That’s very interesting @RicePudding - thank you. What is still puzzling me after looking at a lot of conflicting advice online, is how much mlk I add to the culture each time and do I strain everything off it and start again every day or so?
I don’t know how to make it but we used to buy it regularly from the Polish shop where it was sensibly priced. Wonderful with banana and berries in a smoothy.
1 Like
I’ve just tried some of what our culture produced. Let’s say I think it’s an acquired taste…
2 Likes
Hi,
I make kefir, it’s best if u can get some cru milk, but otherwise scrape granules with a wooden not metal spoon into a fresh glass jar and fill with room temp milk, whole not otherwise. Then cover with some cloth and leave until it forms into a thicker liquid, maybe 2/3 days. Drain it through a plastic sieve, never use metal, and refill kefir granules with milk and keep going.
After about a month, I rinse the granules through with boiled and cooled water and drain and start again.
The kefir you produce can store in fridge, as can the granules if u go away but leave them plenty of milk. I tried with water, but was disgusting.
It should be good for the gut micobiome.
I have a friend who started me on it as she had leukaemia and she’s still here, so very good for the health, even better than yoghurt
2 Likes
Thank you for the detailed information - it’s very helpful!
One more question, if I may? Everyone talks about granules, or even seeds. I can’t see anything I could describe like that - just lumpy-looking milk/curds. What do these granules actually look like?
You may need rinse them in boiled / spring water in a plastic sieve to get the granules to appear, sounds like been left to congeal in the old milk
Marisa
1 Like
Something like this, at least the milk-based ones do.
To call them granules is technically a misnomer. They are irregular clumps of microorganisms. Even when cleaned and dried. In as much as dried earthworm poop is granular.
1 Like
Thank you very much @Rehana and @RicePudding . That does make things a lot clearer - I’ve got more idea what I’m dealing with!
As an aside - that link seems to indicate I’m sitting on a serious income source 
2 Likes
It is a very healthy drink, I made it for years until I discovered Dr Davis’ yogurt blog (youtube) and now I make that instead. But it is harder. Kefir is extremely easy to make and maintain. I enjoy the sour taste of fermented milk, and if you don’t, then you won’t like kefir. I can’t believe someone would share the kefir grains without giving you instructions on how to use them!
1 Like
Ah - the reason for that is that she’s very poorly at the moment so I got a rather mangled description from her husband who has never really been involved in the process ( and hates the stuff!)
Sorry @hanssolo - I only just noticed you’ve not posted before! Welcome to Survive France 
Just close your eyes and get it down ya! It’s good for you!
1 Like
I’m wondering about getting some commercial stuff just to see if it tastes the same! It’s one of the few flavours my partner and I totally agree on… 
We also drink lait fermenté. It has a similar sour taste. As it’s often to be found next to the halal meat, I assume it’s a Maghreb thing. Both it and kefir are great with a hot curry.
1 Like
This really is a miracle food and really worth persevering with. I drink it every day when I can - I buy it rather expensively and really should return to making it, not least that it is not only expensive but not always easy to find in France (if you exclude the absurdly expensive branded mini-bottles that are widely available). I get it from Grand Frais or even better from Auchan, neither of which is convenient and requires a special trip.
You can cook with it, but that will destroy some of the benefits. You can make smoothies etc but once you persevere what at first seems like a strange taste can become quite addictive, and it is very very beneficial. Many diseases can be traced to a poor gut biome and kefir is one of the best ways to keep that healthy, short of some disgusting practices involving faeces which we don’t want to go into here!
In summertime it also makes a fabulous chilled soup with cucumber and dill and chopped boiled egg - google Okroshka for recipes (spelling might be off but I used to love it when I visited Kyiv in the summertime and made it myself on many occasions, expecially when cucumbers all come at once).
The fermented food fashion is here to stay, I think - it is backed up by more and more medical research and the fact it can taste good as well is a bonus.
3 Likes
Don’t ever ask for it in South Africa, you might be misunderstood. Could end very badly…
2 Likes
Is Dettol OK there? Asking for a friend, obvs.
2 Likes
Not so far
Persevering for a bit though! Thanks for the comments @Russellgww
My wife finds the commercial stuff bland, but then swings and roundabouts, goose/gander, etc, you get my drift
1 Like
Is the commercial stuff pasteurised? If so not sure whether it has any health benefits?
1 Like