KEFIR grains-Mind if we give them their own thread?

[gram of 5]

This thread is so interesting. I am on the lookout for kefir, but haven't had any success yet. I searched Craigs list, our local "free cycle". I found it on Amazon, Has anyone bought it on Amazon? Are they a good source for it? Any other suggestions? I am so excited about getting started. I do have a source for raw milk. Just my husband and myself so it sounds like a good way to use up our left over milk. Keep up the posts with all the great recipes!

 

[citylife]

I tried the carrots today and they are good.
I also used whey as conditioner for my own hair today and it is nice and soft and I have noticed my scalp does not itch. Yeah!
That is a bonus! You can lacto-ferment all kinds of veggies and add some whey to some fresh salsa and it will make it keep longer.
I as many, are enjoying experimenting with kefir.

 

[gram of 5]

What do the carrots taste like? Do they taste salty? vinegar? How long can they safely stay in the whey?


Last year (fall) I preserved some eggplant in olive oil(after I had let the slices sit in salt for 24hrs) and we love them. I also did cherry tomatoes in vinegar brine, I like them, but my husband feels they are a bit strong. :/ I can use them in pasta premavera and scrambled eggs and they are good. I wonder if you can preserve hard boiled eggs in the whey? Oh yes, we have 16 hens and I am always looking for ways to preserve eggs.

I am also anxious to try the conditioner, winter does weird things to skin and scalp.

 

[citylife]

What do the carrots taste like? Do they taste salty? vinegar? How long can they safely stay in the whey?


Last year (fall) I preserved some eggplant in olive oil(after I had let the slices sit in salt for 24hrs) and we love them. I also did cherry tomatoes in vinegar brine, I like them, but my husband feels they are a bit strong. :/ I can use them in pasta premavera and scrambled eggs and they are good. I wonder if you can preserve hard boiled eggs in the whey? Oh yes, we have 16 hens and I am always looking for ways to preserve eggs.

I am also anxious to try the conditioner, winter does weird things to skin and scalp.

Your chickens will love love love kefir! There is no doubt.
I just went and tasted the carrots again. Hummm they taste like a spicey, slightly pickled carrot. I was kind of shocked at how spicey they are but I forgot I put pepper flakes in them. They are interesting, not bad at all. Just not what we are used to. I have no problem eating them. I am sure I will figure out a few things to even make them better.
I took them out of the whey and have them in purified water. I would think they would easily last a few months. I dont plan on that happening though.

Whey seems to be a substitute for salt and vinegar. It is quite interesting indeed.

 

[KnittyGritty]

I have a question about water kefir. I thought I could make up a batch, then do a double ferment to flavor it, and then bottle it and keep in the fridge until we wanted to drink some. Now I've been reading that it needs to be burped every day or two, or it will build up too much pressure with carbonation. So it's not possible to bottle it in soda bottles with a bottle capper and store in the fridge until ready to drink? I'd love some input. Thanks!

 

[taoist]

I've just started working with kefir and lactofermented soda, so I'm not an expert about it all....but, I would think that you could do your second ferment for a few days and use an airlock or burp it every day or two until you have the taste you want and then bottle it and put it in the fridge.

 

[KnittyGritty]

So, once it's refrigerated, it won't keep getting more and more carbonated? Thanks for answering!

 

[taoist]

Technically, it will still get a little carbonated but the process is slowed way down, so not by very much. Once you have tested/tasted the batch and it meets with your taste and carbonation level, then cap it and refrigerate it. I use the swing top bottle instead of the caps, so it is easy for me to check the levels daily.

 

[KnittyGritty]

Much appreciated - thanks!

 

[Dawn419]

Wanted to give this thread a bump as I'm in the process of rehydrating one of my dehydrated grains after losing my live one to the chickens.

I've been mixing the kefir, daily, in with some layer pellets for the girls during the heatwave and mistook a curd for the grain one day while multi-tasking. I truly believe that the kefir was the only thing that kept the girls laying through the entire wave, when they should have shut down production due to the heat.

I'd experimented with dehydrating some my grains after it grew too big and couldn't find any one local who wanted a split. I am on day 7 of the rehydration process and it's still a work in progress due to temperature fluctuations. We've gone from having no choice but running the AC (100F+ dy/80F+ nights) to a day of no electric after the transformer on our electric pole was struck by lightning and daytime highs in the low 80's with nights in the very low 60's.