What is Cream Top Milk?
South Mountain Creamery's Cream Top Whole Milk is made the way “Old Fashioned” way,
with the cream naturally rising to the top. The cream naturally floats to the top because
it is not homogenized.
Homogenization
is a process that shrinks the cream globules and makes them blend in the milk. The
fat in milk naturally separates from the water and collects at the top.
Homogenization breaks the fat into smaller sizes so it no longer separates. Before
SMC milk is homogenized, the fat molecules are mixed throughout the milk, but
after an hour of sitting they start rising to the surface. This process forms
the cream at the top. At SMC, after milk is heated to kill the bacteria (a
process called pasteurization), the milk is run through a machine called a
homogenizer, where the milk is forced with high pressure through fine screens
which break the fat molecules down and keeps the cream suspended in the milk.
Which
is better: Cream Top or Homogenized?
It’s
a personal preference—some people prefer their milk to have an even texture,
while other people believe non-homogenized milk tastes better and like the
cream top.
The cream at the top can be mixed in with the milk –
simply poke it with a chopstick or the end of a spoon handle to push it in the
bottle, and then give the bottle a good shake. You can also scoop the cream out
and just eat it. It's pretty delicious, especially with a little sugar
sprinkled on top of it. Sprinkle a little sugar on top or spread the cream on
baked goods with a little jam. Use
SMC Cream Top Milk for coffee, rice pudding, mashed potatoes, and more!
