Description
Honey - Organic
Ingredients: Full Cream Milk reconstituted from Milk Powder (90%), Honey (3.3%), Sugar, Inulin (prebiotic fibre) Whey Protein, Kefir cultures, L. Acidophilus L. Casei, B. Bifidus Cultures, Flavours, Stabiliser (Pectin), Food Acid (Lactic). word Kefir is derived from the Turkish word “Keif” describing a state of feeling good and it's as true now as it was then.
Kefir originated in the Caucasus Mountains more than 2000 years ago and is the oldest known fermented milk drink. The grains of Kefir were considered a gift from God among the common folk and it is said that the grains were blessed by the prophet Mohammed himself. The secret of the Kefir grains, passed down from generation to generation, was considered a source of family and tribal wealth. Traditionally, Kefir was made by mixing Kefir grains with fresh, raw, cow or goat milk which was then left in goatskin leather bags to ferment. It was customary to leave the bag outside the door and let anyone entering, kick or shake the bag. This assisted the culture process.
A bit of Russian intrigue
In the early twentieth century, The Russian Physicians' Society contracted two cheese makers, the Blandov's brothers, to go out and search for the secret of Kefir, which had been closely guarded by the people of the Caucasus Mountains for centuries. The brothers decided the easiest way to procure the renowned Kefir grains was to utilise the charms of their very attractive employee Irina Sakharova. She was to bewitch the Caucasian prince Bek-Mirza Barchorov and coax him into giving her some kefir grains. The Prince outright refused to give up the “grains of long life " but was so smitten he also refused to give up Irina. The Prince hoped to win her heart by making her his bride and sharing with her his lands but, Irina refused and instead was held captive. She was eventually rescued by the two brothers and brought home but not without hope of gaining the sought after secret of the kefir grains.
With help from the Blandov brothers and The Russian Physicians' Society, Irina brought her case against Prince Bek-Mirza Barchorov to the Czar's court.
The prince lost the case and was ordered to pay reparations to Irina for her distress. Although the Prince offered her gold and jewels she demanded and received kefir grains as payment for her unfair treatment.
In 1908 Irina Sakharova was famed with bringing the first batch of Kefir grains into Moscow where it was used, medicinally at firs,t in health sanatoriums as part-treatment for tuberculosis and other ailments with great success.
In 1973, at the age of 85, Irina received a letter from the Minister of the Food Industry of the former USSR, expressing grateful acknowledgment of her primary role in bringing Kefir and its benefits to the Russian people.
