Guest guest Posted July 26, 2002 Report Share Posted July 26, 2002 I've been wanting to make kefir and found this freeze dried starter yesterday. I started 2 gallon today but have this feeling these lactic bacteria and yeasts in skim milk powder which have been freeze dried are not kefir grains. Any ideas out there? Thanks. Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2002 Report Share Posted July 26, 2002 At 11:47 PM 7/25/2002 +0000, you wrote: >I've been wanting to make kefir and found this freeze dried starter >yesterday. I started 2 gallon today but have this feeling these >lactic bacteria and yeasts in skim milk powder which have been freeze >dried are not kefir grains. Any ideas out there? Thanks. Dennis Oh, just get some real kefir grains. Then you are set for life! I don't think what they sent are real grains either, if you can make 2 gallons the first batch. The real grains are lots of fun and rather addicting. Are you having problems finding some? Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2002 Report Share Posted July 26, 2002 Do you make kefir every day or only once a week with the grains sitting in water between use? Do you use a pouch as Dom mentions? It seems like that would save a lot of straining and jar washing. Astrid ----- Original Message ----- From: Heidi Schuppenhauer <heidis@...> < > Sent: Friday, July 26, 2002 12:51 AM Subject: Re: yo'gourmet Ke'fir > At 11:47 PM 7/25/2002 +0000, you wrote: > >I've been wanting to make kefir and found this freeze dried starter > >yesterday. I started 2 gallon today but have this feeling these > >lactic bacteria and yeasts in skim milk powder which have been freeze > >dried are not kefir grains. Any ideas out there? Thanks. Dennis > > Oh, just get some real kefir grains. Then you are set for life! I don't > think what they sent > are real grains either, if you can make 2 gallons the first batch. The real > grains are lots > of fun and rather addicting. > > Are you having problems finding some? > > > Heidi > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2002 Report Share Posted July 26, 2002 --- In @y..., " dkemnitz2000 " <dkemnitz2000@y...> wrote: > I've been wanting to make kefir and found this freeze dried starter > yesterday. I started 2 gallon today but have this feeling these > lactic bacteria and yeasts in skim milk powder which have been > freeze dried are not kefir grains. Any ideas out there? What you have is a commercial kefir starter which is definitely NOT the same as genuine kefir grains which are symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeasts that are little rubbery slime-covered blobs that resemble florets of cauliflower. If you can't find someone to ship some grains to you for little or no cost you can get them from http://www.gemcultures.com/ . They got their original grains from Dom in Australia. I bought mine from GEM, and they've been very well behaved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2002 Report Share Posted July 27, 2002 > >I've been wanting to make kefir and found this freeze dried starter > >yesterday. I started 2 gallon today but have this feeling these > >lactic bacteria and yeasts in skim milk powder which have been freeze > >dried are not kefir grains. Any ideas out there? Thanks. Dennis > > Oh, just get some real kefir grains. Then you are set for life! I don't > think what they sent > are real grains either, if you can make 2 gallons the first batch. The real > grains are lots > of fun and rather addicting. > > Are you having problems finding some? > > > Heidi > > <><><<><<><><><><>>Heidi, I followed Dom's website for several months and before so know a little about the stuff(kefir). I think I learned a lot more from you though(your recipes). Yea, I'm having trouble finding them but haven't looked very hard. I was hoping to get some " midwestern " grains. Thought shipping and handling would be easier. Otherwise I'll get some from GEM. One question though what is the consistency/viscosity of kefir prior to straining when you plan to drink it and also when you plan to use it to leaven bread? Thanks. Dennis > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2002 Report Share Posted July 27, 2002 At 01:39 AM 7/27/2002 +0000, you wrote: > > <><><<><<><><><><>>Heidi, I followed Dom's website for several >months and before so know a little about the >stuff(kefir). I think I learned a lot more from you though(your >recipes). Well, thanks! > Yea, I'm having trouble finding them but haven't looked >very hard. I was hoping to get some " midwestern " grains. Thought >shipping and handling would be easier. Otherwise I'll get some from >GEM. They seem to ship ok. GEM doesn't use ice though, which I guess could be a problem if it's really hot. I ordered mine from GEM. >One question though what is the consistency/viscosity of kefir >prior to straining when you plan to drink it and also when you plan to >use it to leaven bread? Thanks. Dennis I don't know what other folks do (Suze can give another prespective). Mine is the thickness and consistency of Elmer's glue (really!) which seems to NOT be the norm. It does not pour! Also it doesn't separate. Or strain easily (I have done this, to make cheese, but it takes hours). Now, it USED to separate, but I think it got contaminated with viili (another kind of yogurt I have around) and now it's a mutt. (which maybe a good reason for going to GEM! or not, depending on what you like). It is also not very sour, just kind of creamy. I don't know if all kefir gets like this after it gets acclimated, or if mine is weird, but it's kind of neat. So when I drink it, I mix it with fizz water, ice, and a banana. Tastes great! Or I mix it with cream and put it over berries. For bread, I just mix it with flour and let it set on the counter for a day or so. If it goes too long it gets REALLY sour. It gets more watery then, and I add a bit more flour at the end to thicken it up, depending on the bread. I don't make bread much though: usually when I make it for me I make pita-style (thin). For cookies, I just add a cup or half a cup to the recipe and a bit more flour. It makes the cookies very moist (and they don't dry out!). Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2002 Report Share Posted July 27, 2002 >One question though what is the consistency/viscosity of kefir >prior to straining when you plan to drink it and also when you plan to >use it to leaven bread? Thanks. Dennis >>>>>I don't know what other folks do (Suze can give another prespective). Mine is the thickness and consistency of Elmer's glue (really!) which seems to NOT be the norm. It does not pour! Also it doesn't separate. Or strain easily (I have done this, to make cheese, but it takes hours). ------------->i make mine with raw goat's milk. when i'm not using too many grains, which i have been lately because i haven't gotten around to storing the excess, mine also comes out the consistency of elmers glue, or just a little thicker actually. with too many grains to to little milk ratio, it DOES separate. i like to 'harvest' it before it does, because that's when it gets too sour. btw, mine pours well. Suze Fisher Web Design & Development http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3shjg/ mailto:s.fisher22@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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