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Mystery Jars And Cold Cement Floors

 

The room was dark, and a little bit stuffy. I could feel the cold of the metal chair through my pants as I chose a seat near the front. The cement floors and walls only added to the chill; I pulled my coat tighter around me, took out my notebook, and waited.

The room began to fill one by one with more people than I had anticipated. The chairs filled around me, and then beside me.

The cheap folding tables standing before us supported various sizes of mason jars. One was home to a jellyfish sort of creature floating in a mucky brown liquid. Next to it sat several jars of bright strands of vegetables; a rainbow of colors submerged in clear liquid, with crystallization creeping down the outside of the jar rims; while other jars contained a bubbly white substance.

 

An Organic Farmer With a Rebel Past

 

The young woman took a roll call to see if we were all there, and then took her place standing before us.  As she began to tell us her story, I was taken back by how presentable she seemed. Despite the homey look about her– a denim vest with sleeves torn off, and worn-out fabric pants that somehow complimented the pile of dreads tied together atop her head– she had a certain type of approachability about her.

She was an organic farmer with a rebel past, an oddball from a family of physicians with entirely different beliefs about health from her own. A “Bad Seed”– as she calls her farm. I liked her. And I was drawn to her authenticity and passion surrounding real food.

 

A Powerful Food With a Proven Past

 

Despite the strangeness of the evening, I left my first class on fermentation with a greater understanding of naturally-fermented foods, and a resolve to incorporate these foods, along with their vast health benefits, into my family’s every day diet.

Perhaps what intrigued me the most about these foods and drinks was that they are nothing new. They are not some “fad diet” food that is here for a few months only to be proven worthless and tossed out with the tabloids.

No, these are ancient, traditional preparations of food that have been used for generations, and proven over time to offer incredible flavor and nutrients through natural methods of preservation. They are tried and true, and they have been a revelation in my family’s Whole Food Way of Eating.

 

 

Meet Our Pet Jellyfish!

 

Some of you have expressed curiosity concerning the pet jellyfish that we keep in our kitchen. Anytime we have guests over, it’s one of the first things they notice; which doesn’t surprise me—the thing is strange.

We’ve grown quite fond of our jellyfish, and I want to share with you just how she (yes…she) has greatly benefited my family’s health over the past year.

 

What is Kombucha Tea?

 

Kombucha is an ancient preparation of fermented tea. You begin with tea (usually green) and sweeten it with a bit of sugar; it is then fermented using a “Scoby” (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.).

This “Scoby” is the jellyfish I refer to. The scoby is basically a rubbery substance composed of healthy bacteria and yeast, and is very similar to the substance which is used in creating vinegar.

The bacteria and yeast in the scoby eat the sugar in the tea, creating a slightly-sweet, fizzy tea chock-full of probiotics!

 

 

What Exactly Are Probiotics?

 

Probiotics are a type of bacteria that aid in digestion, gut health, and well—your health overall!

Probiotic-rich foods can play an incredible part in keeping you at top health. These are foods and drinks such as kombucha, kefir, (truly fermented) sourdough, sauerkraut, kimchi, and other naturally-fermented vegetables.

I am absolutely convinced that my family’s daily enjoyment of fermented foods and drinks has played a major role in the fact that we almost never suffer from common illnesses.

 

 

How To Brew Your Own Kombucha

 

What you will need:

For Brewing:

• A scoby (see below)
• 2 cups starter kombucha tea from a previous batch (or from unflavored, raw, store-bought kombucha)
• 8 bags or 2Tbs loose organic green tea
• 1 cup organic cane sugar
• 3 1/2 quarts water
• Large glass container for brewing

For Bottling

• Fresh fruit for flavoring (I use small chunks of oranges)
• Plastic funnel
• EZ cap glass bottles (purchase here, or from a brewing supply store)

 

 

First, Secure a Jelly Fish!

 

If you have friends who brew kombucha, great! Ask them for an extra scoby (the scobies duplicate with each batch of kombucha made).

Otherwise, you can order one from here

 

Phase 1: Brew Your Tea & First Fermentation

 

• Bring 3 1/2 quarts of water to a boil, then remove from heat, dissolve in 1 cup of organic sugar, and add the tea
• Allow the tea to completely cool (Never place your scoby into hot tea!)
• Once completely cooled, strain the tea into your large glass container
• Stir in the starter tea from a previous batch (or store-bought unflavored, raw kombucha), and lastly slip your scoby into the tea
• Cover the glass jar with paper towel using twine or rubberbands, and place somewhere out of direct sunlight
• Allow your kombucha to sit for 1-2 weeks, tasting it every few days. A new “baby” scoby will begin to form at the top of the tea, this is normal and healthy. 

 

 

Phase 2: Bottling & Second Fermentation

 

• Taste your kombucha every few days, and once it reaches your desired balance between sweet and “vinegar-y”, it is time to bottle!
• Sanitize your EZ cap glass bottles with hot water and vinegar, rinse
• Place into each bottle your fresh fruit. I usually use about 1-2 slices of orange (per bottle), cut into small chunks. The fruit adds flavor, and the natural sugar helps the kombucha to ferment further.
• Remove your scoby, and place it into a ziplock bag with 2 cups of your new kombucha, keep it in this bag, out of direct sunlight, until you are ready to brew another batch. You should now also have a new “baby” scoby. You can store this one in the same bag and use it also in brewing (I usually brew with 3-4 scobies at a time, which hastens fermentation). You can also give your extra scobies away! That is…if any of your friends will take it….
• Using a clean funnel, pour your kombucha into each bottle, leaving 1/2 – 1 inch of headspace. Strands of bacteria are normal, and packed full of probiotics, but you can strain them if they weird you out
• Use a wet paper towel to wipe the rim of the bottle clean, then seal it tight, and place it back somewhere out of direct sunlight
• NEVER shake your kombucha, it can be highly effervescent, and can explode!

 

Phase 3:  Stop The Fermentation!

• Leave your sealed kombucha to ferment for 2-3 days in the bottles, and then transfer it to the fridge to completely stop the fermentation process. Your kombucha is now ready to enjoy!

 

A couple of extra things…

• NEVER shake your kombucha, it can be highly effervescent, and can explode!
• Always make sure to use glass or plastic tools (excepting the metal pot for brewing your tea in phase 1), and always glass jars for brewing and storing; metal can interfere with the process.
• Always clean your hands, and all tools and surfaces with hot water and vinegar (not soap!!) before handling your scoby or kombucha.
• Kombucha has a strong “Detoxing affect” If you haven’t drank it before, start slow so that your body can get used to it.
• If your scoby turns black, it has been contaminated or become worn out. This is rare, but a black scoby should be thrown out or composted.
• On that note, a basic rule of fermentation is this:  If it looks healthy, smells healthy, and tastes healthy, it is healthy!
• If you would like to try kombucha before investing the time and resources into making it yourself, we really enjoy “GT’s Raw Kombucha”, which can be found at many regular or health food stores.

For further Frequently Asked Questions on kombucha, click here!

 

Sources:

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-kombucha-tea-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-173858

http://wholelifestylenutrition.com/articles/how-to-bottle-kombucha-tea-part-3/