Soy Milk

Soak the soybeans in 8 cups of water for 16 hours

If it's too hot, let it rest in the refrigerator

Drain the soybeans

In a large pot, dissolve the baking soda in 8 cups of fresh water, add the drained soybeans and bring to a boil

Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, to prevent overflow

Drain, wash the soybeans with fresh water, remove any loose hulls and drain again

Place approximately 3/4 cup of soybeans in a blender, add enough water to cover them and blend for 2 minutes until thick and creamy

Then add another 3/4 cup of water, blend again until thin and pour into a pot

Make the remaining soybean puree by repeating the process

In total, you should use about 5 cups of water with drained soybeans (approximately 3 cups of soybeans)

Pour the puree into the pot, add another half cup of water and stir well

Cover tightly and cook in a bain-marie, simmering in boiling water for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

While this is cooking, line a strainer or colander with 4 layers of fine cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl

Pour the soy puree into the strainer and let it drain for 30 minutes, carefully lifting one end of the cloth, then the other, without pressing the pulp

If desired, tie the ends of the cloth to form a 'pocket' and hang it over a bowl

If you like, season the soy milk with 1 tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt for each cup of milk

Serve 2 1/2 to 3 cups of soy milk.