If you like yogurt, you have to try this!!!

[Mr. Bloom]

THis morning, I poured Kefir over my healthy cereal instead of milk. It was a good substitute for milk and has a longer shelf life.

[farrellcollie]

It was a good substitute for milk and has a longer shelf life.

Just don't substitute it for milk in coffee.

[Mr. Bloom]

Well, I don't drink coffee, but why can't it be used in coffee?

[Kimmyt]

I found this yesterday, it was in the organic dairy aisle of my grocery store! I was a wuss, though, and bought the strawberry flavored because I am not a fan of plain yogurt so was worried that I wouldn't like the plain kefir either. The strawberry was good, I had a small cup of it with breakfast this morning, it was sort of like the European yogurts which aren't as sweet as American ones (which can get disgustingly so... a Vietnamese friend of mine actually lets her yogurt sit out at room temperature because 'its too sweet'). I liked it, and I think next time I'll try it on my cereal like Mr. Silver.

Yummy, thanks for the enlightenment ladies!

K.

[7rider]

Well, I don't drink coffee, but why can't it be used in coffee?

Would it curdle??

I don't know about Kefir, as I don't recall that I've ever seen it (or looked for it). But it sounds a bit like the "drinkable yogurts" or yogurt smoothies that are out these days. Is it like that??

[farrellcollie]

I was actually just making a joke about not using it in coffee. I really like plain kefir and use it or yogurt on cereal because I don't like milk on cereal and used to just eat it dry until I discovered yogurt. I suppose you could use kefir in coffee if you wanted - but I think it would taste like sour/curdled milk.

[Mr. Bloom]

I was actually just making a joke about not using it in coffee.

Oops...I guess I've spent way too much time with lawyers this week...I'm taking things way too literal!

But it sounds a bit like the "drinkable yogurts" Is it like that??

Yes, it's very similar in consistency, but has a very different flavor to me. It's not as sweet, but seems more intense. I didn't know there were other flavors until today.

[farrellcollie]

I am a lawyer - I am used to people not getting my jokes.
Perhaps using those little facy things would have helped.

[OakLeaf]

Kind of off topic, but just for reference, you can make soy yogurt from unsweetened soy milk using a regular dairy yogurt recipe and starter. Sweetened soy milk won't culture. Homemade is obviously best, but you have to do it hands-on - those machines make really thin milk that's no good for yogurt. I usually just buy unsweetened Eden soy milk (yeah, the packaging and shipping, I know ). It's still way cheaper and uses a lot less plastic than buying prepared soy yogurt.

[Blueberry]

Kind of off topic, but just for reference, you can make soy yogurt from unsweetened soy milk using a regular dairy yogurt recipe and starter. Sweetened soy milk won't culture. Homemade is obviously best, but you have to do it hands-on - those machines make really thin milk that's no good for yogurt. I usually just buy unsweetened Eden soy milk (yeah, the packaging and shipping, I know ). It's still way cheaper and uses a lot less plastic than buying prepared soy yogurt.

Good to know! I always thought you couldn't make homemade soy yogurt because you had to have something to make it "gel." Now I have made homemade goat yogurt

[Cindyloo]

Does the Kefir have that "twang" that yogurt does. I have tried to force myself to like yogurt for the longest time and the only ones I can stand to eat are the really sweet ones. Those kind of defeat the purpose... Since it is also made with cultures would it have that same sourness that yogurt does?

[margo49]

To my taste buds kefir is on the bland end of the spectrum.

Now, a lecture...
The sourness of yoghurt is dependent on the bacteria used to make it. It's got nothing to do with sugar. There 7 million (well lots) combinations of bacteria. All of which are just different lab-developed strains and combinations of the specific bacteria from the two Lactic Acid Bacteria "families" (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus). By adding a little of this and a bit of that you can get any degree of bland, plain or sour with all sorts of pro-biotics and different "sets" (ie runny, custard or jelly)
The entire (first/supermarket-shopping) world is divided up by 2 gi-normous companies who produce bacteria. (Despite that bacteria are small and you need a microscope to see them they are produced in big factories, lol).
In the Rest of the World you would get the sheep, goats, yaks or cows from your Dad and the starting culture from your Mother in Law upon your marriage!!
So you can either try endless different kinds till you find one that you like or contact a yoghurt producer and ask if they have a product that will suit you. Buy it and then you can either buy it again (and again...) or you can use it to make your own at home.
If you are real keen I can give you names and serial numbers... top secret sshhhh...anybody listening
Seriously I have a lovely one (Chr Hansen YC 180) in my freezer that everyone on the kibbutz loved because it was so plain and bland. I personally make a very sour one coz I like sour and also I make labaney (trad. Arab yoghurt cheese) on an ongoing basis for the family.

I **love** Lactic Acid Bacteria. You can think of them like wines, you know - "cheeky as if the cow kicked the bucket" or "unassuming but with a hint of Alpine spring grasses"... don't start, margo, don't start

Btw, as I understand it the trad. kefir varied from region to region. So maybe there are more and less sour ones. I have tried one from Georgia (the Russian one not the Southern one) and one from Ukraine and they were pretty similar even to my trained palate

[margo49]

Yay!
The wonderful SO decided Today Is the Day to restart our search for kefir after we had tried a few e-mail addresses without a response
We have found a woman here who will send me kefir grains!! I e-mailed her and she phoned back to my mobile within an hour. A lovely older lady, born in Chile (where her Doctor father made kefir
She stipulated one condition: that I give a donation to a Cat Shelter (or conversely adopt a cat) - isn't that cool. Better than money!
She says she has sent all over the world so if it works out I can send you-all.

Really looking forward to the "new baby"...I love lactic bacteria. Oh I will be such a good mother - I will keep its jar so clean, it will have optimal temperature...

[Blueberry]

Margo-

Please do let us know how it goes I've been toying with the idea of making kefir myself - but the only culture I've been able to find locally is a 1 shot deal (from a commercial place). So...I've been buying the pre-packaged variety. And eating lots of homemade yogurt (I've also discovered Fage Greek yogurt - YUM!).

CA