(Originally posted by April Rose on the old message board...)

I hope this helps all who've wanted to try this.
Equipment:
Strainer
Glass bowl (strainer MUST fit perfectly inside opening of bowl, no over lapping)
Cloth – muslin or “flour sack” dish cloth - WHITE, not dyed – not terry cloth or cheese cloth
Kefir (if your kefir has fermented too long, this is a good way to deal with it)
And clean hands!!!

>First wash the cloth, VERY little soap and double rinse, let it air dry.
>Place strainer inside opening of bowl.
>Grab the cloth from the middle, dampen with cold water, wring.
>Line strainer with cloth, (you want the damp part inside the strainer) leave corners and extra cloth hanging over the edge.
>Pour kefir into the lined strainer. (this is why your strainer has to fit well, otherwise what a mess!!) <trust me>
>Take the corners and left over material, and twist till it meets the kefir and the kefir is now completely covered in cloth with the twist lying on top.
>Let this sit on your counter or shelf for 12 – 24 hours (yes, it’s ok to peek)

What you will have IN THE CLOTH is cream cheese made from kefir!!
>Scrape with a plastic spoon, the cheese and any left over still on the cloth into a Rubbermaid type container, seal and refrigerate.
This mellows after one day.
This is good for lox roll ups, on Wasa Crackers or LC bread – and making LC cheesecakes!!!

***VARIATIONS – I love adding different herbs and spices – add these into the kefir after you’ve poured it into the cloth lined strainer (but before it strains!) – mix and let it sit as above.Caraway seeds and chives are super, great stuffed into celery stalks
Fresh garlic and basil work great broiled onto LC bread Lemon and capers – another great way to make lox roll ups
Cucumber and sea salt
Let your imagination go wild!

WHAT’S THAT MILKLY WATER STUFF IN THE BOWL APRIL???
That my friend’s is whey, and one of the many benefits of making your own kefir cheese.
This stuff is SUPER for skin and hair. Use as a pre shampoo – if you have the time, leave it in your hair, place a plastic bag over your hair (NOT YOUR HEAD), and wrap in a towel, leave this in while you give yourself a whey facial – spray face with whey (keep out of eyes), leave as is or use your favorite OTC facial treatment. Whey is super for many skin problems, (just wash off completely when done or your kids will make snide comments about how you smell like cheese water!)

SOUR CREAM
Yes, you can make your own sour cream!!
Instead of fermenting your grains in milk, use HEAVY whipping cream. Straining will take longer and you will have to thwap the side of the strainer to get the cream out. You can of course fish out your grains using a plastic spoon – personally that’s how I accidentally ate a kefir grain – YUCK.

HARD CHEESE
Ok, honestly this one sounds hard, but it’s quite easy.
Take your newly made kefir cream cheese, wrap it in a clean, DRY cloth. Place in a bowl, put a plate over the kefir and then a weight on the plate – yes, you are squishing your kefir! This removes all excess whey.
Let this sit for 24 hours, then place in a container with water and salt. Frig for 12 – 24 hours (yes, feel free to pinch a bit off to see if it’s to your liking)
Drain, and now wrap your cheese in paper towels, change often, let this sit unit 12 hours go by and there is no moisture on the paper towels. Some do this in the frig others on the shelf – see which works best for you!
This is super crumbled on top of a spinach salad!
(I am presently still playing around with different styles of this cheese. So far I’ve come up with onion – just grate the onion finely and mix into your cream cheese before squishing) The different cheeses are a great way to use excess kefir.
Washing your cheese cloths - always double rinse, use VERY little soap (Mountain floral cheese anyone???) and always wash them by themselves, never add to a load of other clothes.

As always, if you have any questions, I’m here to help.
And yes, I do have a life outside of kefir!!
reap lavish bounty
Blessed Be - April Rose
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