more on that later.

"To everything there is a season" and for us in is now the season of Pears. They are getting riper daily and need eating now. So the breakfast of choice is, or includes, pears. Today pears with my cup of tea was all I needed.

I have been wanting yogurt and saw my opportunity this morning to get some started. We enjoy watching the show "Good Eats" on the Food Network, and just recently saw one on... making yogurt! The technique was almost the same as mine, with the addition of honey and using a heating pad to incubate the yogurt until firm.
I incubated the yogurt in a recycled styrofoam container used to ship perishable medicine. I lined it with aluminum foil and set it aside. I could fit 2 wide mouth quart canning jars into the container, so I decided to make 1/2 gallon of yogurt, recipe as follows:
7 cups 2% milk
1 cup plain organic yogurt with live cultures (Nancy's)
1 cup organic powdered milk (Organic Valley)
2 Tblsp local clover honey
First I set a teakettle of water on to boil.
In a stainless steel pan I heated the milk gently, so as not to scorch or scald, to 120 degrees.
While it was heating I blended in the powdered milk and honey with a whisk.
After removing the milk from the heat, I scalded the 2 clean glass canning jars and their lids with the boiling water and set them aside. I filled a third jar with boiling water and placed it in my styrofoam incubator to preheat it, covering it to keep the heat in.
I put the 1 cup of yogurt into a 2 c. measuring cup and stirred in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk. I then stirred the thinned yogurt back into the rest of the milk with it all ending up at 115 degrees. Once blended together, I poured the milk into the 2 jars, put on the lids and seals and, removing the water jar, placed them in the box folding the foil over the top and putting the lid on. The show noted that incubating your yogurt for 6 hours gives you soft yogurt, 9 hours for firm. We wanted firm, so would wait to take it out until after we get home in the evening.
Lunch was a vegie scramble. Sauteed vegetables from the garden with fresh eggs addes and some Loleta cheddar cheese and fresh salsa on top.


For the party I decided to take a big basket of fresh ripe red Bartlett pears and bowl of coleslaw made with the last of the mayonnaise. We also took along a bottle of the Vinatura Heyseus, just in case...
One there we had a fabulous time surrounded with generations of friends - and a park table over laden with food. I realized it was impossible to determine who made each dish and ask them the source of the ingredients (they probably already think I'm a fanatic!), so I decide to eat what definitely looks like garden stuff - tomato basil salad, vegie dish w/zucchini, deviled egg, plus my cole slaw.  All those beautiful dishes are like forbidden fruit - foreign delights, but I manage to resist them. And all the wine is from out of our bio region, so I am glad to have my Vinatura. I have a glass and leave the rest for everyone to share. There is fine local beer, but I am not a beer drinker. Dennis holds down that job.

Later that evening, when we have been home a spell, it is time to take the yogurt out. It looks great. Surprisingly firm for home made - at least in my experience. It had a different texture than I'm used to - rather like honey! Maybe I will leave that out next time.