Home production and the frugal mindset

Years ago, when I sat alone on my front veranda, thinking about how I could change my life to become the person I wanted to be, the thing that I knew above everything else was that I would have to develop a frugal mindset. Nothing could be achieved without that vital change. It was difficult at first because I too had that attitude that I worked hard and I deserved everything that was available to me. If I saw it in a shop, I believe there was no reason why I shouldn't have it. Hanno and I earned a lot of money but we still had credit card debt because the more we had, the more we wanted.

Now when I look back on it, I barely recognise that other "me". Now the way we live makes so much sense. We have everything we need. We understand now that joy and happiness aren't found in the vast shopping centres we all know, those precious qualities are found within. I don't shop now in the way I did then. I use to go shopping whenever I felt like it, and now I see shopping as a waste of time. I get more satisfaction creating what I need at home instead of buying it already made and inferior to my own home produce.

That frugal mindset is well and truly alive within me. When I see products now, I check them over for quality, often they lack it and I know that I can make it better myself. There is a group of foods that I will never buy again although we enjoy them and eat them frequently. Making them at home is easy, cheaper, greener and we get a better product.

One of those foods is fresh cheese. Fresh cheese are those cheeses that are cultured and are allowed to stand to drain off the whey. Quark, ricotta, Gruth, cream cheese and panir are all fresh cheese and can be made at home with no special equipment and just a little time. Most of the world's older societies developed their own fresh cheeses, they're all called something different, many are very similar and most are made with yoghurt, buttermilk or whey.

I often make a yoghurt cheese similar to the German Quark. Hanno loves it and it costs only a fraction of the store bought product, which satisfied my frugal mindset. Often fresh cheese is a tad on the bland side and slightly tart but they are also excellent carriers of other flavours - like herbs, honey or fruit. To make this cheese, just make or buy some yoghurt. Yoghurt is yet another product easily made at home for much less that what you will pay in the shop but if you buy it a 500 gram (1lb) tub will make up two cups of cheese.

You'll need a large jug with a strainer that is lined with muslin, cheese cloth or cotton. Pour the yoghurt in and cover it over with the sides of the cloth. Place a plate on top with a heavy weigh, like a tin of fruit, on top and put it in the fridge. Leave for about three days and during that time the whey will drain from the yoghurt, leaving a firmish cheese behind. You can add salt, pepper and herbs to half, and something sweet to the other half - here I've added raw honey. It's very tasty, and a healthy topping for bread or toast. Don't throw the whey out, use it in your baking, instead of milk, for fine cakes, pikelets, scones and biscuits. You could also make ricotta from the whey and get two types of cheese from the one lot of yoghurt or milk.

And it satisfies my frugal mindset and my need for good wholesome food that I can make at home. If you haven't tried this yet, I encourage you towards it.

Fresh cheese is just one of the many things you can make yourself at home, and with practise and time, you'll produce food that is superior in quality and taste to those you buy at the store. The photo above shows my kitchen bench at the moment. I'm making red wine vinegar - from leftover wedding wine, and ginger beer from ground ginger, sugar and water. The ginger beer plant is now on its fourth day, it has just started to bubble and it smells divine.

I know we've all been told that what we buy is always better than home made, but don't believe that. It's a convenient lie that encourages a consumerist way of life. If you believe that lie, you won't develop many life skills and you'll always rely on other people to keep you fed. Take back your independence, be responsible for your own life and teach your family, by your own actions, that the home production of some common foods is a good start to a kind of self reliance that will build character and responsibility. This isn't rocket science - it's just learning new methods and understanding how certain foods work. So don't go back to the store for yoghurt, fresh cheese, vinegar, soft drinks or sodas, stay here with me in my kitchen and we can all make own own.

ADDITION: I want to thank all those readers who have bought Amazon books, DVDs and kitchen goods using my Amazon store. I appreciate your support very much and because of it, I will today order $30 worth of books. Good times!

ANOTHER ADDITION: Can anyone answer Ann's question?: Rhonda, I have been missing out on soft cheeses as I'm pregnant and we are told to avoid soft cheeses due to the risk of listeria. I'm wondering if any mums to be have consumed homemade soft cheeses taking every precaution with cleanliness in the kitchen or should we avoid homemade soft cheeses too?

ERM, YES, ANOTHER ADDITION: EcoMILF is having a giveaway. There is such a lovely story attached to this, take the time to read it and add your name to the draw. It closes tomorrow. Click here to read Meagan's post.