Guest guest Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 There are a number of different recipes (probably as many as there are people who make it) for Amish Friendship Cake starter; some using fruit and some not. And for those that use fruit there are a number of different methods/procedures. The recipe my mother used (which would naturally make it THE definitive method!!!) used brandy to " kick start " the fruit fermentation process. I would think that using kefir and/or grains would serve the same purpose. And I would think that someone has thought of doing this before me, although I can't find anything about it online. I intend to begin my own fruit starter , but before i do, rather than try to reinvent a wheel that has already been invented I thought I'd ask the group if anyone has done this or knows of this having been done. If no one has done this yet, then I have to decide a couple things. First, I will be starting with milk fed grains and/or milk kefir. Why? Because that's what I have. Sooooo...would you use grains alone? Kefir alone? or both? If using grains would you leave then in permanently? Remove them after the first x number of hours/days? Would you still use a barndy to start the process? Rick --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 What I have been doing lately is lactofermenting fruits. Everything from frozen berries to apples with carrots and molasses. My kefir hasnt been getting solid enough to strain whey off it so I actually used some pickle juice from lacto fermented cucumbers with dill to start the next batch of fermented fruits. It worked fine and the dill was totally unnoticeable in the fermented raspberry/blueberry ferment. So if youre after lacto fermented fruits I find it works just fine to use 1/2 cup or so of juice from a previous batch. Its just loaded with those hungry little BUGgers....and they will dive into any sort of food that you give them. Just my opinion but I would think that the difference between starting with brandy and a lacto ferment is alcohol ferment as opposed to lacto. Either way will give you a great ferment. And if it is lacto ferment youre after the salt is very important---it retards the alcohol ferment until the lacto bugs get a good grip....as I understand it. If youre baking with it, the alcohol doesnt matter. If youre making delicious smoothies with your fermented fruits---well, I prefer lactic acid and all the good bugs. Oh, and my kefir is just starting to stay stiffer only because I have decided on which milk I will stay with for now. Goat! I just LOVE the little buggies!!!!!!:-))) Subject: AFC fruit starter There are a number of different recipes (probably as many as there are people who make it) for Amish Friendship Cake starter; some using fruit and some not. And for those that use fruit there are a number of different methods/procedures. The recipe my mother used (which would naturally make it THE definitive method!!!) used brandy to " kick start " the fruit fermentation process. I would think that using kefir and/or grains would serve the same purpose. And I would think that someone has thought of doing this before me, although I can't find anything about it online. I intend to begin my own fruit starter , but before i do, rather than try to reinvent a wheel that has already been invented I thought I'd ask the group if anyone has done this or knows of this having been done. If no one has done this yet, then I have to decide a couple things. First, I will be starting with milk fed grains and/or milk kefir. Why? Because that's what I have. Sooooo...would you use grains alone? Kefir alone? or both? If using grains would you leave then in permanently? Remove them after the first x number of hours/days? Would you still use a barndy to start the process? Rick --------------------------------- Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 28, 2008 Report Share Posted April 28, 2008 Could you give some more specifics on how you lactoferment fruits? I have a bunch of ripe pears I'd like to do. What ratio of whey-fruit-salt do you suggest? Anything else I need to add? Thanks. Shelle -------Original Message------- From: Sharon What I have been doing lately is lactofermenting fruits. Everything from frozen berries to apples with carrots and molasses. My kefir hasnt been getting solid enough to strain whey off it so I actually used some pickle juice from lacto fermented cucumbers with dill to start the next batch of fermented fruits. .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Sure. I use 2 qrt jars. I would put 6 to 8 cups of chopped fruit or if youre using pears you might be able to just halve them or quarter them. Just make sure that you will have about 1 inch or more headspace in the jar once you have everything in it. Then I add 1/4 cup of whey--or " juice " from a previous ferment, 2 tsps sea salt or at least non iodized salt like Kosher or pickling salt. You can add your choice of sweetener; raw honey, maple syrup or molasses, depending on how you think the sweetener will taste with which fruits. 1/4 cup or more. I'm not big on measuring anything except the salt. If youre using large pieces you want to be sure to add enough good water so that everything is covered. Then when everything is in the jar close the lid tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days---or at least 3 if you are doing bigger pieces. Then you can put in the fridge or cold storage. That's it. Flavors develop more as it sits in the fridge. When I did the frozen berries I added a couple of apples just because I wanted to give it something that was still reasonably alive, as in, not dormant. However I also have a recipe for lacto ketchup made with canned tomato paste so I dont suppose it really matters that much. I get some great jars at both my local liquidation store and the bulk food store. Enjoy your pears. BLISS Re: AFC fruit starter Could you give some more specifics on how you lactoferment fruits? I have a bunch of ripe pears I'd like to do. What ratio of whey-fruit-salt do you suggest? Anything else I need to add? Thanks. Shelle Recent Activity a.. 7New Members Visit Your Group Health Early Detection Know the symptoms of breast cancer. Meditation and Lovingkindness A Group to share and learn. Latest product news Join Mod. Central stay connected. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Thanks! I will get the pears started today. Shelle -------Original Message------- From: Sharon Sure. I use 2 qrt jars. I would put 6 to 8 cups of chopped fruit or if youre using pears you might be able to just halve them or quarter them. Just make sure that you will have about 1 inch or more headspace in the jar once you have everything in it. Then I add 1/4 cup of whey--or " juice " from a previous ferment, 2 tsps sea salt or at least non iodized salt like Kosher or pickling salt. You can add your choice of sweetener; raw honey, maple syrup or molasses, depending on how you think the sweetener will taste with which fruits. 1/4 cup or more. I m not big on measuring anything except the salt. If youre using large pieces you want to be sure to add enough good water so that everything is covered. Then when everything is in the jar close the lid tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 days---or at least 3 if you are doing bigger pieces. Then you can put in the fridge or cold storage. That's it. Flavors develop more as it sits in the fridge. When I did the frozen berries I added a couple of apples just because I wanted to give it something that was still reasonably alive, as in, not dormant. However I also have a recipe for lacto ketchup made with canned tomato paste so I dont suppose it really matters that much. I get some great jars at both my local liquidation store and the bulk food store. Enjoy your pears. BLISS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 I've just started looking into lactofermenting fruits and veggies. I was going to get a good organic yogurt and get my whey from that...starting this weekend. Do you know any pros or cons doing it that way versus milk kefir? I'm not real sure I have a good milk source...any recommendation there? Goat is not really an option for us. Thanks, julie > > > What I have been doing lately is lactofermenting fruits. Everything from frozen berries to apples with carrots and molasses. My kefir hasnt been getting solid enough to strain whey off it so I actually used some pickle juice from lacto fermented cucumbers with dill to start the next batch of fermented fruits. > > It worked fine and the dill was totally unnoticeable in the fermented raspberry/blueberry ferment. > > So if youre after lacto fermented fruits I find it works just fine to use 1/2 cup or so of juice from a previous batch. Its just loaded with those hungry little BUGgers....and they will dive into any sort of food that you give them. > > Just my opinion but I would think that the difference between starting with brandy and a lacto ferment is alcohol ferment as opposed to lacto. Either way will give you a great ferment. > > And if it is lacto ferment youre after the salt is very important--- it retards the alcohol ferment until the lacto bugs get a good grip....as I understand it. > > If youre baking with it, the alcohol doesnt matter. If youre making delicious smoothies with your fermented fruits---well, I prefer lactic acid and all the good bugs. > > Oh, and my kefir is just starting to stay stiffer only because I have decided on which milk I will stay with for now. Goat! > > I just LOVE the little buggies!!!!!!:-))) > > > > Subject: AFC fruit starter > > > There are a number of different recipes (probably as many as there are people who make it) for Amish Friendship Cake starter; some using fruit and some not. And for those that use fruit there are a number of different methods/procedures. > > The recipe my mother used (which would naturally make it THE definitive method!!!) used brandy to " kick start " the fruit fermentation process. I would think that using kefir and/or grains would serve the same purpose. And I would think that someone has thought of doing this before me, although I can't find anything about it online. > > I intend to begin my own fruit starter , but before i do, rather than try to reinvent a wheel that has already been invented I thought I'd ask the group if anyone has done this or knows of this having been done. > > If no one has done this yet, then I have to decide a couple things. First, I will be starting with milk fed grains and/or milk kefir. Why? Because that's what I have. Sooooo...would you use grains alone? Kefir alone? or both? > > If using grains would you leave then in permanently? Remove them after the first x number of hours/days? > > Would you still use a barndy to start the process? > > Rick > > --------------------------------- > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Quite honestly I dont know of any pros and cons. I just used the juice because I wanted to make more lacto fruits and wasnt getting good thick kefir to make whey with. Quite possibly temperature also had something to do with it. The temps here have been all over the place so the temperature is not always even in the house. Furnace on furnace off. I chose goat mainly because it isnt homogenized. Would still love to find a raw milk source tho. I dont even know if I can recommend using one of the organic milk brands in your area. We have two primary organic milk brands in our area and both are pasteurized with Ultra High Temps. Really good milk made so sterile that no self respecting bacteria wants to eat it. I suppose, depending on your budget, I would suggest to go as cheap as possible and go for full fat milk. I just feel that calories or not, milk fat/butterfat has such great fat soluble vitamins. Just not sure what's left of them after they have been pasteurized and homogenized. But at least you can make good thick kefir with it. You will be getting some good pro and prebiotics at least. And some great whey. Subject: Re: AFC fruit starter I've just started looking into lactofermenting fruits and veggies. I was going to get a good organic yogurt and get my whey from that...starting this weekend. Do you know any pros or cons doing it that way versus milk kefir? I'm not real sure I have a good milk source...any recommendation there? Goat is not really an option for us. Thanks, julie > > Recent Activity a.. 8New Members Visit Your Group Meditation and Lovingkindness A Group to share and learn. Health Early Detection Know the symptoms of breast cancer. Share Photos Put your favorite photos and more online. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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