A few questions...

[Tracy Liebmann]

OK...

-Kefir grains. Should I only start them with orgainic milk? I have publix right now and would like to get them started.

-Sugar/sweetener. What types do you recommend?

Hmmmm...I thought I had more....but thats all I can remember :-) 

Thanks Pat! 

[Pat Robinson]

Any mammal milk will kefir.

Any real sugar is fine.


Pat

[Anna]

Are you talking about milk grains or water grains? Milk grains do not require sugar, just milk, that's it.

[Tracy Liebmann]

Milk grains...thanks Anna :-)

Anna said:

Are you talking about milk grains or water grains? Milk grains do not require sugar, just milk, that's it.

[Pat Robinson]

:-)

Two cute videos of making milk kefir.

Pat

[isis]

Hello! I bought a kefir starter package and it is just the powdered kefir (A brown bag with the grains) I realize this is inferior kefir with a small selection of strains, but what I can not figure out is if this kind of Kefir will work with Coconut Milk? I know it's not supposed to with real grains, but I read somewhere the kind I have can work with Coconut Milk. I cannot find raw, pure coconut milk locally so I usually buy the So Delicious brand Coconut Milk at the supermarket.

I do not drink animal milk, but I do have a bag of non instant organic powdered milk I use for baking.  For the sake of learning I was going to just use this for a small batch. Trial and experiment I suppose. Would this even work to use powdered non instant milk with a powdered cultured starter?  (Before I begin lol)

[Pat Robinson]

Real kefir grains will work with coconut water or coconut milk, most people find. However, I've heard that they won't reproduce (consistently) without mammal milk from time to time.

I'm not very informed about kefir starter as I haven't tried it. But, I don't believe you need raw coconut milk. Boxed coconut water would work, I think. Not sure about powdered milk. (be sure it cools, if you have to heat the water to dissolve the powdered milk) Might be better to just buy a pint of dairy milk? It isn't hard to make coconut milk either. Basically you puree coconut with water in a blender.

Btw, you can use almond milk for most baking as a substitute for dairy, I believe.

Pat

[isis]

Thank you! I am kind of relieved I can just use what I already buy.  I suppose I will need to see what works out best.

I would like to get some real kefir grains once I learn how it is done.  Glad I don't need to try it with powdered milk :) haha