Use only whole milk - any combination of goat and cow milk is good, or just use all cow's milk.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine milk, sugar and cinnamon stick or vanilla bean and bring slowly to a simmer, stirring constantly. Be careful not to scorch the milk, which is likely to happen if you use a thin bottomed pot.
Dissolve the baking soda in 1 tablespoon of water. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the baking soda then return to heat. Continue simmering and stirring occasionally until the mixture begins to take on a caramel brown color and thickens to a syrupy consistency and the quantity has reduced to around 1/4 of the original volume. This will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Store refrigerated and use for topping ice cream, filling cakes, or to spread on toast, etc.
Makes about 3 cups.
Submitted by: CM
