topic Re: buttermilk availability? in Kitchen

buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:22:32 GMT

Hello, forum friends! Here's my question of the day: Are you able to find buttermilk in your area? The store closest to my house (a Kroger affiliate) hasn't had any in three weeks, and now the shelf where it used to be has been relabeled and completely filled with the small bottles of whole milk that used to share the space. In the past week, I've also struck out at two Walmarts and placed a pickup order at Target that ended up having the buttermilk cancelled due to having none in stock.

Online searching yielded no signs of a shortage or change in the market, so I thought I'd see how things were for everyone else.

(And I know there's a theory that you can use lemon juice or vinegar to sour regular milk, but it is just not the flavor I need. Next time I find buttermilk, I'm stocking up and making freezer cubes!)

Re: buttermilk availability?

lizzys — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:25:22 GMT

My DH bought some today at Wegmans.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:28:34 GMT

@lizzys - Thanks for your reply—glad it's available somewhere. There is no Wegmans in my area, unfortunately.

Re: buttermilk availability?

tiny 2 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:34:07 GMT

@loriqvc wrote:
Hello, forum friends! Here's my question of the day: Are you able to find buttermilk in your area? The store closest to my house (a Kroger affiliate) hasn't had any in three weeks, and now the shelf where it used to be has been relabeled and completely filled with the small bottles of whole milk that used to share the space. In the past week, I've also struck out at two Walmarts and placed a pickup order at Target that ended up having the buttermilk cancelled due to having none in stock.

Online searching yielded no signs of a shortage or change in the market, so I thought I'd see how things were for everyone else.

(And I know there's a theory that you can use lemon juice or vinegar to sour regular milk, but it is just not the flavor I need. Next time I find buttermilk, I'm stocking up and making freezer cubes!)

@loriqvc

I finally found some at Walmart a few days ago but it has been a long wait, weeks!!!

Re: buttermilk availability?

spumoni99 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:34:27 GMT

Just curious what does everyone use buttermilk for?

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:35:37 GMT

@tiny 2 - Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear I'm not the only one who can't find it, but I'm glad you finally got some!

Re: buttermilk availability?

QVCkitty1 — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:36:11 GMT

My Walmart never seems to have it !

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:40:11 GMT

@spumoni99 - I use buttermilk most often for dips, dressings, pancakes, and waffles, plus scones, biscuits, cakes, and brines/dredges for chicken when I have certain visitors or at certain times of the year. Occasionally, I also add it to mashed potatoes. It has a lot of great uses and provides a wonderful flavor.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:40:44 GMT

@QVCkitty1 - Thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear you're in the same boat I am!

Re: buttermilk availability?

piperbay — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:45:22 GMT

There is lots of buttermilk in our area but I have always used one tsp. of vinegar in one cup of milk to make it.

Also, there is a product called Saco cultered Buttermilk Blend. It's a powder and has a picture of a chef on the container. You can find in baking aisle. You can mix it with water.

Refrigerate it after opening.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 18:55:48 GMT

@piperbay - Thanks for your reply. There are a couple of buttermilk powder options on the shelves near me, so that's probably what I'll be trying next week if I still can't find the liquid version.

Re: buttermilk availability?

newjerseygirl — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:05:48 GMT

@loriqvc Hi Lori, the only time I use buttermilk is in March when I use it to make Irish soda bread. I try to buy it the end of February, depending on the expiration date.

I have found that buttermilk becomes scarce just before St. Patrick's Day because it is an ingredient in Irish soda bread.

I think if that was the case in your area, the supply should have been replenished by now.

Perhaps it is scarce in your area for other reasons.

Re: buttermilk availability?

shoptilyadropagain — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:11:51 GMT

I live in a rural town in the midwest and our grocery stores haven't carried it in years. I can't find it in the next town over which is a much bigger college town.

I follow a couple of southern cooks on FB (one of which is Brenda Gantt) and they're all the time making biscuits which require buttermilk. I don't make (and hardly eat biscuits) so it's not a big deal that I don't see it in my grocery stores. One of the cooks did mention the powder where you just add water to make buttermilk. She gets it at Wal-Mart in the (I believe) baking aisle. Since I don't really need It, I've never looked for it. I do buy milk/chocolate milk occasionally and that's why I've noticed it not being with the other milk.

Re: buttermilk availability?

FLtricia — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:31:11 GMT

I just purchased buttermilk for an Easter recipe at Publix in my area. They had plenty of stock.

Re: buttermilk availability?

U of M Go Blue — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:31:41 GMT

@spumoni99 , I am going to the store for buttermilk tomorrow. My husbands birthday is Saturday and I am making him his favorite chocolate buttermilk cake. I dont even like chocolate cake, but I love this one.

Re: buttermilk availability?

Icegoddess — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:40:21 GMT

I use it mostly for cornbread and mashed potatoes, but if I make biscuits, which is rare since I'm messy, I use buttermilk for that too. Lots of recipes use buttermilk. There's also a buttermilk pie which is similar to chess pie I think. Plus, you can drink it. My father used to often have cornbreadn crumbled into buttermilk after a meal and my daughter picked up that habit for awhile though I think she has now abandoned it.

Re: buttermilk availability?

Carmie — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:46:43 GMT

It's available in my local stores...no shortages.

I always keep a can of buttermilk powder in my pantry, just in case I am ready to bake and don't have any on hand.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:51:36 GMT

@newjerseygirl - Thanks for your reply. Soda bread is another great use for buttermilk! In years past, I haven't noticed availability change around St. Patrick's Day, but that definitely makes sense.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:53:24 GMT

@shoptilyadropagain - Thanks for your reply. It is certainly frustrating to live in areas where you can't regularly get the ingredients you want—there are definite pros and cons to small-town living. I often can't decide if I miss it or am glad to be done with it.

Re: buttermilk availability?

loriqvc — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 19:54:45 GMT

@FLtricia - Thanks for your reply—glad it's available somewhere. There is no Publix in my area, unfortunately. I'm beginning to think the east side of the country is hoarding the supply.