Buzz
Unless you’re a fan of drenching buttermilk on cornbread (a Southern classic) or frequently indulge in enriched baking or frying chicken, you're probably not keeping liquid buttermilk in your fridge. Luckily, you can purchase buttermilk powder to enjoy its creamy, tangy taste without worrying about spoilage.
You can rehydrate the powder to make liquid buttermilk, or use it as a dry brine, vinaigrette enhancer, or seasoning to give fruits and vegetables a tart, creamy flavor without adding extra moisture.
Top off your vegetables with a sprinkle of buttermilk powder.
A last-minute squeeze of lemon juice, vinegar, or even pickle juice can elevate rich, savory dishes or balance out overly sweet desserts (well, maybe not pickle juice). You can achieve the same with buttermilk powder; it’s especially delightful on both raw and cooked fruits and vegetables.
If your garden is still yielding tomatoes, grab one, slice it up, and sprinkle the slices with powdered buttermilk and a pinch of flaky salt. The salt and buttermilk will pull out the tomato’s juices, combining to create a subtly creamy, mildly tangy, umami-packed “dressing” that lightly coats—without overwhelming—the tomatoes. This also works for cucumbers or any produce on a crudités platter.
If the garden season has ended, or you’re not in the mood for raw produce, try this with roasted vegetables: Roast carrots, broccoli, potatoes, or any root vegetables, then finish by dusting them generously with powdered buttermilk and a sprinkle of crunchy salt, just like the steps above.
Vegetables don’t have to be the only ones enjoying this treat. You can easily sprinkle dehydrated buttermilk on a juicy peach (whether fresh or canned), a bowl of stewed apples, or a handful of sweetened berries. The powder adds a creamy tang, enhancing the fruit’s natural sweetness.
Create your own savory “fun dip.”
Some people prefer dipping over dusting, and that’s perfectly fine. You can create a tangy, creamy, savory “fun dip” using buttermilk powder for your fresh veggies. Take your favorite seasoning blend and mix it with an equal amount of buttermilk powder by volume, then fine-tune it with pinches of MSG and/or white pepper. Right now, I’m loving Trader Joe’s “Seasoning in a Pickle” blend; when combined with buttermilk powder (and a touch of MSG), it turns into pickled ranch powder, which is absolutely 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 generous pinch of white pepper
Mix everything together in a small bowl. Sprinkle it over cucumbers, tomatoes, or any vegetable you’d find on a veggie platter, or serve it on the side for dipping (for some fun!).
