what is a kefir, can I make kefir grains, if not where can I acquire kefir grains.?

Answer 1

It's sort of like yogurt. A creamy drink made of fermented cow's milk. Very big in Eastern European diets.

From Wikipedia:
[edit] Making Kefir

90 grams of kefir grains.Making kefir requires a live culture of bacteria and yeasts. This culture can be bought in the form of a starter kit or can be acquired as a "chunk" from another culture. This bacterial culture forms a rubbery feeling lump that can look like a small floret of cauliflower and ranges in size from a small kernel of corn to a small plum. As you make more kefir, this culture will grow in size. Eventually, you will be able to split the culture in two. It is then possible to make two batches at once, dehydrate one portion for storage, or give it to a friend. Commercially available, bottled kefir and powdered starter cultures containing some of the bacteria and yeasts isolated from the kefir lump, or "mother grain", will not spontaneously generate lumps or "mother grains". The lumps will only multiply from existing lumps. Kefir grains will exude a clear or pale yellow gel called kefiran at certain stages of growth which is normal and contributes to kefir's organoleptic (mouthfeel) properties.

The kefir lump tends to float in your fermented milk and can be scooped from the surface before drinking the kefir and making a new batch. It is okay to transfer some of the fermented milk to the next batch of kefir. Wash out your kefir-making container between batches. Washing the kefir culture, especially in normal tap water, is not recommended.

Many variations of the simple method exist. Different individuals will assert that one way is better than another; however, different bacterial cultures are present in different quantities during the fermentation of the milk. For this reason there is no "correct" method of making kefir so long as the culture is kept alive.

Depending on the volume of milk and the size of your kefir culture, your milk will ferment into a jelly or thin yoghurt over the course of 12-36 hours. More bacteria and less milk tend to make this fermentation happen faster. Kefir separates into lumps (cheese curds)and a thin straw colored liquid (whey) when left for long durations. This is not ideal for drinking but it is possible to form a soft cheese with it.

Room temperature or slightly warmer is ideal for making kefir. Making kefir in an old jam jar or pickle jar works well. Fermentation creates carbon dioxide and as a result, a tight fitting lid can cause a buildup of pressure. Keep your kefir out of direct sunlight. The top of a warm refrigerator or a cupboard above the stove are ideal places to keep it. Keeping your culture out of contact with metal utensils is also recommended. Otherwise, the acidity of a kefir culture can allow metal residues to get into your body. Stainless steel is unlikely to cause any trouble but glass and plastic are preferable. In warm to hot climates, it is best to put the culture into the refrigerator during the day and on the counter top at night, to help regulate the temperature.

Taking a break from making kefir is easily done. Instead of leaving the culture at room temperature, put it in the refrigerator before it is allowed to begin fermenting. When ready to make kefir again, remove it from the refrigerator and your culture will begin to grow. This will not work indefinitely. For longer storage or to create a backup supply of kefir, the lumps can be washed in preboiled cold water, dehydrated at room temperature for a few days and then stored in an airtight bag in the refrigerator. These dehydrated grains will be yellow in color and can be stored for many months. Reactivating dehydrated kefir is done by starting to make kefir using the normal method. This will not produce normal kefir for a few days. Cycle the milk every day but don't drink this kefir until it looks and smells like normal. This re-growth stage is required to re-establish the correct bacterial balance within the culture.

Answer 2

kefir is yogurt...