Author Topic: "Cream-line Milk" hard to find  (Read 2072 times)

HOPOIL

  • Guest
"Cream-line Milk" hard to find
« on: February 27, 2013, 02:56:54 PM »
What are the reasons why Cream-line (non-homogenized) milk is not produced and sold as widely here in US?
When it is available, the cost is usually double or more than the usual product. (I have "Ithaca Milk Co." available)
Why does the milk handling industry shy away from this? It is one less step to perform.
Has the automation that is in use made it impractical to omit the homogenization step?

and...
from your personal point of view: does it matter?

Sailor Con Queso

  • Guest
Re: "Cream-line Milk" hard to find
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2013, 04:33:47 PM »
Homogenization is just a way for the milk producers to steal as much cream as possible. If you can't see the cream floating to the top, then you don't know how much they have extracted. Skim milk or even 2% should sell for much less than whole milk because they take all the cream. So in part, the extra cost for true cream line milk is justified.

...for quality cheese making, it does matter.

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: "Cream-line Milk" hard to find
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 04:58:01 PM »
A nice substitute for cream line, although not quite as good but close, is to use 0% fat pasteurized milk and add cream (non-ultra-pasteurized) as needed.

I have found a fairly cheap, yet good quality and very fresh no-fat milk. Adding a fairly fresh cream to that and gently stirring prior to adding culture produces a far superior curd than just using whole milk. 

Not terribly sure why, other than the fact that there is little need to homogenize the 0% milk so maybe they just skip that process...??

At any rate, I have used whole HP milk in a few makes but the quality of the curd just doesn't compare to buying the milk and cream separate and mixing to make a sort of substitute cream-line.