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You can literally taste the world in a glass of milk. I know. I’ve been doing it for years, picking up on the subtle differences of cows and cultures wherever I travel.
I think every lactose tolerant person should do the same. I once tried lama milk in Peru and it was the fattiest drink I’ve ever had. I will never forget that taste. Didn’t hate it. But didn’t love it either. European and Asian milk doesn’t hit the same as American milk, which I biasly think is the best dairy in the world. South American milk is just okay. Australian milk didn’t stand out either.
But this simple travel tip is about more than just milk. It’s about finding, trying, and comparing the everyday commodities we encounter throughout the world to enhance our appreciation of different ways of doing things, and why we do them differently at “home.”
It could be chewing gum, oranges, nuts, and not even just food. The point is, pick a simple everyday thing you enjoy at home that is globally ubiquitous. Then try it wherever you travel.
I’m not the kind of person to relate my past dreams to others. In fact, I never do. They’re usually boring, meaningless, and nonsensical—merely the brain recalling past memories or feelings as it tries to get some shut eye. So I only share the following dream because it’s pathetic and telling:
Since my two-year old drinks milk like nobody’s business, I go to the grocer to buy some more. Unsure if we have any remaining at home, I purchase four gallons. Upon my return, I notice there was a full gallon discreetly placed in the fridge door. Gasp! I’m now sitting on five gallons of milk and freakin’ out. “What are we going to do with five gallons!?” I ask my wife. “How are we going to drink all this milk before it expires!!??”
That’s the dream. My worst nightmare: too much milk. Doubting reality, I drank an extra tall glass of the good stuff this morning just to be sure.
According to Wikipedia, milk was first delivered in bottles on January 11, 1878. As of April 14, 2008, it is still delivered to Wasatch Front doorsteps in plastic jugs.
Though Lindsey and I had heard and tried Winder Dairy in the past, we recently become customers in a cooperative with our downstairs neighbors, the Johnstuns. We pay about a dollar more per gallon than we would at retail. The milk (not to mention bread, cheese, and whatnot) is not only deliciously fresh, but it’s delivery method is loaded with history, something I’m convinced makes the cow extract taste even better.
To my surprise, milk is still delivered in isolated regions of the United States, but it’s seemingly a rare luxury for most. It’s amazing how long older technologies can endure, and with the quiet resurgence of web-to-order grocery delivery, the milkman may still have a future.
Fun Fact: I was in talks with Winder Dairy many years ago as a web consultant to redesign their website.
