Re: I just got Kefir grains. Please help

[Guest guest]

> I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

> things from people today telling me how to " make it "

>

> can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk teh

> grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and

> place it int eh milk ect.

There is no single right way to make kefir. Some people prefer the

convenience of keeping the grains confined so that it is easier to

separate the grains from the finished kefir. Personally, I prefer to

let my grains roam freely, and I scoop them out with a plastic

slotted spoon.

[Guest guest]

At 01:49 AM 8/31/2002 +0000, you wrote:

>I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

>things from people today telling me how to " make it "

>

>can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk teh

>grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and place

>it int eh milk ect.

There are many ways of doing it. They all work, I think. But here is what I do:

1. Take a Mason jar and a Mason jar ring.

2. Put the grain in the Mason jar.

3. Add about 1-2 cups milk. How much milk you add depends on the size

of the grain, but it's best to start small. if it Kefirs too fast, add more

milk. If too slow, add less.

4. Put a piece of cotton cloth over the jar, and fasten with the jar ring

(keeps the flies out).

Joggle the jar now and then, if you think about it, to stir things up a

bit. (if you don't

joggle it, nothing bad happens, but I think it kefirs quicker if you do).

Now, after 12-24 hours, you will have kefir in the jar (you can tell

because it makes

little runny lines down the side of the jar, like buttermilk. If more time,

it becomes

more sour, if less, it is more sweet.

Then:

1. Pour the kefir through a strainer. You need one with pretty big holes:

most people

prefer plastic (like a plastic colander). The grains will stay in the strainer.

2. Put the grains in a new jar: add milk and the cloth cover.

3. Put the kefir in the old jar, put on a real lid, and put it in the

fridge. I don't put

the lid on too tight, kefir has been known to create gases even in the fridge.

Repeat daily. You do not need to wash the grains, and I don't think they need

resting either. They grow fastest when they are " eating " milk.

If you get too much kefir, then put the grains in a jar with fresh milk, and

put them in the fridge. They will keep at least a month this way.

>Happy kefiring!

Heidi

[Guest guest]

Either way works, but it's much easier to separate the grains from the kefir

if the grains are in some kind of little bag. I made mine out of nylon

netting. Straining out the grains is a messy process, I discovered. I tried

removing them with a spoon-shaped plastic fork, and that worked fairly well,

but I missed some of them. So the bag is easiest.

Peace,

Kris , gardening in harmony with nature in northwest Ohio

If you want to hear the good news about butter check out this website:

http://www.westonaprice.org/know_your_fats/know_your_fats.html

----- Original Message -----

From: " yogabud " <anthony_byron@...>

< >

Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 9:49 PM

Subject: I just got Kefir grains. Please help

> I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

> things from people today telling me how to " make it "

>

> can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk teh

> grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and place

> it int eh milk ect.

[Guest guest]

thanks guys. think i will try the free roaming version and try a

strainer once it is done. I start my Kefir quest tomorrow mornign

--- In @y..., " Kris " <kris.johnson@a...>

wrote:

> Either way works, but it's much easier to separate the grains from

the kefir

> if the grains are in some kind of little bag. I made mine out of

nylon

> netting. Straining out the grains is a messy process, I discovered.

I tried

> removing them with a spoon-shaped plastic fork, and that worked

fairly well,

> but I missed some of them. So the bag is easiest.

>

> Peace,

> Kris , gardening in harmony with nature in northwest Ohio

>

> If you want to hear the good news about butter check out this

website:

> http://www.westonaprice.org/know_your_fats/know_your_fats.html

>

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: " yogabud " <anthony_byron@m...>

> < @y...>

> Sent: Friday, August 30, 2002 9:49 PM

> Subject: I just got Kefir grains. Please help

>

>

> > I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

> > things from people today telling me how to " make it "

> >

> > can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk teh

> > grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and

place

> > it int eh milk ect.

[Guest guest]

I think everyone makes it to hard, even here. I use a wide mouth mason jar and

I have plastic sprouting lids. When I want to use the kefir I just screw on a

lid and pour out the kefir. The lids are the ones with the wider holes. The

kefir comes out and the grains stay in the jar. If I want to start another jar,

I just pour all the kefir out into another container and the grains all stay at

the bottom ready to dump into a new clean mason jar to start all over again. I

use those natural brown coffee filters to cover my jars and hold them on with a

rubber-band. I only use the sprouting lids to pour off the kefir and to keep

the grains in the jar. Forget those slotted spoons and bags, the lids are easy

to use and no mess is involved! I also found I like making my kefir in the

refrigerator better than leaving it sit out on the counter top before

refrigeration.

Robin

> I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

> things from people today telling me how to " make it "

>

> can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk teh

> grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and place

> it int eh milk ect.

[Guest guest]

Hi Robin,

My kefir gets way, way to thick to drain through a sprouting lid,

even the one with the big holes. I tried it!! I have to use a slotted

plastic spoon. I have also noticed the grains tend to stay up at the

top of the jar in the thick cream. Once in awhile some will drop to

the bottom. Maybe some gentle stirring now and then would distribute

the grains. Do you stir the milk?

Don't you think there must be a lot of variables in the natural

processing of the kefir? Perhaps we each have to deal with those

variables using what ever works for us. Relax and experiment, is my

motto. Food should be fun as well as nourishing!

Sheila

> > I hvae the milk and the Kefir grain. Im hearing all sorts of diff

> > things from people today telling me how to " make it "

> >

> > can someone please set he record straight. Some say just plonk

teh

> > grains into the milk. soem say put teh grains in a stocking and

place

> > it int eh milk ect.

[Guest guest]

Now why didn't I think of that???

> I think everyone makes it to hard, even here. I use a wide mouth mason

jar and I have plastic sprouting lids. When I want to use the kefir I just

screw on a lid and pour out the kefir. The lids are the ones with the wider

holes. The kefir comes out and the grains stay in the jar. If I want to

start another jar, I just pour all the kefir out into another container and

the grains all stay at the bottom ready to dump into a new clean mason jar

to start all over again. I use those natural brown coffee filters to cover

my jars and hold them on with a rubber-band. I only use the sprouting lids

to pour off the kefir and to keep the grains in the jar. Forget those

slotted spoons and bags, the lids are easy to use and no mess is involved!

I also found I like making my kefir in the refrigerator better than leaving

it sit out on the counter top before refrigeration.

> Robin

[Guest guest]

Hi Sheila,

Yes, I stir my kefir periodically through out the day. I also

noticed the kefir tends to get thicker if it sets out on the counter.

One batch I left out on the counter began to separate, so I decided to

make whey with it. Personally, I like to make mine in the refrigerator,

as I prefer that slightly sour taste. I don't like that overwhelming

sour taste from it setting out. Maybe that's why mine doesn't get as

thick and I can use the plastic sprouting lids.

Robin

<<Hi Robin,

My kefir gets way, way to thick to drain through a sprouting lid, even

the one with the big holes. I tried it!! I have to use a slotted plastic

spoon. I have also noticed the grains tend to stay up at the top of the

jar in the thick cream. Once in awhile some will drop to the bottom.

Maybe some gentle stirring now and then would distribute the grains. Do

you stir the milk?

Don't you think there must be a lot of variables in the natural

processing of the kefir? Perhaps we each have to deal with those

variables using what ever works for us. Relax and experiment, is my

motto. Food should be fun as well as nourishing! Sheila>>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Robin. I think I will leave the kefir out on the counter for a

shorter time and also try making it in the refrigerator. I will keep

experimenting until I am happy with the outcome.

Sheila

> Hi Sheila,

> Yes, I stir my kefir periodically through out the day. I also

> noticed the kefir tends to get thicker if it sets out on the

counter.

> One batch I left out on the counter began to separate, so I decided

to

> make whey with it. Personally, I like to make mine in the

refrigerator,

> as I prefer that slightly sour taste. I don't like that

overwhelming

> sour taste from it setting out. Maybe that's why mine doesn't get

as

> thick and I can use the plastic sprouting lids.

> Robin

>

> <<Hi Robin,

> My kefir gets way, way to thick to drain through a sprouting lid,

even

> the one with the big holes. I tried it!! I have to use a slotted

plastic

> spoon. I have also noticed the grains tend to stay up at the top of

the

> jar in the thick cream. Once in awhile some will drop to the bottom.

> Maybe some gentle stirring now and then would distribute the

grains. Do

> you stir the milk?

> Don't you think there must be a lot of variables in the natural

> processing of the kefir? Perhaps we each have to deal with those

> variables using what ever works for us. Relax and experiment, is my

> motto. Food should be fun as well as nourishing! Sheila>>

[Guest guest]

At 03:57 PM 9/1/2002 +0000, you wrote:

> > <<Hi Robin,

> > My kefir gets way, way to thick to drain through a sprouting lid,

>even the one with the big holes. I tried it!! I have to use a slotted

>plastic spoon. I have also noticed the grains tend to stay up at the top of

>the jar in the thick cream. Once in awhile some will drop to the bottom.

The " Seattle Blend " FM kefir is decidedly that way. But not sour. I'm

working on getting

some of the " regular " kefir to compare: the " Seattle Blend " does not get

thin no

matter what you do, but the taste is great esp. in smoothies.

I'm wondering what the bacteria is in Fil Mjolk? I was doing a search on Bifido

and it mentioned that Bifido produces a mild yogurt with

polysaccarides: if Bifido is the bacteria that makes Fil Mjolk thick,

then FM kefir would have the Bifido too, which would be

perfect. I suppose one could test by buying some live Bifido

(without any thing else) probiotics, and adding it to some

kefir and seeing how it comes out. Whatever bacteria it is in FM,

it is a really heavy polysaccharide producer, which

makes it really good for gf baking (and probably good

for your gut too).

I found a couple of companies are adding Bifido to kefir,

but they are doing it after the kefir is produced, it

sounds like. Ditto for yogurt. I'm trying to find out

if the reason they do this is because it produces too

much polysaccharide or because it doesn't get along

well with acidophilius or what?

Heidi