#EdenCooks - Kefir and Oladi Pancakes - Monday March 18, at 8pm EST!

Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
Oh this looks so good!
It gets better, there are strawberries!


There is nothing quite so good as fresh fruit, but sometimes you wish your fresh fruit was a liquid. This is the quickest way I know to make strawberries into something your can pour over your pancakes.
Behead the strawberries,

and then chop them into smaller-than-bite-size d pieces.

Add about a quarter cup of sugar to two pints of straberries (or something that eyeballs out about like this):

Stir them up, or put a lid on your bowl and shake it. The sugar will immediately start mascerating the strawberries, inducing their cells to donate moisture. In about 10 minutes you'll have a strawberry sauce.

Here are some sliced strawberries, and some strawberries being mascerated for about 3 minutes:

Amd then here they are after about a half hour (because I got distracted )

03/18/2013
Contributor: surreptitious surreptitious
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova

Heat your skillet well---add a little bit of oil, in the Russian fashion. (My mom always made pancakes on a dry skillet. The difference winds up being a light crispiness when there is oil used. It's tasty and stands up well to fruit syrups ... more
Seeing them on the skillet makes me want pancakes so very much.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
It gets better, there are strawberries!


There is nothing quite so good as fresh fruit, but sometimes you wish your fresh fruit was a liquid. This is the quickest way I know to make strawberries into something your can pour over your ... more
I macerate strawberries all the time, YUM! That does look even better!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova

So rounding the corner at 10 minutes til 9EST, we've got kefir, we've got oladi, and we've got mascerated strawberry syrup.

Should we have a quick Q&A cheese info-share?

I'm not sure what to do about gift cards, in light of recent news, but I will collect your names and do a random drawing and see if we can't get some GCs sent out to winners.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
I like them cooked with the oil because I prefer the crispness vs the cake like texture!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Lildrummrgurl7 Lildrummrgurl7
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
It gets better, there are strawberries!


There is nothing quite so good as fresh fruit, but sometimes you wish your fresh fruit was a liquid. This is the quickest way I know to make strawberries into something your can pour over your ... more
Ooooo looks delicious.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by surreptitious
Seeing them on the skillet makes me want pancakes so very much.
Hehe, and I'm still reeling from this ciabatta I've got cooling...
03/18/2013
Contributor: ZZ ZZ
looks delicious
03/18/2013
Contributor: surreptitious surreptitious
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
It gets better, there are strawberries!


There is nothing quite so good as fresh fruit, but sometimes you wish your fresh fruit was a liquid. This is the quickest way I know to make strawberries into something your can pour over your ... more
I just pictured a little berry guillotine. Off with your heads!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
I like them cooked with the oil because I prefer the crispness vs the cake like texture!
My dad won't be converted, but I like it this way too! Or, at least, it's good to have variety.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova

So rounding the corner at 10 minutes til 9EST, we've got kefir, we've got oladi, and we've got mascerated strawberry syrup.

Should we have a quick Q&A cheese info-share?

I'm not sure what to do about gift ... more
Sure, I haven't made cheese, yet, other than yogurt based ones
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by ZZ
looks delicious

Did you have more questions on anything, Zasha, and everyone?
03/18/2013
Contributor: bog bog
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova
Good question. The kefir grains are good forever as long as you keep giving them fresh milk. If you left them with no new food for a long time, they would die.

The kefir-that-you're-goin g-to-drink, I try to have it used up in a week or ... more
I have the same experience! Mine are 4+ years old!

In case there are any vegans here, I have experience with this as well! Many people use "sugar-water grains," which specifically are cultured to live in water infused with dried fruit and sugar.

If you can't find those, you can culture milk kefir grains with coconut milk, but not forever! If you use ONLY coconut milk, you have to give them a "milk bath" with cow's milk every few weeks, or they will eventually starve. If you like both (I do!) switch to a coconut milk batch once every few weeks.

You'd be shocked how hardy this culture is!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova

Did you have more questions on anything, Zasha, and everyone?
I'm kinda glad there won't be quizzes because I need time to re-read everything!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Lildrummrgurl7 Lildrummrgurl7
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova

Did you have more questions on anything, Zasha, and everyone?
I do! I'm lactose sensitive so I was wondering if kefir is like yogurt and lower in lactose than cow milk
03/18/2013
Contributor: XxFallenAngelxX XxFallenAngelxX
I'm so late! Our net was down today, due to the storms! I'm so upset that I'm late.
03/18/2013
Contributor: ZZ ZZ
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
I'm kinda glad there won't be quizzes because I need time to re-read everything!
I would probably have to do the same, this was lots of new information for me
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by bog
I have the same experience! Mine are 4+ years old!

In case there are any vegans here, I have experience with this as well! Many people use "sugar-water grains," which specifically are cultured to live in water infused with dried ... more
I've been reluctant to try keeping grains because I'm afraid of the commitment, lol! Do you do the Japanese bran pickles, too?
03/18/2013
Contributor: surreptitious surreptitious
Quote:
Originally posted by XxFallenAngelxX
I'm so late! Our net was down today, due to the storms! I'm so upset that I'm late.
Welcome anyways! Shame about the weather.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Kristi :) Kristi :)
Quote:
Originally posted by Antipova

Did you have more questions on anything, Zasha, and everyone?
You mentioned you can buy kefir online. Any links?
03/18/2013
Contributor: XxFallenAngelxX XxFallenAngelxX
It's looking good! Great job, Antipova!
03/18/2013
Contributor: XxFallenAngelxX XxFallenAngelxX
Quote:
Originally posted by surreptitious
Welcome anyways! Shame about the weather.
Thank you!
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
Sure, I haven't made cheese, yet, other than yogurt based ones
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Great! Here's everything I know : link
/cheese.html

Just kidding.

Basically, you usually heat a milk up to an incubating temperature, introduce a culture (and sometimes rennet), and give the milk some time to separate into curds and whey. Then you drain the whey, shape as desired, and let age for as long as taste requires.

The culture, or blend of cultures, is the principle factor in how your cheese will develop. I have a friend who is about perfect at making Manchego. But your milk type and your treatment can have an effect too. Bogs, Surreptitious, care to share anything?
03/18/2013
Contributor: bog bog
Quote:
Originally posted by Lildrummrgurl7
I do! I'm lactose sensitive so I was wondering if kefir is like yogurt and lower in lactose than cow milk
Many people with dairy intolerances can handle kefir, and many can't. My closest friend can't, but her lactose-intolerant friend can. Just depends on the person! (Same with goat cheese.)
03/18/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
Quote:
Originally posted by XxFallenAngelxX
I'm so late! Our net was down today, due to the storms! I'm so upset that I'm late.
You have lots to go over, it was a great, info packed hour! Welcome
03/18/2013
Contributor: Lildrummrgurl7 Lildrummrgurl7
Quote:
Originally posted by bog
Many people with dairy intolerances can handle kefir, and many can't. My closest friend can't, but her lactose-intolerant friend can. Just depends on the person! (Same with goat cheese.)
Thanks! I'll probably just try some before I embark on the process of making it just to make sure I can handle it.
03/18/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
Quote:
Originally posted by XxFallenAngelxX
I'm so late! Our net was down today, due to the storms! I'm so upset that I'm late.
Oh Welcome anyway! I hope the storms get better!
03/18/2013
Contributor: bog bog
Quote:
Originally posted by Kristi :)
You mentioned you can buy kefir online. Any links?
Where to get kefir grains

Dom's site is the #1 most amazing source on the internet re: kefir.
03/18/2013
Contributor: XxFallenAngelxX XxFallenAngelxX
Quote:
Originally posted by Wicked Wahine
You have lots to go over, it was a great, info packed hour! Welcome
Thank you! Good to see you! How have you been?
03/18/2013
Contributor: surreptitious surreptitious
Is there anything that you shouldn't put in cheeses? Like, anything that reacts badly or causes it not to form properly?
03/18/2013