From Ancient Origins to Your Kitchen: The Fascinating History of Kefir and a Simple Recipe to Make Your Own

By Tom Andersen

Kefir is an ancient fermented tangy dairy drink. Evidence of kefir cultures have been found that were 4000 years old. It is said to have been a gift from the prophet Mohammad himself; can’t go wrong with that.

There is an area at the bottom of Russia above the country of Georgia called the Caucasus where Turkey and Iran come together. It is pretty similar to the mountains of Montana. The people there are serious mountain folks and have lived there for millennia. Food in that region can be scarce. Milk and its preservation is crucial to their survival so imagine how ferociously they protected the “secret.” Kefir can only be made from the grainy by-product of a previous batch. No one has been able to artificially recreate the bacterial strain that creates kefir so losing it would be quite a tragedy. Protecting the gift and the secret of kefir (the grains) was even covered by religious law. I don’t know what the penalty for giving it up was, but the legend was fostered that if the secret got out, the magic would die.

The Russians, however, noting the unexplainable longevity of the people of the Caucasus, desperately wanted to test this mysterious elixir. Well, asking nicely didn’t work so, short of a war, how do countries get what they want? Espionage. 

Prince Barchorov, a handsome and available prince, was the target. Irina Sakharova, a beautiful, well educated and intelligent patriot – the seductress. It almost didn’t work. After capturing his attention, she “requested” a gift of kefir grains in order to continue the courting. He refused and she left. Apparently he got a little weak in the knees and retrieved her. With that and other political pressuring, he gave her what she wanted. She promptly handed it over in 1908, bringing kefir to the world. Thankfully the magic was not lost by letting the secret out.

Irina Sakharova and Prince Barchorov, 1908. Image from Revolution Fermentation

Homemade Kefir

Making kefir is even easier than making yogurt. Goat, sheep or cow’s milk are the traditional milks and the stomachs of those beasts the containers. You’re welcome to go traditional, but I’m using Bessie and a mason jar.

Homemade kefir is different from store bought. Store bought demands consistency so they probably use powdered cultures and artificial thickeners. Every batch of homemade kefir may be a little different from the last. That’s just part of the deal and part of the fun.

The hardest part of making kefir is finding good grains for free. If there is a “kefir club” out there, let me know, otherwise they can be found on the internet. If you must get them online, get active ones. You will need at least a tablespoon. You will also need a really clean jar and a plastic or stainless steel fine strainer. The grains are cottage cheese sized.

Kefir grains

Simply take that tablespoon of grains and plop it into your clean jar. Add about three cups of whole milk. Place the lid on and shake it up a bit. Loosen the lid and put the jar in a warm spot for 12 to 36 hours ( Kefir really seems to like it around 70 degrees.). Check it out. It should be tangy and a little thick. It may or may not be a little fizzy and sometimes the whey (yellowish liquid) may separate. If it does, add more milk next time, but for now, shake it back in and don’t worry about it. Put your strainer over a clean bowl and strain out the grains. Don’t smash them through with a spatula, shake the kefir off them and then put them in a jar with a little milk on top and put them in the fridge. If you think about it, replace the milk every couple weeks. I don’t know how long they last without feeding, but I bet it’s a long time. Put the kefir into a jar and keep it in the fridge as well. Every time you make a batch, you’ll make a few more grains. Keep a bunch, but don’t be stingy, share with a friend.

Use your kefir for all sorts of things besides drinking. I use it everywhere I would usually use soured milk or buttermilk. It makes outstanding biscuits or fried chicken batter, but this time of year, strawberry ice cream.

Here is a simple recipe that is sure to please and a variation that makes it even creamier. 

 Strawberry kefir ice cream, perfect treat for the end of summer

Strawberry Kefir Ice Cream

You’ll need: 2½ cups of kefir, ⅔ cup of sugar, and 1 cup of chopped up strawberries, and a couple teaspoons of vanilla.

Mix all of the ingredients together and put them in a one quart ice cream maker. Machines come with directions. I have a hundred year old hand cranker that needs ice and rock salt. Run the machine or crank continuously until it gets pretty hard to crank. Take the paddle out and put the whole thing in the freezer for an hour before serving. I repurpose those plastic screw top ice cream containers – better portioning and easier to fit in the freezer. If you want creamier ice cream, try adding two eggs beaten until fluffy (a couple minutes) and folding them into the mixture before freezing. Supersize the whole thing by making ice cream sandwiches with your favorite cookies. They’re probably even good for you.

Tom Andersen is a writer, cook, martial arts instructor and lifelong Felton resident. He explores the world of food and drinks in print and online at FB @FeltonFementer.

Captions:

Kefir, a mysterious elixir

Strawberry kefir ice cream, perfect treat for the end of summer