Oh absolutely, the real stuff is better. Especially the really real stuff, rather than the cultured kind they sell at the grocery store. But if I can get the genuine article, I’m gonna drink it straight. Haven’t had that opportunity in a long, long time.

I’ve found the buttermilk powder doesn’t measure up to the real stuff. Better than nothing, I guess, and at least it keeps. I should compare it with yogurt, or maybe ordinary milk + lemon juice, assuming curdling doesn’t ruin the latter.
I mostly use buttermilk for cornbread. The recipe in the Moosewood Cookbook is most excellent.

Yep, it was ice cream from The Chocolate Shoppe. Very tasty stuff. I’m told that they have 110 flavors that they rotate through – if they’re as good as the ones we had, we’ll definitely be going back!
And I know all about university dairies – I lived near Clemson University in SC for the better part of ten years, and their dairy always had the most fabulous (and freshest!) ice cream and milk. Man, I miss that.