Kefir

Kefir smoothie.

We started making kefir several weeks ago after a friend provided the starter culture from her collection. Kefir is a fermented milk product with a sour flavor, somewhat akin to yogurt. Slightly bubbly and thinner than yogurt, kefir makes a refreshing drink. That said, I have yet to drink a glass of it plain. Certainly, I lick my fingers after wiping the lip of the jug from whence the liquid has been poured, and the tartness is pleasant--but not appealing enough (yet) to drink straight.

Indeed, I must confess that it took me some time after obtaining the starter culture to actually try making kefir. While I see that reluctance as silly in hindsight, at the time I was just nervous about trying something new to us.

Kefir grains remain in the strainer after the liquid passes through.

Kefir is quick and simple to make. In this weather a new batch is ready every day. One need only strain the kefir "grains" (which look more like mini cauliflower florets than any grain) from the current batch, then place the grains in a clean glass container and cover with fresh milk. Of course, we use our raw goat milk; although I understand that kefir can be made with coconut milk or even almond milk. In about 24 hours, the new batch becomes thick and gelatinous and is ready to be strained anew.

The strained kefir gets stored in the refrigerator when we have any left over after making the day's smoothies. Kefir is a delicious way to incorporate raw milk into the diet, with the added benefits of being a fermented food.