Sauerkraut Revisited

A little while back, I posted a long-winded story about this cookbook I'd discovered called The Lost Art of Real Cooking.  Unfortunately, the library is fairly strict about due dates and late charges and whatnot, so in order to maintain my book-borrowing privileges, I reluctantly gave The Lost Art back to its rightful owners.  But even though I don't actually have the red-covered pages in my hands any longer, I have something just as special, a memento of our time together, if you will, in my refrigerator.

Sauerkraut.

Does that not sound special to you?  Well, I, my friends, have fallen as hard for this fermented cabbage as I did for The Lost Art itself.  Textured with a crunchy bite, zesty with the spice of Thai chilis, and full of that distinctive sauer- flavor that makes this dish what it is...  I still have a difficult time believing that the raw cabbage shreds I immersed in salty water and put away in the cabinet actually transformed into this party starter (put some in your mouth, and you'll see what I mean).

From the Bookshelf: "The Lost Art of Real Cooking"

 
I feel like I spend quite a bit of time explaining my obsessions in this space.  One week I'm going on about my total lust for peaches, the next I'm writing feverishly about cannellini beans.  Roasted peppers, duck eggs and pumpkin pie... the list of comestibles that get my juices flowing is a long one, friends.  I'll risk stating the obvious here by saying that my particular brand of obsessions and compulsions are centered around the edible. 

On a related note, I'm also incredibly infatuated with my Seattle Public Library card.  I paid a whopping zero dollars for this sleek, rectangle of blue and white plastic, and with it, I hold the power.  (Not to be confused with He-Man who has 'the power').  What is this gibberish I'm talking?  I'm speaking of the incredible benefits there are to using the public library.  I can get books, music, magazines, and movies there, and you know what? It's free!  Well, except when the late fees start to rack up. The library even allows me the privilege of placing holds on books from any branch in the system which are then sent to my neighborhood branch for easy pickup.  Are you kidding me?  How f-ing rad is that?

Kombucha - Part II: The Brew

A lot has happened in the last week in the world of kombucha.  First off, I'm proud to say that I successfully finished brewing my first batch.  Unflavored, made with black tea, and so refreshing.  There's definite satisfaction and feelings of accomplishment in my world right now.  The other bit of news that came to me this past weekend was the massive recall of kombucha teas from Whole Foods Markets because of the possibility of elevated alcohol levels not identified on the label.  Don't get the wrong idea.  Drinking kombucha isn't going to get you sauced.  The elevated levels found in the Synergy brand kombucha sold at Whole Foods were just slightly over the 0.5 % alcohol content permitted without a government warning about the dangers to unborn fetuses and the like.

Since WF isn't currently a reliable source of kombucha, there's even more incentive to brew your own.

It feels serendipitous that I finished my first batch of brew just two days before I heard about the recall.  Psychic abilities?  Check.

So how did I do it?  Well, I've already explained how to grow the SCOBY.  Remember how simple that was?  Brewing the kombucha is even easier.  Keep in mind that there are many methods and opinions about the best way to do this.  These directions are based on my personal experience.  These are the items you'll need:

• 8 C. water
• 4 tea bags or 4 T. loose tea leaves (I used loose black tea leaves)
• 1/2 C. sugar (white, granulated - this is the food for the SCOBY)
• 1/2 C. reserved tea mixture from the making of your SCOBY (if you bought a SCOBY it should have come with some liquid.  This is what you'll use)
• 1 kombucha SCOBY, mother, mushroom (or whatever you wanna call it)
• 1 - 1/2 gallon glass jar
• 1 clean kitchen towel
• 1 rubber band

Once you've assembled your arsenal, you're ready to get down to business.  There are a lot of steps here, but don't let that scare you away.  I'm just really breaking it down for you.

• First, bring the water to a boil in a pot.  When it has just begun to boil, take off the heat, and add the tea bags or leaves.  Let it steep for 5 minutes, then remove the bags or strain the leaves out completely.
• Add the sugar and stir until all of it has dissolved.
• Now the waiting game. THE TEA MUST COOL TO ROOM TEMP before you proceed any further.  If you add the SCOBY while the tea is still hot, it will die.  What a miserable death that would be.
• After a couple of hours, your tea should be cool enough. 
• Pour the sweetened tea into the glass jar, and add the 1/2 C. of liquid you've saved with your SCOBY or the liquid your purchased one came with.
• Place your SCOBY on top of the liquid in the jar.  Don't worry if it won't stay afloat on the surface.  It may sink, it may swim. Either way, that mother is gonna chow down on the sugar and tea in that jar and make you some mighty fine kombucha.
• Place the towel over the opening of the jar and secure with the rubber band.  This will ensure a critter-free brew.
• Put the jar in a dark place.  I keep mine in a cabinet.  It needs to be out of direct light.
• Let it sit there for 5+ days (more on this below)
• Remove the SCOBY and place in a glass container, then pour 1 C. of the finished kombucha over the SCOBY - you'll need this for your next batch!
• I strained my kombucha to remove any pieces of SCOBY that were floating around, but this isn't necessary.
• Drink it up!

Important Notes:

About Time: 
The amount of time it takes to brew your kombucha depends on temperature and personal taste.  The warmer it is, the quicker the fermentation process.  I brewed my first batch for 5 days, and it turned out a little less fizzy than I like and sweeter than if I'd let it continue to ferment.  The longer it ferments, the more sugar is eaten up by the yeast and bacteria, and the less sweet it will be.  You can let your kombucha ferment for 10 days if you like the way it tastes after, although the average length of time I've seen recommended was 5-8 days. 

About SCOBYs:
While the kombucha is brewing, a second SCOBY will begin to form on the surface.  If your SCOBY is floating on top, this means that another one will begin to form on top of it.  This is totally normal! If your SCOBY was a sinker, another one will still form on top of the liquid.  In the case of Siamese twin SCOBYs they may come apart after your first brew, or it may take a couple of brews before you can separate them.  The new SCOBY can be used in your next batch of kombucha and the old one saved as a back up, given to a friend in need, or discarded.  You will end up with a new one after every batch.  


About mold, discolorations, or other weirdness:
Brewing kombucha can be a little bit... interesting.  The SCOBY is strange, there's no doubt about it.  Often, ugly-looking brown stringy things will form on the under side of the SCOBY. Do not be alarmed (I freaked out when I saw this, but you don't have to!), this is a byproduct from the tea and the fermentation process.  It is not mold!  Mold is fuzzy.  Mold is not limited to the underside of the SCOBY, either.  Look at this website for pictures and details about what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to color, etc. of your SCOBY.  It helped me tremendously.

Good luck on your journey toward the mastery of kombucha brewing! Feel free to hit me up with questions, if you have any.  I'm going to grab a cold glass right now. This 95 degree weather is killing me!

Kombucha - Part I: The SCOBY

I'll just start off by demystifying the title of this post for any of you who may not be hip to the kombucha game. Kombucha is a fermented beverage made from sweetened tea. It's been around since the Chinese began brewing and drinking it some time around 200 B.C. They referred to it as the Tea of Immortality because of the amazing health benefits the beverage imbued upon those who consumed it.

Kombucha has been gaining popularity here in the West in the last several years. It can be purchased at any health food store under a few different labels, and here in Seattle, a local brewer sells bottles of his kombucha (Communitea Kombucha) at farmers markets around the city. The store-bought brands come in a myriad of flavors and are a great way to become acquainted with this drink. I guess I've come to a point now where I want Kombucha on hand all the time. I want a glass in the morning to get my day going and one every night as it's coming to an end.

Why? What's so special about this stuff that makes me want to go to the trouble of making it? Well, it's an excellent digestive aid. The fermentation process ensures that kombucha is loaded with beneficial bacteria that your guts just adore! As someone with pretty hefty digestive issues, the idea of getting to sip on a fun, fizzy, delicious drink that will also fix up my drain pipes... is like the best thing ever. Not convinced? Head on over to Food Renegade for a more detailed explanation of the health benefits of kombucha. Kristen Michaelis, the author of the site, is a registered dietician and goes into some depth about the research that has been conducted and the ways in which kombucha can positively impact your health.

So how is kombucha made?
Luckily, the process is insanely simple. Basically, tea is brewed, sugar is added and the SCOBY takes care of the rest.

What the hell is a SCOBY?
SCOBY is an acronym for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. It is the muscle behind the fermentation process, without which there could be no bubbles, no bacteria... no kombucha. Don't be frightened by its funky appearance. It really is a magical creature.

Where do I get a SCOBY?
Well, they can be purchased online from a few different places, although it can cost you $40 for two of them. That seems ridiculous to me, when you can grow one yourself for under $5. Another option is to find a friend who brews kombucha and get one from them. They are rarely on short supply since these suckers reproduce with every brew.

I wanted to do everything myself for this project, so I chose to grow my own SCOBY. One of my classmates brought some of her brew into class for a fermentation presentation that we had, and I used this as my starter. Here is the complete ingredient list:

• 1 bottle kombucha (unflavored)
• 1 C. tea (bagged or loose leaf will work - green, black or whatever you want to try)
• 1 T. sugar (use only refined sugar - natural sweeteners, honey, etc. are not the way to go)
• 1 glass jar (mine was 1/2 gallon size but whatever you have will work)
• 1 clean dish towel (whatever you use in the kitchen will work fine)

Once you've assembled your supplies, this is what you should do:

• Stir the sugar into the tea and mix until dissolved. Then pour both the kombucha and the sweetened tea into your glass jar. Cover the jar with the towel and place it in a dark corner of your kitchen, out of direct light. You can also store it in a cabinet.

• Let it sit there.

• After a few days, you will notice some bubbling on the surface of the liquid - this is what you want! After about a week, you should have a layer of white stuff forming on the surface - this is your SCOBY growing! It will continue to grow and thicken with time. When it gets to be about a 1/4 inch thick it's ready to go.

You are now the proud parent of a kombucha SCOBY! Love that SCOBY. Marvel at its weird, fungus-like appearance. Touch it if you like. It's pretty remarkable, isn't it?

Stay tuned for the next installment of this series:
Kombucha - Part II: The Brew
Where I'll explain how to use your new SCOBY to brew your first batch of kombucha!

***Updates***
There are a few very important things I forgot to add to this post.

1. In step one, make sure you stir the sugar into the tea while it is hot so that it will dissolve completely.
2. Before adding the tea and kombucha to the jar, cool the tea to room temperature. The bacteria will not grow in a hot liquid.
3. Make sure you save the liquid that you grow your SCOBY in. You'll need some of it to start your first batch of kombucha, and the SCOBY needs to remain immersed in it in order to survive.
4. Finally, here is an excellent resource for this process. There are tips and photos that I found very helpful in working through this process.

Good Luck!!