Report on skyr-making in England
It gladdens my heart to know that people have actually used my skyr recipe with edible results. I got this (through my LonelyPlanet account) from Ivan:
“This is just to report my skyr-making attempts in England.
I brought some skyr back from both my last trips to Iceland. The first time was subject to all sorts of over-heating disasters, and finally came to an end when I spilt it all over the hall carpet.
The most recent attempt (from skyr brought back in summer 2005) was much more successful. I was using the junket-rennet, which is not ideal, and does not really give the right texture, but I was definitely making something with the right kind of taste and which people wanted to eat. I kept it going for 6 months, and then suddenly it stopped working, so I must have done something to kill it.”
So you see: it can be done. The starter is always taken from the last batch of skyr and I think in Ivan's case it probably got weaker every time until it finally died. I have been told the skyr bacteria culture will survive freezing, but I have not tested it myself.
If you want to try it yourself, make sure you buy pure skyr with no added sugar or flavourings. If it goes sour on the way home, it can still be used – see the recipe for what to do with a sour starter.
“This is just to report my skyr-making attempts in England.
I brought some skyr back from both my last trips to Iceland. The first time was subject to all sorts of over-heating disasters, and finally came to an end when I spilt it all over the hall carpet.
The most recent attempt (from skyr brought back in summer 2005) was much more successful. I was using the junket-rennet, which is not ideal, and does not really give the right texture, but I was definitely making something with the right kind of taste and which people wanted to eat. I kept it going for 6 months, and then suddenly it stopped working, so I must have done something to kill it.”
So you see: it can be done. The starter is always taken from the last batch of skyr and I think in Ivan's case it probably got weaker every time until it finally died. I have been told the skyr bacteria culture will survive freezing, but I have not tested it myself.
If you want to try it yourself, make sure you buy pure skyr with no added sugar or flavourings. If it goes sour on the way home, it can still be used – see the recipe for what to do with a sour starter.
