Mursik

Step 1: Wash a 1.2-litre glass jar and its lid in very hot soapy water, rinse well and let it dry completely.

Step 2: Pour 4 ¼ cups pasteurised whole milk into a pan and heat over a medium heat, stirring, until it steams and small bubbles form at the edge (about 185°F). Don't let it boil over.

Step 3: Take the pan off the heat and let the milk cool until it feels just warm on your wrist, about 25–86°F.

Step 4: Meanwhile smoke the jar. Outdoors or under a running extractor, light one end of 1 small stick of untreated hardwood over a gas flame or with a lighter until it catches, then blow it out so it smoulders and smokes.

Step 5: Hold the dry jar upside down over the smoking stick so the smoke fills it, about 30 seconds, moving the stick around to brush its tip lightly against the inside walls. Screw on the lid at once to trap the smoke. Douse the stick in water.

Step 6: Whisk ½ cup cultured buttermilk into the cooled milk. If using ¼ tsp food-grade activated charcoal powder instead of smoking the jar, whisk it in now too; the milk will turn pale grey, just like the real thing.

Step 7: Pour the milk into the smoked jar, close it and leave somewhere at 22–79°F, out of the sun, until it has set to a thick, spoonable curd and smells clean and sour, 24–36 hours. A warm kitchen cupboard is ideal; above 86°F it may split.

Step 8: If it smells off or cheesy, shows pink, orange or fuzzy patches, throw it away. Otherwise shake the closed jar vigorously for 30 seconds until smooth and pourable.

Step 9: Chill for at least 2 hours and serve cold in cups, with ugali or on its own. Keep in the fridge and drink within 5 days; it gets sharper every day.