Home Made Yoghurt

I remember when a large bowl of my sister's freshly brewed yoghurt leaped to the arms of my unsuspecting mother, who just happened to be putting clean sheets in the hot water cupboard. For many years after I believed yoghurt making to be just too socially destructive to be mentioned in polite society.

However, Rosemary has discovered a simple and environmentally friendly process. I have been converted, and complex childhood issues relating to the production of dairy products have been largely resolved. It's great on porridge, often along side stewed rhubarb, and I have discovered it as a recovery drink after the gym or a ride.

To make one litre of yoghurt, heat one litre of fresh, homogenized, whole cream milk in a pot. Stir in six tablespoons of skim milk powder (the additional milk fats will make the yoghurt thicker). Take it off the heat just before it boils and let it cool to blood temperature. Pour it onto a suitable container. We use a two litre bucket with a firmly fitting lid. Stir in a couple of tablespoons of natural whole milk yoghurt, preferably with acidophilus, bifidus and casei cultures. Leave in a warm place for 12 to 24 hours for these happy little cultures to propagate.

Making yoghurt has been made even easier by our move from the icy wastes of New Zealand to the relative warmth of Melbourne. Our kitchen has an ambient temperature of about 20c. We wrap the bucket up in a tea towel and leave it on the bench. Refrigerate before they develop a system of tertiary education.