I've been away from Hatrack for awhile, I just thought I'd share with y'all some of the things I've been "into" lately. In general, I have been into health and fitness. That has been in the works for some time, years, I suppose.
For the past couple of months, I have been able to get a supply of raw milk (unpasteurized). It hasn't been easy! Not only is it considerably more expensive than what you find in the store, by law it must be purchased from the dairy it comes from. This means a substantial drive. I am part of a local co-op that takes turns making that drive, but even on the weeks I don't go, I still have to pick them up at a specific time. We also use glass bottles that are recycled, which requires extra care. I have loved the days I do go to the dairy. I take my kids and we've seen the cows milked and played with day-old baby goats.
Raw milk is so fun to "play" with! I have been making my own butter, buttermilk and sour cream from the cream that rises to the top. Because of the homogenization and pasteurization process, you can't do this with store-bought milk. I have enjoyed not getting "phlegmy" as I do with pasteurized milk. The beneficial bacteria naturally occuring in raw milk (and destroyed in the pasteurization process) protects it from the ravages of harmful bacteria, makes soured raw milk completely safe, and in some ways more healthful, than in it's freshest state.
Many of the vitamins found in raw milk (that are fully or partially destroyed in the pasteurization process--then some are fortified back in) are fat-soluble. When I take the cream off the top and churn it into butter, I enjoy knowing that many of the vitamins and other nutrients cling to that butterfat. Plus, making butter is just plain fun!
Kefir is my newest "discovery." I have been enjoying it for just the last month. Throughout history, people have fermented a variety of foods in a variety of ways. We often think fermented = alcoholic, but forget that vinegar and soy sauce fall under this term as well. Yogurt is a form of fermented milk. Kefir is as well.
I love kefir! Proper kefir is made from kefir grains. Kefir grains remind me of coral (but sponge-y!). Structures made of a community of tiny organisms living in harmony. All kefir grains in existance are descended from the ones used in the North Caucasus mountains. No known person has been able to spontaneously create kefir grains. No one knows how these first ones came to be. Some believe it was a miracle from God. The people first known to use them say that the prophet Mohammad brought them.
They contain a wide variety of probiotics, both bacterial and yeasts. Apparently just as there are beneficial and harmful bacteria, the same is true of yeast. You can buy a powdered kefir starter that contains all these probiotics, but you can only use them a limited number of times before the balance is lost and some of the microorganisms "out-thrive" the others. But somehow, the grains manage to keep this balance and can keep it indefinitely. They also grow over time, can be split up, and shared with others. Generally, you can't buy these grains, you have to find someone who has some to share. If you care for you grains, they may out-live you.
Anyway, you put these grains into the milk and leave it out at room temperature. In 24 hours, you have a the drink called "kefir." The etymology of the word is descended from a term that means "feel good." And certainly, I feel great every time I drink the stuff. I don't know how to describe it, but it is deeply satisfying. It also keeps me feeling satisfied and full for a long time. My desire to eat sweets and other unhealthy foods is noticably diminished. It has helped me to better keep many of my eating goals.
I don't know how much y'all know about the benefits of probiotics, but they are many. A lot of people attribute many healing properties to kefir. I don't know how true many of them are. I have heard many people connect both yogurt and kefir with longevity. Some study was done in Japan with mice and the unique polysaccharide made by kefir grains that concluded that this substance has powerful cancer-fighting attributes.
I don't know how true these claims are. But I love my kefir. I enjoy my kefir. I will keep drinking it, and trust that I am benefiting from it in a variety of ways.
Just thought I'd share that with y'all. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Glad you're having fun, bev. I love the taste of fresh-churned butter, and it's fun to make too. I remember making it by shaking cream in a pickle jar when I was in kindergarten.
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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hey bev! I've been wondering how you've been and what you've been up to. Now I know . Glad you're doing good and having fun with you're "kefir" .
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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You know, I've heard of lots of people doing that as kids. I never churned butter at all untill a couple weeks ago. I let my blender do the actual churing. Compressing and washing the butter are the parts I do myself.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Yeah, I'm turning onto one of them crazy granola-types.
I frequent a kefir-making board where people are constantly asking for grains, so since my grains grow very well, I've been mailing them out to people all over the States. So far, they've all survived the journey. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Very cool. When I was a kid, we would get raw milk sometimes. And use the cream to make homemade ice cream.
Posts: 364 | Registered: Dec 2005
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I thought that pasteurization stopped harmful diseases, and was a good thing--that's what we learned in elementary school, anyway. What has changed that it's okay to drink now but wasn't then? I'm curious.
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That really sounds cool... *would not mind learning to make butter as my whipped cream is not so bad... mmm. Whipped cream*
Posts: 9942 | Registered: Mar 2003
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I need to get an ice cream maker. I've been wanting to make some home-made ice cream!
Katarin, Dag's link is a pretty good summary on the info. It is true that it is not entirely safe. Proponents of raw milk like to point out that the pasteurization process does not ensure safety from disease either, and that the probiotics found naturally in milk help protect it from the sorts of diseases you are likely to find in pasteurized milk. It is probably true that the diseases mentioned in the article, if found in raw milk, would be likely to bring sickness to humans.
I am aware that I am taking a risk, but it is the sort of calculated risk that a mother takes when she decides she is healthy enough to have a home-birth. I believe the risk is small and that it is worth the benefits, just as I believe the benefits of driving in my car are worth the dangers of getting in a car crash.
Another thing that I take into account is that at the moment, all of the raw milk I take in is kefirized. (Easier on the digestion of my nursing baby.) The organisms in kefir do an even better job of rooting out "weed organisms" than the organisms found in raw milk alone. There is evidence that kefir organisms *would* halt and even kill the diseases mentioned in the article. (The article mentioned hard cheeses having a similar effect, though for slightly different reasons.)
I figure that taking probiotics is a form of preventative medicine. Instead of fighting harmful bacteria with antibiotics, fight them with probiotics.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by dkw: I remember making it by shaking cream in a pickle jar when I was in kindergarten.
Back when I used to teach cooking classes for children (at the "Y" or at camp), I always had the kids do this while their bread was baking. Then -- fresh baked bread and fresh butter.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Don't these things also often contain alcohol?
Sure. Kefir *can* be mildly alcoholic if you let it ferment long enough--like a light beer. As a Mormon, I did quite a bit of research on that before acquiring kefir grains myself. What I drink may have .05% alcohol, which I personally don't think is a problem. I've had multiple people who are very sensitive to alcohol say that they can't detect it at all in their kefir. I have to ask these things being as unfamiliar with alcohol as I am.
Kefir can also be somewhat carbonated--again depends on how long it ferments.
I don't think yogurt contains alcohol, but anything with yeast in it does, unless it has been cooked out.
Kefir resembles yogurt in taste but with a slight yeastiness and a bit more zip--especially when carbonated. Kefir thickens some but is still a drinkable consistency. It can separate into curds and whey if it ferments long enough. Left long enough, those curds will become cheese. Otherwise, the curds and whey can be recombined but will remain somewhat lumpy. Supposedly the most healthy and balanced grains will produce a uniformly smooth and creamy kefir. Mine is kinda lumpy, but I still love it. Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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They sell kefir in stores around here (maybe because we have a largish Russian population). I avoid the flavored ones (peach, raspberry, strawberry, etc.) Of the plain types, there are so many varieties, all with different Russian names. My favorite so far is something translated on the label as "baked style". It has a light tan color and a rich, sweet taste. Although, I suppose if you are all about the milk being raw, "baked style" would defeat the purpose, huh?
There are noticeable differences in the varieties. One is a little more tangy, another sweeter, another has a yeastiness about it, another seems almost like buttermilk. But since I don't read Russian, I can never seem to keep them straight in my head.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I usually drink it with whey protein powder. I love it with a scoop of vanilla, a dusting of stevia and cinnamon. Mmmmmmm! :drool:
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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beverley, you now have me very curious about kefir. Would you mind sharing links to articles about it that you find particularly useful? Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Some questions I have... Is it possible to make kefir with pasteurized milk? What about milk made from milk powder? What does it taste like and how thick is it? Do you have to make it fresh every day? What kind of effect does it have on the immune system?
Yeah, just a few questions... Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I haven't had any since I returned from Russia 7 years ago. The thing I liked about Kefir over milk is that it seemed to actually cut your thirst. Tasted a bit like unflavored yogurt to me though. Do natural food stores carry Kefir? I've always wanted to introduce my wife to the stuff.
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I've noticed it in my natural foods store before, and I picked some up yesterday after reading this thread. So yes, quid, it can be made with pasturized milk, 'cause mine is. I bought the plain, they also had strawberry and vanilla. I tried a little last night. It was tangy and lightly fizzy. Similar to yogurt, but a little more, if that makes sense. I haven't decided how I feel about it yet. Mine's locally made, from organic, grass-fed milk.
Good to see you around, beverly. Thanks for sharing what you've been up to. . . I'd been thinking about trying the kefir for awhile, but had no idea what to expect.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I think bev means you can't skim cream from pasturized milk, not that you can't get butter from pasturized cream.
Posts: 4089 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Homogenized and pasteurized are different - we used to get pasteurized but not homogenized milk from a local dairy and we could skim the cream off the top.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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*nod* Yep. I buy all my milk from a local dairy, and it's pasteurized but not homogenized. The cream rises to the top. When I don't buy skim, that is. >_>
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I think I tried kefir about a year ago, but it was some fruit flavored kind in a plastic bottle from a natural foods store. I thought it was pretty good, but really had no idea what it was, it just looked like something interesting to try.
I'm looking forward to any links you might post for quid, beverly! Thanks for an intriguing post. I often make shakes w/ whey powder for breakfast, so now you've piqued my interest.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I'm so sad I'm not there to behold the awesomeness of it all.
I made butter for a while. I knew a lady who was in with the dairy manager at the grocery store and he'd give her expired milk products. I got 9 quarts of cream one time so I churned a lot of it into butter with my Kitchenaid. I really liked drinking the part that didn't become butter. Not sure if it's whey or buttermilk. But there it is.
I also made soy milk for a while.
P.S. Oh, there is non homogenized out here, is there? A few years ago I was really upset about the homogenized milk, reading about the awful things they do to it to make it that way.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I've read a bit more - just starting to research it, really, and it looks like it's good for introducing friendly bacteria into the system when it's lacking, and that's something I definitely need. (Too many antibiotics when I was a kid. Nasty stuff.) So it's beginning to look like kefir might be really good for me.
I make my own yoghurt, all for the purpose of improving my internal bacteria, but it appears that kefir would do a better job. So, I'm willing to give it a try. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Hey, quid. I've not had internet most of today, but I read your post early before I had to leave the house. I've been thinking of what links to post. I know you've been researching on your own, but it sounds like there is enough interest to warrant a few links.
Then there is the beloved Dom's Kefir site. The guy's a little bizzare IMO, but he seems rather popular with the online kefir crowd. He has a yahoo "kefir making" yahoo group that I frequent. He seems to have done a lot of at-home experimentation and is considered very knowledgable on the subject.
There is a specific article I saw a link to a while back that I thought was excellent. I am having trouble finding it now. There are also a lot of sites from those who sell kefir powder, but I have a problem with the fact that they are selling an inferior form of kefir (not from actual kefir grains.)
This seems to be a good article. I like that it talks about the varieties of uses for kefir. Kefir ice cream is nummy! (Oh, and apparently I was off by a factor of 10 about the alcohol content.)
quote:Originally posted by pooka: A few years ago I was really upset about the homogenized milk, reading about the awful things they do to it to make it that way.
They agitate the cows?
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Good to see you around, beverly. [Smile] Thanks for sharing what you've been up to. . .
Thanks. Dunno if I will stick around much--the fora take so much of my time, it frightens me. And I've never seemed to be good at exercising self control. At the same time, I'm not sure I can entirely stay away.
I've never tried buying pre-made kefir, since I acquired my own grains so soon after learning what kefir was. But I might try it out sometime to compare the flavor.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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It was asked if it can be made from pasteurized milk. I echo: certainly!
The concern is with common store-bought milk from cows pumped full of antibiotics. That might make an unfriendly terrain for these lil' guys.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Oh, this is entirely anecdotal, and could be completely bogus, but a couple weeks ago, I did a horrible thing and fed my son a baloney sandwich.
Well, what was horrible was that the baloney was "iffy." It was expired, I found out afterward.
Not long after eating it, he was complaining of stomach pain and a feeling of nausea. I was worried that he would suffer the effects of severe food poisoning over the next day or so.
So, I made him a cuppa kefir.
He wouldn't drink much of it, he didn't like the taste. I think that was in part because I put too much stevia in it in my effort to sweeten it for him (too much stevia tastes weird/bitter.) I told him to drink as much as he could stomach.
But he never complained of any tummy trouble after that. :shrug:
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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beverly, thanks for the links - they make for interesting reading.
The grains - well, or the powder or the drink - are not available here. Which has me sad, because from the reading I've done, it looks like this could be really good for me. I've had yeast problems for a very long time...
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I'm sorry, quid. I know there are places online where people around the world can locate others with grains. A lot of people ship them to others who want them (as I have done) but I would be worried that shipping them from me to you would just be too long a time for them to survive well.
But if someone were to send you grains from, say, Russia, would the shipping time be significantly shorter? It might be worth looking into.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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I do know that with air mail packages from the US, it takes about a week to ten days from mailing to arrival. Also, smaller packages - ie envelopes or boxes about 8"x5"x2" (as in, Eljay's chocolate delivery a year and a half ago or so) - don't go through customs but come directly to the house.
I don't know if Russian mail would be any faster, or any other country, really.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I've always thought that was how castor oil worked. "Oh, your tummy hurts? Here, let's drink this awful poison, and then you can tell me how bad you feel."
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Quid, I will see if I can find any info on an international kefir board.
Or, if that doesn't work out, I could send you grains that I have dehydrated. They don't always revive, and it takes patience. Is milk hard to come by in Sri Lanka? Any milk in the Philippines had to be imported from New Zealand!
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I checked one international board, and saw no one for Sri Lanka. I then joined two Yahoo! groups for kefirring (see? It's now a verb ) and put out a request. I'll see what happens.
And then a thought hit me - my sister is coming from Canada in September (most likely), so I might be able to arrange something with her.
I've checked out all your links and read the lot - thank you. It looks like it's going to be worth the trouble to try out kefir, so this is a huge huge thank you for your post. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:I need to get an ice cream maker. I've been wanting to make some home-made ice cream!
We bought a nifty little ice cream maker recently. It's in the shape of a globe-- you put the ice and rock salt in one end of the globe, and the cream and other edible ingredients go in a container at the other end. Then we let our four kids roll it around on the trampoline for twenty minutes.
Good times. My one complaint is that ice cream at the center of the edible container is more of a milk shake than ice cream.
EDIT: We did not spend $35 on this. We are (actually, M is) avid garage/yard salers.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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A lot depends on the quality of the feed that the dairy animal is eating. Dr. Price noted a number of cases in which cow's milk could not sustain calves, and the calves died at less than a year old, because the mother's fodder was of such poor quality. Raw milk can be the best stuff around, or almost useless, depending.
I generally only use goat milk, but that's because i do better on goat milk. I let it sit uncovered in the dark at room temp for 1-8 days, and then let it ferment into whatever it decides to. Sometimes it's alcohol, somtimes it's yogurt, somtimes it's cheese. The ferment can be very sour or very mild. I feel that the mix of different ferments provides a wider spectrum of gut microbes. I've never tried making kefir, but I'd give it a shot if someone had some grains to send me.
I also have experienced the stomach-calming effects of fermented raw milk. Unrefined sea salt is good for that as well.
Posts: 3354 | Registered: May 2005
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I had a friend who went to Mongolia. The people there drank fermented horse-milk, which the missionaries weren't supposed to drink because of the alcohol.
Posts: 26077 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Which has me sad, because from the reading I've done, it looks like this could be really good for me. I've had yeast problems for a very long time...
