Whey or buttermilk, (we call it mashtenica, matenica, surutka), this "magic" liquid is a real treasure in our kitchen.
If you have ever noticed a wooden object with a look like an elongated bar with a stick and a ring at the top, and you wondered what it is and for what it serves, the answer is butin. It is used in the traditional production of milk fat (butter), by breaking the sour cream. During blending, breaking of the sour cream and the occurrence of the buttermilk, a slightly acidic liquid is formed with small clumps of butter (with a special recipe, young cheese is obtained), which, as a by-product, serves for the preparation of the milky drink buttermilk or whey.
The liquid with small amounts of milk butter, which was formed after mixing, is left in clay or earthenware in a dark place, at room temperature, in order to start the process of fermentation. It usually lasts up to 12 hours, although the length of the fermentation depends on the temperature, the high or low temperature is not recommended, so room temperature is ideal. Expertly speaking, it is a process in which milk sugar lactose transforms into lactic acid, which gives a special flavor to the whey. It is known in the people as sour or sweet buttermilk, depending on whether the butter is obtained from a sweet or sour cream (milk cream). A buttermilk obtained in a traditional way, with mixing in a butin, today is rarely found on shelves in supermarkets, as industrial production has accelerated and replaced this process. However, in rural areas, whey obtained in a traditional way is a highly valued and wanted product, and very often because of its composition it is used in the preparation of various sweets and cakes.
