Buttermilk makes you beautiful.
So they say.
I once read that Mark Antony fell in love with Cleopatra because she had silky, radiant skin -- thanks to baths in buttermilk. And that Scarlett O’Hara apparently used buttermilk on her face to get rid of her freckles.
Me? Silky and radiant? Not lately (if ever).
Also I have too many freckles to even contemplate rubbing them out. Also, I think freckles are cute.
So no, for me buttermilk isn’t about its beauty functions.
It’s about food.
No surprise there, right?
You heard it here: buttermilk makes a lot of food better, more delicious, more perfect in texture.
Buttermilk makes one of the tastiest, most satisfying, most thirst-quenching drinks (lassis).
It adds a whole new dimension to ordinary cole slaw.
Want moist, tender muffins, scones and pancakes? Make them with buttermilk. Ditto Cake! Pie! Even pudding!
And especially, at this time of year: make satisfyingly creamy, low-fat, low-calorie summer soups like this one, based on cucumbers.
Cold Cucumber-Buttermilk Soup
2 medium cucumbers
salt
1 stalk celery, peeled and chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chili pepper, optional
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Aleppo pepper (or use freshly ground black pepper)
Peel the cucumbers, slice them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Sprinkle the cucumbers with salt and let them stand for 30 minutes. Wipe the cucumbers with paper towels. Chop the cucumbers into coarse chunks and place in a blender or food processor. Add the celery, scallions, garlic and chili pepper, if used, and process to mince them. Add the buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, parsley and dill (use a large bowl and whisk if your blender or processor isn’t large enough) and process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and either Aleppo or black pepper. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Makes 4-6 servings