Galley Essentials with Amanda


Annika Koch, with her yogurt, aboard “Lindisfarne”


One dazzling tropical


morning, whilst anchored at the island of Malololailai, Fiji, I was in the middle of doing yoga when I heard a dinghy approach. Soon John was chatting away, to what sounded like a Scandinavian couple, and after a few minutes he popped his head below asking if I had any keifer grains. I had no idea what he was talking about, but my interest was certainly sparked. I jumped up on deck and was introduce to Annika and Bjorn from the Swedish yacht Lindisfarne. Annika explained to me that she’d


recently been researching yogurt cultures and wondered if I had any keifer grains used to make the fermented milk drink kefir. I explained to Annika that although I made my own yogurt and had often had keifer at Middle Eastern restaurants I unfortunately had never heard of kefir grains. After comparing our yogurt making methods Annika suggested that I visit her aboard Lindisfarne to taste test her yogurt. I quickly discovered that Annika is extremely passionate about making yogurt and not only has she enjoyed sharing yogurt making and cultures with cruisers, but also with locals in many of the countries she has sailed to.


How to Make Yogurt Bring to a boil 1 quart of milk then


let simmer for a minute. Allow it to cool to a temperature that stings your little finger when you dip it in. Whip 2 tablespoons of plain live yogurt and stir it into the warm milk. Place mixture in a wide-necked thermos or a container, wrapped in a towel away from drafts. Leave for a maximum of 12 hours; no longer as the yogurt becomes acidic. Save 2 tablespoon from the top of the


48° NORTH, MARCH 2011 PAGE 32


Making Dried Yogurt Culture Stretch a fine cloth over the top of a


wide container and hold in place with rubber bands. Spread a thin layer of yogurt over the cloth and leave in a warm non-humid place to dry. The yogurt will dry and crack. Store a tablespoon of the dried yogurt flakes with 2 tablespoons of milk powder in small zip lock bag. Use dried yogurt culture as you would fresh


yogurt. Annika has had success with her dried yogurt culture from as long ago as her voyage to Antarctica in 2007. I’ve since discovered that


Yogurt Making with Annika


by Amanda Swan Neal


cultured yogurt to start the next batch. For the milk you may use reconstituted powered milk, long-life milk or fresh milk. Whole milk powdered makes a thicker yogurt than non-fat.


Yogurt Cheese Place the yogurt in a damp fine cloth


stretched over the top of a wide mouth jar or in a sieve over a bowl to catch the whey. Yogurt will turn to Middle Eastern style cheese in eight hours. Cheese can be rolled into walnut-sized balls and stored covered in olive oil.


kefir grains are a combination of bacteria and yeasts in a matrix of proteins, lipids, and sugars. This symbiotic creation forms rice to walnut sized “grains” that resemble cauliflower. Kefir grains cannot be produced from scratch, although grains grow during fermentation and additional grains are produced so they are therefore either donated by other growers or


bought. Upon researching the internet for kefir sellers I found myself on insightful journey into what appears to be an intriguing earth muffin kefir grain society. I certainly look forward to the day when I can experiment with kefir grains and in the meantime will share with you some of my favorite yogurt recipes.


Honey Yogurt Waffles 3 tablespoons butter - melted 1 cup flour


½ cup whole wheat flour ¼ cup oats


2 teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1¼ cups milk ¾ cup yogurt ⅓ cup honey 2 eggs


1 teaspoon vanilla maple syrup or honey In a large bowl combine dry


ingredients. In another bowl combine milk, yogurt, honey, eggs and vanilla. Gently stir liquid ingredients into dry ingredients. Gently fold in butter. Cook waffles as per waffle iron instructions. Serve with maple syrup or a drizzle of honey.


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