Making Butter

Making butter is easy with a food processor, and it produces a light fresh taste. You will need:

Stages of buttermaking in the food processor, and bowl.

1-2 cups heavy whipping cream, or double cream (1/3 liter)
(preferably without carrageenan or other stabilizers)

Fit food processor with plastic blade, whisk, or normal chopping blade. Fill food processor about 1/4 - 1/2 full. Blend. The cream will go through the following stages: Sloshy, frothy, soft whipped cream, firm whipped cream, coarse whipped cream. Then, suddenly, the cream will seize, its smooth shape will collapse, and the whirring will change to sloshing. The butter is now fine grained bits of butter in buttermilk, and a few seconds later, a glob of yellowish butter will separate from milky buttermilk. Drain the buttermilk.

You can eat the butter now -- it has a light taste -- though it will store better if you wash and work it. Add 1/2 cup (100 mL) of ice-cold water, and blend further. Discard wash water and repeat until the wash water is clear. Now, work butter to remove suspended water. Either place damp butter into a cool bowl and knead with a potato masher or two forks; or put in large covered jar, and shake or tumble. Continue working, pouring out the water occasionally, until most of the water is removed. The butter is now ready. Put butter in a butter crock, ramekins, or roll in waxy freezer paper.

Yield: About half as much butter as the amount of cream you started with.

Various options:

• Salt to taste before working, a few pinches.
   
• Have the cream around 60°F/15°C before churning. (55°F/13°C for goat milk)
   
• Obtain the freshest cream you can. So-called "vat pasteurized cream" tastes better than ultra heat treated (UHT) or HTST pasteurized. Try calling your state Department of Agriculture, and asking the Milk Control office who sells vat pasteurized cream.
   
• Shake in a jar instead of a food processor. Shake about once a second. Add a marble to speed things up. This is fun with kids, but expect it to take between 5-30 minutes, depending on the shaking.
   
• Culture the cream before churning. Add a few tablespoons (50 mL) store-bought cultured yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, clabbered cream, or creme fraiche, and let sit about 12 hours at warm room temperature (75°F/24°C is ideal) to thicken and ferment before churning. It should taste delicious, slightly sour, with no aftertaste. If it is bubbly, or smells yeasty or gassy, discard.
   
• Use some butter making tools, such as a churn, paddle for working, or molds for forming the finished butter.

Cast Iron Pans-Why you should use them instead of Non-Stick

The Truth About Cast Iron Pans: 10 Facts That You Must Know

The old wives` tale is true. Cooking in a cast-iron skillet increases the body`s absorption of this important metal. If you have not yet discovered the benefits of cast iron cooking, here are 10 reasons to buy and use a cast iron skillet.

10 Reasons to Use Cast Iron Cookware

1. It supplies you with Iron. Cast iron cookware is the only cookware that provides you with nutritional benefits. It releases a small amount of iron into food every time you cook. Cooking food with cast iron will help boost your iron levels especially when you are cooking with highly acid foods like tomatoes.

2. It is toxic free. Cast iron cookware is absolutely safe, unlike most non stick pans that release toxins into food once scratched (and they always get scratched).

3. Food comes out tastier. Not only does pre-seasoned cast iron cookware require less oil to cook with, but the food comes out flavored. You can get the best crust on your food and it simply tastes much better.

4. It is very durable. With proper care, cast iron cookware can last a lifetime. You can re-season and recondition it as many times as you want.

5. It’s inexpensive.  You can buy a new, pre-seasoned cast iron skillet for as low as $20.00.  That’s pretty cheap for a life time investment that even your grandchildren can inherit one day.

6. Easy to clean. Unlike other cookware, you don’t need to use soap when washing cast iron.  All you need is a non-abrasive sponge and hot water.

7. It’s been used for thousands of years. Cast iron pans have been used for more than 2,500 years. Cast iron was first made during the 4th century B.C. in China and later spread to England in the 12th century. Cast iron pans became popular in the United States during the 18th century.

8. It’s non stick. A properly seasoned cast iron skillet is naturally non-stick. This is because the oils from previous cooking have been built up which makes a natural non-stick coating on the pans.

9. Heating benefits. Cast iron cookware distributes heat very evenly. Most other non stick pants can not be used on high heat as their thin metal is not able to distribute heat quickly.

10. Can be used on your stove top, oven, or charcoal grill. Cast iron cookware can be used inside the oven and even on top of a charcoal grill as it can withstand various heating levels without causing damage to the shape of the cookware.