One of the first interactions that I had with my mother-in-law was the clinking of mugs over a pot of Apple Cider Vinegar Elixir. At the time, I remember looking at the gluggly “mother” being poured into the cup as she swished it around with raw honey and warm water and thinking “what the hell is this?” But after that first cuppa, I soon became a convert and, with her warm guidance in tow, quickly learnt how to make it at home.
Cultured beverages are drinks that our parents and grandparents enjoyed; they provided minerals, electrolytes and beneficial live bacteria which can assist the health and functioning of the digestive tract.
Tap water - as we know it - only became readily available early in the 20th century so before this people often went to their cellar or pantry for a source of thirst-quenching hydration; it might have been home-brewed cider, cultured vegetable or fruit elixirs, or a kvass made from fermented grain or rice.
Today’s tap water can also contain high levels of chlorine and heavy metals. It lacks the minerals that were naturally present when it was originally sourced from wild lakes and streams. One simple way that we can add minerals and health-promoting bacteria to our diet is by including fermented tonics and elixirs in our diet.
And so, when I returned from Bruny Island earlier this week, I was hit by a sense of traveller’s fatigue (I’m sure many parents can relate to the challenges of airport food + travelling with children).
One of the first things that I did was stock our pantry with fermented tonics and elixirs; easy drinks that we could sip on with meals that I knew would help rehydrate us from the flight and restore our digestive health from our time away.
Admittedly, it had been a few months since I’d made jars of kvass, and my technique needed some tweaking (!!)
Here’s our recipes. Before you read further, please consider sharing this information with a friend:)
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ELIXIR
For this recipes you will need a source of unpasteurised apple cider vinegar which also contains the ‘mother’ (this is the live bacteria source, it floats around a bit in the bottle, and is generally very visible). You can make this at home (recipe coming soon!) but raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) is available at most health food stores and supermarkets.
You will also need a source of raw, unpasteurised honey, preferable thick and golden-coloured (but this is not essential).
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR ELIXIR
1/2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon raw honey
optional: 1/4 teaspoon clove OR pinch cayenne pepper
Place the ingredients in a mug and mix with 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Stir well. Fill the rest of the cup with hot (almost, but not quite boiling) water and enjoy.
CULTURED BEET KVASS:
Beets are extremely nutritious - they provide an excellent source of
CULTURED BEET KVASS RECIPE
3 medium beetroot
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups filtered water
1/4 cup starter culture
optional - 1 large cabbage leaf or beetroot slice.
Note - this recipe works best with organic (unsprayed) beetroots and filtered tap water. If you cannot access filtered water, try boiling it first. If your beetroots are conventional, peel them prior to this recipe.
Start by preparing the brine: mix the water with the sea salt until the salt is well dissolved. Set aside.
Top and tail the beetroot, then cut into small cubes (roughly 2cm x 2cm in size). Place the beetroot in a wide mouth jar, then cover with the brine liquid and starter culture. Stir well.
Place a cabbage leaf over the top of the liquid. This step is optional, but can reduce contact with air, and possible yeast growth.
Troubleshooting:
Of all the recipes that I ferment at home, this can be one of the more finicky preparations. Some common issues -
Surface growth - A white film known as ‘kahm yeast’ can develop on the top surface of the kvass. While kahm yeast is not dangerous, it can create an overly sour flavour. You can skim this off the top and discard. If mould occurs, its best to discard or compost the batch.
Why does mould or ‘surface growth’ appear? This can happen due to an improper ratio of salt:water in the brine (too much salt, or not enough and it wont create the right environment for healthy bacteria to thrive).
How can you prevent ‘surface growth’? Keeping the salt concentration and temperature correct is key. If the mixture gets too warm, too quickly, it will start to develop mould. You can cover the top layer with a ‘vegetable lid’ (cabbage leaves work great, if not, use a large slice of beetroot) to prevent contact with air.
CABBAGE JUICE TONIC:
When it comes to any type of fermentation recipe, cabbage is my fool-proof go-to ingredient. It’s leaves are tough and fibrous, and coated with a fine layer of probiotic film (yes - the fine white coating on top of cabbage leaves is actually bacteria).
Look for organic, or unsprayed cabbage wherever you can. But if you can’t source any, simply remove the outer leaves of the cabbage before starting this recipe.
CABBAGE JUICE TONIC RECIPE
1/4 small cabbage, outer leaves removed, sliced into thin slices
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
4 cups water*
1/4 cup starter culture - this could be a previous batch of sauerkraut juice, whey liquid or even some sauerkraut solids
optional - 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
Note - you will need a large, 1.5L jar to prepare this recipe
Place the cabbage, sea salt and caraway seeds in a large mixing bowl. Mix through the salt and cabbage seeds. Then continue by mixing and squeezing the cabbage leaves. The salt works by releasing liquid from the cabbage and the squeezing process breaks down the cell walls. Do this for 5 minutes, then let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. Start again with another 5 minutes of squeezing and turning the leaves.
Next, transfer the cabbage into the preserving jar. Add the starter culture and the water. Leave a few centimetres at the top of the jar. Cover with a tea towel or cheese cloth and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days, then transfer to the fridge. After 5 days it will be ready to consume, however it will be at its ‘peak’ in 2 weeks time. At this time, you can drain the liquid from the solids (add the solids into salads or as a soup garnish). Keep the liquid in the fridge, and take small doses throughout the day.
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Kindly,
Belle