Learn all about milk kefir on this week's episode of Fuhmentaboudit! Chris Cuzme and Mary Izett are joined in the studio by Angela Davis of the NYC Ferments meet-up group to talk about the milk kefir-making process. But first, Nick Harbour from the New York City Homebrewer's Guild stops by the studio to share one of his table beers. Learn about Nick's boiling times and Maillard reactions! Angela talks about her fermentation fandom, and learning from the master himself, Sandor Katz. Learn what differentiates kefir from yogurt, and its ancient roots in Turkey. What similarities does kefir share with other fermented beverages like kombucha? Finally, listen in to hear Angela describe how you can make milk kefir at home in under a day! This program has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

"Because kefir is comprised to bacteria and yeast, the yeast creates a light alcoholic effect. The longer it ferments, the more alcoholic it gets." [19:00]

"Yogurt is great to consume, but it has a transient bacteria... There are about thirty different strains of bacteria and yeast that help to colonize your gut." [24:10]

-- Angela Davis on Fuhmentaboudit!

This week the Farm Report is abuzz with bees and honey. Joining host Erin Fairbanks is bee lover and owner of Catskill Provisions, Claire Marin, who imparts us with her encyclopedic knowledge of these creatures from mating habits, to how to start your own apiary, to why raw honey is best. Later on Adam Diehl, a maple syrup farmer who supplies Catskill Provisions, with his syrup tells us all about how to tap a maple, especially in this crazy February weather. Finally, tune in for a very special extended edition segment with Laura Ten Eyck of the American Farmland Trust who fills us in on the No Farms, No Food rally coming up in Albany and how you can do your part to fight for a more transparent food system. This episode is sponsored by White Oak Pastures

"Always buy raw honey that hasn't been heated above 93 degrees . . it retains all the good stuff that way, all the antibiotic properties and antioxidants."

"Bees are amazing . . . they can teach us about efficiency, democracy . .we can learn a lot from them."

--Claire Marin on The Farm Report

This week on Cooking Issues Dave Arnold is joined by Chris Young, one of the authors of Modernist Cuisine. But first he takes on your questions on blue fish and ike jime, enzymatic peeling, and how to avoid Botulism when you are doing your own canning. Later Chris and Dave get nerdy on evaporative reduction and the Gastrovac. Also don't miss Chris talking about his ventures with Nathan Myrhvold and the Gates Foundations in sub-Saharan Africa in trying to create a reliable fresh milk supply chain that they call East African Dairy Development. This episode is sponsored by The Modernist Pantry that is giving away a free sample of Pectinex when you listen for the code in this episode!