The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook: Recipes and Reflections from a Small Vermont Dairy

Book Synopsis: The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook: Recipes and Reflections from a Small Vermont Dairy offers 100 recipes, from sweet to savory, designed to showcase the best that buttermilk can contribute to food, all set in the context of what it is like to live and work on a small Vermont artisanal dairy.

“Since I met Diane over a decade ago, she has shown an unwavering dedication to her family, to her farm and livestock, and most important to the quality of butter she produces on a daily basis. And over the years, she has given me a new understanding of, and appreciation for, commitment. As with anything she undertakes, The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook is a product of thought and care.

Through her recipes, devoted entirely to what she describes as the ‘elixir of the human race,’ Diane draws you into the rhythms of life on a farm. It is all at once introspective and celebratory. It is a lifefilled with respect.”—Thomas Keller, The French Laundry

“The first time I tasted Diane’s butter, I was blown away. And when I later sampled her buttermilk, it was a revelation: gorgeous globs of that golden butter suspended in creamy, tangy buttermilk. Of course I wanted to put it in everything! From the moment I met Diane, I’ve been in awe of her vision, passion, and dedication. Milking cows at dawn during those Vermont winters is not for the faint of heart! She set out to do something her way—making farmstead butter and real buttermilk—and has succeeded brilliantly. I’ve been lucky enough to not only know Diane, but to have visited her farm and have her cook for me—an absolute treat. She claims the dishes are simple, but those meals have become some of my favorite food memories and I always find myself eating long after becoming full at her table because everything is so delicious. This book beautifully shares both her life as a dairy farmer and artisan, and many of her incredible recipes, and will have you seeking out great buttermilk to cook and bake all year round.”—Barbara Lynch, chef/founder, Barbara Lynch Gruppo

For anyone who's enjoying a return to real food, true buttermilk remains one of the great, undiscovered pleasures. Many people enjoy organic produce, grass-fed meats, and artisan breads, but “real”dairy has been slower to reach a wide market. In fact, dairy products have long been pasteurized and homogenized into bland tastelessness, with no regard to where the product came from or how it was made. On Animal Farm in Orwell, Vermont, Diane St. Clair takes butter and buttermilk production to a new level. The Animal Farm Buttermilk Cookbook explains her techniques, from animal husbandry and land management, to her creamery processes. Here you’ll learn how to make your own butter and buttermilk at home, and then experiment with the fabulous ways in which buttermilk enhances food flavors and textures. You’ll also find practical but unique recipes for using buttermilk—everything from buttermilk doughnuts dipped in maple syrup, to salmon chowder, buttermilk ricotta gnocchi, and harissa buttermilksalad dressing. Families will love the buttermilk béchamel pizza, the spicy buttermilk gingerbread, and pork chops smothered in buttermilk sauce. Buttermilk is not just for waffles anymore—althoughthe best waffle recipe you’ll ever find is in this book!