Unless you are a fan of pouring buttermilk over cornbread (a classic Southern treat), or do a lot of enriched baking (or chicken frying), you probably don’t keep liquid buttermilk stocked in your fridge. Fortunately, you can buy buttermilk powder, and access its creamy, tangy flavor without worrying about spoilage.
You can rehydrate the powder to make liquid buttermilk—or use it as a dry brine, vinaigrette booster, or dry seasoning, to add tart, creamy flavor to fruits and vegetables, without adding excess moisture.
Finish vegetables with a dusting of buttermilk powder
A last-minute squeeze of lemon juice, vinegar, or even pickle juice can brighten up rich, savory dishes, or cut through the sweetness in cloying desserts (well, maybe not pickle juice). You can do the same with buttermilk powder; it’s particularly lovely on fruits and vegetables, whether raw or cooked.
If your garden is still producing tomatoes, grab one, slice it up, and give the slices a good dusting with powdered buttermilk, along with a few pinches of flaky salt. The salt and buttermilk will draw out the tomato’s juices and mix with them to create a lightly creamy, slightly sour, umami-rich “dressing” that barely coats—and doesn’t dare overwhelm—the tomatoes. It also works for cucumbers, or any other piece of produce you might find on a crudités platter.
If your garden has signed off for the season, or you aren’t feeling raw produce, you can do the same with roasted vegetables: Roast carrots, broccoli, potatoes, or any root vegetable, then repeat the same song and dance described above, finishing the roasty, toasty veg with a generous dusting of powdered buttermilk and crunchy salt.
Vegetables needn’t have all the fun. You can just as easily sprinkle some dehydrated buttermilk on a juicy peach (fresh or canned), a bowl of stewed apples, or a bunch of sweetened berries. The powder will add a touch of creaminess and tang, highlighting the fruit’s natural sweetness.
Make your own savory “fun dip”
Some people would rather dip than dust, and that’s just fine. You can use powdered buttermilk to create a tangy, creamy, savory “fun dip” for your fresh vegetables. Grab your favorite seasoning blend, and mix it with buttermilk powder in equal amounts by volume, then adjust with pinches of MSG and/or white pepper. I’m currently obsessed with Trader Joe’s “Seasoning in a Pickle” blend; when mixed with buttermilk powder (and a bit of MSG), it becomes pickled ranch powder, and that is something worth getting excited about.
Pickled Ranch Powder
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of buttermilk powder
- 1 tablespoon Trader Joe’s “Seasoning in a Pickle”
- A few pinches of MSG
- A big pinch of white pepper
Combine everything in a small bowl. Sprinkle on cucumbers, tomatoes, or any vegetable you’d find on a veggie platter, or serve on the side for (fun) dipping.
