Hello, Does anyone know what can I use instead of buttermilk as a starter for my cheeses, because here in Greece I cannot find anywhere cultured buttermilk. I have tried yoghurt as a starter many times but I had not a clean brake. Thanks

-- Tamy (dfir@intranet.gr), September 10, 2001

Answers

Rennet is the way to go. It is available either in tablet or liquid. Do a search on cheesemaking supplies and you will be able to find a source that will ship to Greece.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

Thanks Karen, but I am already use rennet (liquid). I make a variety of Greek cheeses and I am doing well with our traditional receipes, using only rennet and some other substitutes. I just want to make other cheeses that I am reading in web but the most of them need a starter culture (buttermilk - for the flavor etc.) and here in Greece there is no such a product. I have already spoke with 2 companies with cheesemaking supplies in USA, but they are not shipping this product so far. (When it comes in Greece it will not be buttermilk anymore...). So instead of this, is there something else I can use? or how can I make my own buttermilk starting from zero? Thanks again

-- Tamy (dfir@intranet.gr), September 10, 2001.

Buttermilk isn't necessary for cheesemaking. It's not even preferred. It's just easy to obtain in the US, and will do in a pinch for anyone who's not too serious.

What's needed for cheesemaking are mesophilic and thermophilic starter cultures, depending on which cheese you are making. These are readily available in Europe----indeed, that is where the US imports them from! I prefer DVIs (direct vat innoculants),or freeze dried starter, for my cheesemaking, since they take away the trouble and inconvenience of maintaining a fluid starter culture, but it's possible to do either.

Contact Alliance Pastorale in France to buy DVIs, and any other cheesemaking item you might need. Much better prices with them than American suppliers too.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), September 10, 2001.

Alliance Pastorale http://www.alliancepastorale.com/

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), September 10, 2001.

I have seen powdered buttermik before in the stores but have never bought it, maybe you can check some sites that sell bulk foods etc...and see if you can order it this way.

-- Melissa (cmnorris@1st.net), September 10, 2001.

Tamy, I have a feeling that New England Cheesemaking Supply Co. would be willing to ship to you if you explained your situation. They sell several different powdered starters that you mix into warm milk to begin a culture.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

how about finding a cow,, and asking them for some milk,, and make your own butter milk????

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), September 10, 2001.

some where on the countryside forum is someplace were it tells how to make buttermilk[ ken?]I think you add apple cider vinager to milk but dont remember.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), September 10, 2001.

Since the product you are looking for is cultured buttermilk, not that which comes from butter making, a substitute might be kefir. It is similar to yogurt since it uses a culture, but the culturing organism is different. Kefir is used in Middle Eastern cooking, so this might be available in a specialty store. Deborah

-- Deborah (jlawton@kaltelnet.net), September 10, 2001.