So there has been a little hiatus from the blog, one which I didn't really plan on. At the beginning of this month I decided I wanted to challenge myself with my cooking. As Zach and I ramped up for some of the biggest training days of our running career, I knew we'd need to be eating like mad men; so I figured I might as well challenge myself to learn a new recipe or at least cook a homemade meal every day. Thus, the #dailyrecipechallenge began.
I've put a lot more time into this than I had hoped, but the rewards are bountiful. I could have easily stayed stagnant in my cooking, but that in itself is not what cooking is about! I wanted to better myself as this is a craft that I will never put down, one where I hope to someday become a master at.
Even though I've made Kombucha several times already this summer, it was definitely a recipe I couldn't forget to make during this challenge. So here is what you'll need:
Ingredients:
6 cups of distilled water
1/2 cup of sugar (I use turbinado)
2 TB of loose leaf black english breakfast tea
1 scoby (you can grow your own or purchase one)
1 cup of starter tea (you can use apple cider vinegar if you don't have this)
On the stovetop bring 2 cups of water, ½ cup of turbinado sugar, and 2 tablespoons of loose leaf black english breakfast tea to a boil. Turn off heat and let steep for a few minutes. You can steep for up to 30 minutes if you like, but I usually don't have that much patience.
Strain tea making sure no leaves are left. Pour into 1/2 gallon glass Ball jar. Let cool! To help move this process along you can fill the jar with some cold distilled water. Wait until tea is around 85 degrees or room temperature before adding the rest of the water (you will be adding 4 cups of water total).
Once the tea is at correct temperature, add 1 cup of starter tea and your scoby. Top the rest of the jar off with room temperature water if needed. Leave about 2 inches of room for the tea to breathe. Cover with coffee filter and date it. In 10 to 14 days it should be done! Taste test to see if you want to wait longer for a more “vinegary” taste.
To add flavor: Put fruit or herbs in after you take the scoby out. Put cap on for carbonation and leave in cabinet for second fermentation. (another 10-14 days or whatever your taste buds prefer!)
Have you made Kombucha before?
Do you prefer plain or one spiked with flavors?
