The yogurt

Something completely unexpected happened the other day. Usually, every Thursday, Filip or someone else brings fresh milk from the grandfather in the center of Zhelen so we can make Bulgarian yogurt. Every time it’s my turn, something goes wrong – either it’s too sour, or too runny, something is always off.

This time, Filip brought the milk and it was my turn to prepare it. I put it to boil, and usually I have to wait for the exact temperature before taking it off, but I couldn’t find a thermometer, so I just guessed. Then I had to add the starter, which I almost didn’t have enough of for all the jars. So I experimented – I mixed the starter with warm water and a little packet of the bacteria that makes the yogurt. Something I had never done before.

But I added too much water and the starter became very runny and strange. Still, I poured it into the jars without much hope, wrapped them in warm towels by the stove, and let them sit overnight.

And… the next day, it was the best yogurt I’ve ever tasted since I’ve been here – perfect taste and consistency. No thermometer can guarantee success.

Mila ^^