Homemade yogurt rocks!!

[azasadny]

Beth bought a yogurt culture kit from a health food store last month and she bought a gallon of organic milk the other day and last night she made "Greek style" homemade yogurt for the 1st time. She said it was very easy and didn't take too long and we just ate some and it was fantastic! We'll be making our own yogurt from this point on as we eat a lot of it and Beth says it's much cheaper to make it at home and we know what ingredients are going into it. Anyone else make their own yogurt/kefir here?

Beth said that she needs sheep's milk to make "real" Greek style yogurt, so we'll find that locally, if we can.

[cstreit]

I remember my mom used to have a yogurt maker - simple and kept everything at just the right temp. We enjoyed coming up with our own flavors. Maple-syrup and granola or wheat-germ was a fav.

[azasadny]

I thought we needed a yogurt maker and I couldn't find one that would let us make more than 1qt at a time, but Beth said that a piece of equipment isn't necessary. She cooked it up, cooled it down, pitched the starter and put an electric heating pad around the container to keep the temperature constant, then put it in the refrigerator until it set up and it is fantastic!!

[masraum]

You should see if it's possible to buy "raw" milk in MI. It's legal here in Texas. Raw, unpasteurized unhomogenized milk is heavenly, and makes great stuff (used to make my own kefir).

[azasadny]

If we can get raw milk, we'll try that, too!

[peppy]

My mom used to make laban when we were young.

[azasadny]

We were in Ann Arbor today and we stopped at a "specialty" grocery store that carries organics, hemp, etc... and bought a 1/2 gallon of organic, whole, unhomogenized milk to make another batch of yogurt today. No raw milk, but my wife's uncle has a farm and we may be able to get raw sheep's milk and that's what we need to make "real" Greek style yogurt. Can't wait!

[azasadny]

The batch made from the organic, whole milk that was not homogenized is the best, so far! The consistency was a little thicker and a little more sour on the palate, but extremely pleasant and rich. Beth said she won't ever buy yogurt again now that she knows how to make it and she says it's very easy.

[Superman]

My GF likes to make her own yogurt. She likes to use the low-fat milk (wouldn't be my pick, but.....) and I think she just puts active yogurt into a container with milk and simply waits for the yogurt to make itself.

She also like buttermilk and makes that too, the same way.

Now.....why anyone would curdle milk on purpose is beyond me, but you guys (and she) can just do whatever you want.

[Bill Douglas]

I like the Greek one too. Also Sweet Greek. GF says "Also Greek and honey."

[azasadny]

We make simple yogurt, then add honey, granola, fresh fruit, chocolate syrup, maple syrup, etc... to taste. Beth also uses the simple yogurt to make the Greek dipping sauce "tsatsiki", which is the sauce on gyros sandwiches. We use it on EVERYTHING!