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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

anti-recipe #77 experiments with water kefir

So. Water kefir.

I posted about this on Facebook and said I would do a post about it.

So. Here it is.

In the meanwhile though...we've had a heck of a summer. And I'm about ready to divulge on the latest happenings and come back out of seclusion, because, its ALL HAPPENING, DUDE.

ALL OF IT.

But. Not quite yet. Soon though.

Meanwhile.

Water kefir.

For some reason I've been all about the fermenting this summer. Lacto-fermenting. Which means lots of really good probiotic goodness for your guts. And a handy preservation technique for out of control bean patches in the garden. And some yummy food/carbonated drinks.

This one is a drink though. And it requires water kefir grains. They are little gelatinous looking blobs that you can buy on various places like ebay online. I got mine from our old babysitter who was totally into the stuff.


First off, if you want to read an actual recipe and explanation of what water kefir is, click here. This is the one I followed. But it really is an anti-recipe because there are so many ways to make it, so many flavors to experiment with!

So, far, I'll confess, I only did the lemonade version. But, damn, so good.

Two.

This is how I did it.

Dump your water kefir clumps into a quart size glass jar. Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in one cup or so of warmish water. Let this cool. You cant pour warm water over the kefir grains, it will kill them! Also, a note about the grains, apparently you need to care for them. Mine had been sitting in a jar in the fridge for months. So, I rinsed them several times in water. You can also feed them for a bit in a tiny bit of quality salt, or some molasses, then rinse until the water isnt cloudy. This gives them the minerals they need to thrive...or something like this...

I rinsed mine and then went ahead with the recipe.

Okay, like I said, let the sugar water cool, add more cool water, to fill the quart size jar. Make sure its filtered water - flouride from city water will kill them!

Now, cover loosely. I used a clean washcloth, secured with a rubber band. Now wait a day. If you want less sugar in the final product, wait two days.

Now, strain out your grains, pour the liquid into another quart size jar. I stored my grains in a small glass jar in the fridge.

The fun part now. Use a little grape juice (100% fruit of course, no added anythings) and you have grape kefir soda! Use a little mango puree, Mango flavor! I did two slices of lemon (peel included) and a few unsulfured raisins for the needed sugar. (There are more ideas in the link above) This part is when the carbonation builds up. Let sit covered tightly with a lid for several days. I waited two I think. The longer it sits the more fizz.

This is important, you have to open the jar once a day to "burp" it, which lets out some carbonation SO YOUR JAR DOESNT EXPLODE. Remember to do this.

This is the second fermentation. 


Now, filter out the puree/lemon/raisin bits and store in one of those nifty jars with the flip lids and store in the fridge. You can get them at Ikea and Walmart even. Unfortunately mine are packed in our storage unit...somewhere...so I just left it in a quart jar. Add to iced tea for probiotic lemony goodness! Drink over ice! Mix with vodka (YUM)!

My sister, bravely trying my fermented efforts. 


I love this stuff.

Tell me what variations you come up with. I want to try grape next.

Next I have to tell you about the fermented ginger beer aging in the kitchen! And the dilly beans on the Hoosier cupboard. OHMYGOSH DILLY BEANS.

Soon. I'll be properly back. Soon.



Thursday, July 16, 2015

this happened. Mama art.

Mom, she says, that is "fablyous!"

iPhone poetry-middle of the night version

White flicking screen of newness, clicked on with a tap, waiting. 
Now. 
Fans whirring a soft melody to sleeping babes, the in and out of dreams heaving through the lungs into the membranes of their unfolding selves. 
And I am awake. 
Brain a flurry. 
There is nothing new, under the sun, the spell of life, the coming into being. 
Done now. Done again. And before. As it was in the beginning, when the rooster crowed, and time began its march to the tune the sun pounded out, it's cadence clear. 
You shall go, on and on, and so, there you have it. 
And I am un-new. Not old. Not new. The memories of before seem like freshly roasted coffee beans, pungent in their aroma, still there, still tempting, still keeping my pulse flitting in the healthy yet not obese range. 
All of it. 
The babies and the crying and the Legos the undying the unyielding nature of it all. 
The laughter too. 
Cackles to the sun, worshippers all three, faces upturned, irreverent priest and priestesses waiting for the moment to strike the gong, let loose the fury of sound. 
Quiet too, though. 
Simple songs sung in lilting lifting voices waiting for affirmation, whispered tones of yes, I see you I know you I hear. 
You are wonderful. 
I am wondering, wondrous. 
The fan whirs, baby sighs nearby, husband snoring, white cracked screen no doubt sucking something from me as I tap out myself on tiny keys, into the night. 
Spellbound. 


Monday, July 6, 2015

hiatus, for a spell

So, here is the thing. Our family is in the middle of such upheaval/not-knowing-what-is-next-ed-ness that I can hardly even write about things like knitting and pickles and salsa and crafts. (Mmmmmm pickles....)

Seriously. It's crazy. I can't write about it yet though because right now its just in the "angst-y I'm going to die before this is all figured out" stage. I want to write about it more when I am in a "Phew-that-was-crazy-but-we-made-it" phase.

So I am thinking, for the next couple of weeks or months its going to be picture only blog posts.

Cause. Mamas. I need to figure this shit out.

And to do that I need to be ALL HERE. Which is super duper hard for me. Not, in the future, not living in my nice-y blog.

I need to be here.

In the thick of it.

Where it sucks sometimes. Where it is hard. Good too, mind you. Our little family is fine, nobody is sick or anything. All limbs still attached. Just....ACK. WHAT IS NEXT??

So, I'll meet you on the other side. Where the end glory is doubtlessly waiting. I mean, its gotta be, right?

And, for sure, I'll be back.........

When I'm all contented and happy and shit be figured out, or at least when it doesn't feel like I'm turned inside out and my eyeballs are back in their sockets and everything is coolio again. Normal mama angst. Not all this life-changing shit. HA.

SOOOOOooooo....

Here are some pics of our fab day on the Fourth.

In the meanwhile I am going to make a lot of lists, cross my fingers and daydream about a white kitchen with potted red geraniums and a comfy rocking chair with a giant fluffy wool fleece.

I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.









  this is what i get when i ask almost nine year old for a nice picture. WHY WHY WHYYYY??

 See mom, normal face.


 Just kidding.



 those CURLS.





BYE BYE. For now.........
Thursday, July 2, 2015

really

Mid day salad before heading to the lake with the kids. Really. It's a good life. 

Really. 


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