Fermentation is Fun: Yogurt and Kefir!

   When yogurt and (increasingly) kefir are available at health food stores and grocery stores, some people wonder why one would want to make these things at home. But there are many reasons! Firstly, it’s gratifying to create something that not many people know how to make. You form a new connection to your food and to the ancient cultures that have been making them for generations. Many people like the challenge of getting the tartness, texture, etc. just to their liking, while others get excited about the surprise of what happens when less oversight is used to create something that is otherwise so consistent. 
   Making yogurt and kefir from scratch can greatly reduce your grocery bill. Many Do-It-Yourselfers like the control over ingredients that’s possible when making things from scratch. Health-conscious people are interested in the fact that the biodiversity in homemade yogurt and kefir to be superior to store-bought. It’s also fun to share these edible bacteria and yeast cultures with friends and family. 
   Whatever the reason, transforming a common ingredient like milk into something tart, fizzy, biodiverse, thick, digestible, and most importantly, delicious, is a powerful feeling. If you only want to dedicate time and refrigerator space to either kefir or yogurt, it’s beneficial to understand the differences between the two. 
   There’s a multitude of differenc ...