Yogert for Yoga
As I ween off of my daily yoga and I notice my yogurt consumption is rising. There must be a healthier choice than store-bought yogurt. I decided to make my own. To tell you a secret, I've long been lusting for a yogurt maker for years! But, my fear of making yogurt has stopped me from making the initial purchase.
Today, I placed the order on Amazon and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. I tried to do a comprehensive search on yogurt makers, however there were few actual reviews of individual yogurt makers. I hoped to visit Consumer Reports or Good Housekeeping to view a comprehensive list of studied yogurt makers but there were none. I am happy to report that I discovered another gluten free writer who steered me in the right direction. Her analysis of starter packaging was an eye opener. I was exhausted after researching starters.
My yogurt maker arrived and a week has passed since I began experimenting. I've made three enthusiastic batches and the results have been fair. My problem was they didn't firm-up which I believe is a temperature issue from pouring the boiling milk to the cups at a much lower temperature. I ended up putting the pan in a ice bath to quickly reduce the temperature but think it drops the temperature too much before the yogurt maker can start the process. I found the heating temperature to be a challenge even with my new thermometer.
One great source of information for making yogurt, kafir and other fermenting foods is http://www.culturesforhealth.com. Their web site is a vault of information and products. They offer a free downloadable recipe and information book that is bound to please. Their varieties of starters had my head spinning. I ordered 5 different starters and they each bring a different outcome.
I found myself in Utah for a family event. While in Brigham City, Utah, my sister, nephew, partner and I went for a drive. We drove past the our high school, we ‘dragged the main street’ and ended up at the local hamburger stand. My sister and I several years apart, each had wonderful memories at the hamburger stand called Peach City.
Peach City was featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and has been a local fixture since 1938. My Father courted my Mother at Peach City and Dads favorite drink was an Iron Port Shake. It was made with fresh, local ice cream made with real cream. During the Brigham City’s local holiday of Peach Days, Peach City makes fresh peach ice cream from local peaches. It’s a neighborhood favorite and all of my high school classmates and I have fond memories of peach ice cream. My family loves it! 
