Milk it!

I remember a time when I was about 8. We were on holiday, staying on a boat, with an ice box and no fridge. It was the summer, and naturally enough the milk on our cereal wasn't quite as fresh as we were used to. We moaned.

But actually, milk which is "on the turn" is not bad for you, neither rancid or mouldy, and could be employed in other ways even if it not to your taste splashed into tea or liberally poured over cornflakes. In times passed curds were an important part of Irish food culture.

1. Check that it is actually "off". It sounds stupid, but as kids we were convinced that anything passed its sell-by date was bad. I have friends who are still like this. It is easy to tell with milk. If it smells fine, then it is fine, regardless of what the packet says. And you will know if it doesn't smell good!
2. If it is a little sour, it can still be used for baking- cakes, biscuits and so on.
3. Make cream cheese. You can leave it go sour (make sure it is still in its container or covered), cook until it boils wrap the remaining lumpy bits in a cloth (cheese cloth or muslim) and hang. The liquid needs to drain out but you will be left with delicious homemade fresh cheese, which you could mix with fresh herbs, finely chopped onions or garlic, or pretty much anything you fancy. For a different flavour you could also try adding white vinegar or lemon juice to the milk when it is cooling, which will help it to curdle.
4. Another version of this is the Indian fresh cheese, paneer, which is pressed after the curds and whey have been separated. Once made, you could also preserve this cheese in olive oil.
   
   
5. Make yoghurt. You need a bit of yoghurt to start with "live and active cultures" in it. Bring the milk to a boil. When it starts to get foamy on top, remove from the heat until it cools to around 46 degrees C (115 F) or until you can hold your finger in it without it burning. Put a couple of spoonfuls of yogurt in a jug and blend it together with some of the warm milk. Pour the mixture back into the pot of warmed milk and stir. Pour the warmed milk into clean containers (large glass bottles or washed and dried 4 pint milk cartons could be good), put the lids on, cover with the containers with a towel, and put them in a cool, dry, undrafty place over night. Wake up to fresh yoghurt!