raw butter!

I let my raw milk sit still over night in hopes that i could see the cream one top. i could see a clear line, but i just assumed that the cream was on top and poured off about two inches into a little plastic tub. then all i knew was you had to shake the hell out of it.



after that i poured some more from the carton onto my breakfast.



it's very simple, buckwheat from the ground, milk from the cows, honey from the bees, all uncooked.


soon i started shaking the cream (after i put a tiny bit of seasalt in it). and i did that for about ten minutes before looking up an online tutorial. you have to make whipped cream before it becomes butter, and i don't think i was ever gonna get whipped cream the way i was doing it, so i brought it to the blender.



i ended up with butter bits everywhere, even on my glasses. but i did end up with this fluffy airy butter. i poured all the contents through cheesecloth. the liquid part was buttermilk, of course. it didn't taste drinkable with the salt i'd put it :P.

i knew you have to rinse the butter with cold water to wash away the buttermilk. so i kept filling the tub until the water was clear. but i didn't press the butter for fear that it would fall apart. it seemed so delicate. (edit: it did harden up more after an hour or so in the fridge. tradionally, there are tools like butter paddles and mold, and crocks, so clearly it can take a beating.)

i didn't get much butter in the end, but i really didn't start with much cream.

it's waiting in the fridge. i may have to eat it on some Dave's killer bread, because i dont think i have anything raw to put it on. i can't resist buttered toast!.

i convinced my boyfriend to try some on a bagel"pretty good butter! It's great , i mean, wonderful butter. you win" :D but not before he said "if i die, i'm blaming it on you and your butter! :D

edit:
later in the day i saw a coworker who took me to the farm yesterday. she said her husband made butter too. and it only took him about 6 minutes of shaking it in a mason jar. so it sounds like i just didn't have enough air space in the container i was shaking. i would have used a jar, but mine all smelled like pickles or curry :P