I am a bit scared of Herman

[galois]

One of my friends gave me some gunge in a margarine tub last week. Apparently it he is called Herman and it will become part of a cake. I have been given an instruction sheet with him, which tells me to stir him every day, talk to it and some days feed it milk, sugar and flour. And keep him at room temperature. For ten days.

If you're confused, see this - scroll down for Herman's instructions

The whole milk and room temperature thing is making me feel a bit queasy. I make my own yogurt on occasion, but I boil the milk first and refrigerate the yogurt when I've made it. This Herman thing contains milk at room temperature for 6 days. Then you mix it up into a cake and eat it apparently. And you save a bit of it to give to another friend in a margarine tub and they feed it and feed it, and then make it into a cake with 16-day old uncooked milk. Or 26-day old or 36-day old depending on how many friends Herman has visited. I know that the original Herman gets diluted as you go along but AIBU to boak a little, make a nice cinnamon cake for the family and release Herman into the wild to start a new life in the compost bin? Or will I be rejecting this kind offer of slightly stinky and fermenting friendship?

I've had herman. He makes a really lovely cake - and I'm still alive - as are all my friends!

We had Herman last week. He was really tasty. But I got a text today from one of the people I gave Baby Herman to and she said he died a sad death because her cat stood in him. However, at least one other person is carefully nurturing Herman, so hopefully he will live on. He was so yummy, we're thinking of asking for him back.

Dozer it's more of a friendship cake than a chain letter thing. The idea is that you make your cake and share it amongst your friends. People shouldn't be taking some Herman if they don't want him!

It's exactly the same principle as the chain letter / send knickers to friends thing, plays on same things, eg guilt, embarrassment, awkwardness, fear that by refusing or not seeing through or passing on the dough you are snubbing or letting down friends.

Urgh.

My sister has a Herman on the go at the moment

I REALLY want a Herman, but I'm in Germany and she's in Yorkshire

My Herman survived one day on the side before I decided he was disgusting and killed him off by throwing him in the bin. I didn't want that thing growing and stinking in the kitchen, and the thought of all the bacteria he will have gathered while being passed around and scraped from one margarine tin to another and carried around all those people's houses for months! "eeerrggghhh!!!"

You can start your own Herman. There were instructions in the Times today on how to do it.

I wouldn't though. In addition to the stress of having something alive and smelly threatening to gloop over your worktops, you have to find 4 people who are good enough friends to forgive you for passing on Herman's bastard offspring to them.

When I got Herman (I am the OP - I namechanged) I felt stressed until the blissful moment when I poured him down the sink and ran the hot tap.

Today is day 9 of my Herman. I have fed the greedy bugger and split him into 4 to give away to my lucky friends. He has been another hungry mouth to feed in my house of kids, cats, dogs and chickens but I am going to get my revenge tomorrow. I am going to feed him for one last time then cook and eat him. Ha.

My mother's is called Boris. They give me the creeps slightly - but I'm sure they're hygienic, as that's what fermentation's all about isn't it?

An earlier post linked to the instructions for starting your own, Bavaria :)

Creepy or no, I have got a yen for some Kefir. Afaik, you have to buy a starter for that - unless anybody fancies setting up a seed chain?

We've got a herman and he's on day 9. We cook him tomorrow (have already divided him up!). Now all I need do is get 3 friends to take him on!! 2 lots of friends are turning up for a plateaus tomorrow.........

Playdate I mean duh.

Dh has absolutely forbidden me to give Herman houseroom. I think it's quite endearing, the way he thinks I obey his every wish (I haven't actually been offered a Herman, but that's beside the point).

Thank you Avocado. I have plenty of people I could offload Hermans onto! Not sure if it isn't cruel to post one tbh!

Herman can also be used to make a delicious sour dough bread. :)