kombucha

After walking, we went back to Angels and tried Kombucha, a fermented tea drink. It is made by adding the bacteria and yeast to sugar and black or green tea and allowing the brew to ferment.

"After being fermented, kombucha becomes carbonated and contains vinegar, b-vitamins, enzymes, probiotics and a high concentration of acid (acetic, gluconic and lactic), which are tied with the following effects: Improved Digestion, Weight Loss, Increased Energy, Cleansing and Detoxification, Immune Support, Reduced Joint Pain, Cancer Prevention."

That's a helluva lot to ask for from a drink. Don't you think? I don't buy it. And I've tried to look up the science, and most websites don't buy it either. Some even go so far as to say if you drink to much of it it's bad for you.

I've been curious. So I bought the bottle a few weeks ago at the south Bethlehem farmers market. It's all the rage in the health nut sector. I had heard it's disgusting to it's wonderful. People either love the stuff or they hate it. Rarely anything in the middle.

I bought the blackberry flavor. There are many flavors to choose from. And it's packed in the quart-ish size bottle, like wine. I'd actually prefer a beer bottle size so there's less waste if you hate it. (Oh, and the Lehigh Valley Kombucha people need a graphic designer. Badly.)

It popped when we opened it. I poured about a half inch in each glass. The >teen said it smelled like wine. She was the first to taste. I took her picture. No gross face. She took it very seriously. And declared that it wasn't disgusting, but it wasn't good either. She threw the remainder of hers away.

I thought it smelled like red wine vinegar which made me almost not want to taste it. But hell, I put my big girl panties on this morning, I could do this. I agree with the child, it wasn't horrible. If served it at a healthy dinner I could drink it—as long as it was cold. Angel tried to drink it without smelling it. She's had better. A commercially prepared one from Target.

I left the bottle with her. She's going to finish it. Or dump it. Doesn't matter to me.

You can make your own at home, but I don't think I'll do that either. In fact, they are having a make-it class next week at the community college for Kumbucha and other fermented drinks. I think I'll pass.