Buttermilk Chronicles Part 1: Buttermilk Peach Smoothie

On my way to breakfast at Lynn's house yesterday - buttermilk biscuits, eggs, sausage gravy and fruit - I bought buttermilk for the biscuits. A quart. Why doesn't buttermilk come in pints and half-pints as it did in my childhood so I don't end up with left-over buttermilk? There are a lot of uses for buttermilk, but none of them were on my menus for the upcoming week. All I remember about buttermilk from my childhood is that my dad loved drinking it straight (with a little black pepper) and, as a child, I hated the taste. I had consigned myself to using powdered buttermilk for spur-of-the-moment biscuits ("Buttermilk Biscuits") when I had neither buttermilk nor milk (to transform into a substitute with lemon juice or vinegar).

Why I continued to hold this childhood prejudice against buttermilk I don't know. I love yogurt - the tangy-er the better. I make my own yogurt on the tangy side. Lynn talked me into taking the remainder home and I vowed to use it. This morning I made a buttermilk peach smoothie and I pronounce it... DELICIOUS! Will I buy buttermilk just for smoothies? YES!

I don't use ice in my breakfast smoothies because I think it dilutes the flavors. If all of the ingredients are frosty cold right from the refrigerator, or the fruit is frozen, it's absolutely chilled enough for me.

RECIPE: PEACH BUTTERMILK SMOOTHIE WITH NUTMEG AND LIME

Serves: 1
 - The lime and nutmeg were fun but this would be delicious on its own. I'd may even skip the agave syrup the next time.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium peach (any sweet juicy fruit will do, about 3/4 to 1 cup total)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon agave syrup (optional)
• 1 squeeze lime juice (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
• 1 small pinch kosher salt

Preparation:

• Wash the peach, remove the pit and chop (with peel) into a large dice. If desired, place in a bowl and freeze for 15-30 minutes. Go ahead and stick the serving glass in there as well.
• Add the all of the ingredients to a blender and puree for 1 minute. Serve in a chilled glass.