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Lactose intolerance varies, but I've been on the extremely sensitive end of
the scale for more than a dozen years. Since my gut is extra well these
days, and (as a result) my mucous membranes have calmed down, I've added
back into my diet: aged parmesan, aged cheddar and homemade yoghurt. Here
are my recent yoghurt experiences.

Husband Paul bought a Salton Yoghurt Maker at the beginning of May
(supposedly as a prezzie for me!) and has been playing with it ever since.
(No, I'm not complaining. All appliances should come with someone to operate
them.) He buys the Lactaid 100 milk (with 1 or 2% fat) and makes yoghurt
that I'm comfortable eating. That is, if I get some before he's eaten it
all. (Note that yoghurt may also be made using glass jars, a heating pad
below, and thick towels to cover. It beats messing with the oven.)

Sometimes, I put two cups of the homemade yoghurt in a coffee filter (in the
plastic filter cone), stick it on the empty coffee pot, cover the top with
plastic wrap, put it in the fridge and drain out the liquid for a day. Then
I have faux cream cheese. (This procedure is not popular with Paul the
coffee drinker.)

When I'm invited over to someone's house, the faux cream cheese with dill is
a popular low-fat dip that I can use with my San-J rice crackers. I just ask
wheat-eaters to use a clean knife if wheat crackers are being served.
Amazing how often folks just have to taste what I'm having! You go the extra
mile to make your diet stuff look interesting, and the wheat-eaters are
afraid they are missing out on something. (Add the dill the day before
serving for better flavor.)

SORT OF A RECIPE:
Lactose-free Faux Cream Cheese Icing
In order to frost a gf carrot cake for my party, I drained a lot of homemade
Lactaid yoghurt, and added powdered sugar and a bit of butter flavor Crisco.
When I used the mixer for too long on the first batch, the yoghurt's texture
gets cottage cheesy. Does anybody know why?
Mary Courtney
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Los Angeles, California