KEFIR

[Guest guest]

>

> My kefir, as has been brought up before, is kefiili: a thick,

gooey,

> not-sour stuff that doesn't pour, because it has some viili

bacteria in it

> (which has a different strain of Leuoconostoc Cremoris in it). This

makes

> it not very sour -- the lactose turns into polysaccharides instead

of

> lactic acid, so it is really mild. Running it through the blender

thins it

> right up: otherwise it has the consistency of kid's Gak (that slime

stuff

> they play with). I'm happy to share grains with anyone who wants

it, but

> it's one of those things you either love or hate! (we love it: we

didn't

> like " straight " kefir much).

>

> -- Heidi

Heidi--

Do you heat the milk before adding the grains? Does it sit out at

room temp or does it need to keep warm while it's kefir-ing? I don't

like the taste of regular kefir and I'm curious about what you've got

going.

Lierre

[Guest guest]

>Heidi--

>Do you heat the milk before adding the grains? Does it sit out at

>room temp or does it need to keep warm while it's kefir-ing? I don't

>like the taste of regular kefir and I'm curious about what you've got

>going.

>Lierre

I just dump the grains into a new container, then fill it with cold milk,

and let it sit on the counter for a day or two. No air (I used to use a

cloth top, but really, it does not produce gas to speak of).

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Everyone talks about kefir so much i'm going to have to finally make some. I

usually just make yogurt. I looked at Body Ecology's website and 6 packets

are $27. Once you make it can you use some of your old batch for the new

one? Is it really as simple as just stirring it in and letting it sit for a

day? Where do you buy your kefir starters? My only concern is a really enjoy

the taste of the milk and scared i might not like kefir. Is it really lower

in carbs that raw milk? Also, how does the pasteurized kefir in the hfs

rate?

Thanks,

Elaine

[Guest guest]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Kefir is probably on this

website!

Dom's Kefir In Site

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

Don't buy those body ecology starters, go for the real deal! Kefir grains!

Dom will send you some if you cover the postage ($15 bux). Just read

the website and his email is there. I don't have enough to share,I just got

started, or I'd give you some myself. =)

So far I've gotten one decent batch of kefir (you have to wake them up

after shipping) and can't quite get used to the taste, but maybe it's cause

I'm using pasteurized organic milk and i'm not that keen on it straight. I

did use some for my morning smoothie today and it was great! =)

Dawn

> Everyone talks about kefir so much i'm going to have to finally make

> some. I usually just make yogurt. I looked at Body Ecology's website

> and 6 packets are $27. Once you make it can you use some of your old

> batch for the new one? Is it really as simple as just stirring it in

> and letting it sit for a day? Where do you buy your kefir starters? My

> only concern is a really enjoy the taste of the milk and scared i

> might not like kefir. Is it really lower in carbs that raw milk? Also,

> how does the pasteurized kefir in the hfs rate? Thanks, Elaine

[Guest guest]

hi everyone-

does anybody have kefir grains or culture i can buy?

i finally have a source of grass fed raw milk, and my allergies have passed

for the moment, so i can make yogurt and kefir.

also- has anyone added cream to their milk for yogurt making?

thanks

holly

Holly Anne Shelowitz

Certified Nutrition Counselor, Herbalist, Alchemist

845.658.7887

www.nourishingwisdom.com

check out hollysgardenproducts.com for beautiful, natural, handcrafted

skincare products!

[Guest guest]

Holly-

Absolutely. I make yoghurt with half cream and half milk, and it's delicious.

>also- has anyone added cream to their milk for yogurt making?

-

[Guest guest]

G.E.M. Cultures

I've always had great service and they seem to be real nice people.

ADDRESS:

30301 Sherwood Road

Fort Bragg, CA 95437 USA

PHONE:(707) 964-2922

WEB PAGE: http://GEMCULTURES.COM

You can't order online but the catalog is there to see prices and all their

goodies. Good source for many things fermented.

--

** -----Original Message-----

** From: Long [mailto:longc@...]

** Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 5:42 PM

** I just started with NT and think I may have finally rounded up a local

** source of raw milk. Where's a good place to get grains to make kefir?

**

**

[Guest guest]

I will check this out, . Thanks.

>,

>

>You could join the kefir list, kefir_making at and ask for some

>grains. Let people know in which city you live. Maybe someone lives

>nearby and can give you some grains, if not someone will mail them to you

>for the cost of postage.

>

>Cheers,

> and the K9's

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

@@@@@@@@@

--- In , Amy Maus <mausketeers@d...>

wrote:

> I would like to make kefir but Sally Fallon's recipe calls for

> non-homogenized whole milk. We buy organic milk now but I don't

know of

> anywhere to buy non-homogenized milk. There are so sources of raw

milk near

> me... anyone have any suggestions? I am planning on ordering kefir

starter

> from Wilderness Family Naturals..

@@@@@@@@@@

Kefir will work fine with any kind of milk, regardless of quality,

even abominations you should completely avoid no matter what like

supermarket milk and UHT milk. Sally recommends non-homogenized

whole milk, and indeed full-out happy milk [raw, grass-fed, etc]

because one of the key premises of NT is to USE GOOD INGREDIENTS!

But if you can't find real milk, then just skip it and select from

the fabulous myriad of other foods available on planet earth! For

probiotic benefits, try kimchi or kombucha, the other two members

of " the three 'K's " , but also just look harder because real milk and

kefir are awesome! But if you're going to do kefir, then use an

authentic kefir SCOBY ( " kefir grains " ), easily obtained by querying

this group, the Raw Dairy group, or either of the two Kefir groups,

using common sense like mentioning your geographical coordinates in

the subject line, etc... To understand the whys and wherefores of

authentic kefir, look no further than <kefir.notlong.com>!

Unfortunately the WFN kefir page sells the bogus Donna Gates wannabe

kefir starter and contains the false statement " Each batch can be

used to start a new culture over and over again. "

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. --Alan Kay

[Guest guest]

>I would like to make kefir but Sally Fallon's recipe calls for

>non-homogenized whole milk. We buy organic milk now but I don't know of

>anywhere to buy non-homogenized milk. There are so sources of raw milk near

>me... anyone have any suggestions? I am planning on ordering kefir starter

>from Wilderness Family Naturals..

My suggestion is to get REAL KEFIR GRAINS not the starter ...

the grains end up being a lot cheaper and they work better.

As far as milk, I use storebought (gasp) organic and by

the time the kefir grains are done with it, it has very little

relationship to the milk it started out with. Kind of like

wine isn't much like grape juice, and whisky isn't much

like corn. I'm sure that non-homogonized raw milk

could be better, but it's beyond what I can do right now,

and this kefir has GREAT health benefits as it is. So

I wouldn't put off making kefir just because you can't

get ideal milk. Also, fermenting generally gets rid

of " bad stuff " in anything, like extra cow hormones,

and seems to neutralize the casein (that I'm sensitive

to).

Also, if you get the kefir grains, you can use your

extras to make " kefir beer " which seems to have

a lot of probiotic qualities all on it's own (and makes

a fine drink, to boot).

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

I believe Wilderness Family Naturals sells the kefir grains- anyone have

other sources??

Amy, wife to my dear husband Steve, home schooling Mom to 16 wonderful

blessings from God (2 homegrown, 14 adopted)and praying for more!!

[Guest guest]

At 01:41 PM 3/18/04 -0800, you wrote:

>Also, if you get the kefir grains, you can use your

>extras to make " kefir beer " which seems to have

>a lot of probiotic qualities all on it's own (and makes

>a fine drink, to boot).

>

I have SOOOOOO got to ask about this kefir-beer. You keep mentioning it.

You're gonna tell me to look in the archives, aintcha?

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

WFN does not sell real kefir grains. Try

http://www.gemcultures.com/dairy_cultures.htm and

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/Makekefir.html for info on how to make it.

Heidi, how does one make kefir beer?

-Terry

[Guest guest]

>> Also, if you get the kefir grains, you can use your

>> extras to make " kefir beer " which seems to have

>> a lot of probiotic qualities all on it's own (and makes

>> a fine drink, to boot).

>>

>

> I have SOOOOOO got to ask about this kefir-beer. You keep

> mentioning it.

At our house we call it Heidi's Hooch (or just hooch for short) and

it's the height of simplicity: Chuck some fruit juice and a rinsed

kefir grain in a jar, leave for a few days on the counter, bottle,

refrigerate, enjoy.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

Editor/Publisher, The New Homemaker

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/

Celebrating 5 Years of Homemaker and Caregiver Support: 1999-2004

[Guest guest]

At 02:14 PM 3/18/04 -0800, you wrote:

> At our house we call it Heidi's Hooch (or just hooch for short) and

> it's the height of simplicity: Chuck some fruit juice and a rinsed

> kefir grain in a jar, leave for a few days on the counter, bottle,

> refrigerate, enjoy.

Hehehe. (Yes, I'm giggly today.) Heidi's Hooch.

But errrrrr ... would it make me sort of stumble into things? (Not that

alcohol, per se in mod, is necessarily such a bad thing in my book, but ...

the bruises, ya know.)

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

> But errrrrr ... would it make me sort of stumble into things? (Not

> that

> alcohol, per se in mod, is necessarily such a bad thing in my book,

> but ...

> the bruises, ya know.)

Well, we're both recovering alcoholics and haven't woken up in gutters.

Lately.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

Editor/Publisher, The New Homemaker

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/

Celebrating 5 Years of Homemaker and Caregiver Support: 1999-2004

[Guest guest]

At 04:19 PM 3/18/04 -0800, you wrote:

> Well, we're both recovering alcoholics and haven't woken up in gutters.

> Lately.

Cool.

Although of course, now my still-vaguely-overactive imagination is

imagining, after having a bit of a 'discussion' with Dr. Ron about me

drinking 'too much' fruit juice, having another discussion in which I just

tell him I've solved that 'problem' and now I just spend all day drinking

Hooch. :-D

MFJ

Any moment in which you feel like dancing is a perfect moment. Singing

works, too.

[Guest guest]

>Heidi, how does one make kefir beer?

>

>-Terry

1. Take one or two EXTRA kefir grains.

2. Mix some sweet stuff and/or fruit juice with water to taste.

3. Add kefir grains.

4. Let sit until it tastes good to you.

I'm using a stoneware pot now for my kefir beer, and about a cup

of homemade jam to 2 quarts of water for " juice " . It tastes

really good in about 3 days ... then it gets more and more sour.

You can bottle it and put it in the fridge if you want, and it

will get more fizzy, but that is an ART because if it goes too

long or is too sweet when you bottle it, then it will get REALLY

fizzy or pop the lid (or explode, if it's the wrong sort of bottle).

Once the beer gets going, yeast forms on the bottom

of the crock, and the next batches go faster and faster (I leave

the dregs in the crock to jumpstart the next batch).

If you leave it too long, you get a really tasty vinegar but it

will kill the kefir grains.

The grains last about 6 months otherwise ... they aren't good

for milk after doing beer and they won't grow in beer, so, like

I said, use extras!

-- Heidi

[Guest guest]

>Cool.

>

>Although of course, now my still-vaguely-overactive imagination is

>imagining, after having a bit of a 'discussion' with Dr. Ron about me

>drinking 'too much' fruit juice, having another discussion in which I just

>tell him I've solved that 'problem' and now I just spend all day drinking

>Hooch. :-D

Oh, " Hooch " sounds so STRONG. Really, kefir beer is very mild.

I like it because pop is SOOOO sweet (as is fruit juice) and this

loses most of the sugar. But you'd have to drink a gallon or

so to really get a buzz, and it is VERY filling. However, the amount

of alcohol is directly related to the amount of sugar you add

to begin with ... so if you want it milder, cut the juice with water

or add less sugar (depending how you are making it).

-- Heidi (of Hooch fame ... ;--)

[Guest guest]

--- In , Amy Maus <mausketeers@d...>

wrote:

> I would like to make kefir but Sally Fallon's recipe calls

> for non-homogenized whole milk. We buy organic milk now

> but I don't know of anywhere to buy non-homogenized milk.

If the only organic whole milk available to me was homogenized, I

would buy organic non-fat milk and organic cream and blend my own

organic, non-homogenized whole milk.

> I am planning on ordering kefir starter from Wilderness

> Family Naturals..

I also second the recommendation to get genuine kefir grains instead

of a commercial kefir culture powder. Here is where I got mine:

http://www.gemcultures.com/

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/19/04 2:16:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,

darkstar@... writes:

> I'm trying to imagine what this is like. When you drink this, does

> it seem like you're drinking something with alcohol in it or is the

> alcohol level too low?

> This makes me wonder what happens if you add sugar to a kefir

> culture. Can you make an alcohol-containing kefir drink?

I kefirred pureed blueberries once, and it was unambiguously alcoholic. I

don't know if this makes any chemical sense, but it seems like fructose might

convert to alcohol more easily than glucose or galactose, in which case sucrose

sugar might produce alcohol in kefir.

Chris

[Guest guest]

> Oh, " Hooch " sounds so STRONG. Really, kefir beer is very mild.

> I like it because pop is SOOOO sweet (as is fruit juice) and this

> loses most of the sugar. But you'd have to drink a gallon or

> so to really get a buzz, and it is VERY filling.

Ditto. We call it hooch because kefir beer takes too long to say.

Our favorite is grape juice hooch, but apple also makes good kefir

beer. I'll try the jam thing, that sounds great and we don't always

have juice on hand.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

Editor/Publisher, The New Homemaker

http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/

Celebrating 5 Years of Homemaker and Caregiver Support: 1999-2004

[Guest guest]

>I'll try the jam thing, that sounds great and we don't always

>have juice on hand.

>

>Lynn S.

I made the jam specially for beer because I have a freezer

with a couple hundred pounds of berries in it and it seemed

odd to then BUY juice to make beer! But if you put plain

berries in the mix you get a bunch of guk to strain out. So

I boiled the berries with some sugar, then strained it in a

jelly bag and bottled it ... the sugar keeps it from molding

and it keeps forever (esp. if you bottle it while hot). This

also clears out space in the freezer.

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

--- In , Lynn Siprelle <lynn@s...>

wrote:

> Ditto. We call it hooch because kefir beer takes too long to

say.

> Our favorite is grape juice hooch, but apple also makes good kefir

> beer. I'll try the jam thing, that sounds great and we don't always

> have juice on hand.

>

> Lynn S.

Lynn,

Question – do you juice fruit for your hooch, or do you use

commercial bottled juices? The author of an article on lacto-

fermented sodas in wise traditions said commercial juices tasted

really bad, but it would sure be convenient if one could use bottled

juice.

TIA, Katy

[Guest guest]

>

> I made the jam specially for beer because I have a freezer

> with a couple hundred pounds of berries in it and it seemed

> odd to then BUY juice to make beer!

I'm trying to imagine what this is like. When you drink this, does

it seem like you're drinking something with alcohol in it or is the

alcohol level too low?

This makes me wonder what happens if you add sugar to a kefir

culture. Can you make an alcohol-containing kefir drink?