Henrietta23
Yard Farmer
I took a chance and ordered some kefir grains. They arrived and they seem to be working. Can't quite get used to the taste. I have this nagging voice asking, "are you sure it's kefir and not just really sour milk?" 
What are you fermenting today?
- Thread starter ORChick
- Start date
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
The only thing I added whey to was my black beans. Am I supposed to add whey to sauerkraut etc? I forgot!!freemotion said:Yeah, that bit about not using alfalfa sprouts surprised me, too. I bought a bunch of sprouting seeds, trying to be healthy, before I read that bit. I doubt it applies to hens, though, they eat plenty that we can't!
BBH, you are quite the adventurous fermenter! You are inspiring me to look at veggie sales a bit differently....please be sure to post your recipes, whether you ferment in plain salt and whey, or whether you add some herbs or spices or other flavorings, like garlic and onion, scallions, etc.
I think I might go pick a peck of pickled peppers!!!
Anyway, I just fermented the cauliflower and carrot mix in salt water. (This is what I plan on doing to my sliced beets.)
The pickles I added crushed garlic cloves and dried dill to the salted water "brine". Same thing I am going to do with the green beans and asparagus. (Both are really hot at the farmer's market now.)
The saurkraut I added crushed garlic cloves, caraway seeds and slivered carrots to the salt water brine...can't get enough juice from my cabbages and some of the salt water brine even evaporated this time. I did crush the cabbage slices too, but not enough juice.
I just thought of another idea, I love those pickled jalapenos for nachos etc. WHY NOT?
I will be happy to let you know how everything turns out!!
freemotion
Food Guru
You can ferment with just salt, because veggies will produce lactic acid, especially if you pound them, as in making sauerkraut. Adding salt preserves them until they can build up enough lactic acid to avoid spoiling. If you add some whey, you jumpstart it with lots of lactic acid producting bacteria and can use less salt....as in my dilemma with my salty ginger ale.....my current batch has only the tiniest bit of salt in it, the whey makes it safe. It is a little added insurance for success.
big brown horse
Hoof In Mouth
Thank you!!!freemotion said:
freemotion
Food Guru
Sounds like you are about as patient as I am....I woulda had some for you fairly soonish! Yep, the taste is....er....ok, yuk. I have to disguise it pretty good. DH likes it. I make the cheese, he eats it, I use the kefir whey for all my ferments. I figure it has to be more powerful than my regular cheese-making whey, since it has so many, many types of good bacteria in it.Henrietta23 said:I took a chance and ordered some kefir grains. They arrived and they seem to be working. Can't quite get used to the taste. I have this nagging voice asking, "are you sure it's kefir and not just really sour milk?"
Henrietta23
Yard Farmer
I think I was mostly impatient for the whey. I did make some cheese which is more tasty than the kefir liquid. If I add enough stuff to it!freemotion said:Sounds like you are about as patient as I am....I woulda had some for you fairly soonish! Yep, the taste is....er....ok, yuk. I have to disguise it pretty good. DH likes it. I make the cheese, he eats it, I use the kefir whey for all my ferments. I figure it has to be more powerful than my regular cheese-making whey, since it has so many, many types of good bacteria in it.Henrietta23 said:I took a chance and ordered some kefir grains. They arrived and they seem to be working. Can't quite get used to the taste. I have this nagging voice asking, "are you sure it's kefir and not just really sour milk?"
If I kill this stuff then I still be wanting to be on your waiting list! - Thread starter
- #327
BBH, Kefir is probably one of the least complicated of the fermented milk products, certainly less so than yogurt, which is IMO quite easy. But yogurt does require that you keep the temperature more or less steady, and kefir doesn't need even that. It does what it does at room temperature, but you do need to take care of it daily (or put it "on hold" in the fridge, as I am doing now). If you decide to give it a try just let me know. I should have enough to share in the next month or so.big brown horse said:
I am looking forward to hearing how your fermented beets turn out. I am very fond of pickled beets, but I think it is the vinegar that I like, so I'm not sure if I would like them fermented. I'm planning on doing two batches - one lacto fermented, and one with vinegar - but won't be able to until the middle of the month. Maybe by then you will have a report for us
FarmerDenise
Out to pasture
I used to love sour milk as a kid, but it was from milk that was not homogenized or pasteurized. So I think I might really like this home made kefir. If anyone has some extra at some point, I'd love to get some please.
freemotion
Food Guru
Update: It is not the brown mustard seeds that are hot....my yellow mustard finished fermenting yesterday and is whoa-baby! hot!
My two bottles of ginger-ale were three days into the fermentin process yesterday, the recipe says room temp for 3-7 days. I was releasing the pressure every day. One gave me a mild pop and a little fizz yesterday morning, the other did nothing yet. So I decided to have a small glass last night of the fizzy one.
Well.....I popped the swing-top and
it fountained almost to the ceiling! I had ginger bits all over my cupboard doors...three cupboards up, and two cupboards down, all over two levels of countertop, in my popcorn, on me, and on every project that is laid out on my counter. The bottle emptied quite a bit before I could get the top slammed back on.
The little that was left in the bottle was delicious.
My two bottles of ginger-ale were three days into the fermentin process yesterday, the recipe says room temp for 3-7 days. I was releasing the pressure every day. One gave me a mild pop and a little fizz yesterday morning, the other did nothing yet. So I decided to have a small glass last night of the fizzy one.
Well.....I popped the swing-top and
it fountained almost to the ceiling! I had ginger bits all over my cupboard doors...three cupboards up, and two cupboards down, all over two levels of countertop, in my popcorn, on me, and on every project that is laid out on my counter. The bottle emptied quite a bit before I could get the top slammed back on.The little that was left in the bottle was delicious.
Henrietta23
Yard Farmer
Oh my!
Guess what I just found at the our food co-op???? RAW milk! They are currently carrying both cows' and goats' milk but the goats' milk was all gone. They've also added kimchi so if mine fails again I can at least get Mrs. Whats0her-name's in the jar! Looks like fermented food is catching on with the staff there. Good news!
Guess what I just found at the our food co-op???? RAW milk! They are currently carrying both cows' and goats' milk but the goats' milk was all gone. They've also added kimchi so if mine fails again I can at least get Mrs. Whats0her-name's in the jar! Looks like fermented food is catching on with the staff there. Good news!
