Mac, a friend of the family, Duchampian champion and all-around intense dude, gave me half his yogurt starter the other day. It looks like enlarged, slightly yellow cottage cheese, or from the other end of the telescope, very small misshapen lumps of mozzarella. Making yogurt from the starter is a rather complicated process that requires boiling milk, hand-held thermometers, and ice baths, so I've followed Mac's lead and made kefir -- basically, soured milk.
I pour milk over the starter curds, seal it up tight in a screw-top travel mug, and let it sit out for 8 to 12 hours. The curds float to the top, the scent is reminiscent of an Afghani goatherd's leather slippers, and it's ready to be strained through a colander.
The curds go back into the travel mug for the next round. If kept in the fridge, they stay dormant. Otherwise, they grow like mad, like Tribbles. Or Gremlins. Or bacteria, which is what they are.
Yes, it's an acquired taste. If you like the sour yogurt drinks usually flavored with nothing but mint and salt and available at most Middle Eastern places, you'll like my version. Also good: throwing it into a blender with a banana, a tablespoon of honey and/or maple syrup, and fresh mint. Call ahead and I'll have a batch ready for you.
