Fun With Kefir

I sort of ended up making kefir by accident because of a friend who works at my local Wegmans. We chat a couple times a week when I stop by to see what she's got cooking, and we compare notes on each of our hobbies and projects, and toss around ideas. Recently we did a culture exchange- kefir grains for kombucha scoby. It was a great trade.

At first the process started slow. I only had a few grains. Not to mention buying organic milk from the grocery store is expensive. Wickedly expensive! However, it's been a few weeks and I happened to stumble across a goat farm. *wicked laugh* That's right, all the goat milk my little heart desires!

So, I've been making kefir. Lots and lots of kefir. More kefir than one person could, or should, drink. Because I have so much, it's given me license to experiment, and oh I have!

First, flavors. Blend that beautiful goat kefir with some berries and you have the most miraculous smoothie your taste buds have ever been coated with. Do one better and add cocoa powder and stevia, and it's a chocolate milk like you've never known before. I think as drinking kefir goes, dark chocolate is really my favorite way to go. Do strawberries AND cocoa, and oh baby... do I even have to tell you?

Next, textures. Hmm... I wonder what happens if you strain it? Tart, delicious Greek-style yogurt is what happens. Strain it some more and you have kefir cheese, which is strangely similar to cream cheese but with tang. Oh it's good stuff. Such good stuff.

I got to playing around with the strained kefir, using it in place of mayo for tuna salad. Yup, that qualifies as delicious. Then I got all insane with it and made a crazy curry fried egg salad, which when put over fresh salad greens will send your mouth into orbit. Seriously, I only got mine back down to terra firma an hour ago.

It's so ridiculously simple to make too, this Curry Fried Egg Salad. So simple I'm not even going to give you a standard recipe. Just pay attention.

First, whisk together some eggs and curry powder, then fry them in coconut oil. Put your scrambies in a bowl and plop in lots of delicious strained kefir. (You can use Greek yogurt if you don't have strained kefir, but it's not quite the same.) Dash in more curry, and more curry, as much as you like. Mix it all together and plop it on top of a bed of greens.

Sure, it sounds too simple to be gourmet, but how can your mouth possibly tell the difference? Better yet, make it for a summer picnic and your guests won't be able to tell the difference. Dress it up with some slivered almonds, or throw in some dried fruit. Get all fancy shmancy with it if you want.

I'm gonna keep experimenting with the kefir, especially in the form of "cheese" and whatnot. Dessings? Dips? Spreads? I'm always open to suggestions and ideas, so hit me with some if you've got anything neat to try with all this goaty goodness happening in my kitchen.


PS: I blame the zaney tone of this post on the Paradise Island Organic coffee at my local coffee house. It's to die for and I've had entirely too much!