So my extreme nature has taken over yet again! A few weeks ago my friend at work was tell me about his friend & how he was weird now that he had a crazy girlfriend & they were growing their own probiotics~ well that was all he had to say and I was off on the internet researching how I could grow my own~ not even sure what they did but knew they were good for you & I had to grow my own!
First I came across Kombucha which it a tea I guess since you brew tea bags & easy enough to make but you needed a "mother" which was the thing that was hard to get your hands on since you can't buy these things live at the store. I came across KombuchaBrooklyn and bought the whole package. It was a bit pricey for what you got but I just did it! This tea takes two weeks to produce and there it a yucky thing that grows on top which is the mother with all the good stuff in it ( you have to have a mother but it will produce more mothers under it). Well I had to ask some questions because it just didn't seem right and sure enough I had to much tea in the jar. Once I took some out all was good and two weeks later I had my tea. Now I had no idea what this was suppose to taste like~ I can tell you that when you take the cup to your lips it smells like a big jar of vinegar but does not taste like it! it's taste like a mild tea but you have to get use to it and know it's for the greater good of your body. The good stuff it brings to your body it endless from all that I have read. I am not sure if I feel better yet but I don't think I was feeling bad to begin with & I have only had it for a few days now. I have already started my second brewing.
First I came across Kombucha which it a tea I guess since you brew tea bags & easy enough to make but you needed a "mother" which was the thing that was hard to get your hands on since you can't buy these things live at the store. I came across KombuchaBrooklyn and bought the whole package. It was a bit pricey for what you got but I just did it! This tea takes two weeks to produce and there it a yucky thing that grows on top which is the mother with all the good stuff in it ( you have to have a mother but it will produce more mothers under it). Well I had to ask some questions because it just didn't seem right and sure enough I had to much tea in the jar. Once I took some out all was good and two weeks later I had my tea. Now I had no idea what this was suppose to taste like~ I can tell you that when you take the cup to your lips it smells like a big jar of vinegar but does not taste like it! it's taste like a mild tea but you have to get use to it and know it's for the greater good of your body. The good stuff it brings to your body it endless from all that I have read. I am not sure if I feel better yet but I don't think I was feeling bad to begin with & I have only had it for a few days now. I have already started my second brewing.
Here is a picture of my first brewing. Looks like there's mold on it but it is normal. I will soon have mothers to share so let me know if you want to try it.
While on my research quest I also came across Water Kefir. Now this doesn't take as long to produce only a day or two. It doesn't look as weird but that is personal as my husband called it my science project in the kitchen! This has many good effects as Kombucha. These are Grains in which you put them in a jar of sugar water, just like kombucha the living organism feeds off of the sugar. I like mine after a day since it's still sweet. The longer you let it sit the more vinegary it becomes. You can flavor it after & it becomes carbonated during the second fermentation. These Water Kefir grains reproduce like crazy ~ I have given away some already & had to halt production because i was drinking to much to keep up and found myself bloated! Once I get close to depleting my supply I will continue again. I find that I crave it now! no one else in my house will touch it. My son would if he was still living at home but I did send him with a jar of Kombucha for his belly troubles.
If you are interested in trying water kefir I have some ready for shipping and they are yours I just ask that you pay the shipping which is $5 in the US since I ship it priority. Then you will have a ton to share with your friends!
Now that I mastered Water Kefir & seem to have a handle on Kombucha I am on to Milk Kefir. Now they are not similar to Water Kefir in looks ~ Milk Kefir looks like little white brains! I got my from Groovy Guts . These ones you put in with Milk~ just normal Pasteurized milk but not ultra pasteurized! It is a bit to get past if you are squeamish about Milk products as it looks like spoiled milk. I love this stuff however it taste tart but I don't drink it straight I put in a blender with Maple flavoring (groovy guts uses maple syrup ) and artificial sweetener~ maybe a banana if I have one or frozen strawberries. It's so good I carve that now too but I only make enough for some big ol cup! but the cool thing about this stuff is there is whey left over which is the thick stuff. I didn't add anything the first time and didn't let it sit as long & it turned out more like cream cheese. Then next time I put sea salt and fresh cilantro in it and let it sit longer ~ it made a nice cheese, only 2 bites but divine nonetheless!
Milk Kefir Grain (Brain Grains) from Groovy Guts!
Let me know if you have any questions as it's a learning process for me that right nowwhich has taken over my life & kitchen!
Okay Tracie I am ready to start. Next you can write a complete cookbook about it.
ReplyDeleteoh you are so crazy and fun!!!! I will get some water kefir from you cause it looks fun!!
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