Kefir: Turkish word for " good feeling ". A drink of fermented goat’s milk: a creamy drink with a low alcohol content made from fermented goat’s milk. The kefir culture, called grains (they look like cauliflower), contain bacilli, streptococci and yeast.

Fermentation: a chemical change with effervescence: Transformation of an organic substance (raw milk) by the action of ferments ( yeast ). A chemical conversion into simpler substances: the biochemical process in which a microorganism breaks down a substance into simpler ones, especially the creation of alcohol by the action of yeast on sugar. Many pharmaceuticals are produced by fermentation. Yogurt is created through the fermentation process but lacks yeast which creates the 1 to 2% alcohol content and effervescence of Kefir. For example, lactase, a ferment produced by bacteria usually found in milk, causes the milk to sour by changing lactose (milk sugar) into lactic acid.

Kefir has excess digestive enzymes and tunes-up your immune system by establishing colonies of 30 plus unique micro flora in the colon. It helps digest what is digestible and eliminates the rest.

Yogurt: Turkish word meaning milk curdled using a lactic acid starter.

Fermented milk product: milk fermented by bacteria to give a tangy or slightly sour flavor and a lightly set or thick consistency. Yogurt is the wine while Kefir is the Champagne. Yogurt is a nutritious dairy product that served as ice cream until they invented the refrigerator.

Probiotic: Greek word for pro life. A substance that contains microorganisms claiming to be beneficial to humans and animals or to promote their growth. [Late 20th century. Coined from pro-1 + biotic .]

Whey: The serum or watery part of milk separated from the more thick or coagulated part or curd especially in the process of making cheese. The bulk of the milk protein other than cassein. The Rolls-Royce of proteins. Superior amino acid composition, Leucine most important branched chain amino acid. Liquid non-pasteurized form provides superior biological value in digestibility, assimilation and body utilization. The lactic acid starter combined with the length of the culturing process renders the whey virtually lactose free. High Nitrogen retention is also an attribute of whey.

Cheese: The oldest cheese recipe was discovered on some Sumerian clay tablets, circa 3500 BC and in continuous use right up to rule of Saadam Huessein. Raw milk left without refrigeration naturally separates itself into curds and whey after about 12 to 18 hours. Time and temperature are the two main factors in cheese-making.

The taste of the cheese depends on the breed of ruminant livestock and what they had for breakfast, lunch and dinner. If you don't add a specific culture (flavoring agent e.g. Chevre, Fomage Blanc or Mottserella) you are going to end up with a 'home brew' cheese flavor. The pasteurization process destroys the natural taste of the milk so for example the Italians have over 400 different types of cheeses, but the milk is forbidden by law to be pasteurized, to maintain the purity of their distinct flavors.

Rennet is a commercially prepared imitation of the natural curdling agent that is present in the lining of the goat's fourth stomach. The entire Indian Continent heats the milk to 185 degrees, adds a little lemon juice and produces instant Ricotta. We do the same only we use white vinegar. In either case the high heat coupled with the citric acid causes the milk to curdle.

Since the milk comes from the nanny's teat at 90 degrees all you have to do is wait for it to naturally curdle making in our case "Fomage Earth Mother". We started out buying individual packets of rennet and culture combined from www.cheesemakers.com. Now we and liquid rennet separately with multiple batch packs of culture from the www.dairyconnection.com.

My favorite discovery has been making "Philadelphia" quality cream cheese from my KEFIR cultured milk. Also I substitute the Kefir beverage in cheese recipes that call for buttermilk. Since Kefir was invented in Sumeria 5000 years ago, I'm sure that I am being faithful to the original cheese recipe.Saddam's ancestors had pillows - and hang it up for six to 12 hours. Next you need fresh Bialys (they probably have "How to make Bialy's" on another clay tablet) to go with the Kefir cream cheese spread. teg@analagoatcompany.com

FETA CHEESE

   Feta is a classic and famous Greek curd cheese whose tradition dates back thousands of years and is still made by shepherds in the Greek mountains with unpasteurized milk. It was originally made with goat's or sheep's milk, but today much is often made commercially with pasteurized cow's milk (the firmer cow's milk version is made for export). The curdled milk (curdled with rennet) is separated and allowed to drain in a special mold or a cloth bag. It is cut into large slices (feta means 'slice') that are salted and then packed in barrels filled with whey or brine.
   Salted and cured in a brine solution (which can be either water or whey) for a week to several months (this is why it is sometimes called a 'pickled' cheese). Feta dries out rapidly when removed from the brine.
   Feta cheese is white, usually formed into square cakes, and can range from soft to semi-hard, with a tangy, salty flavor that can range from mild to sharp. Its fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent; most is around 45 percent milk fat. It is now made in many countries, but usually the pasteurized cow's milk version, on a commercial scale. Goat's milk cheeses taste better than cow because of their higher fat content. Sheep's milk cheese should taste even better because it has 9gms of fat to goat's six, to the cow's less than four.

Pasteurization kills the taste equally well for cow, goat and sheep so the customer has no way to judge. Raw goat's milk feta is delicious crumbled over salads (the Classic Greek Salad), or together with sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with olive oil and fresh herbs. It's firmer texture makes for a great addition to stir-fry, omelet's or eating it straight out of the container.