by Andrew Fuller, 14
What’s Kefir?
Kefir would be a lot easier to explain if I knew where it came from or what it is from. The trouble is — no one knows. There are a lot of guesses. They do know it is a type of culture. Culture is a microorganism that grows in a medium. Microrganism means it lives and its small. Kefir has bacteria and yeast in it. The actual culture is called kefir grains. But don’t let the word grain fool you. They look nothing like the grains I have seen growing in Kansas fields. The grains feel slimy and look like little cauliflour heads.
Kefir grains are shared among friends and family. The tradition is not to sell grains, but to give them out of the goodness of your heart. Kefir culture can be found freeze-dried, but it is not authentic kefir. We recieved our culture from another large family in Minnesota.
Kefir grains are used to culture milk. The result is a milk drink that is very healthy for you. It is antibiotic and antiviral. It is rich in vitamins A, B and C. Kefir tastes like plain yogurt. You can eat it plain or put your favorite flavoring in it. You can add vanilla or fruit and make it into a smoothie. Maple syrup and vanilla are two good additions.
Kefir is simple to make. Take kefir grains put them in a jar and pour milk over them. You don’t need to heat the milk. Place the jar in a dry warm place away from the sun. Let it sit for at least 12 hours. Kefir will look like yogurt when it is ready. Pour the kefir through a strainer to save the kefir grains. You take the grains and repeat the process. If you get tired of making kefir, all you need to do it take the grains and put them in the refrigerator. They can last for a few months. To me, kefir looks weird and smells nasty — but it tastes great!
Visit these great websites for more information about kefir: