Monday, December 26, 2011

cultured™



Before moving to Cambodia we were advised by many individuals who have lived the world around that we should eat lots of onions, garlic, and plain yogurt to ward of foreign stomach invaders.  However, it turns out that refrigeration is a fairly recent thing in Battambang and there is no plain yogurt to be found! Over the past few months we have had a few breakfast splurges where we purchase the ridiculously priced ridiculously sugared bright pink strawberry yogurt from the foreign import shop.  It left us dissatisfied, so after some easy to follow instructions from a visiting friend (thanks Elaine Losey!!) we tried our hands at yogurt making! Turns out that we may not be Dutch, but we can still work wonders with milk. The result was a perfectly thick and tangy natural yogurt. 

We were so amazed by the results that we shared with an online group mostly frequented by foreigners living in Battambang and got an immediate response. We are in business. A week later we have made 1/2 a dozen batches which we have sold to individuals, businesses and ate some our self :) It has been a fun experience, learning a very small amount about small businesses and a lot about dairy! We have even made our first experimental batch of cream cheese, which is also delicious. Next we will be looking for our own cows...
our first batch!
10 seconds. no more, no less.

adding the starter

it has be wrapped just so...

fail proof hoody incubator



for the culture to grow
success! thick and tangy 18 hours later

*serving suggestion: on pancake with honey and
a black kick ass kicking horse coffee
packaged for the buyer
(written by Emily)




Friday, December 2, 2011

BUGS!

Cambodia has bugs.
Emily gets HUGE welts from bug bites.
Our house doesn't keep the bugs out.
We're not fans of spraying chemicals in the house a lot.

All of these combine to lead to terribly trying time for my poor wifeh. Somehow, my combo irish-arab hairiness wards off most insects/acts as an early warning system so that I shoo them off. Which I think is exasperating for Emily, since, as she is being et alive, I am straight chillin' like a villain I've spent a few hours in the past weeks hunting mosquitoes. #thingsididntimagineinmarriage

We put lime juice on Emily's feet as a last resort to warding off bug-bites. Does that even work? We'll find out.