Re: Do most people like kefir? Will I like it?

May 19, 2005

Hi ,

Well I like yoghurt, but I love kefir, I have always made

mine with cows milk (usually raw) and kefir grains - not starter

culture. I use a higher grain to milk ratio than often suggested,

fermented for 24 hours, my kefir turns out thick - spoonable rather

than drinkable. We use it instead of yoghurt.

Jewel

--- In , " " <harringtonwa@b...>

wrote:

> Hi all,

>

> I have spent the last couple of days trying to absorb the wealth

of information surrounding this " diet " and others that are very

similar. (There is SO much information) I've restarted the

restrictions on grains, sugar and milk. (yes, restarted!!! - did

this diet successfully a few years ago but fell off the wagon after

getting pregnant - a whole nuther story, too long to get into right

now!).

>

> Anyway, my question today is on kefir. If I like the taste of

yoghurt will I like kefir? I'll wait until I have my weight back

under control before I introduce it but don't want to waste my money

on a starter pack if it's yuk. Would y'all recommended goats milk

over cows milk right from the start? I'm ready to give it a go.

Continued yoghurt consumption was hampering my efforts over the last

few months to get back into it. On track now though. Day 5 and

going strong.

>

> On a side note....I am changing the dog's diet today and they

recommend probiotics if the dog has any tummy upset from the

changeover. Had to laugh when I read that. Better make up some

more yoghurt for her. I think the kefir would have been better if

only I had some already.

>

> Thanks in advance

>

May 19, 2005

> Anyway, my question today is on kefir. If I like the taste of

yoghurt will I like kefir?

>

hi wendy, some people who like plain yogurt don't like kefir.

are you thinking of ordering the powder or the grains? the powder is

a non-renewable one-use. the grains you use over and over, they are

alive and they grow.

what i have found, is, that kefir tastes better if you:

1. ferment it at a lower temp than room temp, in, say, the fridge.

you can remove it from the fridge for an hour to two here and there

to make it go a little faster

2. use the freshest milk possible, and

3. use the max grains to the min. of milk to make it go faster...

if you do these three things your kefir will taste optimal.

it's also easier to strain. for some reason, when i culture kefir at

room temp, the warmer it is, the faster it ferments, of course, but

then the curds are larger sized and thus harder to strain. but this

is probably good for making kefir cheese, and easier to make kefir

whey, which is more active, by the way, than cheese whey if you're

going to make beet kvass or something.

one more thing, i always have an empty jar on hand and i pour the

brewing kefir into the empty jar from time to time to mix it to get a

more even kefir. this also makes it easier to strain.

but you have to experiment.

laura

May 19, 2005

--- laurainnewjersey <laurabusse@...> wrote:

> 3. use the max grains to the min. of milk to make it go faster...

> if you do these three things your kefir will taste optimal.

I have heard this before, but for some reason, doing this turns the kefir bitter

for me.

Not just extra sour, but really bitter.

Maybe I am doing something wrong, but this started happening since the quantity

of my

grains increased over time and the weather has gotten a lot warmer.

Has anyone encountered this before - any ideas?

-Pratick

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May 19, 2005

> On a side note....I am changing the dog's diet today and they

recommend probiotics if the dog has any tummy upset from the

changeover. Had to laugh when I read that. Better make up some more

yoghurt for her. I think the kefir would have been better if only I

had some already.

>

> Thanks in advance

>

My dog never had trouble when I switched her to a raw diet over 2 years

ago (FWIW she's a GSD and they tend to have gastrointestinal trouble).

I've never given her dairy either - I figure wolves in the wild don't

eat dairy so neither should dogs. Her diet consists of raw meaty bones,

various organs, some fish (fresh or canned), eggs and occasional

leftovers. She's done beautifully: no fleas, no bad smell, clean ears

and teeth, wonderful coat, less shedding, energy to burn and more, etc.

HTH,

Magda and Kayla (GSD on raw diet since 3/03)

May 19, 2005

I don't like kefir at all. I don't really hate yoghurt in, say, a sauce or

recipe but plain yoghurt or sweetened yoghurt taste bad to me, also.

It's personal preference but I'd try some before investing in it. On the

other hand, it's good for your dog so even if you don't like it you can make

it for him.

Christie

Caber Feidh ish Deerhounds

Holistically Raising Our Dogs Since 1986

http://www.caberfeidh.com

http://doggedblog.com

May 19, 2005

> Magda and Kayla (GSD on raw diet since 3/03)

My dog is named Kaila, pron KIGH-lah! How is yours pronounced?

Lynn S.

------

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

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

May 19, 2005

> Anyway, my question today is on kefir. If I like the taste of yoghurt

> will I like kefir?

I have found kefir to be an acquired taste, but once you acquire it you

really like it. I have Heidi's Patented Kefiili and it's very

gloopy, but if you blend it for a sec it gets to be like buttermilk.

Better even than kefir is kefir CREAM. That stuff makes sour cream weep

like a little girl and slink into a corner of the fridge. It is so good

you can eat it with a spoon straight, but even better is to put

seasonings in it and use it as salad dressing. I have given kefir to

friends and have them make " eh " faces, but whenever I've given them a

spoon of kefir cream the only sound I hear is an orgasmic groan and

then usually a request for more.

Lynn S.

------

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

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

May 19, 2005

My kefir started getting bitter too and i stopped drinking it. Maybe the

problem was too many grains? They were growing. My grains have been dormant

in the fridge a long time. I rinsed them and put them in some boiled milk as

someone suggested to revive them. I haven't tried the kefir yet...will let

you know.

Elaine

> I have heard this before, but for some reason, doing this turns the kefir

> bitter for me.

> Not just extra sour, but really bitter.

>

> Maybe I am doing something wrong, but this started happening since the

> quantity of my

> grains increased over time and the weather has gotten a lot warmer.

>

> Has anyone encountered this before - any ideas?

>

> -Pratick

May 19, 2005

> Better even than kefir is kefir CREAM. That stuff makes sour cream weep

> like a little girl and slink into a corner of the fridge. It is so good

> you can eat it with a spoon straight, but even better is to put

> seasonings in it and use it as salad dressing. I have given kefir to

> friends and have them make " eh " faces, but whenever I've given them a

> spoon of kefir cream the only sound I hear is an orgasmic groan and

> then usually a request for more.

>

> Lynn S.

>

I agree whole heartedly Lynn! Kefir Cream is heaven on earth.

_Terry

May 19, 2005

Pratick

> > Maybe I am doing something wrong, but this started happening

since the

> > quantity of my

> > grains increased over time and the weather has gotten a lot

warmer.

> >

> > Has anyone encountered this before - any ideas?

It sounds like you have enough kefir grains to start another jar!!!

That is part of your problem with the bitterness, too many grains in

one sealer. You need to decrease your grains to what you started out

with. For a 2 quart sealer, I use about 2 tablespoons. Then you also

need to slow the fermenting process. With the warm weather, the

process is moving too fast and giving you the bitterness.

If you have a garage, put it on the floor in the coldest spot. If you

don't have a garage, put the sealers in the coldest spot of your

house. If it is still fermenting too fast, then you will have to

resort to the fridge until the weather cools.

Gayle

May 19, 2005

I was getting bitter kefir with my old grains. Recently I rinsed them well

in filtered water then made kefir with scalded raw milk. I got back the

effervescence i had lost, but still had a little bitterness. But I think i

just had too many grains for the milk -- about a tablespoon in a quart of

milk.

Elaine

> It sounds like you have enough kefir grains to start another jar!!!

> That is part of your problem with the bitterness, too many grains in

> one sealer. You need to decrease your grains to what you started out

> with. For a 2 quart sealer, I use about 2 tablespoons. Then you also

> need to slow the fermenting process. With the warm weather, the

> process is moving too fast and giving you the bitterness.

May 20, 2005

> It sounds like you have enough kefir grains to start another jar!!!

> That is part of your problem with the bitterness, too many grains in

> one sealer. You need to decrease your grains to what you started out

> with. For a 2 quart sealer, I use about 2 tablespoons. Then you also

> need to slow the fermenting process. With the warm weather, the

> process is moving too fast and giving you the bitterness.

>

> Gayle

omigosh, Gayle, TWO TB per TWO QTS??? if i did that my kefir would

take weeks to brew.

i use a one quart jar to make kefir, and almost half, maybe a third

of a cup at the LEAST, is grains.

so for every quart jar of kefir i make, about 2/3 quart kefir is

actually made, the rest being the grains.

it takes less than a day at room temp, and a few days in the fridge.

is it possible your grains are way more potent than mine?

to the originator of this thread: i'm very sorry, i don't have your

name here in front of me.

why don't you post this on rawdairy as well. good luck!

laura

May 20, 2005

> I was getting bitter kefir with my old grains. Recently I rinsed

them well

> in filtered water then made kefir with scalded raw milk. I got back

the

> effervescence i had lost, but still had a little bitterness. But I

think i

> just had too many grains for the milk -- about a tablespoon in a

quart of

> milk.

> Elaine

process is moving too fast and giving you the bitterness.

elaine, as i just posted in another post, i use lots of grains, about

1/3 cup per quart. if i did what you said it would take way too

long for my kefir to brew and thus is would taste lousy; i find the

best kefir is made with LOTS of grains but in the fridge at a cooler

temp.

mine is never bitter. is it possible there might be lots of

variation with the grains themselves?

laura

May 20, 2005

--- laurainnewjersey <laurabusse@...> wrote:

> mine is never bitter. is it possible there might be lots of

> variation with the grains themselves?

>

> laura

Heck, ya !

There is a lot of variation among different strains of grains.

I have two types that make an entirely different type of kefir.

So far I have succeeded in keeping them apart, but sooner or later, they are

going to get

mixed up somehow and produce a third variety.

Different grains culture milk at different rates and produce different levels of

" fizz " ,

taste, consistency, etc. - that is the fun part

-Pratick

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May 22, 2005

Hi all,

thanks everyone for your comments on Kefir. My inbox has had a meltdown so I

don't know who said what right at the moment. But.....You have convinced me

that I will like it and I am itching to try some. I am going to try and get some

grains within the next week or so. Glad you mentioned that the commercial

culture stuff isn't the same. I'm still not sure about the stuff I found on the

internet. It described granules and a cone (which I thought might be the

grains) but then went on to describe this starter culture that you had to

replace. Best to stay away from that I think.

Gotta say - this list appears a lot friendlier than some I been on. I

almost thought that I have joined a little too quickly. Glad I stuck around for

a bit.

May 23, 2005

, I must have missed some posts on the kefir. If you join the Raw Dairy

group (as with this one), there are tons of people with grains to share. They

normally only charge for the mailing of them.