Kade in the Kitchen… with Kombucha
by Kade Bentley –
Kombucha is a popular health and wellness drink for folks seeking a delicious probiotic beverage. It can be brewed at home, and be found in glass bottles in health food stores ranging from a plain tea-and-sugar brew to a highly altered fruit flavored treat. This tea has gained huge popularity commercially making prepared drinks easy to find. Even major beverage producers have jumped on the bandwagon – PepsiCo.© recently purchased popular kombucha brand KeVita.
The tea is produced by the fermentation of black or green tea leaves with sugar by a Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast also called a ‘SCOBY’ or ‘mother.’ Historical origins of the tea are unknown, but it has been enjoyed globally with long histories in China, Japan and Russia. This tea is also known as “mushroom tea” which this author finds unnecessarily confusing when considering other mushroom teas like Chaga and Reishi consumed medicinally. Kombucha’s official name Medusomyces gisevii takes the guessing out of the game.
The beverage is effervescent, like a champagne or sparkling juice. As a fermented tea it can have a somewhat vinegary taste, but the ferment can often produce fruity flavors. Lovers of sour foods will likely enjoy it. The flavor and character depend on the tea and sugar used, and length of brew. Any true tea (not herbal blends) works from a cheap black tea to a fine sencha green, and home brewers have a choice of sugars as well. Honey may also work. Through the fermentation process most of the sugar is converted, but the end result can be pleasantly sweet. Interestingly, though it is a fermentation, the alcohol content is quite low- actually completely un-noticeable. Like traditional yeast brews such as beer the sugars are fermented into alcohol. In kombucha, however, the yeast and bacteria work together to make an end product of organic acids instead, aiding in its beneficial qualities. You’d have to drink enough kombucha to make you physically ill before you even got a buzz. Gallons probably.
One of the most favorable qualities of Kombucha is how easy it is to brew at home. There is a significant culture (pun intended) of sharing SCOBYs and the oral tradition of brewing this fermented tea. The most difficult part for some folks is getting past the appearance of the mother. The living disc of gelatinous symbiotic yeast and bacteria that forms a layer on top of your brew can be pretty unsettling- but don’t be frightened! It’s normal. This strange translucent “mushroom” can be useful. Dry it into jerky (for the brave) or make a fine addition to your compost. Some folks have been working on producing a textile from the cellulose created. You could even hold it in your hand and scare your friends by telling them an alien is controlling your mind! Spooky. If you have other tea and health-food loving friends, the duplicate scobe makes a fine jarred gift, or they can be stored if the fridge for later use.
While there’s a definite finesse the basic recipe follows:
-Get a SCOBY from your friend
-Brew an extra strong batch of tea in a large container
-mix in a good deal of sugar and allow to cool.
-plop your SCOBY in the container and cover with breathable material like cloth. -Leave it at room temperature out of direct sun. Just sitting on the counter is usually fine.
-Wait and watch your new friend grow. Whispering sweet nothings optional.
Kombucha is brewed between a week to a month. The longer the brew, the more vinegary. When it’s finished, pour off the liquid and store it in the fridge to drink. You’re ready to ready to make another brew with the remaining scobe.
It can be challenging to make a very fine brew, but it’s pretty hard to mess up. Because it is an open brew, conditions can be difficult to control. The largest concern when home-brewing is potentially harmful molds. A properly cared for kombucha should be robust enough itself to prevent these organisms from forming. Molds that might form on your kombucha will be visible, and it should be discarded if found.
Health benefits of this fermented tea are contested. While it has a reputation as a miracle cure there have not been significant studies to prove the effects. If there are considerable health benefits large pharmaceuticals wouldn’t have much to gain from the findings anyway, since the brew is so easy and inexpensive to make at home. Anecdotal evidence from the long history of this beverage has created a steadfast following. Supporters of the brew cite the probiotics as a digestive aid. The fermentation produces a variety of organic acids which have health benefits due to anti-oxidant and detoxification properties. Supported immune system function, weight loss, and anti-bacterial properties are also claimed. Drinkers of Kombucha report raised energy levels. It does have some caffeine- but less than a typical tea. Commercial beverages may have added caffeine but your average coffee addict could definitely not rely on a home-brew kombucha for their caffeine fix.
This author believes that Kombucha is delicious and could be a great food-as-preventative-medicine, and that if it makes you feel good, drink it. Since this is a live ferment people with lowered immune function could be at risk. As always, for any serious health concerns consult your health care professional.
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Consider this healthy breakfast option!
In a blender put:
-a few heaping tablespoons of plain yogurt
-a few heaping tablespoons peanut butter
-a banana
-whatever else you have on hand- I used left-over sweet potato
-a couple dashes of cinnamon
-sweeten if desired
Cover ingredients in blender with a plain kombucha and blend until smooth.
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Help in writing this article was found on these websites:
-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kombucha
-http://www.motherjones.com/food/2010/11/kombucha-really-good-you/
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Kade Bentley has collected experience from commercial kitchens, vegetarian and vegan collective living, organic farming, and a general love of food. They can cook for one or 100. As a “kitchen witch,” They believe that how and with what we sustain ourselves has a spiritual significance, and sees eating and cooking as agricultural acts. They support small farms, the right to whole nutritious food, generous use of butter and coconut oil, and the creation of a more just food system.