Re: my first real kefir and questions (of course)

[Guest guest]

, what I found that works really great is to go to a

material store -- like Joann's or something like that and

pick up a piece of netting material. It is something

similar to what someone who use to make a veil for a wedding

gown, but the holes are a little bigger. I would say maybe

1/8 " diameter holes or maybe something right in between 1/8 "

and 1/16 " (3/32 " ?). I just cut a piece large enough to

cover the top of my jar from that (I bought a yard of the

netting) and lay it on top of the jar, put on a rubber band

and then pour the kefir into a new jar.

I looked and looked for a plastic strainer that might work

and couldn't find one, so finally thought of doing that and

it works really well.

Starlene

To: <RawDairy >

Subject: my first real kefir and questions (of

course)

Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:55:15 -0400

----- Original Message Follows -----

> Well I finally got my grains. I had a friend that said

> she would bring some weeks ago and we just got together.

> I put them in milk right away yesterday AM and am drinking

> it this morning.

>

> I was SO sure I wouldn't need to ask any questions after

> reading all the other posts but first thing this AM I was

> stumped. I read somewhere you shouldn't pour it through a

> metal strainer. I have a metal one and plastic coated one

> but that one is bigger SO I tried using butter cloth. Big

> mess, big mistake :-( I am hoping I didn't get a thread

> in my grains now. I ended up using the bigger plastic

> coated one but will go out today if I can for something

> else. What do you all use to strain it? AND is it really

> , really alright do just pop them into another jar on the

> counter over and over and never put them in the fridge?

> Do they ever have to rest?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

At 11:55 AM 10/28/04 -0400, you wrote:

>I was SO sure I wouldn't need to ask any questions after reading all the

>other posts but first thing this AM I was stumped. I read somewhere you

>shouldn't pour it through a metal strainer. I have a metal one and

>plastic coated one but that one is bigger SO I tried using butter cloth.

>Big mess, big mistake :-( I am hoping I didn't get a thread in my

>grains now.

Well, if you did, you'll find it eventually, but I wouldn't worry about it

too much.

>I ended up using the bigger plastic coated one but will go

>out today if I can for something else. What do you all use to strain

>it?

Lots of people use lots of different things - you're right about the metal,

don't use it (although supposedly stainless steel is okay, but I was never

absolutely sure whether my many-year-old utensils were stainless or not).

Depending on what size jar I have and how full it is, I use a plastic

slotted spoon to get the big grains out and plop them into a new jar.

Then if the jar's not so full that there would be a lot of spillage

involved, I just stick my hand in and fish around for the little guys, ala

.

If the jar's too full, I'll use a strainer cap that I got from

sproutpeople.com ... which I tend to use at the very end anyway, because

shaking it all through the cap breaks up the curds, and I don't like my

kefir really curdy. Double duty on that cap, I guess.

AND is it really, really alright do just pop them into another jar

>on the counter over and over and never put them in the fridge? Do they

>ever have to rest?

Nah, they don't need to rest, they're greedy little buggies. I only put

mine in the fridge if I have too much kefir than I can use readily - so I

slow it down in the fridge for a few days till I'm ready for more.

Otherwise it's just fine, just do what you're doing.

And tapioca-like sounds about right.

MFJ

I wanna live! I wanna explore the Universe! And I wanna eat pie!

~Urgo

[Guest guest]

Go to Kroger or Publix an get a stainless steel strainer. That is the

only kind of metal that is allowed. It will say " Stainless Steel " on

the tag if it is truly stainless steel. And you don't want too fine of

a mesh. Just a normal size mesh strainer. The plastic ones usually

have holes that are too big and the baby grains fall through.

It is REALLY alright to use them over and over. They never need to

rest. It might be you who needs the rest by putting them in the fridge

for a while so you can take a break from making the kefir every day.

HA!

On Oct 28, 2004, at 10:59 AM, RawDairy wrote:

> Message: 24

> Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:55:15 -0400

>

> Subject: my first real kefir and questions (of course)

>

> Well I finally got my grains. I had a friend that said she would bring

> some weeks ago and we just got together. I put them in milk right away

> yesterday AM and am drinking it this morning.

>

> I was SO sure I wouldn't need to ask any questions after reading all

> the

> other posts but first thing this AM I was stumped. I read somewhere

> you

> shouldn't pour it through a metal strainer. I have a metal one and

> plastic coated one but that one is bigger SO I tried using butter

> cloth.

> Big mess, big mistake :-( I am hoping I didn't get a thread in my

> grains now. I ended up using the bigger plastic coated one but will

> go

> out today if I can for something else. What do you all use to strain

> it? AND is it really, really alright do just pop them into another jar

> on the counter over and over and never put them in the fridge? Do they

> ever have to rest?

>

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi:

I've been out of town for a couple of weeks, so this may have already been

discussed, but I use a plastic strainer that I purchased from Tupperware.

It seems perfect for straining kefir. Sue

To: <RawDairy >

Subject: my first real kefir and questions (of

course)

Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 11:55:15 -0400

> I ended up using the bigger plastic

> coated one but will go out today if I can for something

> else. What do you all use to strain it?