No? You didn't?
That's okay. Let's just pretend you did. What did you do with all of that left over whey? I hope you didn't dump it down the kitchen sink!
Admittedly, the first few times I made cheese, I did just that. Truth be told, I had no idea what else I even could do with it. I mean, it was cloudy and yellow. It smelled, um, less than rosy. It really reminded me of... well... never mind.
As time has passed, however, I've become more committed to trying to use as many of my farm-related by-products as possible (as opposed to dumping them in the trash or down the drain).
So, what were my options for that gallon or so of whey that is left after every batch of cheese?
I've searched around the web, and here is the result:
Urban Homestead Hint #3: Ways with Whey
(Ordered from Least Plausible #10 to Most Likely #1)
10. Make lemonade with it.
Seriously? Many sites recommend this. I might rather die of dehydration than drink this stuff with lemon juice and sugar!
9. Use it as a rinse in the shower [on your hair] to add shine.
Wait, you don't want to go around all day smelling like stinky cheese? Neither do I.
8. Bring to a boil, drop in a tea bag, and serve with a scone.
Uh... I'll take the scone and skip the hot whey tea, thanks.
7. Blend it with frozen fruit and ice for a high-protein, high-calorie energy smoothie.
This would be great... if I was looking to bulk up! Maybe I can pawn off liquid whey to my more physique-minded friends!
6. Pour it over dry dog food to add shine to your pet's coat.
This would be great... if I had a dog. I wonder what my cat would think.
5. Use it to boil pasta, rice, or potatoes.
I can see this option having potential, especially since you can drain and rinse the food after boiling. But then you still have the twice-left over whey to deal with, so this is not entirely a solution!
4. Substitute it for water or milk when baking.
I have to say, this is not bad! It gives your baked goods a cheesy flavor and the kitchen smells heavenly while your oven is on! Many people claim it is the key to perfect cornbread. As for me, I like it baked in Italian Feather Bread. The bread alone tastes like grilled cheese. Yum!
3. Feed it to farm critters.
Hmmm... I wonder what the ladies will think about this.
2. Pour it on your compost bin.
Now this I can do!
1. Use it to water your acid-loving plants.
Well, my camellias are already lack-luster, so it's worth a shot!
As you can see, I'm not sold on too many of these ideas quite yet. I'll have to do some more experimenting and report back.
Do you have any special ways with whey you'd be willing to share? Please do!
For more about Ways with Whey, visit the following sites:
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