If you read last week's A Journal of My Days, you will know that the skill I've chosen to learn or improve upon this month is all things dairy.
This week I've chosen two old dairy skills to revive and improve upon: kefir cheese and yogurt.
This post is about how I made kefir cheese this week ...
Working with what I had, I pulled a 2-quart glass pitcher from my cabinet and this colander. I needed a colander that would nest in the top of a container which would allow the whey to drip from the kefir.
Next, I lined the colander with a clean cotton cloth (I used a man's handkerchief. My husband doesn't use handkerchiefs so when he was given these, I confiscated them for use in the kitchen.) and removed a jar of kefir milk from the refrigerator. Cheese cloth would work as well for draining purposes or any white/off white clean cotton cloth.
(I got my kefir grains to make kefir milk from HERE. They've been good, healthy grains from the beginning and continue to be so. These things multiply so if you know someone who makes kefir milk, you might ask them if you could get some of theirs.)
What's the big deal about kefir ... it's a powerhouse for probiotics!
I emptied the kefir milk into the handkerchief lined colander ...
... and covered it with another clean handkerchief.
You can see the whey starting to drain. I let it drain for about 24 hours at room temperature.
When the 24 hours was up, I removed the cheese from the cloth and ...
... All finished!
I added a little salt to the cheese for taste.
Both the cheese and whey went in the refrigerator.
This spreadable cheese will be used in the following ways:
on crackers with a bit of jam or jelly
on toast, again with a bit of jam or jelly (I've been known to mince up fresh garlic, mix it in with cream cheese, spread it on toast and consume it when I need a little health help. This kefir cheese would be much healthier and would serve the same purpose.)
and as a dip for fried (baked) pita bread chips
If you want to add some flavor to it, mix in a package of ranch dressing dry mix or other similar mixes.
I'm researching ways to use the whey, so far, the most popular ideas I've found have to do with beverages. Do you have any suggestions on how the whey can be used?
I hope you've enjoyed this little tutorial!
until next time,
mrs. patsi @ A Working Pantry
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
Sharing 44 years' experience of frugal, prudent living and pantry building
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