Kefir

Kefir fermenting next to sprouts and
sourdough - my kitchen is full of life!

At the end of last year, I read a book called Cultured Food for Health by Donna Schwenk. She described how kefir, kombucha and cultured vegetables had healed her family's allergies, digestive problems, immune problems etc. by creating a healthy bacterial environment in their bodies.

I'm a firm believer in food as medicine, and I like growing things, so I ordered some kefir grains from her and embarked on a journey of fermentation.

Kefir is similar to yogurt but has far more beneficial bacteria per tablespoon than yogurt does. It also has beneficial yeasts that scavenge bad yeasts. Both the good bacteria and good yeasts colonize your intestines, creating the optimal environment for absorption of nutrients from the food you eat.

The kefir you get at the store is probably runny and sour. The kefir I make at home is rich and creamy with a tang (sometimes more tang than others - making kefir is an art, not a science). I think because kefir is a living food, the long storage and transportation times required to get it to market make it deteriorate a little, leading to the sour taste. (Think of the difference between a supermarket tomato and a homegrown tomato.)

Some people say the good bacteria in store-bought kefir has all died because it's pasteurized. I don't know. I do know that the kefir I make is a living food, and takes care and tending. In return it gives us a lovely yogurt that has replaced the St. Benoit yogurt in Larry's lunch box. And kefir cheese is simple to make into a fabulous healthy appetizer that amazed Tracie when she visited last week.

Tomorrow, I'll take you step by step through how I make our kefir.