Sunday night the Nerd and I went to his grandmother’s home for a family gathering. Unfortunately the main dish was pasta. Because the Nerd’s father and step-mother are homesteaders, they needed to go milk the goats before dinner. So, I took charge of cooking the pasta. While I was slightly saddened by stirring a big pot of pasta I wouldn’t be able to eat, I realized that it was something for me to get used to. I have to learn that I won’t always be able to eat everything I cook, especially once I start culinary school. If I don’t learn this lesson I will end up suffering my whole life.
Thankfully there was a large salad and some gluten-free salad dressing available. I loaded up two plates worth of freshly picked greens with names I’d never heard of before, and enjoyed their spiciness, crunchiness, and fresh flavors.
For dessert Coconut Bliss “ice cream” was served. Let me tell you, the chocolate tastes like dark chocolate with espresso, and the vanilla tastes like Haupia. So onolicious.
After we all said our goodbyes, the Nerd and I followed his dad through a darkened pasture to their goat pen. I met the sweet goat ladies and asked if I could have some of their milk.
The Nerd’s father took us into the milking shed and into a brightly lit room with a refrigerator and a table with a couple of chairs. The milk he offered us was inside a goat just that morning, and was from the first milking of the day. A half gallon Ball jar of goat milk was a reward from nature to me for learning to get past the food, and learning to think about the people I was making it for instead.
I had some of the goat milk yesterday morning in a strawberry smoothie, and today I had some straight up with my eggs. I’ll probably offer a glass to R. this evening, and I’ll have some tomorrow morning. The Nerd can’t stomach the goat milk. His body has an aversion to it that I’m trying to comprehend. It’s quite interesting to find a food his body won’t tolerate. I feel sorry for him, but he doesn’t feel any sort of loss because it wasn’t a part of his diet in the last few decades.
I think I may attempt to make yogurt on Thursday or Friday with the leftovers. I’ll have to get some cultured yogurt at the grocery store Thursday to start the process.
And yes, it’s raw and unpasteurized. Some people have a strong fear of raw milk, but if the practices are quite sanitary and you know where the milk is coming from, you’re most likely in the clear.
Raw milk is only one of the many foods that we need to be aware of. With unsanitary facilities processing food daily, we always need to be cautious and care for our food properly. Wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Keep your meats, poultry, and dairy cold. And, of course watch the expiration dates. If you buy whole food locally, you’ll also know how to get in touch with someone who sold you bad food if it comes down to it.
