Got buttermilk?

Yuck was the most common reply. A silent grimace was the polite response.

Two young ones were overheard at a salad bar to say: “I'm glad they got rid of the Buttermilk Ranch dressing. I really like Hidden Valley Ranch.”

Two out of the 20 people I surveyed replied that they love to drink it. Not even I can conceive of that thought.

What is it about buttermilk that leaves tasters shuttering at its mention?

It's tangy as in potato salad; it tenderizes biscuits and chocolate cake; it's thick like cream for a great herbed marinade in chicken and fish; it is a famous salad dressing ingredient as in Buttermilk Ranch aka Hidden Valley Ranch, and no, it does not contain butter.

Way back when, buttermilk was the liquid left over after the butter was churned. This liquid combined naturally with airborne bacteria to become thickened and “soured.” Today's buttermilk starts from lowfat or skim milk and is cultured with lactic acid. At 2 grams of fat per cup versus the 78 in a cup of cream, maybe it's time to see what we can do with it? And just maybe, like dried plums previously known as prunes, perhaps it's time for a name change?

My week began as any other normal week. The weekly challenge was buttermilk, again. Could I use a whole quart of buttermilk in one week's recipes? No kidding. I am almost embarrassed to admit this one. The buttermilk challenge has been, well, challenging me for about the last year. But this week I can report success. I combined the remaining 1/4 cup with light mayonnaise, grated Parmesan cheese, chives and garlic for a quick raw veggie dip.

Lemon Jell-O Waldorf Salad/Dessert

During my week of buttermilk, I made this on day one and five: You really are going to have to trust me on this one — this was so good that I made it twice. Great diet food. We served it as a salad or without the celery, on day five, for dessert.

3-ounce package lemon sugar free Jell-O

1 cup boiling water

1 cup lowfat buttermilk

1 cup diced apple

1/4 cup tiny diced celery

1/4 cup micro-toasted chopped walnuts, pecans or sliced almonds

1 tablespoon finely diced crystallized ginger

Preparation:

In a 7-by-11 dish, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Whisk in buttermilk. Stir in apples, celery (if using), nuts and ginger. Chill until set.

Twangy Strawberry Custard Pie

Surprise! Company is coming for dinner on day six of my buttermilk week — time to bake a quick pie.

Another surprise was how delicious this was. Next time, I will vary this recipe by adding coconut for coconut custard pie.

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

9-inch ready-to-bake pie crust

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups lowfat buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and sliced lengthwise

1 tablespoon sugar

Preparation:

Line pie plate with crust. Fold over edges and crimp. Whisk eggs, sugar, flour, buttermilk, melted butter, zest and vanilla in a large bowl. Bake pie in preheated oven 40 minutes until crust is browned and toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. When cool, place strawberry slices in concentric circles on top of pie. Sprinkle with 1-tablespoon sugar. Good eaten slightly warm or cold.

Buttermilk is high in calcium, potassium, B-12 and riboflavin. Substitutes for buttermilk include plain yogurt thinned with milk, or 1 cup of milk, soured with 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pat Ernst Dugan is a private chef, educator and food/recipe writer. E-mail her at foodlyyours@aol.com or send comments and questions to be forwarded to: Foodly Yours, Star-Gazette, Attn: Features Department, 201 Baldwin St., P.O. Box 285, Elmira, NY 14902.