Souring Milk and Online Networking

Yesterday i mentioned my frustration with my attempt at cream cheese. The curds refuse to separate, and the cream at the top has gotten FUNK KEE smelling/tasting. Kind of like a really moldy blue cheese. Not in a good way.

In response to my pondering of my non separating cream cheese, my "friend" and fellow "urban homesteading" group member on Flickr:  L.Z. had this great advice or me:

No, don't worry. Just scoop out the fermented cream and let milk continue to separate. (Scoop out the 1/4" of the top of the cream first and discard if you will and than you may use the rest of the fermented cream as sour cream. Leave the remaining milk to "work" a couple more days.) Sometimes it takes longer because of the lower room temperature and very fresh milk. So just BE patient.

Unfortunately, i've already mixed the cream up a few times so i'll have to discard it all - my chickens really don't mind being the benefactors! (again, i cannot stress enough how adorable the sound of chickens lapping up liquidy treats is. Delightful.) So the chooks got my fermented cream this time - but thanks to a like minded friend in the land of 2 dimensions (aka the internet) I've learned a valuable tip and will save my sour cream next time.

All divided nicely and the milk is back on the counter. Hopefully it does its thing SOON as the lox are ready and i'm geared up to try homemade bagels!

Have you ever gotten a helpful tip from an unexpected source?