Kefir

When I went to visit my aunt & grandma in the Okanagan I was introduced to kefir. My aunt gave me some kefir grains & we've been enjoying it ever since. 

 

Kefir is rich in probiotics. It is similar to a drinkable yogurt - maybe slightly tangier. There are numerous health benefits listed on the Internet if you google kefir. A notable benefit I've noticed is that it helps keep me regular. I first noted this in the Okanagan as often when I travel this can be an uncomfortable problem for me. 

To make kefir:

First acquire some kefir grains. This could be tricky but perhaps you could do an Internet search in your area. My aunt gave me some in a plastic bag that I brought home in my suitcase on the plane.

Add these grains to a glass jar with milk. My grandma said that whole organic milk was best but I've been using 1% milk & it works. I'm sure it would have more health benefits if I were to invest in organic milk or find a farmer willing to sell me fresh milk.

 

Let it sit on the counter for 12-24 hours so that the fermentation takes place. 

The kefir grains use the sugars in the lactose in the milk in the fermentation process. I have found that my kefir gains are growing also & learned on one website it is recommended to use 1-2 teaspoons grains for culturing up to 4 cups of milk. If you don't get to making your kefir you can also put it in the refrigerator which will slow the process - it can be stored then for up to 14 days. 

 

I stir my Kefir with a wooden/plastic spatula to distribute the kefir grains once or twice during the fermentation process & just before I stain the kefir grains so that it doesn't land in a clump in my strainer and slop on the counter.

 

I ordered a nylon/plastic strainer from Amazon. It is recommended you never use metal next to the kefir grains. I strain the kefir right into the blender. 

 

Here are the kefir grains strained out.

Add these back to the jar to start the process again.

 

 

Add fruit to your strained kefir. My favorite fruit to add is blueberries. I love raspberries too but it is too expensive to buy raspberries in store. Strawberries are also delicious and easy to find in most seasons in the grocery store. 

Sometimes I add a banana to add sweetness to the kefir. I've also tried grapes & avocado as pictured below.

 

 

Mmmm enjoy!

If you've never tried kefir I've discovered you can also purchase it pre made in the grocery store. It's a little expensive but worth a try if your curious. 

 

 

Evan's Cherry Jelly

Evan's Cherries are great for making jelly.  

I was delighted to discover this cherry when I moved to Southern Alberta. Apparently the tree grows well in Prairie climates and some internet searches say it may have come to Alberta from Alaska. It is named for Evans a horticulturalist and research scientist for Alberta Agriculture who cultivated the plant after a gardener invited him to take some of the tree's for the Alberta Tree Nursery. She had been growing cherry trees since 1923 in her orchard near Fort Saskatchewan. Luckily my inlaws have several trees ripe for picking in their condo complex. 

Evans Cherries are a bright red fruit. They tend toward a sour cherry. In the spring they have beautiful white blossoms and grow to a height of 12-14 feet.

This fruit box equalled 20 cups of pressed juice and made 32 jars of jelly. 

To Make Evan's Cherry Jelly:

Wash the fruit and remove all stems, leaves and other twigs.

Rig up your press. I found this one at a antique store for $20. Back in the day people used to make jelly. Pour about 2 cups of cherries in at a time. Press it down with a wooden spoon.

Four cups of cherries yields about 3 cups of juice. If your lucky your sidekick or L in my case will come to your assistance and offer to press all the cherries. He is really wonderful. 

Skim off the murky scum.

Prepare your jars. Wash with warm soapy water. Rinse. Heat up the kettle and pour boiling water over the tops to steralize. Dump out the excess water. I usually have two cookie sheets and transfer the jars between the two. 

Heat up the lids on the stove in a small pot to boiling. I'm not sure why but you do. I guess it helps with sealing later? In a big pot pour in 10 cups of cherry juice and 14 cups of sugar. Yipes!  I guess that is why you only have a teaspoon or two on your toast. Add in one package of cherry jello. My mom always did that I am not sure why. Just do it. Heat it to boiling. Be careful to not let it boil over the edge which I did on my second go around. It was a real mess. 

After it boils add in 4 pouches of liquid pectin and boil for 1 minute longer while stirring. There are 2 pouches of pectin in each box of Bernardin Liquid Pectin. You can buy the jars and pectin at Canadian Tire. 

Remove from heat and using a measuring cup pour into the ready jars. Fish out the lids from the boiling water and screw on the lids. Use a towel to help hold the jars while screwing on the lid.

Listen to the music of popping as the jars seal. 

Oh what fun!

Faux Fur Trimmed Christmas Stockings Tutorial

I was inspired this year to make some new stockings.

Here is a tutorial on how I made mine and a template to make your own.

This year I love stockings trimmed with faux fur. 

I liked the stockings at Pottery Barn. I may have been swayed to just save time and purchase PB but alas they were sold out. Restoration Hardware also has a faux fur version that is fun and currently on sale. 

So it was imperative I made my own. And it's always fun to entertain a creative bent.

These are the tools & supplies I used:

• Wool Fabric in a heavier weight (you could also use velvet for a luxe feel)
• Faux fur
• Iron on Fusible Interfacing (to help with keeping a strong shape) 
• Sewing Machine, iron, pins, sewing needle, fabric scissors, hot glue gun
• Thread in colour of wool and faux fur
• Brown paper for pattern and for ironing (to prevent interfacing from sticking to iron) 
• Marker/pencil to draw pattern 
• Sequin Ribbon
• Lint roller (to clean up the loose faux fur bits on the wool) 

The template

My first time making something I like to think of it as a prototype- an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from. I didn't have a pattern so this was the trickiest step for me imagining/picturing and then drawing what a stocking looks like. I even pulled out one of L's socks and a previous year's stocking. However I think about elves when I think about stockings and so the typical bland shape of stockings you buy was not cutting it. If you love elves stockings you've come to the right place. I am saving you all of those steps with this template. You can thank your lucky stars. 

Template Stocking Toe
Template Bottom Foot
Template Top

Process

Here are twelve easy steps to make your own.
(Plus two optional decorative steps to add a little glitz.)

1.  Lay the wool fabric out with the inside facing up. Lay the fusible interfacing on top with the outside facing up. (Fusible side will stick then to inside of stocking.) 

2.  Fold the fabric with the fusible interfacing sandwiched between. The good side of the fabric should be on the outside.  

    3.   Pin the template on top. Remember to leave a seam allowance when cutting. (I used a marker to draw my seam allowance)

4.     Cut through all four layers. Remove Pins and paper template.

5.      Separate the two sides of the stocking. Iron on the fusible interfacing to both sides. (Remember to use brown paper between iron and fusible interfacing.) 

6.   Pin together with outside layers of wool fabric sandwiched together. 

7.   Sew. (If you wanted you could iron out the seams.) 

8.    Fold inside out.

9.   Measure the faux fur. (My faux fur proved a challenge because I could not find a wide enough piece at the fabric store. It came with a ribbon on either side so I was able to sew the ribbons together to make a wider cuff.) 

10.    Sew together ends with outside of faux fur together to make a loop. Fold out. 

11.   Pin the faux fur loop cuff to top with ribbon folded in to cover cut edges  Hand stitch the faux fur cuff on the top. 

12.    Add a ribbon loop to hang. You may sew this in or use a hot glue gun. 

Optional Steps: 

• Add an initial with sequin ribbon. (I played around with the shape of the letter first then I free handed it with a hot glue gun and layered the sequin ribbon on top. I had to reapply hot glue in parts because I was too slow in layering.) 
• Add trim around the edges. (I used a hot glue gun and went around starting at the top and slowly working my way around in 5-10 cm chunks.)

I think I will even make a few extras for future baby batiuks and guests that come for the holidays in future years. 

How much did it cost? $70.72 /5 stockings = $14.14 each 

• 1.5 meters of Kashmir Wool fabric @ $23.30 
• 2 spools of thread @ $2.27
• 1.5 meters Fusible Interfacing @ $5.40
• 3 meters of sequin ribbon @ $0.80
• 2.5 Meters of faux fur $23.69
• 2 meter of Chanel braid for hanging @ $4.16
• 7 meters of pompom trim for outer edging @ $11.20

I think if I remake this project I may try without the fusible interfacing and also make in other fun colours or with different colours of faux fur.