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Well, gee, you're a rude sort of fellow, aren't you?
I understand very well what "cultured" means in relation to buttermilk. What I was trying to say was that it seems to me that "real" buttermilk would be made from raw milk and naturally fermented, that's all. I was actually asking a real question.
I thought that was what the OP was alluding to, as I didn't think it was hard to find cultured buttermilk anywhere in this country, and the word they actually used was "unadulterated".
And yes, I do have some sort of an understanding of the food industry, etc. (Speaking of "blank (sic) statements".) I have read that small dairies are not allowed to sell raw milk because of government regulations, unless the laws have changed recently. People should be allowed to make those kinds of decisions for themselves, as some think that raw milk is good for you. Yes, "small dairies sell products" every day (that should be two words..."everyday" is an adjective)....but only government-regulated products. Legally, that is.
Do you upbraid everyone this way? Geez.
Cultured Buttermilk is naturally fermented with the pure culture of lactic bacteria--it is real buttermilk.
You have "read that small dairies are not allowed to sell raw milk because of government regulations"
Why do you not let your fingers do a little walking on the internet and you will be able to know for sure instead of making this hearsay statement. I did and I found many sources. Raw Milk today is produced and sold in many States in this country by small dairies. I always knew about the sources in my state of Colorado and I am not against the sale or the production of some raw milk products, as long as the consumer knows what he is getting.
They are government regulated by the applicable state authorities. Of course, it needs to be regulated as to assure that is probably produced, handled and distributed and it is exactly raw milk--not some milk that some crook will market as raw milk because he can get more money from naive buyers.
Again Government Regulations are not interference, as you say. One issue that it assures to the consumer is that you receive the product you are paying to get.
I have bought tons of food commercially in this country and internationally and I know that there is much fraud if there is no regulations of food products. If fact there is fraud with regulation because there is always some miscreant who will try to cheat. It is especially true to the gullible and ignorant consumer who thinks that because something is labeled natural and organic, or it comes from a little farm or dairy, it is what is labeled.
It also true if there is money to made, there is potential that fraud will be committed whether it is a big company or farmer in the dell in your backyard. I have seen and recognized fraud from the most innocent looking sources.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 03-11-2014 at 11:30 PM..
The OP (me) did call it "the real thing". I should have said "traditional", I suppose. I did not know what to call it. But, yes, it is made from raw milk with the cream removed. Now they are doing a lot of things to it and some are only to make it taste like buttermilk. That, if I understand rightly, is where the "cultured" comes in.
In the past few weeks, I have tried five or six different brands. No two taste alike and none taste like the original (traditional). Two of those brands are actually unhomogenized. One of those two (I shall not embarrass them by naming them) had actually started to turn lumpy. That was the one with the cream left in. Maybe that contributed. I don't know. It was good anyway. Right now I am drinking one that has no artificial additives at all. It also does not have any of the tang of buttermilk.
I'm not sure what I am saying in that paragraph. Draw your own conclusions. The subject of today's food supply is a deep and controversial one that is probably best avoided which I often fail to do. :-)
Here is some good info from a post by OpenD in 2012, which sort of explains what I think the OP was trying to ask:
"This very interesting article about the renewed interest in REAL buttermilk taught me several things...
1) Real buttermilk is what is left of whole milk once the butter has been churned out of it. It is naturally lower fat than whole milk, but has a thicker, creamier texture due to the souring that occurs after churning. The little flecks of butter that may be found floating on top is all that is left after the bulk of the butterfat has been removed by physical churning.
2) Real buttermilk is a cultured product, like yogurt is. The sour tanginess (a friend once described it as like lemon juice in milk) is due to the conversion of milk sugar into lactic acid by lactobacillus, a natural probiotic. The sourness can be a turnoff at first to those unaccustomed to it, but rapidly becomes an acquired taste.
3) What gets sold in supermarkets as "buttermilk" today is artificial, made from skim milk that has been soured by adding an acid and a chemical thickener. That's why it doesn't taste like people remember from their childhoods.
4) The reason buttermilk became so popular in Southern cooking, besides the fact that it was cheaper than whole milk, is that the lactic acid in it helps make biscuits and pancakes lighter, and soaking chicken in it makes fried chicken more tender. The tangy taste just tagged along to became a signature of the style. There's a fascinating note about cornbread (made with buttermilk, natch) crumbled in buttermilk being a traditional mealworthy dish. I've seen several posters here mention that in various threads.
5) As the article points out, real artisinal buttermilk is making a comeback, appearing at farmer's markets and natural food stores. I'm going to look for it, because I'm pretty sure now that I've not encountered the real thing since childhood.
Here is some good info from a post by OpenD in 2012, which sort of explains what I think the OP was trying to ask:
"This very interesting article about the renewed interest in REAL buttermilk taught me several things...
1) Real buttermilk is what is left of whole milk once the butter has been churned out of it. It is naturally lower fat than whole milk, but has a thicker, creamier texture due to the souring that occurs after churning. The little flecks of butter that may be found floating on top is all that is left after the bulk of the butterfat has been removed by physical churning.
2) Real buttermilk is a cultured product, like yogurt is. The sour tanginess (a friend once described it as like lemon juice in milk) is due to the conversion of milk sugar into lactic acid by lactobacillus, a natural probiotic. The sourness can be a turnoff at first to those unaccustomed to it, but rapidly becomes an acquired taste.
3) What gets sold in supermarkets as "buttermilk" today is artificial, made from skim milk that has been soured by adding an acid and a chemical thickener. That's why it doesn't taste like people remember from their childhoods.
4) The reason buttermilk became so popular in Southern cooking, besides the fact that it was cheaper than whole milk, is that the lactic acid in it helps make biscuits and pancakes lighter, and soaking chicken in it makes fried chicken more tender. The tangy taste just tagged along to became a signature of the style. There's a fascinating note about cornbread (made with buttermilk, natch) crumbled in buttermilk being a traditional mealworthy dish. I've seen several posters here mention that in various threads.
5) As the article points out, real artisinal buttermilk is making a comeback, appearing at farmer's markets and natural food stores. I'm going to look for it, because I'm pretty sure now that I've not encountered the real thing since childhood.
That's pretty much it, yes. "Artisinal" is a good word for it. Even "original" or just plain "home-made". Right now I am drinking a buttermilk that claims to be 100% "natural". It tastes like nothing more than soured milk. So, the word 'natural' is out. Our language is becoming as adulterated as our food.
Just because someone does not understand cultured is no reason to add a rude post to them. Here is a tip don't respond when you are in PMS mode.
"Why are you confused by the world cultured. It only means that a culture of the lactic acid bacteria has been added to the milk product. The word culture means in this context a cultivation of the bacteria.
It is no different than cultures added to cheese, yogurt, or bread as yeast you add is a culture. It is same when you make beer and wine. The producer has specific cultures of organisms that are pure to add to get a expected result of a fermented product.
Government regulations are not interference. You make blank statements and have no understanding of the food industry, food science and especially the dairy industry. Small dairies sell products everyday. You have no idea of the issues and why products are regulated.
Why bothering explaining?
You have the choice and freedom to buy what you want; eat what you want and think what you want as long as you harm no others. I celebrate those ideals whether I agree with you are not.
Just because someone does not understand cultured is no reason to add a rude post to them.
LOL, I had forgotten about this thread!
And actually, I do understand "cultured", so livecontent's response was not only rude but all wrong. But thanks for the support!
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