Butter, better homemade!? What kind of bread? No, way! Yes, Whey!! Too much work don't you think?

Indeed, that probably would have been Mom's comment to my culinary adventures yesterday.  A variation on her "what do you want to do that for?" query that I often heard about some of my other kitchen undertakings.  Would she have turned done anything presented to her from the fruits of my day long labors.  Absolutely not!!!

A little background and then I'll get to the delicious delectables's I managed to make from a few simple fresh ingredients.  My DH mentioned off and on this summer he worked with a man that farmed also.  Whoa, two full time jobs.  DH mentioned during a break in my culinary fun that the man's wife didn't work so he was sure she did a few things around the farm to help out.  This woman whom I've never met has 4 young children, ages 1-7.  they are raising chickens, cows, goats, and rabbits.  Their intent is to raise eggs, milk and meat without all the extras that have been the subject of a blog or two lately.  When I learned the ages of the children, I promptly set my DH straight about this lady not having a job.  She may not get a paycheck but I'll just bet there are days a job away from home would be much more restful and less tiring than what she does daily!  So what's all this got to do with my kitchen?  A few weeks ago the co-worker brought eggs to work.  Did I want some?  Heck, yes!!  Are they milking those goats, I asked?  I like goat's milk, would love to try to make some cheese!  Well, DH didn't know about that but he knew the two had made butter over the weekend.  That brought back memories so I asked if they would consider selling a gallon of cream.  I got it Friday, I think it came out of the cow Thursday and here is what I did with it on Saturday!

Basing what I was about to do on memories of sitting in my grandparents kitchen when Grandpa would get a pail of the thickest, almost honey colored cream from the ancient fridge and Dad would get the butter churn down (the one in the picture).  They'd proceed to make the palest looking butter at the old solid 5 legged table (Dad said it was made from pignut wood) in the kitchen.  Just because that and this-endless cranking on the handle, Mom "washing" the butter in ice water, Dad adding salt to the "buttermilk" and drinking the blechy tasting stuff and Mom turning that nasty stuff into gorgeous loaves of tasty bread-was all I really knew about what I was about to do.  Well, no need to let that slow me down!  I knew what the end results where supposed to be!  Join me now as I show you what I did!!!

First I pulled out the trusty KA, thinking that it would simulate the churning action.  The old churn is good for photo ops only.  Yes, I made whipped cream but I figured I'd go past the whipped stage and onto the butter stage.  Then I tasted the whipped cream.  Well, perhaps I should just get a jar and shake it to the desired finish.  Might as well pretend to use up some of those calories that were tasting so good!

I do not remember the butter tasting so good back then.  So light and fluffy, fresh and creamy sweet.

I do not remember the "whey" tasting like milk.  Umm, buyable drinkable milk that is.  I wanted to duplicate Mom's bread.  I gave up on that and went for a baguette recipe I'm fond of and just replaced all the liquid with my "whey".

Baguettes

2 cups "whey" (water)

2 T butter (oh yeah! it was fresh!!)

1 1/2 T sugar

1 T salt

1 package active dry yeast

6 - 61/2 cups flour

Must ask what type if cows these people have!!!!!  The bread-well, if Mom were here she would say, "better than Angel food cake"!  I decided to keep going with my culinary adventures and make sourdough English muffins.  Use some of those farm fresh eggs on them later, pretend I was making eggs Benedict and call it dinner!  They guys can only handle new things up to a point!  Again replaced all the liquid in the recipe with my "whey".  I used my sourdough starter which is older than the co-worker's oldest child so I'm not putting it's recipe in.  If anyone was interested I would email the directions for it.  I must say the teen had two of my dinner specials and one for breakfast so they had to  pass muster!  He can drive to McDonald's after all.  On the toasted lightly buttered English muffins are scrambled farm fresh eggs with my homemade Canadian bacon( I do have a Canadian friend and I know "no such thing" lol) topped with a cheese of their choice.  That's mine(didn't want to risk limb dismemberment trying to take a photo of their's) in the picture.  It has a lovely smoked Gouda cheese on it and I would have loved to try a Hollandaise sauce. Oh well!  Anyone want to plan a vacation in my area next year so I can try all the foods I just see in pictures?  I do so hate making something that only I will try!

For dessert, apple.strudel's Victoria sponge.  I made it Sunday because our dear friend, Al, was coming for lunch.  Everyone loved it!!!  I didn't exactly do AS"s recipe, why make buttercream when you have real whipped cream!!!  I so don't remember this exquisite flavor coming from Grandpa's cream.  I do know Mom would have loved everything.  Even though she didn't have sweets often(so she said), I know the sponge would have been enjoyed with a cup of hot steaming tea in the evening.

And that's how I spent my weekend!!