Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a traditional fermented-milk product, the low-fat, tangy liquid left after churning cream or sour cream into butter. It is a valuable by-product that the thrifty Ukrainian housewife never poured away.

Buttermilk has a pleasant refreshing sour taste; it is low in fat, easily digestible, and rich in protein, calcium, and beneficial lactic-acid bacteria. It was long drunk as a thirst-quenching drink, especially in summer. In addition, buttermilk is an excellent ingredient for baking: thanks to its acidity it makes dough fluffier and more tender, and the finished items softer. Buttermilk is used to make pancakes, fritters, bread, and various rich pastries. This simple, underrated product is another example of wise, zero-waste dairying, in which every drop of milk was put to good use.