but smooth liquid. “Bulgarian buttermilk” is a
version of cultured buttermilk in which the
cream cultures are supplemented or replaced
by yogurt cultures, and fermented at a higher
temperature to a higher acidity. It’s noticeably
more tart and gelatinous, with the apple-like
sharpness typical of yogurt.
Ropy Scandinavian Milks
A distinctive subfamily among the cream
cultures are the “ropy” milks of
Scandinavia, so-called because they’re
more than stringy: lift a spoonful of
F i n n i s h viili, Swedish långfil, or
Norwegian tättemjölk, and the rest of the
bowl follows it into the air. Some ropy
milks are so cohesive that they’re cut with
a knife. This consistency is created by
particular strains of cream culture bacteria
that produce long strands of starch-like
carbohydrate. The stretchy carbohydrate
absorbs water and sticks to casein