Meet at the market: drink it raw

Each week we meet up with Katie Hershfelt of Cultivate Events as she chats with farmers, chefs and shoppers at the Santa Barbara Farmers’ Market.

This week, she stopped to talk with Nathan Glazebrook of Organic Pastures, one of two certified Grade A raw milk dairies in California. She learned why the raw movement is really a move back, and which whole fats aren’t as prone to grow your love handles.

“It’s not about quantity of fat when it comes to health. It’s about quality of fat,” says Glazebrook. Processed fat (from a milk that’s been pasteurized and homegenized, or heated and crushed) has changed its structure and therefore passes through your digestive system into the lining of your stomach tissue, where it coagulates. It can even indirectly enter your blood stream. “That’s where you get heart disease, is with undigested, damaged fat,” he says.

Raw milk has undamaged fat, which digests completely and acts as fuel for the body.

Organic Pastures raw ice cream:

• 2 pints raw cream

• 1 qt whole raw milk

• 1 cup agave (or another natural sweetener)

• 1 tbs vanilla

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 3 eggs (optional)

• Fruit/garnish

In a medium bowl, combine raw cream, raw milk, agave, vanilla and salt; whisk.

Transfer the mixture into your ice cream maker.

(If adding fruit, nuts or alcohol, now is the time).

Follow your ice cream maker’s instructions.

You can even camp with the cows in Fresno during their annual event.

To check out all our past farmers’ market guests, click here.