Making Kefir

My parents were health-food junkies.  They still are, really.  There are smells from my childhood that are still potently real to me now when the right memory surfaces.  Maple sugar steam, fresh-turned earth, the warm smell of tomatoes as they grow in the sunny window.   And the health-food store.  

This wasn’t a Whole Foods or Wild Oats, clean and grocery-store neat with linoleum floors and high, straight shelves and bright lights.  Oh, no.  This was a wood-floored, cluttered affair—sunbeams filtered through the haze of bulk-goods-dust, the smell of grains and honey and dirt (garden dirt, that is) and probably beeswax from the candles in the house-and-body-care corner.   It was a true co-op.  My parents worked in the store a certain amount of time every month for the privilege of shopping there. 

A few treats I remember:  Tigers’ Milk Bars, dried pineapple, chocolate covered yogurt popsicles (stawberry or vanilla)—oh, they were heavenly. I’d do quite a bit to eat one of those again….haven’t had one since I was about 7.  And Kefir.  My Dad loved Kefir. 

So, when I had the chance to inherit some true kefir grains from someone I jumped on it.  Kefir that is homemade?  Not overly-sugared and at $4 a pop? Sure they look a little repulsive and it goes against my instinct to leave milk sitting out on the counter for 24 hours, but….it was worth a try. 

Nourishing Traditions tells you how.  I’ve got to say….doesn’t taste a lot like the commercial stuff, but add some blended frozen strawberries and agave and it’s a yummy kick.  And good for your insides.  We’ll see if my Dad likes it.