One More Week – Lunar New Year!

1118 days ago

Hooray, it is going to be Chinese New Year soon! Just one more week (or so), we will all be wearing new clothes and visiting our friends, relatives and other undesirables....

Hooray, it is going to be Chinese New Year soon! Just one more week (or so), we will all be wearing new clothes and visiting our friends, relatives and other undesirables. Not! Joking lah. Anyway it will be a good break for all of us, especially the Chinese. You know, the Christmas and New Year celebrations were extremely tiring for some of us. Spending the entire night partying and getting drunk is not as easy as it looks and we did it twice in just within one week. One must really rest after drinking so much alcohol and eating so much junk food. Hey, we are all not getting any younger so make sure you take care of your health. And with the cost of healthcare going through the roof, we will find taking care of our health doubly important. Don’t want to be a burden to our families right?

Anyway, what are your plans for the New Year? Don’t tell me that you guys are going to spend Chinese New Year just visiting friends and relatives? What’s the fun in that? Plus, we are getting a four day long weekend to enjoy!  So it is actually Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. And seeing that Monday and Tuesday are the actual Chinese New Year holidays, Saturday and Sunday would be relatively free for most of us. For me, I am going for a session of Mahjong with my friends on Saturday and maybe going out with some other friends on Sunday and having a good time. Not really sure where we will be hanging out. Hmmm….hanging out sounds so much like when I was younger. Perhaps the correct term is chilling! Of course, Sunday evening will be for the family reunion dinner. Who can miss that one? But I expect the restaurants will be overpacked and the service standards will go down for that night. I am not being cynical or anything, but this comes from my previous experiences with past Chinese Reunion Dinners. So don’t keep your hopes up for a really enjoyment evening. I would recommend you guys to have a simple reunion dinner at home.  That’s the best butI doubt most of us have the time or the energy to cook anyways.

Well, I really hope that we can forget about the economic problems facing our country and enjoy ourselves. We should not cry over spilt milk right?  Let’s hope our economy can turn around and we can go back to our old free spending ways.  I am sure that the Chinese New Year celebrations this year will be more subdued than even last year but that is just life. Sometimes we are on top, sometimes we are at the bottom. Some of us go for expensive french cooking courses, some of us eat economic rice (which might not be cheap at all) at the local hawker centre. :-(

More On Milk Kefir!

1120 days ago

Milk Kefir is a fermented milk beverage. I would think of Milk Kefir as something along the lines of drinking yogurt.  Milk Kefir has been drank by the peoples of Europe...

Milk Kefir is a fermented milk beverage. I would think of Milk Kefir as something along the lines of drinking yogurt.  Milk Kefir has been drank by the peoples of Europe and Asia for many centuries and these people benefited from it. Milk Kefir is packed with probiotic goodness and is considered far superior than yogurt. I am sure that you guys should know a little about yogurt since it can be easily found in our local supermarkets and stores. But it seems that no one knows about Milk Kefir and what it can offer to the consumer.

The Kefir grains which is used to produce Kefir looks kind of like white mushy cauliflowers. We place the grains in milk and let it ferment for about a day. And after that, it would have turned the milk into delicious but slightly thick Kefir which looks like milk shake if you stir it. What we normally do is to strain the Kefir with a plastic strainer to separate the grains from the actual Milk Kefir. Then we repeat the process! Isn’t it just amazing? All you need are some of the grains and you can produce Milk Kefir forever (if you take care of the grains of course). And the Kefir grains will grow and soon, you might have too much grains in your hands after a few weeks. You can then share the grains with your friends or within your community. I know that it sounds a bit ridiculous and impossible, but it is true. I have been drinking real Kefir for 3 weeks and enjoying it. All I had was the first batch of Kefir grains and now I have more grains than I need. The more grains you have, the more Milk Kefir you can produce. Cool isn’t it? The grains are actual living organisms which can grow and reproduce.

Milk Kefir has many health benefits. Milk Kefir has many good bacteria and yeasts, that is why it is probiotic. Even more than those high end “5 different cultures” yogurts you can find in the health stores. It is reputed to be able to cure a number of illness and disorders and just like yogurt, it can help to maintain a healthy intestine. Oh and it is full of vitamins, minerals and amino acid, all important for our bodies. It is like a health superfood! For those lactose intolerant people, you most likely will be able to consume Kefir without feeling any bad effects since the lactose in the milk has been converted to lactic acid. Furthermore, the Kefir is full of lactase which lactose intolerant people lacks.

I can’t get enough of drinking Milk Kefir. After taking the Milk Kefir for about less than a month, I feel much healthier. I don’t tired easily either. Normally I would get tired by the afternoon, but now, I still feel rather refresh even in the evenings.

True Organic Premium Organic Dairy Milk

1120 days ago

I am sure that you guys have heard of Organic Milk. If not, I will enlighten you guys regarding organic milk. It is supposed to be just like regular milk but...

I am sure that you guys have heard of Organic Milk. If not, I will enlighten you guys regarding organic milk. It is supposed to be just like regular milk but the cow (or the goat) is allowed to roam around freely in the pasture, is not fed antibotics or is antibotic free and is not treated with bovine growth hormone. I guess what it all means that the cows are treated well, are not given any chemicals and are not given feed with any chemicals. I am not very sure about the health benefits of organic milk but I am sure that if you treat the cows whom produce the milk well, the milk should turn out better. That is perhaps the promise of organic milk. When I was young, I had thought that milk is just that -milk. But taste wise, there is a difference between different brands of milk.

But it cost about twice the price of regular non organic milk! I bought the True Organic Premium Organic Milk for S$2.90. However, it was on offer and not surprisingly,  there was like 2 left on the shelf when I bought it. If I am not wrong, it would cost at least S$3.50 for that one pack. The reason for this high cost is due to the methods of obtaining organic milk. Unlike commercial farming, which concentrates on high production and speed, the organic farmers have to rely on more humane methods of milking and nurturing the cows. This would definitely increase the cost of production for the farmers. And of course, consumers will have to pay for that. You don’t expect everything to come so cheaply now do you?

For me, the high price of organic milk is a concern. I normally would not have purchased organic milk but because of the NTUC offer, I just had to try organic milk that everyone is talking about once before I die. I also would like to skydive before I die, however I don’t have the guts.

True Organic Premium Organic Dairy. Organic Milk from Australia’s organic dairy farmers. Very nice packaging too.

Another view of the 1 litre organic milk. This is certified to be organic by NASAA. The National Association for Sustainable Agriculture, Australia (NASAA) is an Australia and International organic certifier. If you would like to read more about NASAA, please visit their website here.

Okay, True Organic is owned by a Co-operative of Australian Organic Dairy Farmers who produced over 80% of Australia certified organic milk. Their farms are located in Australia’s best dairy regions with year round ideal farming conditions. I have never been to Australia’s farming regions but from what I know, they have tons of land down there and I guess they have a lot of choices, unlike in Singapore where you are limited to Chua Chu Kang. We grow goats there I believe.

Anyway,the label also states that they are passionate about their land (like all organic farmers claim), their pastures and their cows. They are committed to the environment and to the sound principles of Organic Agriculture prohibiting the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. For me, I just hope that they taste better than non-organic milk. As some of you guys should know, I am never a great fan of milk. That’s why I take Yogurt and Kefir. All the milk goodness without the milk flavour!

100% certified organic milk! Ya! I am in organic heaven! Let’s all dance naked in the moonlight!

The ingredients are just 100% organic full cream milk.

Yup, another long lasting UHT milk. Even if it is organic, it can still be heated treated to ensure that it will last very long. Even if the organic milk tastes better or has more nutrition than regular milk, would the heat process destroy all it’s goodness? Would be pointless to have organic UHT milk if it does. Although there are some people who buys organic milk because organic farmers more ethical to animals. In other words, cow huggers.

By the way, I had used this full cream milk to make my kefir and I realized that it is a heck lot creamier. The freaking thick kefir it produces was nearly impossible for me to strain due to the thick curds that was formed in the kefir. I am not too sure whether they are actual fats or they are curds. I have used other brands of full cream milk before but none of them produced such thick curds!

Marigold Full Cream Milk – UHT

1121 days ago

Oh no, it is yet another little review on milk. Probably the most boring thing you have ever read. You must be wondering why someone is bothered to review milk, especially...

Oh no, it is yet another little review on milk. Probably the most boring thing you have ever read. You must be wondering why someone is bothered to review milk, especially UHT ones. First of all, I have to state that I am not paid by anyone to do these kinds of review. Neither do I receive the milk for free. If I were to do a paid review, I will tell you readers that this is a paid review. But this is not. I bought this milk from NTUC but sadly, I forgot to take photos of the receipt yet again. Anyway, for some of the previous  “reviews” I have taken photos of the “proof of purchase”. I definitely don’t want to be accused of being “bought” by supermarket chains or distributors. Furthermore, it is not like I get tens of thousands of readers per day right?

The Marigold Full Cream Milk pack can be found in almost ALL supermarkets in Singapore. I have seen them in NTUC, Sheng Siong, Giant, Shop N Save and even Cold Storage. Well, Marigold is a very popular brand in Singapore. Everyone seems to like Marigold here. We have Marigold fruit juices, yogurt, acidophilus drinks, jelly, pudding and many many more! Actually the Marigold Brand is part of Malaysia Dairy Industries Pte Ltd. Their logo is a tiger and a kangaroo. However, from what I know, the Australian partner is no longer with them. So it is just yet another local company. So if you buying Marigold products, you are supporting Singaporean companies. But it is not like Singaporean companies treat their workers (Singaporeans or foreigners) any better or anything, so it is up to you.

Awww…so cute. Look at that cow on the Marigold packet, it is winking at you!  Don’t you love winking cows? It is seducing me! I think I have fallen in love with the cow, it’s big tits and I can’t bare to drink it’s milk. Lol!

Yup, the milk is from New Zealand! Hooray! No China imported milk for all of us! And it does not come with any preservatives. Wait, doesn’t most milk come with no preservatives? I have yet to see any milk that comes preservatives which by the way, is not good for you. I try to avoid stuff with preservatives nowadays. Milk comes with a healthy dose of Calcium, Protein and Vitamin D.

1 litre of delicious milk. This product contains no added preservatives. Contents have been Ultra Heat Treated to ensure freshness. Okay, cool. They are also telling us to drink about 500ml of milk per day. However, I really doubt that most Singaporeans can drink 500ml of milk per day and don’t have any side effects from the milk consumption. A better alternative would be yogurt rather than milk.

The ingredients are fresh milk and Vitamin D3!

Wooohooo, this is one long lasting milk. The best before date is 15 October 2009! Slightly less than a year!

Okay, all done. Tomorrow, I may be reviewing an organic milk from Australia. It was on offer so I took the opportunity to have a taste of my first organic milk drink! Ciao and best of health to you guys!

My Take On Milk Kefir

1122 days ago

It is common knowledge that I have received the Kefir grains a few weeks back and with these grains I have been making Milk Kefir.  Not those Kefir cultures you buy...

It is common knowledge that I have received the Kefir grains a few weeks back and with these grains I have been making Milk Kefir.  Not those Kefir cultures you buy from some manufacturer which comes in powdered form with just a few strains of live bacteria extracted from Milk Kefir. But the actual Kefir grains. This is the real deal, man! They are like those little white cauliflower like things which when you placed them in a milk medium, they convert the milk into Kefir. Yes, the probiotic and delicious milk beverage. However, it is surprising that not many people know about Kefir. I have been asking my friends whether they have heard of this Kefir and most of them looked at me like I am asking them about the theory of life. I myself had not heard of Kefir just a few months back. I guess it is some sort of a well-kept secret. But I am glad that I have discovered Kefir and I really enjoy drinking this probiotic powerhouse.

If you don’t like the taste of fresh milk, you might find the taste of milk Kefir a little more pleasant. If you drink milk once in a while, you might find this “milky” aftertaste objectionable. Kefir doesn’t have this aftertaste. That is because most of the lactose have been converted to lactic acid and the result would be a slightly sour (or if you ferment longer, very sour) but tangy beverage. It has this slight fizz at the end! If you used full cream milk like what I often use, the resulting Kefir will be very creamy. Have you drank drinking yogurt before? The texture is even thicker than that. I think it feels more like melted ice cream! The creaminess really adds to the flavour of the Kefir and makes it even more enjoyable. If you use low fat milk or non fat milk, the Kefir will of course be less creamy. The only way I can describe the overall taste of Kefir is that it is pretty neutral tasting. No sharp taste at all, unless you are very sensitive to sourness. Yes, it is tart. All cultured products are tart but if you compare yogurt and Kefir, I would say yogurt is more tart. However, you would smell a slight rotten eggs aroma during the fermentation process. From what I know, this is normal and you won’t find this taste in the Kefir itself. Perhaps it is some sort of by-product of the fermentation? Whatever it is, a lot of people once they smell this “aroma” would immediately think that their milk is rotten and they would throw the Kefir away. Don’t! Never waste the precious Kefir, it’s a crime if you do.

Anyway, I am taking the Milk Kefir primary for my health.  For the last few months, I have been down with fever, flu, cough, sore throat and all sorts of diseases. The worst was that 39.4°C fever I had that got me off my feet for nearly an entire week. I was in between shivering with cold and sweating like a pig. Never have I felt so sick in my life. I would just spend the entire day sleeping and sleeping with no sense of time. Yes, it was that bad. So, there you go. The main reason why I am taking Kefir is due to my poor health. Kefir, being a nutritious beverage and full of probiotic goodness, I hope will improve my health. And recently, I have been feeling much better. I don’t tired easily like before. And just last Tuesday, I had yet another bout of fever but it lasted only a few hours.  And although my legs ached (due to the fever), my body don’t seemed to be affected much at all. In the evening when I got back home, my fever was all but gone. Since I travel by public transport, I mus have caught the fever from someone in the bus or trains. That’s how the majority of diseases get spread in Singapore.

If you are thinking of attempting to make Kefir yourself and you are looking for a source of Kefir grains, please leave a comment. If I have any spare grains to share, I would gladly share them with you. Just leave me with your email address and I will send the grains to you. In return, you must promise to take care of these grains like they are your baby. And if you can, send me some fresh milk! I need them milk to make Kefir! Lol.

New! Dutch Lady Low Fat Milk

1124 days ago

Ahhh…..yet another one of those boring milk reviews. Anyway, most of the blog posts of this type are not actual reviews. More like photos and some ridiculous comments about the product....

Ahhh…..yet another one of those boring milk reviews. Anyway, most of the blog posts of this type are not actual reviews. More like photos and some ridiculous comments about the product. I really doubt anyone would use my “reviews” to do their research on what to purchase. But I guess it would be great as a guide before you actually go down to the store and shop. And it makes you “gian”, Hokkien word for eager. By looking at all these photos of yogurt, milk, drinks and others, don’t you feel that you have to go down to the store and buy some of these shit? If so, then I have done my part. The rest is up to you. If you think that the product is good, healthy and you can afford it, by all means buy it for your whole family to enjoy. If not, then take it as something interesting to read, just like a romance novel.

So, recently I went down to Tampines Mall and visited the NTUC downstairs.The first thing I realized is that Tampines Mall is freaking crowded! And the school holidays are over but still it was crowded. The food courts are crowded, the shops are crowded and even the boring NTUC is crowded. I guess the entire Singapore is crowded. Just imagine the crowd at Boon Lay! I am not sure about you but I think Singapore might soon be too crowded for Singaporeans. All of us Singaporeans will have to move away to make way for foreigners if this continues to go on. They might even get some bouncer sized gangsters to forcibly evict you from your house for that foreign talent to stay. If not,even foreigners might not want to come to Singapore and be squashed like a bug everyday. Err…anyway, I went to NTUC and bought some milk to make my Milk Kefir. The photos of the milk are as follows.

Dutch Lady Low Fat Milk! With this Active-Care thingy. And this is New! But still I cannot find any Dutch Lady picture on the pack. I miss the beautiful lady from Holland. Sad.

A more decent photo of the Dutch Lady Low Fat Milk. I really like the colours they use for the Active-Care logo.

Woohooo! Seems like this Active Care thingy is good! Protein which helps to build body tissues and is essential for growth and development. Calcium which helps to build strong bones and teeth. Vitamin B2 for the release of energy from carbohydrate, protein & fat in our food! And the Choline is there for show only. This is not Chlorine but Choline. However it doesn’t come with any information whatsoever. No, I did not take the photo wrongly or did I miss the bottom portion. That’s the entire photo, I swear!

The ingredients of this milk is more than just milk. It comes with Milk Solids (Non Fat), Milk Fat and Choline Chloride. I suppose that the Choline Chloride is where the Choline comes from. Hopefully, it is not part of Melamine. For those who would like more information on Choline, please take a look at this Wiki. In addition, the milk is enriched with Vitamin A & D3! Huat ah! Good health to all of us!

Oh, this pack contains 1 litre of low fat fortified milk.

Hmmm….product of Malaysia. Anyone knows what is the actual wordings underneath that sticker? Product of China perhaps?

Yes, yet another long lasting milk. Well, it is Ultra Heat Treated that’s why! Not sure what is killed or destroyed during the process, but what choice do we have in Singapore other than goat’s milk? None whatsoever. So most of us are stuck with drinking UHT milk and we just hope for the best lor.

Good bye and good health to all of you.

Alvas Yoghurt – Healthier Choice

1125 days ago

Recently I came across this brand of yogurt at several of the smaller stores and also at Sheng Siong. I am not sure why but the other supermarkets like NTUC or...

Recently I came across this brand of yogurt at several of the smaller stores and also at Sheng Siong. I am not sure why but the other supermarkets like NTUC or even Shop N Save don’t carry them. From what I know, they are a local brand. Their yogurts are all manufactured in Singapore which would make them super fresh. However, I would like to inform the reader beforehand that I believe this yogurt is meant for cooking and NOT meant for direct consumption. How do I know this? Well, first of all, the packaging looks downright plain and pathetic. Even my dog would not come near it. Secondly, since this is a set yogurt (which means that the yogurt is set in the container itself) and you will see that the outside of the yogurt cup is full of disgusting bits of dried yogurt. For me, I really don’t mind the ugly packaging. But Singaporeans, in general love nice, cute packaging with flowers, so I am not surprised that it is not being sold in NTUC. I would expect them to sell a little more if you spent a little more time designing their packaging. Of course ignore me as I am no marketing guru which I expect the Alvas Company has hundreds under their payroll.

Okay, now it’s time for the pictures. I lost the receipt but the price of this yogurt is about S$1.20 per cup.

Alvas Yoghurt! Extremely nice packaging. Yes, in line with their company philosophy, the only graphics they have here is the red cow and the Halal Certification. And they have used a dazzling array of colours like Red, Black and Green on their packaging. I am sure that these well matched colours will definitely catch the eyes of any potential yogurt buyers. Way to go, Alvas Company bosses.

And oh, this one cup is 200ml of plain yogurt.

Best! Traditional Set Yogurt! “No add sugar”! No add preservative. No add artificial colouring. No add artificial flavouring. No go school. No speaky engrish. No hire people. No eat yogurt. Me Tarzan. You Jane.

If you go carefully at the picture above, you can see some dried yogurt stuck to the yogurt cup at the top and at the bottom. Usually we get those bits and pieces of dried yogurt in set yogurt. I believe this is because of the transfer process where milk might be spilt on the cups accidentally and they form yogurt on the outsides of the cups. Nothing to worry about. The yogurt inside the cups are still fine. If you want to cry over spilt milk in this instance, be my guest.

The ingredients stated on the packaging are Milk, Solids, Non Fat, Cream, Live Yoghurt Culture (including lacidophilus).  Just amazing! I was just wondering what kind of solids they have in the yoghurt. I hope it is not rocks or stones or gold bars in the yogurt. Who wants gold bars in their yogurt? I don’t. I want gold bars in my safe. And what the hell is non fat? There is no such thing as non fat! And they only have one Live Yoghurt Culture?? That’s just sad. Heck, the culture they have is lacidophilus? What in the world is lacidophilus? Most yogurt manufacturers I know have l.acidophilus cultures in their yogurt which basically means lactobacillus acidophilus.

Send your enquiries and complains to Alvas Food Manufacture Pte Ltd. I am going to write to the boss and demand why they put solids in their yogurt and why they have only one live culture! Most yogurts have billions of live cultures in their cups, man. Come on, we know that the economy is bad but please, give me a little more love here!

Take me home….Alvas!

Not that good looking isn’t it? No, I have not shaken it or stirred it at all. This is the appearance of the set yogurt once you opened it. Looks very lumpy, just like the lunar surface.

However, the important thing to me about yogurt is the taste. I really don’t care about the packaging nor do I care about correct English spelling (my spelling is just as bad). What really matters is the yogurt taste. Although I won’t say that this yogurt is a comparable to fine Japanese yogurt and many of the consumer orientated yogurts you find at our stores, but it taste pretty decent. In fact, for a plain yogurt, it taste pretty darn good. Not too sour like Paul’s and it is relatively thick and easy to eat. Yes, I ate it straight from the cup. Of course, since I believe that this is a cheap production, you will find some surprises at the bottom – the milk solids which have not been completely dissolved. Actually, it is kind of nice. Perhaps they got this idea from those fruits at the bottom yogurts? Brilliant eh? Somebody give the Alvas Company bosses a raise or something! Or they can just give themselves a raise….

Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer

1126 days ago

Not a popular drink in Singapore, this Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer. Perhaps one of the main reasons is because it is so hard to pronounce Gerolsteiner and Spritzer. Oh, yes, most Singaporeans...

Not a popular drink in Singapore, this Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer. Perhaps one of the main reasons is because it is so hard to pronounce Gerolsteiner and Spritzer. Oh, yes, most Singaporeans can pronounce Apple very well. But with more complicated words like Gerolsteiner and Spritzer, they get all confused and start mumbling. Just imagine Singaporeans attempting to order this at the coffee shop or hawker centre. “One Goal Shiner Apple Spitler prease!”

And this is a rare find. If I am not wrong, you can only find this at Cold Storage. Not even the big NTUC hypermart at my place carries this particular brand of apple drink. This is not a cheap drink. You won’t be able to buy it for S$0.70 at Sheng Siong or some coffee shop like the China Brand Apple Drink. It is a stylo-milo drink for those with exquisite taste like those highly paid actress or government officials. It is actually made from Apple Juice and mineral water!

Yes, this is the Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer in a plastic bottle. Looks deliciously golden doesn’t it? If only all apple juice we find in our stores look like that, I will be drinking apple juice everyday. And this would look a lot cooler if it was in a glass bottle.

Made from Apple Juice and natural mineral water. I had thought that it should be made from natural apple juice and mineral water? Since when is mineral water not natural? Hmmm….Anyway, the content of fruit juice in this drink is 55% and there is no sugar added! Nice. However, I have no idea where this Apple Spritzer is made at. Is it Germany?

Check out the cap on the Gerolsteiner bottle. Again, it looks pretty good. I really like the logo. It looks like one of those medieval baron’s military coat of arms.

Some nutritional information for you. The bottle is contains half a liter of apple juice drink. The distributor for Gerolsteiner in Singapore is Hansa International Pte Ltd.

Made from Apple concentrate, carbonated natural mineral water, lemon juice from concentrate, preservatives and natural flavours.

The taste of this Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer tastes a lot like apple juice being diluted with water. Maybe I don’t know how to appreciate Spritzer but why are we paying much more for diluted apple juice? You can get carbonated mineral water and apple juice from the stores easily and mix them together. Just use 55% of apple juice and the rest carbonated mineral water and you got Apple Spritzer! You can even skip the preservatives! And it is cheaper somemore. Do note that the apple juice from the Gerolsteiner Apple Spritzer is made from apple concentrates. Well, that’s just me.

Anyway, do any of you guys know the difference between an Apple Spritzer and an Apfelschorle?

Yogurt Making Tips

1128 days ago

Oh no, I am NOT an expert in yogurt making. I have been making yogurt for just under 3 months but I have experimented with a variety of yogurt making styles....

Oh no, I am NOT an expert in yogurt making. I have been making yogurt for just under 3 months but I have experimented with a variety of yogurt making styles. I have attempted using yogurt mixes, UHT milk, powdered milk, fresh milk among others. And I hope that these information will help you in your own yogurt making quest. Of course, making yogurt is easy – just mix milk and yogurt starter together and let them ferment at a certain temperature. However, getting the best tasting and creamy yogurt is another thing. It requires some work, knowledge about yogurt cultures and experience in yogurt making. There are equipment out there to make things easier like the electric yogurt maker. I would encourage beginners to make use of these yogurt makers when you first start out. Most of them will produce a very fine product which your family can enjoy.

Anyway, here are some of the tips I have picked up during the course of those 3 months.

1. Avoid using powdered milk to make your yogurt. A lot of powdered milk we find in the stores are actually fortified milk and they might affect the yogurt cultures in ways we don’t know. So, you might get a very fast fermentation and the result can be the whey-yogurt separation. I have experienced this many times. Of course, if you are adding a little powdered milk to your fresh milk to add firmness to the final product, go ahead.

2. Temperature is very important. In fact, I would say that it is the most important part of the yogurt making process. Get the temperature right for the best result. Sure, a lower temperature will get you yogurt but the taste and the consistency might not be right. And you have to maintain a constant temperature for the entire fermentation period. And let’s not forget the temperature throughout the day might fluctuate. That is why an electric yogurt maker is a marvel to all yogurt makers like us.

3. Yogurt Cultures or Starter. Yet another important ingredient for making your yogurt. Different yogurt starter will produce different results. Some yogurt comes with different live lactic cultures which will have different consistency and taste in the resulting yogurt. Choose a plain yogurt which you like and use it to make your yogurt. And it is better to use a (clean) fresh batch of yogurt starter from the store instead of reusing the previous batch. For those using the freezed dried powdered yogurt starter, I would recommend using those one dose envelopes instead of bottled ones. One dose envelopes ensures that the yogurt starter in the packs are clean. Bottled yogurt starter might get contaminated after opening the bottle. The main thing is to make sure the starter is not contaminated.

4. Milk. The quality of milk will certainly have an effect on the quality of the yogurt. Good quality milk will produce good quality yogurt. Choose the best you can find. From what I read, fresh milk is the best. However, due to space constraints I have been using only UHT milk for my yogurt. I would really like to taste a home made yogurt using the freshest and tastiest milk. Well, that isn’t going to happen in Singapore.

5. Boiling process. It is very important to slow boil your milk. I know that we tend to be in a rush but if you boil your milk too fast, you will find that the milk will not turn out right and your yogurt might taste funky. And if you allow your milk to “boilover”, you will have a lot of cleaning to do.

6. Clean equipment. Oh, you must at ALL TIMES ensure that the equipment you are making your yogurt in is very clean, especially the container you are using to store your yogurt during the fermentation process. Since I am a beer brewer, I have access to sanitizers which kills of all bacteria and other micro-organisms and I use them in yogurt making. All the equipment that I use to make yogurt will be soaked in sanitizing solution beforehand. And after sanitizing, avoid touching the containers and equipment unless necessary. This way, I ensure that the only bacteria is the yogurt cultures which will be introduced later. You do want Yogurt right?

7. Fermentation period. No, you won’t get yogurt in under an hour. The usually fermentation period is 8 to 12 hours. If you find that you are not getting the consistency which you like, you merely ferment longer or shorter depending on the result. So if you like your yogurt thicker, ferment longer. If you like your yogurt runny, ferment for a shorter period of time. If you would believe it, I usually let my yogurt go for 24 hours to get that thick, creamy and delicious yogurt. I really hate the runny stuff. And yes, it depends on the temperature as well. So if you are living in a warmer climate, you will find that your yogurt will be firmer for the same fermentation period than someone in a colder climate.

8.  Do Not Disturb. Yes, apparently yogurt cultures don’t like being shaken or moved about. They are like hermits. They like to be left alone to do their thing. So, avoid moving your yogurt container about when you are doing the fermentation. You will find that the resulting yogurt to be a little runny if you do that.

9. Full cream milk will produce a thicker and creamier yogurt due to the fat content in the milk. If you are scared of full cream milk because that muscular guy on TV told you so, use skim milk or non-fat milk but add some powdered milk to increase firmness of your yogurt.

10. Lumpy yogurt. If you find the resulting yogurt a bit lumpy, you should try this method. After fermentation is done to your liking, stir the yogurt till it has a smooth consistency. Then refrigerate for a few hours for it to set. Usually this will result in a less lumpy yogurt. Lumpiness could be caused by the long fermentation period.

And that’s a wrap. If you have any tips on making yogurt, please leave a comment on the blog. I would really like to hear from you and your experiences with yogurt making. I am always keen to learn new things.

Valentine’s Day Gifts & Flowers

1128 days ago

Ahhh….it is the time of the year where the smell of love is in the air. I am not very sure what that means, but apparently it is for some people....

Ahhh….it is the time of the year where the smell of love is in the air. I am not very sure what that means, but apparently it is for some people. All I smell in Singapore are the dust and the soot from our factories and motor vehicles. Don’t you just love the smell of soot in the morning? It makes you remember you are in crowded little Singapore. And it also reminds you that you are late for work (or school).

Anyway, I am writing this blog to inform you guys that I have a listing of Singapore Gifts & Flower Shops for you to purchase your flowers for Valentine’s Day. You know, for your loved one or “two”. I have seen some of the bouquets by these flower shops and all I can say is “Wow!”. Some of the flower bouquets even have chocolate in them. Or if you are not into flowers, you can always buy gifts. Some of the gifts offered by the shops are pretty amazing. And for those who are much better off than the rest of us, what better way to show your love than to buy some expensive Jewellery for your beloved? Well, if you are into Jewellery (or if your girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/mistress/toy boy/concubine/boss/secretary is into Jewellery) then you are in luck as well. I have a listing for Singapore Jewellery Retailers. Isn’t life great if everything is done for you and all you need to do is to whip out your credit card and buy?

Of course you can make your very own gifts or card. Just purchase some art paper from the stationary shops and let your imagination run wild. I am sure that your loved one will appreciate it more than the ones purchased from outside. But as you guys should know, most of us working adults don’t have the time to do that, so we will most likely choose the easier way out.

And I am starting to feel lonely again.

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