It’s now been one week since the start of Rawgust, where I’m taking a challenge to go an entire month without consuming anything pasteurized. So far, I’m living up to the challenge and feel good about it, but it certainly involves some work.
Of course, the biggest change I’ve had to make is not consuming any pasteurized dairy. The food in my house is almost all raw milk products, but it becomes a chore when eating out. A co-worker of mine is allergic to milk, so he was able to give me some tips when ordering at restaurants. What surprised me was when he told me that bread sometimes has dairy in it. Most waiters seem to be unaware of this too as they often have to go back to the kitchen and check. And obviously, any dish that has cheese on it, I need to ask for it without. It’s kind of like ordering something kosher.
Also when dining out, I have to find out which beers are pasteurized. I’ve done this mostly by research on the Internet. Even before Rawgust started, I’d only order craft beer. Most craft beers are unpasteurized, but I’ve been surprised to learn that some of the major craft beer brands, such as New Belgium and Anchor Brewing, are pasteurized. Knowing this, I won’t be ordering either of those after Rawgust ends.
In addition to stocking up on raw milk cheese for my refrigerator, I also purchased some raw milk ice cream. Because of laws, raw milk ice cream is only available through private buying clubs. I recently joined the Culture Club 101 in Pasadena, so I decided to try their cappuccino ice cream. Coffee ice cream is my favorite flavor, so I’ve had many of this kind. Culture Club’s coffee ice cream is one of the best I’ve had of its type, if not the absolute best.
Rawgust requires some sacrifice, but it feels very rewarding. It’s satisfying knowing that the only dairy I’m consuming is unpasteurized. It’s also had me say no to a number of sugary desserts as I’ve been at a few parties so far this month. Although on one hand, it’s hard turning down these sweat treats. On other hand, I’m glad to be significantly reducing my intake of white flour and refined sugar.