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.
People experiment with different sweeteners, flavorings, and teas, but it's wise to follow the basic recipe until you're familiar with the growing process and the taste of this fermented drink. White sugar is known to be almost a non-food, since it's been stripped off all vitamins and minerals, but the yeast culture, which needs sugars to grow, transforms them into a healthy drink.
Boil a gallon of water and steep five tea bags until the tea is cooler than lukewarm (sun tea works, too). Stir in sweetener until it dissolves. Slip in your starter. If you have a mushroom, it may sink to the bottom of the container. This is good, because when the brew is ready it will float to the top. However, the process works fine if the mushroom floats during the week or more that it takes to complete.
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.
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.
People experiment with different sweeteners, flavorings, and teas, but it's wise to follow the basic recipe until you're familiar with the growing process and the taste of this fermented drink. White sugar is known to be almost a non-food, since it's been stripped off all vitamins and minerals, but the yeast culture, which needs sugars to grow, transforms them into a healthy drink.
Boil a gallon of water and steep five tea bags until the tea is cooler than lukewarm (sun tea works, too). Stir in sweetener until it dissolves. Slip in your starter. If you have a mushroom, it may sink to the bottom of the container. This is good, because when the brew is ready it will float to the top. However, the process works fine if the mushroom floats during the week or more that it takes to complete.
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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