Kefir

I purchased some kefir grains on eBay a few months ago.  I have been successfully making my own kefir and using it in blended fruit smoothies.  Here's my recipe:

2 cups of kefir
2 long squirts of strawberry syrup
1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen mango chunks

Put it all in a blender and blend. 

You can use other frozen fruits - just 2 cups worth.  Also, the banana helps to make the drink smoother and sweeter.  So, I wouldn't forget to use one.  The strawberry syrup also helps to make the drink sweeter.  You can play around with how much you want - or even leave it out if you like tart and sour.  I find that the frozen fruits I use aren't that sweet. 

So, in making the smoothies, my blender stopped working.  Fortunately, we had a Margaritaville machine.  We now use that - and it is so much better for blending smoothies.  When I used the other blender, I had to hold it down - it shook and tried to twist open every time I used it to blend something with icy chunks.  But the Margaritaville blender is awesome.  It is solid and stable.  I don't have to hold the pitcher down. 

Back to kefir ...

Kefir reminds me of yogurt.  It makes a great smoothie base.  I don't care to drink it plain.  I haven't found a way to add a sweetener to it to make it drinkable for me.  Also, I have used it in place of sour cream.  So, how do you make kefir?  Simple.  You acquire kefir grains and let them digest milk.  This is a broad overview.  Here is what I do:

Put 1 cup of kefir grains into a 1 quart glass pitcher
Fill the pitcher up with milk an inch or two from the top
Cover the opening with cheese cloth and secure with a rubber band
Let it sit in the fridge for a few days to digest
Put a plastic strainer - I use a small colander - inside a plastic bowl
Pour the kefir/milk mixture into the strainer
Use a plastic spoon to scoop out the kefir grains and put them into a clean glass pitcher
Fill pitcher with milk, cover and refridgerate as before
Pour kefir liquid from plastic bowl into a plastic container for storage in the fridge

This is different from what I did when I started.  I started with about 2 tablespoons of kefir grains.  I would let them sit in milk in a glass pitcher in the kitchen cupboard for a day or two.  I'd shake it around to mix it several times a day.  What happened was that over time, the kefir grains started multiplying.  I now have 3 or 4 cups of kefir grains.  They seem to multiply more when they're at room temperature.  I found that I can successfully keep them in the fridge.  They do their job in there and don't seem to multiply.  I've kept 2 pitchers of kefir in the fridge in this way for over a month now.  I alternate using them.  And, sometimes I can let them go for several days without using the kefir liquid.  I only use 2 cups of the liquid to make smoothies.  And, sometimes you just have to take a break.

I don't really know what the kefir grains are.  Maybe live active cultures - maybe bacteria?  Whatever they are, they digest the milk they sit in and turn it into a yogurt like liquid.  A bit thicker than milk with that sour yogurty scent.  Sometimes, if you let it sit room temperature for too long, the liquid the grains are sitting in separate.  You get a clear liquid - which I believe is whey and thick curds. 

I only use plastic and glass with the kefir.  The pitcher is glass, and the bowl, strainer, and spoon is plastic.  Some people say you can also use stainless steel.  My strainer is a colander.  I bought it from Bed Bath Beyond.  It is small and green.  It has small holes.  If the holes are too big, the grains will fall through into the bowl.  If the holes are too small, the liquid will have a hard time going through.  So, you need to find something appropriate.  Also, you're not supposed to put tap water on the grains. 

The cost of making kefir is the cost of the grains, the pitcher to hold it in, the cheese cloth to top the pitcher with, an appropriate strainer, a bowl, and milk.  Over time, it does save money from buying the ready made kefir in the store.  But, ongoing, it at least costs as much as the milk you have to buy to make it with.  I purchased my grains from an eBay seller.  It cost me about 8 dollars with shipping.  She shipped me 2 tablespoons of kefir grains in some milk in a baggy.  The baggy was sealed inside another baggy.  I'm talking about zip lock style sandwich bags.  And the mixture made it to me successfully.  I didn't use the first batch I made.  I dumped the liquid and made it again.  At any time, you can pour milk over the kefir grains to "wash" them. 

Let me know if you have any questions.