texture achieved!

I did a second round of fermenting yogurt a few days ago- It's been a busy week, so I'm just getting a moment to check in about how it went. I started the process on Monday evening after work. I decided to use more liquid (raw cow's milk) because my crock pot has a wider mouth than the slow-cookers I've seen other people use. With a larger volume, I think it allows the milk to come up to the proper temperature slower, which seems to be key from what I've read. I also had a more precise thermometer this time- I have borrowed a friend's candy/caramel making thermometer.  In addition, I used a yogurt starter from Brown Cow whole milk yogurt brand, and transferred the starter when the yogurt was still thick (instead of older, more watery and in the fridge for a week or so).  I also let the yogurt come up to room temperature, allowing it to sit out while I did the first round of heating.

Here are some photos from this round of fermenting!

This is twice the volume (I used a half gallon of raw milk) from last attempt.

This is showing the type of thermometer used; you can also just about see the yogurt, which I brought out to let warm up to room temperature- thus activating the live cultures a bit. Much more accurate.  

The second picture here is when I wrapped up the crock pot and its contents to leave it over night, for approximately 8 hours. This allows the active cultures to do their thing! Go, microbial magic, go (aka lactic fermentation!!)!

After the first, warm-blanket-over-night sit, I put the yogurt in its vessel, directly into the fridge. Because I had a busy week, I ended up leaving the yogurt in the refrigerator for longer than my first attempt at fermentation. I left it for 48hr, instead of 8hrs! This is a LARGE variation, but it seemed to not harm anything. The resulting yogurt from this round of fermentation was both spot on, in terms of texture AND taste! I attribute these achievements to both the more accurate thermometer as well as to the thickness of the original starter. 

I will probably consume all this yummy yogurt prior to our class, but I will indeed make a new one to share between now and then!

Microbes do work magic- especially when they are given the correct circumstances to flourish. Their work seems to be pretty consistent; it's more the human error that seems to account for the difference. 

hold the kefir- let's try something else!

While I am still waiting to source some kefir grains, with which to try to ferment some cow's milk, I decided to try something similar in the meantime! Yogurt.

I reviewed a few recipes online and in literature, and boiled it down to this:

SUPPLIES
-1 Tablespoon yogurt starter (i.e. plain whole milk yogurt with live cultures)
-1 quart raw milk
-crock pot/ slow cooker
-thermometer
-a few blankets or towels


INSTRUCTIONS
-Set up your crock pot or slow cooker where it will be able to rest for 6 to 8 hours, after initial preparation.
-Pour quart milk into crock pot, turn crock pot on medium or high, allow milk to come to 180F slowly. This takes between 30minutes to an hour.

-Monitor temperature and stir occasionally to avoid skin forming on top.
-Unplug your crock pot and allow the milk to cool to 120F. This typically takes 30minutes. Monitor temperature.
-While the milk is cooling, bring the yogurt starter out of refrigeration and allow it to come to room temperature.
-When the milk has reached 120F, stir in the yogurt starter gently, then cover with a lid.
-Wrap the crock pot in the towels.
-Let the crock pot sit undisturbed for 6 to 8 hours. The live cultures from the yogurt starter will begin to ferment and do their work!
-After this fermentation time, feel free to transfer the yogurt into a clean mason jar or other container. Place the yogurt in to the fridge.
-Allow 4 hours for the yogurt to set before consuming.

Here are some photos from the process!

Measuring out a quart of raw cow's milk, about to add it to the crock pot.

Fermentation and setting process: stirring the yogurt to check consistency. It is a bit runnier than I was hoping for, actually.

Half of the end-product, bottled up for later consumption.

The other half of the end-product, mid-smoothie mixing! (it was quite tasty! .. you could taste the tang of my yogurt!)

I hope to make an other batch of yogurt soon- I want to try getting a better/more accurate thermometer, so as to monitor the temperature more closely. I also hope to get a different brand of yogurt. This time I used Brown Cow's Whole Milk Yogurt. I might try a different brand, to see if I can get the consistency to be a bit thicker. But, over all, I really liked the taste of this batch. The bacteria did their job!

The raw milk view from side, view from above. .... I am still waiting to get some kefir grains, so in the meantime, I might need to choose a different fermentation project! I'll let you all know the update soon!

decision and progress report: Kefir

Just as I was honing in on my decision to try Kefir as my fermentation project- I got a call from a friend of mine. She was visiting some folks up on Franklin County, on a dairy farm, and wondered if I would like her to pick up some raw milk for me.  I was delighted! The timing was perfect! ...I in fact was in need of some raw cow's milk.  Kefir it is.

Kefir is an excellent source of vitamin B3, B6 and B9 (also known as folic acid).  I hear good things about the B vitamins combatting the effects of stress on the body and increasing energy (both good things in the middle of winter in Vermont). I'm looking forward to getting going!

I have since posted on my neighborhood Front Porch Forum, to try to find some kefir grains. I also will be purchasing some in-store kefir to see if there are still some grains left or reformed, from which I can start my culture going. A ver lo que pasa!


SUPPLIES:
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons kefir grains (live culture)
- 2 to 4 cups raw cow's milk (base can be other type of animal's milk, water, or plant milk)
- 1 quart or 1/2 gallon sized mason jar (at least 4 cup capacity, clean)
- wire mesh strainer
- wooden spoon (aids the straining process)
- 1 mason jar for storage (wide-brimmed, possibly 1/2 gallon capacity)

METHODS
- Place Kefir grains into appropriately sized mason jar, depending on how much milk one starts with, and how much kefir one would like to procure.
-Use a permanent marker and/or a rubber band to mark the original level of the kefir grains in the mason jar. This allows you to keep track of your baseline kefir grains.
-Add the milk to jar with the kefir grains and close lid. Leave lid lightly closed; a tightly closed lid will allow carbonation to build.
-Gently agitate the container, so as to mix the kefir grains with the milk.
-Let stand for 24 to 48 hours at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Allow mixture to thicken to your liking. Be sure to watch for separation and formation of whey.
-Pour the mixture through the strainer into a new, clean mason jar. Use the wooden spoon to aid in straining process.
-Enjoy the kefir after refrigeration to chill or at room temperature.

I'd also like to experiment with adding flavoring the kefir, after the fact.

Getting started: so many choices!

Hello All-

I'm excited to get to do some fermentation for y'all! ... I have been an ametur fermentor for a few years now... and an imbiber of many fermented foods and beverages for years.  I highly recommend the book Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition and Craft of Live-culture Foods by Sandor Ellix Katz. It's a great read (he's got an interesting story to tell, albeit a bit more ancedotal than straight microbiology) and has a lot of recipes to share! It's my go-to consult book, whenever I'm starting a new fermenting project. 

so! I have yet to decide what I will attempt this time, for our class.... But-- I will keep y'all updated. I'm excited to see what comes from the fruits of our and our microbial friends' labor!  

Thanks- 

(Sarah) Bess Levison