Broguiere's Farm Vitamin D Whole Milk

There is a reason that I don't do many reviews of just plain milk.

First and most importantly: lactose is NOT my friend. The dairy products I do eat or drink give me only fleeting pleasure (though in most cases, so worth it that I am willing to ignore the aftereffects), and it is not pleasant for me for quite a while after consumption. My cereal habit is fueled by Lactaid brand lactose-free milk...or if I can't get that, Silk brand soy milk.



And beyond that, milk that isn't flavored is...well, boring.

I had actually gone out searching for Broguiere's chocolate milk. Everything I have read about it says it is so good it may cause rainbows and puppies to spontaneously shoot out of your butt. But sadly, my local Vons was sold out.

After reading literally hundreds of positive online mini-reviews of Broguiere's products, it became clear that even the "plain" milk was something to check out. So, although I had to put off getting the chocolate milk, I didn't leave empty-handed.



Broguiere's makes the full range of milk products: whole, skim, etc. Personally, if I am going to suffer, it is going to be for the whole milk variety. All of Broguiere's products are sold in old school glass bottles (and yes, there is a steep CRV on them, but you do get credit for returning the bottles...or, you have a cool bottle should you choose to keep it). Their milk is only minimally processed -- basically, they pasteurize it (to keep the government happy because, y'know, government always, always knows best, right?) but that's about all. And because there are no preservatives added, the shelf life is brief. You have to drink it within a day or two of purchase. The farm has its own store -- a drive-in! -- located in Montebello, near Los Angeles, and their products are also sold in various supermarkets all over Southern California.

I can honestly say I have never had milk like this. Granted, I drink next to no "regular" milk, but this here...just wow.

The texture is more like cream. Heavyish and rich. The milk leaves your mouth coated in that rich fatty film that good ice cream (or heavy cream...errrrmmmm, not that I have ever been known to drink heavy cream...) does.

It's the flavor that you really notice, though. It's almost buttery. Actually, it reminded me a lot of clarified butter. At first that's a bit much...then it gets oddly cravable. (Is that a word? No? Well, it is now.) I won't lie -- I was not pleasant to be around after I drank about half the bottle, but damn if it wasn't worth it. I have never had milk that was practically straight from the cow -- hormone-free cows, at that -- there is a very noticeable difference in the flavor and the consistency. If I could drink dairy without aftereffects, this would be the only milk I would ever drink.



I know that for those of you outside of Southern California, this review may be something of a tease. But you ought to search out local dairies in your own area that sell products like this. The difference between this and the highly processed milk you're probably used to drinking is amazing, and worth whatever it takes to hunt it down.



PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket