Chapter 133 Milk Snacks

A robust cow was tied to a tree with a rope and was leisurely grazing on the dry grass on the ground.

It must have taken a tremendous amount of effort to keep the cows alive during the extremely cold season, since cows have a large appetite and need sufficient fodder.

There were three or four bottles of milk in mineral water bottles in front of the stall, and many empty bottles next to them, so it seemed that they could squeeze milk on the spot and sell it.

No one was visiting the stall, presumably because the exchange price was too high.

"How do I exchange this milk?"

I really wanted to try some fresh milk, so I walked up to the stall and asked about it.

What do you have to exchange?

The stall owner looked honest and kind, not like someone who would overcharge.

I thought about what else was left in the car, and it seemed like there were only two bags of salt left. I asked, "Can we trade two bags of salt?"

The stall owner was delighted to hear it was salt: "Want to exchange both bags? If so, I'll give you 10 bottles of milk!"

I was a little surprised to receive two bags containing 10 bottles of milk; the milk was much cheaper than I had imagined.

But then I thought about it again. Cows produce milk every day, so it's not as precious as salt to the stall owner.

"Okay! Give them all to me!"

"These four bottles at the stall were just squeezed out recently. Take them home and drink these four bottles first. The rest can last for two days in this weather. Try to finish them within two days."

After hearing what the stall owner said, I realized that I had overlooked the issue of shelf life. Fresh milk has a very short shelf life, and I need to use it up as soon as I get home.

"Do you want some milk tofu and milk skin? I still have some left, I haven't taken them out yet."

The stall owner handed me 10 bottles of milk and then lifted a tattered cloth covering the basket, revealing the milk tofu and milk skin inside.

This thing is really expensive, but I have no other resources to trade for it.

"I'm out of supplies. Do you live in the Bai Town base? I'll trade with you for some next time I come."

"Yes, yes, just stay at the base. You can just ask about the family that raises cattle."

I've made a mental note of it. I absolutely love milk skin and milk tofu, and I'll definitely try some next time I come.

After receiving 10 bottles of milk and saying hello to the vendor, I drove home. Suddenly, I felt envious of the people living in the Baizhen base. As long as there are supplies, they can drink milk every day. How lucky they are!

On the way home, I kept thinking about how I could drink milk regularly, but the only way was to raise a cow.

Putting aside how expensive it would be to exchange for a calf, just the thought of feeding and watering cattle every day would probably kill a person. It's terrifying to even think about. It's much better to make trips to the Baizhen base.

Having completely abandoned the idea of ​​raising cattle, we finally arrived home after a bumpy journey.

The first thing I did when I got home was to put the milk in the back room for storage, as the outdoor temperature is just right for storing milk now.

Next came a physically demanding activity: leave two bags of millet and two bags of buckwheat noodles in the kitchen, and move the rest into the basement.

The four ducklings were kept in the dog cage for a while, and then they were raised with the chickens after a while.

What followed was the grueling daily routine of moving things. Each bag of millet weighed 200 pounds, much heavier than regular rice, making it extremely difficult to move. Even a small cart was hard to control.

After carrying 15 bags, I was too tired, so I put the rest into the side room.

He even made excuses for his laziness, saying that if he left some food on the ground, the robbers could take it all and maybe he could save his life.

By the time I finished, it was already dark. I washed up and went to bed early, as I needed to process the milk tomorrow.

I eagerly awaited the arrival of the next day. Early the next morning, I found a clean little pot, boiled a bottle of milk, added some white sugar, and stirred it.

I poured the milk into a milky white soup bowl, blew on it as I drank, and the first sip was so rich and fragrant that I almost fainted.

This is the true flavor of milk, this is what real milk should be! Freshly squeezed milk from home-raised cows is even more fragrant and richer than milk sold in supermarkets, and it contains no additives. After boiling it, it's incredibly delicious and flavorful.

The remaining bottles of milk are intended to be used to make various delicious dishes, which can be stored and eaten slowly.

Preheat the oven with firewood to prepare for making fresh milk cookies and milk bread.

Pour flour and cornstarch into a bowl, add sugar and a little salt, some oil, two egg yolks, and fresh milk. Stir continuously until it becomes a smooth paste. Pour the paste little by little into a baking pan with a spoon.

After baking for 20 minutes, a strong, sweet, milky aroma wafts out as soon as you open the oven lid.

The baked cookies are pale yellow, and when you bite into them, they are crispy and crumbly, with a rich milky flavor.

"It's a pity, it would taste even better with some butter."

He shook his head as he ate, noting that it lacked the aroma of butter.

Add sugar, a little salt, and milk to white flour and let it rise.

While the dough is proofing, I'll prepare a filling. This time, I want to make bread with filling.

It's still sugar, salt, milk, and flour mixed together, but with very little flour and a higher proportion of sugar and milk, stirring until it becomes a thick liquid that can be used as filling later.

Once the dough has risen, make one half without filling, and wrap some custard filling inside the other half. Shape them into bread, put them in the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

The baked bread still has a crispy, golden-brown crust.

I specifically picked a bread with filling, broke it in half, and a yellow, milky liquid flowed out. After blowing on it to cool it slightly, I took a bite and found it sweet and delicious.

In the afternoon, I boiled another bottle of milk, added some tea leaves, and it tasted fragrant and delicious.

I put the two bottles of milk directly into a small jar and froze them to make milk popsicles.

I plan to make the remaining two bottles into milk-flavored mini steamed buns and freeze them to eat slowly.

Mix yeast, milk, milk powder, sugar, and flour with water until it forms clumps, then knead it into a dough.

Place the dough on a work surface and roll it into a thin sheet. Fold it over and continue rolling until the dough feels very smooth.

Cut the dough into appropriate sizes, place them in a steamer to rise, and once they have risen and expanded, start steaming them over a wood fire.

Once the water in the pot boils, the aroma of steaming buns fills the house.

The taste of these milky steamed buns is very familiar. When I was little, my mother often bought them at the supermarket and steamed them for me for breakfast every day.

While drooling and waiting for the steamed buns to be ready, several dogs were also attracted by the aroma and sat restlessly in front of the stove.

When the steamed buns came out of the pot, each one was smooth and shiny, with a beautiful, dewy finish. It was definitely the right thing to roll them out on the cutting board a few more times.

Once the small steamed buns have cooled down, before the surface is completely dry, put them into a plastic bag, squeeze out the air, and place them in a gap in the freezer.

I packed two large bags of small steamed buns; the rest I'll put in the refrigerator to eat soon.

Pick up a warm little steamed bun; it's very soft and fluffy in your hand. If you press it down and leave a dent, it will bounce back.

It's very soft and fluffy when you bite into it, with a light sweetness and a rich milky aroma. It's great to have with some porridge every morning.

After finishing one, I couldn't resist wanting another, and ended up eating seven or eight milk-flavored mini steamed buns in one afternoon.