Kombucha

Well, that is embarrassing. First, I make this big announcement that I am revamping the content of my blog to be completely food related and then……nothing. Over two weeks worth of nothing to be exact. Not that I didn’t have other things to do because I certainly did. I had school work to do (which I can’t wait to be rid of), books to read, TV to watch, kids to take care of, etc. What? Don’t food writers have lives, too? Back to the point here. One of those things that I did over the past two weeks was to try the strange concoction of kombucha. This is a fermented tea, which is apparently an ancient Chinese drink and which claims to have a wide range of health benefits. My cousin, who is also a chef, mentioned it in several of her Facebook posts and so, thus inspired, I decided to try it.

I bought my first 16-ounce, certified organic bottle at one of my local “health-foods” grocery stores (of which there are now several in the Austin area – anyone noticed that trend?) on sale for $1.99. The label was colorful and really very pretty, but what intrigued me, beyond anything else, was the flavor: Elderberry Hibiscus. (You can say it with an English/Monty Python accent if you like. You know you want to.) As a southerner, and especially as a southerner with ties to Central Florida, I love hibiscus in all of its many forms, from floral to food. Many restaurants in our area serve an herbal hibiscus tea, which I often drink, and so, when I saw this option, I had to try it. Also, I enjoy saying Elderberry (see the Monty Python reference above), although I have not had particularly good experiences with that fruit (but that is a story for another time).
When I got home, I opened the bottle, not exactly sure what to expect. After reading the label and determining that a 16-ounce bottle actually contains four servings, I poured approximately eight ounces into a glass to check it out. (Yes, I know it was more than one serving, but it was only 40 calories and I was thirsty.) Since kombucha is a fermented drink, I should not have been surprised by the effervescence of the liquid, but I was not really paying attention to the fermented part, so I was slightly taken aback by the fizzy quality of that initial pour. I say “taken aback”, when I mean, “delighted”. I LOVE carbonated beverages. Anyway, I should also mention the smell. It is a little off-putting, to say the very least. It is a mixture of musty and slightly sour, with only the barest hint of the fruits, or in this case, flowers that flavor the drink. That being said, if you know ahead of time, I think you can get past it. The first sip was tart, tangy, bubbly, lightly sweet and oh, so refreshing. I literally guzzled the entire glass and had to stop myself from getting the remainder out of the refrigerator. (I stopped myself for about half an hour and then went back and finished the rest of the bottle. See, I have a little self control.)

So, I am hooked. I do not really know if all of the health claims about kombucha are true, but I also do not really care. I like the taste. I like the effervescence. I like the probiotics that are clearly visible as threads and a general cloudiness in the drink (another slightly off-putting factor, but I say, just man up and chug it). I like the energy I get from drinking it. I like the fact that it makes me feel full (another health claim – weight control and who doesn’t need help with that?). I also like that my cousin, wonderful woman that she is, sent me information on how to brew it myself. I currently have a starter sitting on my counter which should be ready in about a week to start its second fermentation as pomegranate-blueberry kombucha. I will end up with a couple of gallons, all for substantially less than the original $1.99 that I paid for that first bottle. (Since that one was on sale, the price was not too bad. The guava flavored one that I bought last week was a whopping $3.19!) I will let you know how it goes and if I survive my homemade kombucha. If I write my next blog from a hospital bed, at least you will know why.