When I worked as an au pair in the Loire Valley in 1979, baking and cooking chores appealed to me more than any of the others. Unfortunately, I seldom got the opportunity because my employer, Madame Dubois, felt the same way. One of the more unusual food-related tasks I performed at the Château de Montclair was making yogurt. Here is an excerpt from my book:
Yogurt making was not difficult, but the sequencing was important. First, I measured out a liter of milk, heated it to just below the boiling point, let it cool a bit, and then added a small amount to some starter yogurt. The sour smell, no longer alarming, filled my nose as I stirred the mixture and added the rest of the milk. One by one, I filled several small jars and placed them on a baking sheet, inserting it into the oven warmed by a single light. Either Madame or I would return in six to eight hours to distribute the jars in the refrigerator, and in the morning, we would enjoy an entire new batch of yogurt.
For those of you that want a more detailed recipe, here is one from a website called French Women Don’t Get Fat. Homemade Yogurt Without a Yogurt Maker
