How to Make Your own Yogurt, Kefir, Chevre

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• Put the mixture into a thermos bottle.

• Wrap the jar of yogurt in a blanket.

Check the yogurt in four to six hours. When the curd is well formed, place the yogurt in the refrigerator. A little whey may form around the edges — simply pour it off or stir it in when you’re ready to dig in. Enjoy the yogurt plain or flavor it with honey, maple syrup or fresh fruit.

Kefir

Tangier than yogurt but sweeter than buttermilk, kefir (pronounced ka-FEER) is thought to have originated in the Caucasian Mountains in Russia, where it’s still a daily food staple. You can buy packaged kefir culture, but true aficionados use kefir grains — little white kernels about the size of tapioca that swell and initiate fermentation. A good kefir involves many different types of friendly bacteria as well as some yeasts, and it packs one of the strongest health punches of all the cultured dairy foods.

Like most good cultures, kefir grains become more reactive the more they’re used. To get your culture started, place 4 tablespoons of grains into a jar and add a cup of milk. Stir gently, then allow the mixture to sit for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature. When the culture is ready, the mixture will have thickened and some whey may have separated. Strain the kefir through a sieve, gently stirring the grains (never pressing!) as the liquid drains into another container.

Place the grains into a clean container, add another cup of milk and repeat the process. To make larger batches, allow the culture to complete its process, then add twice as much milk and allow it to ferment until thickened.ouble the quantity of milk until you reach the desired amount.

As you continue to make kefir, the number of your grains will grow. You can share some of them with friends, or dry and store them in a plastic storage bag for eight to 10 months. (Allow a few extra days to get them started when you’re ready to reactivate the grains.)

Marilyn Jarzembski, a kefir enthusiast who sells grains by mail suggests moving the process to your refrigerator. The cooler temperatures will slow down the kefir process, and the grains will survive as long as two weeks without any attention.

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