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Homemade Kefir
Kefir is the true
"elixir of youth", used by centenarians in Bulgaria, Russia and the Caucasus as
an essential part of their diet.
To make you own kefir, you will need kefir
grains.
Place the grains in milk and allow to stand 12
- 18 hours at room temperature. When milk coagulates, it is ready for eating.
Strain and save the grains for the next batch you make.
Kifir may be purchased from the following:
If you are in the USA: contact R.A.J.
Biological Laboratory, Long Island, New York.
If you know of any other suppliers please send it to us so that we may help others.
Kefir links: http://www.kefir.com
for very interesting kefir information.
TRADITIONAL KEFIR MAKING
Traditionally, in the Northern Caucasus
Mountains, kefir was prepared with raw, full-cream goat or cow's milk. Fresh milk with the
addition of kefir grains was placed in goatskin leather bags. The contents were left to
ferment for 24 hours at room temperature, after which a portion was tied off in one corner
of the leather bag [where most of the grains were retained], and the kefir was separated
from most of the grains. The kefir, with possibly a few grains, was poured into a
container. This would produce a foaming beverage, creamy in texture and consistency, with
an alcohol content between approx. .5% - 2% by volume. During cold weather, the leather
bag was placed in the sun during the day, or hung near a fireplace at night. It was also a
custom to hang the bag near a door way, whereby visitors would give the bag a gentle
rocking action as they passed by. The latter was possibly performed as a religious ritual.
Occasionally, kefir would be
put through a secondary fermentation but without any kefir grains. Freshly strained kefir
was poured into a wooden barrel, or clay crock, sometimes with the addition of fresh milk.
The container was plugged airtight and the contents left to fermented for some days. This
produced a high carbonated beverage, with possibly a slightly higher alcohol content and
with exceptional good keeping quality.
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