A kombucha tea recipe is made from sweetened tea that has been fermented by a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast ... which resembles a mushroom.

Kombucha is part of Russian and Chinese History and has been referred to as the "Tea of Immortality" as well as the "Elixir of Life". 

Many stories have been told about this fermented tea beverage and it was used under many names and in many cultures.

Kombucha seems to aid the stomach to better digest food. 

This beverage is also known to support the immune system and seems to help the body to expel toxins.

Ingredients:

• 16 cups of Filtered Water or Spring Water
  
• 24 Grams or 12 Tea Bags of Organic Black Tea (You can use Loose Tea)
  
• 1 1/2 cups of Organic White Cane Sugar
• 1 Matured SCOBY (Do not use a "Brand New" SCOBY) and 1 cup of Kombucha Starter
  

Instructions:

1. Bring up to boil 8 cups of filtered water and then add in the tea - brew for 10 minutes.
2. Pour into a kombucha vessel with the other 8 cups of water.  Add the sugar and stir.
3. Cool down for a few hours or until 90 degrees F before adding the SCOBY and 1 cup of Kombucha starter.
4. Cover glass jar with a cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band.
   
5. Put kombucha in a dark closet with a temperature of 66 to 78 degrees F.
6. Bless your kombucha and ferment for 7 to 10 days or until a pH of 2.5 to 3.5 is reached.
7. Your kombucha is now ready for bottling and the 2nd fermentation. 
   

Use whole fruit, fresh fruit juices, fresh ginger, fresh herbs, and even tea or coffee to flavor kombucha tea recipes.

Ferment kombucha in reusable glass bottles for up to 7 days - only takes 2 to 3 days if using fruit or sugar in your 2nd ferment. 

Remember to release "gas" pressure every day and refrigerate to stop process of fermentation.

Use reusable glass bottles with a tight seal to store or 2nd ferment your kombucha tea recipes like Grolsch-style flip-top bottles.  Yes, you can get them at Amazon.

I believe that Synergy Kombucha (GT's Synergy Original) is a good one to use to grow a "brand new" SCOBY or Kombucha Mushroom.

Just pour it in and watch it grow!

• Pour an unflavored bottle of store bought kombucha (by itself) into a mason jar.

• Cover with breathable cloth, secure with ring, and store in a dark place.

• In about 2 weeks, SCOBY (1/8 inch thickness) and Kombucha Starter are ready to use in a Basic Kombucha Tea Recipe.

Basic Kombucha Tea Recipe

1. Boil 1/2 a gallon of filtered water for your kombucha tea recipe and add 1/2 gallon of filtered cool (not cold) water to your brewing vessel.
2. Add 8 to 12 tea bags of Organic Black or Green Tea to the hot water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Remove tea bags and add 1 cup of organic white sugar to tea infused water - stir to dissolve.
4. Then add the sweetened tea to the 1/2 gallon of cool water in your glass brewing vessel (use thick glass).
   
5. Then cool to room temperature before pouring in 1 to 2 cups of "Kombucha Starter" along with a SCOBY.
6. Cover glass jar with a breathable organic cloth and secure with a large rubber band or string.
7. Place jar out of sunlight - where it will not be disturbed.
8. Your kombucha tea recipe will be ready to drink in about 9 to 14 days depending on the room temperature (ideal room temperature is approx. 75 degrees F)
   
9. Make sure you are careful not to contaminate your kombucha tea recipe and if it looks weird and smells off - don't drink it!

• Probiotics are live bacteria that you ingest and are considered to be "Beneficial or Friendly" bacteria.
• These bacteria pass into the digestive tract and enter your intestine, where they promote health.
• These friendly bacteria supply your digestive system with living cultures that are essential for breaking down food and assimilating nutrients.
• The benefits of probiotics also help to regulate the level of acidity in your digestive tract.

Kimchi delivers healthy and friendly bacteria like Lactobacteria and Bifidobacteria into your intestines to help you digest foods.

Kimchi is usually a spicy fermented vegetable side that has a noticeable aroma and a sour/spicy taste that comes from the food fermentation process.

A wide variety of fermented vegetables can go into making a Kimchi recipe and there are quite a lot of different types of Kimchi.

The vegetables that go into kimchi are an important source of fiber and Kimchi is also loaded with vitamins like vitamin C.

Garlic is often used and helps with the absorption of B vitamins. 

Also, garlic is a great source of Allicin, which has antibiotic and anti-fungal properties.

I got the idea for this recipe from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions.

It's in the food fermentation or Fermented Vegetables & Fruits section of her book.

Ingredients:

• 1 Large Organic Napa or Chinese Cabbage (cut into wide strips)
• 1 Large "Whole" Cabbage Leaf
  
• 1 Bunch Organic Green Onions (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
  
• 3/4 Cup Grated Organic Carrots
• 1 Tablespoon Freshly Grated Organic Ginger
• 3 Cloves Minced Organic Garlic
• Chop 4 Tiny Red Hot Chili Peppers or Add 1 Tablespoon Korean Hot Pepper Flakes
  
• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt
• 4 Tablespoons of Whey from Grass Fed Cow Milk
  

Be sure to wash your vegetables and sterilize your glass jar (no chlorine please).

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in a big bowl and pound with a wooden mallet until a good amount of liquid is released.
2. Put vegetables and all of the liquid into a wide-mouthed glass jar and press until liquid rises to the top.
3. Top with a cabbage leaf tucked down the sides to keep vegetables submerged.  Then cap the jar tightly.
4. Put a large plate underneath jar and ferment in a dark place at room temp for 3 to 7 days.
   
5. When you no longer see bubbles, transfer Kimchi to the refrigerator to store.

Another famous fermented vegetable side that is made from the more "standard" type of cabbage that you will find in any grocery store is called sauerkraut. 

It's usually not spicy like kimchi, but just as effective with aiding in the digestion of cooked meals.

Red Wine is fermented using the skin and seeds of a darker color grape ... therefore it will have more antioxidants than white wine.

Most research seems to indicate that moderate red wine consumption may help protect against heart disease.

Red Wine is also known to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels.

What seems to provide red wine with its health benefits are its antioxidants, like Resveratrol.

Resveratrol

• Resveratrol has been demonstrated to be a potent antioxidant (more effective than vitamin C).
• This potent substance has been demonstrated to have anti-clotting effects that prevent the formation of blood clots in your blood vessels.
• And if you choose to drink red wine, Moderation is Key!

Learn how to make homemade wine recipes using a variety of fruits right from your very own kitchen.

Also, learn to make one of the first wines ever produced by fermentation which is honey or mead wine.

Newsletter #44
The
Violet Flame

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