I used to always cling to my dad and accompany him to get some freshly squeezed milk from moo (cow) during my childhood days.I used to so look forward to it that one day while I was busy climbing my windows in living room like a little spider woman in making,I slipped and fell on my face to the ground. That's how I lost my first ever ,couple of teeth-s ,broke not one but a set of front teeth-s and I transitioned from a spider woman to a little vampire who just quenched her thirst of blood ...very memorable day of my life indeed as not only a few teeth-s passed away ,rest were put behind bars ; well,my teeth got it's first taste of dental brace ! ...point ?..that much excited and one of my favorite pastime with my dad it was...milk most of the time reminds me those bygone days...Dad's little girl always ......
I also remember how amma darling would heat the raw milk we just got from the milkman; to pasteurize it naturally before using it for anything.Those days I never saw her buying any milk packets as such .So,guess what, after landing in US, this mere milk really challenged not only my culinary knowledge but also my common sense .
During those initial days,I used to do just what amma did,heat all the milk from carton and once it cooled down ,I used to pour it back into the carton .It became a game with carton that I think even milk carton hated me for! This happened for a while until one day, after making tea ,it not only looked funny but also smelled funny .I was thinking did I make a tea or a dessert or are my sense of organs already becoming defective ...
I still dared to give this tea to my better 1/2 BUT with a warning that it tastes something from a extra terrestrial world though.
He replied,"Well honey,the milk has gone bad..did you check the milk carton-the expiry date ? " . Though I smirked back saying,"Aaah expiry date...I th..thought so !" and he was like ..great that means no tea today ..now that's a good morning indeed !! Thanks baby -made my day!" ...I gave him a pep lecture about how healthy a cup of black tea can be ...which of course didn't work !!Now you tell me what's wrong with a cuppa of black tea ?
...yeah,when I made black tea then,it used to look and taste little bitter ...but still... 
It continued for a while ,I confess with a heavy heart,that I used to even throw milk when it went bad not once but many times.Since wasting food is not something I or my family prefers,that forced me to research on this milk and milk cartons here ; I mentally noted the basics but I do forget couple of points so thought of noting it here and sharing it with others too.
Basics-Raw milk should always be pasteurized at home.Please read this article(click this link) which will guide you to pasteurize milk at home properly.My two cents, while pasteurizing milk at home ,always heat little water in your pan first ,bring it to the boiling point and then add the milk to prevent it from scorching
Milk we buy from store is already pasteurized (here in US mentioned on the can) and there are different types of milk expiration terminology used on every milk cartons which differs from state to state :
- Sell by date - Usually ,one should keep an eye on the sell by date on the milk carton which indicates the final date, a store can legally sell the milk and a consumer can usually enjoy it.
- Some states have a best used /use by date that indicates the date ,the milk is believed to be at peak flavor. After that it may be edible but the taste may be deteriorating.
- Expiry date - By this date,the milk should be tossed for good.
A milk can go bad even before the sell by date or its expiry date.It also depends upon how milk was stored,handled before you purchase from the store and also how soon and apt was it stored at home later.The milk should always be maintained cold and covered otherwise the warm temperature or any exposure near heat or light can make the spoilage bacterias active ,shortening the shelf life of the milk thereby.
Other points to remember are :
According to the "Center for Disease Control and Prevention",if you experience a power outage in your area ,then ,if it lasts less than 4 hours then the food in your refrigerator/freezer should be safe to consume.Keep the refrigerator doors closed as much as possible .Otherwise ,put them in a cooler with ice or cold water if possible.
However, the rule of thumb is that even though your milk is past the sell by date on the milk carton ,you may still use it keeping these points in mind :
Well,that's how I learned a way to reuse my milk past it's sell by date by turning it into paneer after considering those points mentioned above .
Paneer is a very popular Indian cheese all over the world .If you have not , please click here to see how to make Paneer with fresh milk at home .
Now I will show you how to make a paneer from broken milk or sour milk or milk gone little bad or spoiled. Please watch my video that will demonstrate how exactly I usually make another paneer recipe using broken milk ...
Note:
So,that's how I not only learned how I can keep the milk bought fresh and longer but also not to throw it with a huge guilt as much as possible and also how to use it safely even after it's sell by date by turning it into something more edible,delish and I believe ,since we are reheating the milk for making paneer here,that kinda pasteurizes further and makes it more safer to eat !!
Now ,I "don't cry over the spilled milk" anymore !
[References -Mentalfloss.com,healthyeating.org,lifehacker.com,eatbydate.com,healthline.com]
Say CHEESE ,
Other points to remember are :
According to the "Center for Disease Control and Prevention",if you experience a power outage in your area ,then ,if it lasts less than 4 hours then the food in your refrigerator/freezer should be safe to consume.Keep the refrigerator doors closed as much as possible .Otherwise ,put them in a cooler with ice or cold water if possible.
However, the rule of thumb is that even though your milk is past the sell by date on the milk carton ,you may still use it keeping these points in mind :
Well,that's how I learned a way to reuse my milk past it's sell by date by turning it into paneer after considering those points mentioned above .
Paneer is a very popular Indian cheese all over the world .If you have not , please click here to see how to make Paneer with fresh milk at home .
Now I will show you how to make a paneer from broken milk or sour milk or milk gone little bad or spoiled. Please watch my video that will demonstrate how exactly I usually make another paneer recipe using broken milk ...
Note:
- This paneer is made using 1/2 gallon / 2 liter milk ,approx (whole fat ).(Makes about 2 cups of paneer cubes).Paneer should always be made with whole fat milk to get tasty ones .
- These Paneers may not taste as good as paneer made out of fresh milk.It will be very fragile comparatively.
So,that's how I not only learned how I can keep the milk bought fresh and longer but also not to throw it with a huge guilt as much as possible and also how to use it safely even after it's sell by date by turning it into something more edible,delish and I believe ,since we are reheating the milk for making paneer here,that kinda pasteurizes further and makes it more safer to eat !!
Now ,I "don't cry over the spilled milk" anymore !
[References -Mentalfloss.com,healthyeating.org,lifehacker.com,eatbydate.com,healthline.com]
Say CHEESE ,
