Re: Re: Straining kefir (for Tom) + OT

[Guest guest]

@@@ :

I MUST jump in here because I need to clarify something. The way kefir

grains reproduce is by forming tiny babies off the mother cluster.

According to Dominic, the current guru of the kefir world, it is

important to shake them and separate these grains. Otherwise you end

up with giant clusters and according to him it is much healthier for

the grains to separate. My guess would be that this gives more surface

area to each grain to make better kefir and also to breathe better. I

exercise mine by shaking them through the strainer and the babies

separate off of the mothers.

@@@@@@@

Wow, , thanks for explaining that; I'd never heard that it's

better for the grains to break off into smaller units! I haven't

read Dom's site (or the KM group) in so long maybe I forgot or just

missed that somehow... That's fascinating.

@@@@

Also, I would not recommend this

chopstick/spoon method. I believe I would go absolutely mad before I

could get all of mine out. I have around 4 cups of grains total, and

they all swim freely in the milk. I would be fishing out grains for

hours if I used a spoon or chopsticks! The quickest and easiest way

for me has been dumping the whole thing into a stainless steel strainer

and storing the finished kefir in glass in the fridge.

That's my humble recommendation,

@@@@@@

I generally have one cluster that's about a tablespoon large, and I

use it to make half-gallon batches of kefir, or sometimes smaller,

like only a quart, in the winter when I make less kefir. So it only

takes about 3 seconds to lift the cluster out. When my grains

multiply to the point that they're maybe three tablespoons total

(typically between 1 and 5 clusters), I find that the kefir separates

too fast, so I generally pick one good-sized cluster and take the rest

out of the loop by storing them in milk in a small container of milk

in the fridge, giving them away, or eating them.

I'm fascinated by this issue of little guys vs big clusters, but I

guess my kefir system has always worked so well and make such

delicious kefir that I might as well just keep doing the same thing.

I think I'd go crazy if I had to deal with a whole herd of tiny kefir

grains!

Wow, we make kefir in totally opposite ways!!

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

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

[Guest guest]

Ummmm. Tonio, are you talking about YOU here? A lack of imagination?

The man who participates in alien discussions and lactating milk maiden

discussions? I think NOT! You have plenty of imagination...cracks me

up every time... :-)

On Aug 18, 2004, at 1:02 PM, RawDairy wrote:

>

> Message: 19

> Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 11:08:54 -0400

>

> Subject: Re: Re: Straining kefir (for Tom) + OT

>

> ,

>

> I think Mike has succeeded in inventing the laws of convenience in his

> own universe. I have a very hard time imagining his method being

> anything but madding myself, especially since I did it myself,

> remember? but perhaps I just lack imagination. ;-0)

> Tonio

[Guest guest]

Ya and that's fine if it works that way for you Mike. If it ain't

broke...

One thing also though, the tiny kefir grains you mention do grow into

big'uns. But like you say, you are interested in only making a certain

amount of kefir, so I can understand why you handle them the way you

do.

:-)

On Aug 18, 2004, at 1:02 PM, RawDairy wrote:

> I'm fascinated by this issue of little guys vs big clusters, but I

> guess my kefir system has always worked so well and make such

> delicious kefir that I might as well just keep doing the same thing.

> I think I'd go crazy if I had to deal with a whole herd of tiny kefir

> grains!

>

> Wow, we make kefir in totally opposite ways!!

>

> Mike

> SE Pennsylvania

[Guest guest]

@@@ :

Ya and that's fine if it works that way for you Mike. If it ain't

broke...

@@@

My intuition is that both methods are about equally good, but that

surface area idea is pretty logical!

@@@

One thing also though, the tiny kefir grains you mention do grow into

big'uns. But like you say, you are interested in only making a certain

amount of kefir, so I can understand why you handle them the way you

do.

:-)

@@@@

My clusters grow into pretty big clusters! As big a golf ball a few

times. My grains grow like crazy and I always have too many--come to

think of it, right now I've got a bunch of extra and noone local that

I might be able to get into kefir, so if anyone out there wants some,

just email offlist...

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

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