We had lots of jars of left-over kefir lurking in the fridge. I decided that the time had come to try some interesting cheese experiments. My goal was to make a dry “parmesan”-style grating cheese as well as a piece of hard kefir cheese to coat with wax and age in the fridge.
Dry Parmesan-style grating cheese
I started off the cheese making process by straining the kefir through a fine cotton cloth. After 24 hours, I put the whey in a jar to use for making lacto-fermented vegetables, soaking grains etc. The remaining curd was nice and thick. I mixed some sea salt into the curd until it had a nice salty savoury taste.
Next, I had to find a way to press the curd. After some deliberation and assessment of equipment options, I ended up wrapping my little pattie of curd in a piece of muslin and putting it in the bottom of a colander. I used an inverted saucer as a chaser to press down on the curd. After trying several different weights, I settled on a plastic bag full of water. This makeshift cheese press didn’t look very pretty, but 24 hours later I was pleased to find that the curd looked pretty well pressed.
Experiment One: Dry Parmesan-Style Grating Cheese
I broke the pressed curd into small pieces (roughly one inch cubes) and set them to dry on a wooden cheese board on the bench. I have to admit that certain two-legged rats in this household (Kevin and I!) found these little cubes of curd quite tasty and had trouble leaving them uneaten on the bench. I turned the pieces each morning to ensure that they would dry on all sides. I also wiped them every couple of days with a cotton cloth dipped in salt water. This was to stop any mold from growing on the surface of the cheese before it could dry completely. After about a week, the pieces of curd had dried all the way through. They were very hard and smelled very cheesy and pungent! I ground them up in the food processor and mixed the resulting powder with beaten eggs to make stracciatella soup. Kevin and I both found this delicious, but if you are looking for a mild cheese experience I advise you to look elsewhere! We have wrapped the leftover bits of cheese in paper lunch wrap, and are storing them in a jar in the fridge.
Experiment Two: Aged Kefir Cheese
For this cheese, I left the pressed curd in a big piece. I dried it on the cheese board for a few days, turning it and wiping it with salt water to keep the surface clean. Once the surface had hardened up a bit, I coated it with cheese wax and transferred it to the fridge to age. We are planning to let this cheese age for at least a few weeks before trying it, so I can’t yet tell you what we think of it! I’ll be sure to report on the outcome when the time comes.
Please note: I have extra kefir grains if anyone would like some. They are free to anyone who can pick them up from Kaitaia. I charge to ship them to other parts of New Zealand.
What a great idea Rebecca. Very keen to try making kefir parmesan, especially. It sounds like a brilliantly simple and elegant method. (Although I suspect we would have problems with rather large rats as well.) Thanks for the inspiration.
Mmmm I must try this next time I have kefir overflow 🙂
Great!
where I can get kefir grains in Auckland? many thanks
Hi Rebecca I have been reading your website for some time now and find it so inspiring. I would love to get my hands on some of your kefir grains if you still have any to spare. I am in Kaitaia on Tuesday (21st October) or Friday (31st October). Anyway I live in Kerikeri so not too far away to meet you. Thanks for some great ideas (My husband and I are most interested in the bucket toilet!)
Hi All,
@Michelle: Try the Auckland chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation or ask at a health food shop.
@Pip: I’ve contacted you via email to arrange getting you some kefir grains.
Thanks for the comments.
Rebecca
many thanks
I have found out a international community of Kefir,which shares a Kefir grains around the world. A friend help me to get it from WGN.
great!
Hi Michelle,
The international kefir community sounds fantastic. Do you have a link or email contact for it? I’m sure others might be interested as well.
Cheers,
Rebecca
I would very much like some kefir grains and would be happy to pay to have them sent down to Christchurch
Hi Wendy,
I’ll email you about this.
Cheers,
Rebecca
Hate to sound too ignorant, but what is kefir?
Hi Steve,
Sorry it has taken me so long to answer your question!
Kefir is a cultured milk product made by adding kefir grains to your milk. The grains look rather like bits of badly overcooked cauliflower. In fact they are not really “grains” but a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeasts. The colony grows and propagates itself over time, so you end up with extra grains to share with others. Kefir is a powerful probiotic and health tonic, and can also be very tasty. Our little boy gobbles it down just as it is, but Kevin and I prefer to enjoy it in smoothies or as a cheese. There are also “water kefir grains” (also known as “sugar kefir”), which we use to make delicious and healthy homemade sodas.
I hope this answer satisfies your curiosity somewhat!
Cheers,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca
I see this is an old post, but do you still have Kefir grains available? I live in Tauranga, and am about to get my first house cow on Friday, and will be embarking on kefir, cheese, yoghurt and butter making!
Cheers
Keri
I have been following this blog for awhile. And I decided to try it. My question is: when I go to strain the kefir it takes days to drain and its so slimmy its really hard to deal with. Its been draining for 2 days now. The first 24 hours at room temp now its hanging in the fridge. I needed the counter space and its still too wet to even think about opening it to add salt or redress. I am wondering if I can ever press it.. Its like slimmy goo….. Is this normal? When can I expect it to firm up?
Annie in Amargosa