Kefir

[Osciiboscii]

Does anyone here make kefir, milk or water? Been making milk kefir a few years now cos himself had very bad eczema. It took a few months, but the eczema disappeared eventually so he stopped drinking it.....there ya go like....Anyway, I kept making it and use it for bread-making, using local milk. I kinda stopped making water kefir cos I wondered about sugar intake. Still keeping the grains alive, though.

[dawg]

How do you make kefir ?

I used to make yogurt. Gave it up when 'cause it took over the menu

[isha]

Made kefir for a while. My mother is mad about it, swears by it, and she posted me a starter. First parcel burst and spilt smelly kefir through the packet and into the post van , second one she insisted on sending made it through alive. I tried my very VERY best to like it but into the compost it went eventually along with the kombucha mushroom before it. And my jars of disastrous red cabbage sauerkraut. I even grew the red cabbage and massaged it with all my love . Lets not mention the kimchi trials. As for the days when my husband brewed homemade beer, dont ask me how many jugs of it I upended accidentally onto carpets. Once in my youth while pretty high I broke the nozzle of a large keg of homebrew and nearly flooded out a party. I made primrose wine once -- once! - it tasted like pure piss. After all those poor primroses sacrificed.
The universe has been trying to tell me for a long time that me and ferments dont do well.

[Osciiboscii]

Made kefir for a while. My mother is mad about it, swears by it, and she posted me a starter. First parcel burst and spilt smelly kefir through the packet and into the post van , second one she insisted on sending made it through alive. I tried my very VERY best to like it but into the compost it went eventually along with the kombucha mushroom before it. And my jars of disastrous red cabbage sauerkraut. I even grew the red cabbage and massaged it with all my love . Lets not mention the kimchi trials. As for the days when my husband brewed homemade beer, dont ask me how many jugs of it I upended accidentally onto carpets. Once in my youth while pretty high I broke the nozzle of a large keg of homebrew and nearly flooded out a party. I made primrose wine once -- once! - it tasted like pure piss. After all those poor primroses sacrificed.
The universe has been trying to tell me for a long time that me and ferments dont do well.

I feel your pain . I tried making ginger beer (? ale) years ago ... some of the bottles burst in the hot press . Those that didn't succumb were yum, so gingery. TG it wasn't a milk thing I was trying out . I don't drink milk/yoghurt , but eat cheese. Am tempted to try sauerkraut (love it), but afraid I'd get food poisoning...too many scary stories out there!

[isha]

I feel your pain . I tried making ginger beer (? ale) years ago ... some of the bottles burst in the hot press . Those that didn't succumb were yum, so gingery. TG it wasn't a milk thing I was trying out . I don't drink milk/yoghurt , but eat cheese. Am tempted to try sauerkraut (love it), but afraid I'd get food poisoning...too many scary stories out there!

That's a thing with ferments - I have a terror of causing botulism or some such! My daughter makes great sauerkraut but she is practically German at this stage.
Anyways...My mother loves her kefir! And it seems to love her back.

[765489]

This thread reminds me of a Frank Zappa song called "The Dangerous Kitchen".

Scary Halloween tales from the kitchen...

[Osciiboscii]

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[quodec]

Got a small sample of grains last December and kept topping up and drinking nearly every day until recently. It takes some getting used to but eventually tastes something like natural yoghurt. Both myself and Mrs quodec got a lot from it as it really is a 'gut cleaner'. It seemed to slowly fragment a few weeks ago and we had to throw it out, so I don't mind the break but will definitely have another go soon.

[Hodors Appletart]

I make my own beer and spirits (!) and ferment sauerkraut and kimchi

I've a cheesemaking kit too to get to grips with

Never tried Kefir or Kombucha though

[Osciiboscii]

I make my own beer and spirits (!)

Hooch . I like sauerkraut, but would be afraid to attempt it. Kefir is easy. I've plenty grains to share at the moment...anyone? What I also find is, if I'm making sourdough the starter gets "confused" when kefir is also going on in the kitchen . It takes a little while to regain strength again as the cultures would have been floating around/mixing in the atmosphere.

[Cyclepath]

Hooch . I like sauerkraut, but would be afraid to attempt it. Kefir is easy. I've plenty grains to share at the moment...anyone? What I also find is, if I'm making sourdough the starter gets "confused" when kefir is also going on in the kitchen . It takes a little while to regain strength again as the cultures would have been floating around/mixing in the atmosphere.

I've been buying my Kefir in the Polish supermarket but can't help wondering if the commercial brands are any good? Is it easy to make? Can you buy the starter somewhere that doesn't require posting it?!

[Hodors Appletart]

Hooch .

I resent that! I've won medals for my beer, I even teach an adult ed course in home/craft brewing!

I like sauerkraut, but would be afraid to attempt it.

It really is the easiest of all the home veg ferments, shred a cabbage, salt it and leave it for a few hours (non-iodine salt) then gently squeeze it add some caraway seeds (if you have them) and pack into a kilner jar (top up with water if required), leave at room temp for a couple of weeks and then into the fridge when it's sour enough for your tastes.

I love it, and get random cravings for it, I sometimes just eat it from the jar.

Kimchi is almost identical except you can use some other veg in there, chilli paste and shrimp. I do cauli florets cut up small, matchstick carrots, bak choi, radish as well as the cabbage (you can get the chinese cabbage in tesco or just use a normal cabbage), you can use sriracha if you can't be arsed to get proper kimchi paste too.

[Osciiboscii]

I've been buying my Kefir in the Polish supermarket but can't help wondering if the commercial brands are any good? Is it easy to make? Can you buy the starter somewhere that doesn't require posting it?!

Not sure about buying / not requiring posting. I believe people pass it on to friends, as it multiplies. You can eat the grains too, they feel like little tasteless jellies. It's simple to make; put grains in full fat milk, leave on worktop for a day or so depending on how warm it it. Strain off, put grains into more milk for next batch. Or, the grains can be left in a little jar of milk and rested in the fridge until you're ready to make more. Works out wayyy cheaper than buying. I first bought it in Supervalu, €10 a bottle (1L).

[Osciiboscii]

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Here ye are Dawg & Cyclepath..... 2 fresh bottles; after straining, the grains go back into the fridge in a jar with fresh milk until I'm ready to make the next batch.

[CuisleBeat]

Strained (like yoghurt) Kefir makes a fabulous base for cheesecake. It's deliciously sour and full of flavour. If you use gelatin (or a jelly) in the non-baked recipe you won't lose the goodness of the kefir

[Osciiboscii]

Strained (like yoghurt) Kefir makes a fabulous base for cheesecake. It's deliciously sour and full of flavour. If you use gelatin (or a jelly) in the non-baked recipe you won't lose the goodness of the kefir

Great idea there.