Yum Yum Yogurt

I've recently resumed yogurt making and realized what a pain in the kiester the yogurt maker really was. I took a chance and tried the thermos technique and WOW what a pleasant surprise that was. It worked so well. Very little mess. No electric required. And none of those silly little cups to empty out. I hated those cups. You could only make very small batches of yogurt. There was always leftover milk and starter that wouldn't fit. Just a pain. AND it took up way more cabinet space than I am willing to give up.

Lately I've been really purging my cabinets, closets, pantries, etc. I have so many small specialty appliances that I only use occasionally. What a waste of space. Next to go is the Foreman Grill. Takes a lot of space. Overcooks everything. And I really don't want grill marks on everything I eat. I'd rather just broil, pan fry or use my griddle. It's been nice knowing you George, but it's time to say goodbye.

I think part of the pleasure in homesteading is the cooking from scratch. And part of that joy is handling your food, finding the perfect knife, enjoying the scent and texture of freshly peeled carrots, bread rising on the back of the stove, soup simmering all day. You kind of miss out on that experience when you just pop it in an appliance and walk away. The more we grow and preserve of our own food, the more I become involved in every aspect of the cooking, the more I want to be surrounded with just the absolute necessities in the kitchen. There are few things I really need to make our dinner; my Chicago knife, veggie peeler, cutting board and bread board. And maybe a colander. But that's it. I've pared the extraneous away and now all I have left is all I really need.

That's sort of a metaphor for homesteading and getting back to the land, huh? Paring away the extraneous til all you have left is what you really need. Sigh. What a great way to live.