Hi, did you manage to get some milk kefir grains ?.. I live in Plainsboro. If you are still maing Kefir, please let me know if you have some extra to share Thanks

Put the word out to your friends, check "Freecycle", or a local health food store or food co-op (check the bulletin boards) and see if anyone has some REAL kefir grains, or know someone who has some, they would share with you. There are also sources on-line - I just haven't ever used one to suggest it. Skip the Yogourmet kefir. It's entirely different from the kefir you make with REAL grains. I first started using Yogourmet until I found the grains, which I've used now for about 10-years. If you do use Yogourmet kefir, you can use a portion from your first batch (1/4-1/3-cup to 2-4 cups of milk) to use as a starter for another batch or two (kinda like you do with homemade yogurt), but the bacteria quickly die and you won't get a curd. Which proves it isn't REAL kefir, just a selection of a few bacteria. But you will get several quarts for the price of one that way (always looking at the economics ;-). The amount of kefir you make will depend on how many grains you have (grains to milk ratio). I normally use 1/3-1/2 cup grains to 2-1/2 cups milk and make it every few days, or will make 2 or 3 consecutive batches if I need more to use as a substitute for buttermilk, or drained and used in recipes for cream cheese, plain yogurt, or sour cream. We use it in a smoothie every morning as well. Once you get the grains, they will start growing pretty quickly with regular use. I rest my grains in the refrigerator in a cup of milk in a pint jar with a plastic lid on the jar. If the grains have been resting in that milk for several days (or up to a week or two - if you go on vacation), when I take the grains out to use for the next batch and I just let the jar with 1-cup of milk sit out to ferment as well. There will be enough bacteria from the grains sitting in it to ferment the milk and make curds/whey. So don't toss that milk out!!! If you haven't found Dom's Kefir In-site, the link below, will give you lots of information. Good luck with your search for grains. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: Dom's Kefir Insite

I don't think it's any less complicated, just another choice. I only use powdered milk and whey-based milk substitute products (since 1981) for drinking/cooking/baking and regularly make kefir with real kefir milk grains and powdered milk. The product I prefer using is Grandma's Country Cream non-fat dry milk (http://grandmascountryfoods.com/CountryCreamPowderedMilk/), which I purchase by the 25# bucket. For 25-years I made LOTS of yogurt using powdered milk products, but since making kefir, I only make yogurt a few times a year (at most) since kefir is better for you and is so much easier to make, and doesn't require special temperature controls and equipment. My "recipe": In a 1-quart jar add 2 cups of water and 4-5 tablespoons Grandma's Country Cream (add 1/8-1/4-cup half-and-half, if using it). Add lid and shake to mix. Add 1/4 to 1/3 c. milk kefir grains. Ferment to thickness desired. I've been using the same grains for somewhere around 13\-14\-years using powdered milk products. I generally make 1\-2 quarts a week since it's used in our daily breakfast smoothie, and kefir is also my substitute for buttermilk, cream cheese, sour cream, or plain yogurt. If I happen to have some half and half in the house, I'll add a little to the reconstituted powdered milk because the grains seem to get a little more active if there is some fat in the milk, at least occasionally. If I have PEAK or NIDO (whole milk powdered milk) in the house I might add some of it. What I've found beneficial is to use double\-strength milk (about twice as much powdered) so you have enough milk solids to create a nice thick curd. Otherwise you get a lot more whey than curd. When it comes to making yogurt, I'll add some unflavored gelatin to the mixture, and once again, use double\-strength powdered milk for more milk solids as an option (you can play around with the milk strength until you get the consistency you like). Other things you can add to make yogurt along with reconstituted powdered milk is canned evaporated milk. Adding powdered milk and/or gelatin is often used when using a low\-fat or fat\-free milk to increase the firmness of the texture, otherwise you will get a very soft curd. I'd also suggest a copy of "Cookin' With Powdered Milk" by Peggy Layton. Here's her recipe.... YOGURT FROM INSTANT MILK 2 c. powdered INSTANT milk 2 T. plain yogurt 3 c. lukewarm water Blend all ingredients in blender. Place in a bowl in a warm area (preferably 110\-120\-degrees F). Let stand undisturbed until set. The cooler the temperature the longer it takes to set. At 120\-degrees it can take about 4\-hours. Chill immediately. It will refrigerate for up to 4\-weeks. \[She also has a recipe using NON\-instant powdered milk if you use that.\] I purchase powdered coconut milk from Wilderness Family Naturals - http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/category/coconut-products-milk-powder.php - and make coconut milk kefir with reconstituted powdered coconut milk using milk kefir grains. Really YUMMY stuff..... :-) I rest the milk kefir grains in reconstituted powdered cow's milk between uses in coconut milk. -Grainlady

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