If you don’t have buttermilk, use 250 ml (1 cup) milk with 5 ml (1 teaspoon) white vinegar added. This whitish liquid with a sour taste is in fact partly skimmed milk with added bacterial culture. We usually use buttermilk to give a soft texture to cakes and muffins. Unfortunately, buttermilk is only sold in one litre cartons. Thus, you must keep the remainder, once opened, a week in the refrigerator. For a longer period, freezing is necessary. Use small sealed plastic bags and measure 125 ml (1/2 cups) per bag. This way, if you freeze it flat, it will thaw quickly. I sometimes add some to my pancakes or mashed potatoes preparations. You can also make refreshing drinks with fruit and a little sugar in a blender.
