[Sca-cooks] honeyed milk

[Pixel, Goddess and Queen]

On Mon, 26 Aug 2002, Harris Mark.S-rsve60 wrote:

> Phlip commented:
> I did scan Platina, since I've noticed a fair amount
> of similarities between Platina and Anthimus, but
> there was no honey butter mentioned, although honey
> was mixed with milk to prevent the milk from spoiling.
> ------------
>
> Interesting. Has anyone tried this? Did it keep the
> milk from spoiling? Honey has some anti-bacterial
> properties but it also has to do with its density
> where through osmosis it draws the water out of the
> bacteria and thus kills it. But that depends upon
> having a fairly high concentration of honey. That is
> why you have to dilute honey to make mead. But to
> preserve the milk, it seems like you would have to
> have a very high proportion of honey.

I have noticed that skim milk lasts longer than "whole" milk or 2%, but
I've never tried mixing honey. I'd want to get my hands on raw milk,
though, rather than pasteurized, to minimize variables. That probably
makes somewhat of a difference. Also, we don't know how long he's
expecting the milk to last if unpreserved. It depends on the
climate--northern Italy uses/used butter, while southern Italy uses/used
oil, because in warmer climes uncultured milk products have a very short
lifespan.

If my aunt still had her two milk cows, I'd give it a try.

So, skimmed vs. whole, raw vs. pasteurized, climate and seasonal
variables.

 >
> I wonder how you would have used such milk? Or how
> you could use it today. Since honey was so much more
> expensive than milk, like using imported spices to
> cover the taste of bad meat, the use of this sounds
> unlikely. I think I will just stick to keeping my
> milk in a cool ice chest or in those sealed boxes
> for events.
>
> Stefan li Rous

Do we know the prices of honey and milk in Italy? And does Platina say
anything about *when* it is useful to preserve milk with honey--better in
the winter than in summer, that sort of thing? Hmmm. Reading to do when I
get home, I suppose.

Margaret