How to Make Yogurt at Home

Of all the do-it-yourself projects I wanted to try, homemade yogurt was not at the top of the list. After all, it’s a lot easier to find a decent yogurt on the market than it is to track down, say, preserved lemons or cabbage-free kimchi.

But then I fell in love with a whole-milk yogurt that was so smooth, thick and milky tasting that it blew away anything I’d had before. Naturally, it was made by a Brooklyn artisan, it cost a fortune, and it was in such high demand that the fancy shop where it was sold was often out of stock.

So I decided to try making my own. If I used the expensive yogurt as a starter, maybe I could approximate that beloved flavor for a fraction of what I was paying. And I’d never have to worry about running out.

The Internet has plenty of yogurt how-to’s, but I found the most accessible and complete guide in a book called “Yogurt Culture,” by Cheryl Sternman Rule, published last year.

Her book made homemade yogurt seem not only easy, but also kind of essential. She persuaded me that making my own yogurt was one of those techniques that, like baking bread, every passionate cook should try at least once — if for nothing more than to connect with an ancient tradition.