Sunday 17 November 2013

Know How To Make Kombucha

By Katy Kline


Many people believe that knowing how to make Kombucha is one of the secrets of long life and buoyant health. Although this ancient cultured drink isn't approved by the FDA, you'll find endless testimonials online.

You can buy flavored versions of Kombucha in health food stores, but it's simple to make and maintain at home. You'll need a gallon-capacity bowl or wide-mouth jar, black or green teabags, granulated cane sugar, and a cloth to cover the container. The 'starter' - a cake of yeast/bacteria from a friend or a test-tube of culture you can buy online - is the only other necessity.

Since this is a health booster as well as a delicious beverage, you could use filtered water and organic tea and sugar. The 'mushroom', which is actually a dense pancake of yeast and bacteria, seems to grow well with conventional stuff off any grocery shelf. Cane sugar is probably best (for you, anyway), since most sugar beets are genetically engineered.

It's best to follow the basic recipe before experimenting with other sweeteners and flavorings. You'll love the vinegary-smelling but sweetish drink, which will be light and sparkling if the culture is really happy in its environment. The fermentation process transforms vitamin and mineral-deficient white sugar so it's no longer the non-food many try to avoid.

Brew a gallon of tea using five teabags. Sun tea seems to work OK. Stir in two cups of sugar and let cool. Add the starter (with a cup of finished tea if you have it), and cover so the mixture is protected from dust but can breathe.

A forgotten cup of tea will grow a perfect little mushroom, so you can try using a cup as a starter if you can't find a friend with a mushroom to give you. If the culture is happy, the result will be clear, sweet-tasting, and effervescent. It's great alone or with food when served cold, A new mushroom is formed with each batch and should be whitish-tan and slick.

After adding the starter, cover with a cloth so the culture can breathe. Place it out of direct light, away from electrical appliances, and in a spot where it will be undisturbed. A cupboard is fine, but the back of the kitchen counter works, too. Like sourdough starters, it will have an appealing color and scent if all is well. At about a week, you should have a healthy new mushroom and notice a slight vinegary smell. The tea should be clear, although bits of culture may be floating near the bottom. If the process fails, it will be obvious.

It's worth trying and trying again if necessary to learn how to make Kombucha. People credit it with keeping their hair during chemotherapy or even curing cancers. Others like it as a great beverage and a health booster. Recycle extra mushrooms to your garden, where buried ones will be covered with earthworms. Once you begin talking about your new discovery, you'll probably give most of them away to friends.




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