Here is a good website with information about water kefir grains (YCK is essentially water kefir): http://www.wholetraditions.com/articles/3-water-kefir-instructions .
This is how I keep mine alive in between culturing coconut water: http://www.lifeisapalindrome.com/recipes/how-keep-your-water-kefir-grai…
Also, Rebecca recommends:
Lucia says, "I usually order 5 gallons of cream. It takes a few days to turn this much into butter, but if you don't have time, just freeze it for later. Cream separates when you freeze it, so it's fine for making butter (but not anything else).
"I culture the cream before I churn it, by letting it sit at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can put some yogurt in it if you want, but that's not necessary.
"We have done the churning several ways. I prefer the food processor, filled about half full, churned with a metal blade.
From the recipe by Seth Travins / Hawthorne Valley Farm. These are so tasty!
Equipment
One-quart Mason jar
1- or 2-piece lid
Timeframe: Approximately 14 days
1/2 gallon apple cider, preferably organic and definitely preservative-free
1 gallon jar
cloth to cover the top.
Put the cider into the jar, and cover with the cloth. Set in a cool, dark place for a month or two. The trick to cider vinegar is that it needs oxygen for its fermentation process: you should make sure to stir it well at least once a day, replacing the cloth cover each time to prevent fruit flies from infesting...
I'm not sure if this is the best way to do it, but I've been making yogurt for a while now and haven't gotten sick yet. :) It has a great taste, the long fermentation gets rid of all the lactose, and while it's not as thick as yogurt made from pasteurized milk, I think it's more nutritious. (If you want virtually foolproof, thick and creamy yogurt, heat the milk to 180f and let it cool to 110f before stirring in the starter and beginning the fermentation.)
6 large garlic cloves, cut into thirds
2 or 3 pin oak leaves or grape leaves
thick sliced pickling cucumbers
sprig of dill
Place the oak leaves in the bottom of the jar, add dill and then layer slices of cucumber with pieces of garlic. Cover with brine (2-3 TBSP Sea salt per quart of water) and let ferment for 4-6 days at room temperature.
yield 1 quart
Millie says: "Watching your sugars? Don't worry about the apple in this salad - according to Donna Gates, Body Ecology Diet expert, the sugars in cultured apples get eaten up during the fermentation process. In fact, she suggests using apples in cultured recipes even during Candida treatment. Taking a cue from her, I added one to this mix; it adds a nice hint of tart/sweet flavor that compliments the other flavors well. Trust your own intuition and tolerances; choose to include it or leave it out!"
From Nancy, via Millie, comes this recipe, adapted by me:
1 part cabbage (very pretty with purple)
1 part peeled apples
1 pint fresh cranberries, or 1/2 bag frozen ones, whirled in the food processor until just chopped
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cup sauerkraut juice/starter (optional)
Mix all ingredients, cover carefully (so that liquid covers the veggies/fruits) and let ferment for about two weeks.
Proportions: 4 lbs. cabbage and 4 lbs. apples, along with the cranberries, fits into 2 gallon jars, each filled halfway.
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My basic recipe (makes about 3/4 gallon, to fit into a 1 gallon jar):
5 lbs. cabbage (one huge, or two medium cabbages) (can use some carrots, beets, etc. instead of all cabbage)
3 tbsp. salt
Millie says: "According to the Korea Food Research Institute, correctly fermented kimchi contains higher amounts of lactic acid and lactic acid bacteria than dairy fermented products such as yogurt. Kimchi contains protein, calcium, phosphorous, vitamins C, B1, B2, and niacin. The following recipe uses common ingredients usually kept on hand or easily found. The ingredients are cut into small pieces for easy eating and quicker fermentation."