Beverages Archives : The Research & Writings of ALISON D. GILBERT

FOOD, FOOD & HEALING JOURNEY, Probiotic Beverages, The ALISON D. GILBERT Blog

Alison’s Health and Healing Project Graphics

May 27, 2023 No Comments

health-and-healing-project-graphics

FERMENTED FOOD & BEVERAGE GRAPHICS

Health and Healing project graphics are great fun to make for all my fermented beverages. In fact, I enjoy making Health and Healing projects graphics almost as much as making fermented food and beverages themselves.

In order to keep track of what I am doing with all my projects, I create promotional and identity graphics. At left, for this project, I have created a menu of the fermented food and beverages I am making.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: EAT FREE

It has been over 35 years since I created my first Health and Healing graphics. In fact, it was my first Health and Healing project called EAT FREE©. The name described an allergy muffin I created. It was free of wheat, dairy, and sugar. In fact, it was vegan before vegan even existed.

eat free flyer — My first health and healing project EAT FREE© flyer from 1987.

Do you notice something significant between the above two examples of Health & Healing graphics? The current piece, the menu happens to be computer generated while the vintage piece or flyer was completely freehand drawn by me.

At the time the flyer was created, I did not have access to a computer. Currently, all my graphics is computer generated. In reverse, my current Health and Healing projects themselves draw upon vintage, handmade formulas and recipes.

Illustrations work by Susan Branch, Beatrix Potter, and Mary Engelbreit

As much as I would like to create lovely handmade illustrations of my current work, the computer is easier for me. Unfortunately I do not have the skill of other artists like Susan Branch, Beatrix Potter and Mary Engelbreit to manifest handmade marvels.

Ali’s Kombucha kitchen

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE

There is an essence to all of this. It is actually captured by the senses through the ethereal vibration of it all. There is the visual, the aroma, the taste, the feeling. Although I cannot capture some of these qualities, ultimately the products is essential.

It is my sincerest desire that you will experience something special through my Health and Healing project graphics. May that be the quality of transporting you to the products themselves. Ultimately that is where the benefits and the joy reside.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

Fermented Sauerkraut
Beet Kvass
Ginger ale
Limeade
Kombucha
Susan Branch
Beatrix Potter
Mary Engelbreit

health-and-healing-project-graphics

ALISON D. GILBERT Blog, Beet Kvass, Probiotic Beverages

Beet Kvass: Origins and Variations Recipes

December 27, 2022 No Comments

Beet Kvass is attributed to being Russian although the earliest recordings can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece and Egypt.(1) Ultimately today, recipes come from many parts of the globe and in many variations exist.

Beet Kvass went in and out of popularity in Russia. At one point it was a noble drink. Over time peasants were saved from starvation drinking it. It was called ‘bread in a bottle’ due to its highly nutritional value. But then it sank to being considered vulgar for poor folks.(2) Today it is experiencing an upswing as its health benefits are revealed again. Clearly beet kvass origins and recipes are not limited to a narrow story.

beet-kvass-hisory — Barrel with kvass
Harrison Foreman / russiainphoto.ru

Varieties of Kvass With its popularity due to health benefits, many recipes developed. But first I would like to present the simplest recipes to the most complicated.

Beet Kvass photo by Bobbi Lin

Red Beet Kvass The simplest recipe requires just filtered water, beets, and sea salt.
Taking the kvass one step further it can list filtered water, chopped red beets, whey to quicken fermentation, sea salt, or sugar, or even honey. Recipes are in the Source & Resource section at the end of this post.(3)(4)(5)

Golden Beet Kvass Although I have not yet made golden beet kvass, it looks fascinating and delicious. One particular recipe includes crusts of rye bread to add to the richness in fermentation and nutrition.

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way
from the CulturedGuru.com

Golden beet kvass involves a more complicated recipe, possibly with more powerful results. I have not made this kvass yet. But I will as soon as I purchase some golden beets and fermented rye bread.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)A brief history of Kvass, Russia’s ‘bread in a bottle’
a.Urban Farmie Beet kvass
b.Nourishing Gourmet Beet Kvass
c.Three Stone Hearth Beet Kvass
d.How to Make Beet Kvass
d.Honey Fermented Sweet Beet Kvass
e.How to make sweet honey and Beet Kvass
f.Golden Beet Kvass
g.Golden Beet & Turmeric Kvass: A Fermented Home Brew Recipe for a Healthy Probiotic Drink

Beverages, Probiotic Beverages, The ALISON D. GILBERT Blog

HOMEMADE FERMENTED BEVERAGES

December 20, 2022 No Comments

INTRODUCTION

Homemade fermented beverages are my favored way to quench my thirst. Although pure water can be very refreshing, there is nothing like drinking a cool sparkling homemade fermented beverage.

Actually the variety is almost unlimited. Fortunately, most of the commercial brands ferment to have minimal (5%) or no alcohol at all for people with sensitivities.

MY FERMENTED DRINK PROJECT

homemade-favorite-fermented-beverages — From rebeccasnaturalfood.com, The Magic of Fermented Foods and Beverages

KOMBUCHA
My homemade fermented beverages project originated with my love of kombucha. Over the years, I’ve consequently spent a great deal of time learning about fermented drinks in general. Then I discovered on my own how to make delicious flavors.

Although there are many delicious commercial brands of kombucha on the market, making it at home can be lots of fun even if it is time consuming.

Making Homemade Kombucha
Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of fermenting of our kombucha. In that case, commercial kombucha will do nicely. But if time does allow, I think it is worth it to experience homemade fermented beverages.

‘1F’ Kombucha
As I mentioned, fermentation, either ‘1F’ and/or ‘2F’ does take considerable time. Let’s begin. The ‘1F’ process includes boiling and cooling (black or green) tea. Then place it in a glass jar without the tea. Next add the fermenting agent known as a SCOBY.

Cover the glass jar with cheesecloth or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band or string. Once the liquid ferments, remove the SCOBY from the tea. Fermentation can take from a few days to over a week even. The result is a drinkable ‘1F’ Kombucha.

Keep SCOBY Mixture Warm During Fermentation
It is crucial to keep the designated fermenting area and bottle(s) warm. To accomplish this, be sure to cover the container with a heavy material like a sock or even a heating belt specifically designed for this purpose.

2F Kombucha
Once the 1F process is fermented, it is ready is make the kombucha more flavorful. But first be sure to remove the SCOBY from the 1F liquid. Next place the SCOBY in a small amount of the original ‘1F’ liquid in its own jar. Refrigerate it and leave it to rest ready to start another ‘1F’ kombucha. To make the ‘2F’ kombucha with one or more additional flavors, add either juice or tea to the jar that contains the bulk of’1F’ liquid. That may takes days, as well.

homemade-fermented-beverages — Kombucha SCOBY from blissedmama.com website

Recipes
There are so many great recipes for Kombucha available on the Internet. For example, here is one of those recipes. How to Make Kombucha at Home Using a SCOBY.
The ‘Sources & Resources’ section below has a terrific recipe. Many other recipes are on the Internet.

FERMENTED LEMONADE/LIMEADE

This thirst quenching homemade fermented beverage is probably the easiest to make. It only requires two ingredients consisting of whey and ‘Simply Lemonade or Limeade’. First make whey with a cheesecloth by straining store bought, full fat probiotic plain yogurt.

Fermenting with Whey
Add about 1/4 cup whey to a bottle of Simply Lemonade or Limeade. Since it is about as pure as squeezing my own juice, it saves me a huge step of not having to squeeze my own citrus. Combine the two ingredients, 1/4 cup whey into a full bottle of juice. Make sure the bottle cover is on tight for fermenting.

Let this two step process sit on the counter maintaining a room temperature of between a minimum of 70 degrees but best closer to 80 degrees for a few days until it gets fermented and fizzy. Then refrigerate it and enjoy. Hint: In colder weather cover bottle in a heavy sock to maintain warm temperature for proper fermenting.

GINGER ALE

homemade-fermented-recipes — Ginger bug recipe from thespruceeats.com

Ginger ale involves another two step process similar to the ‘2F’ fermentation process used for making flavored kombucha. In this case, start by making a ginger bug.

Combine bug and Liquid Then add it to a liquid specifically prepared for making homemade ginger ale. There is a great photo subtitle link that provides an excellent recipe for both a bug and ginger ale.

BEET KVASS

Red Beet Kvass Recipes for beet kvass vary depending on your preferred fermenting technique as well as taste (sweet or salty). Here is a recipe that uses salt as its fermenting agent

Sally Fallon Morell highly recommends beet kvass as an excellent nourishing beverage.

To quote her from the website threestonehearth.com, ‘Beets are sliced and cultured in water with yogurt whey and Celtic sea salt to make this traditional tonic drink.’

Valuable Medicinal Qualities
Sally Fallon Morell describes this drink as being “valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments…”

GOLDEN BEET KVASS

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way
from the CulturedGuru.com

Golden beet kvass involves a more complicated recipe, possibly with more powerful results. I have not made this kvass yet. But I will as soon as I purchase some golden beets and fermented rye bread.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

a.The Magic of Fermented Foods and Beverages
b.Salty Beet kvass
c.Sweet Beet Kvass
d.Kvass and Kombucha: Gifts From Russia
e.Golden Beet & Turmeric Kvass: A Fermented Home Brew Recipe for a Healthy Probiotic Drink

Beverages, FOOD, The ALISON D. GILBERT Blog

BEVERAGES THROUGH THE AGES

December 9, 2022 No Comments

fermented beverages

DRINK UP
Pure Water or Fermented Beverages
Contrary to popular belief, fermented beverages were a source of pleasure even nutrition rather that a sanitary necessities in Medieval Europe going forward.

Middle Age Water Myth

Sources of Water in Cities
It is known that cities even constructed sources for pure water. In fact infrastructures were created to supply clean water to populated areas.

Rural Water Requiring Less Engineering
Where underground water existed naturally, wells provided pure drinking water.

Drinking water supplied by wells and transferred in barrels from medievalist.net

Water in Colonial New England (3)

At the beginning of this post documentation of water history relates essentially to European geography and construction. On the other hand, footnote(3) hones in on the relationship of water and the North American city of Boston from 1650-1900. Activities started later in the colonies as well as less frequently. But the need was less urgent.

Preferred Palatable Beverages
But for pleasure, alternative drinking liquids were prefered. In fact, there were many options to choose from. Fermented beverages from distant and recent history are still popular today.

Food and Beverage Hobby As part of my interest in food and beverage history, I like to prepare and drink these beverages. They range from thousands of years old to much more recent concoctions.

Fermentation
Fermentation was the way liquids were converted into nutritious, tasty beverages. Due to chemical reactions with healthy bacteria, many beverages resulted. I would like to spend this blog post writing about some of them.

Honey Wine

“The term honey wine is sometimes used as a synonym for mead,[7][8] although wine is typically defined to be the product of fermented grapes or certain other fruits,[9] and some cultures have honey wines that are distinct from mead. The honey wine of Hungary, for example, is the fermentation” of honey-sweetened pomace of grapes or other fruits.[10]

More About Mead
“Mead was produced in ancient times throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia,[11][12][13][14] and has played an important role in the mythology of some peoples. In Norse mythology, for example, the Mead of Poetry, crafted from the blood of Kvasir (a wise being born from the mingled spittle of the Aesir and Vanir deities) would turn anyone who drank it into a poet or scholar.” Quoted from Wikipedia

Kombucha
“Kombucha is thought to have originated in China, where the drink is traditional.[3][4]

By the early 20th century it had spread to Russia, then other parts of Eastern Europe and Germany.[5] Kombucha is now homebrewed globally, and also bottled and sold commercially.[1] The global kombucha market was worth approximately US$1.7 billion as of 2019.[6]

SCOBY
“Kombucha is produced by symbiotic fermentation of sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) commonly called a “mother” or “mushroom”. The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary.

Yeast
The yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species; the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids).[7]

SCOBY Defined
Although the SCOBY is commonly called “tea fungus” or “mushroom”, it is actually “a symbiotic growth of acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast species in a zoogleal mat [biofilm]”.[1] The living bacteria are said to be probiotic, one of the reasons for the popularity of the drink.[8][9]”Quoted from Wikipedia

SOURCES & RESOURCES

Mead

Kombucha

(1)Did People Drink Water in the Middle Ages?

(2)What Was the Drink of Choice in Medieval Europe?

(3)New England Water Supplies – A Brief History

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Alison’s Health and Healing Project Graphics

FERMENTED FOOD & BEVERAGE GRAPHICS

Health and Healing project graphics are great fun to make for all my fermented beverages. In fact, I enjoy making Health and Healing projects graphics almost as much as making fermented food and beverages themselves.

In order to keep track of what I am doing with all my projects, I create promotional and identity graphics. At left, for this project, I have created a menu of the fermented food and beverages I am making.

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: EAT FREE

It has been over 35 years since I created my first Health and Healing graphics. In fact, it was my first Health and Healing project called EAT FREE©. The name described an allergy muffin I created. It was free of wheat, dairy, and sugar. In fact, it was vegan before vegan even existed.

CAPTURING THE ESSENCE

SOURCES & RESOURCES

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Beet Kvass: Origins and Variations Recipes

Beet Kvass is attributed to being Russian although the earliest recordings can be traced as far back as Ancient Greece and Egypt.(1) Ultimately today, recipes come from many parts of the globe and in many variations exist.

Varieties of Kvass With its popularity due to health benefits, many recipes developed. But first I would like to present the simplest recipes to the most complicated. Beet Kvass photo by Bobbi Lin

SOURCES & RESOURCES

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HOMEMADE FERMENTED BEVERAGES

INTRODUCTION

Homemade fermented beverages are my favored way to quench my thirst. Although pure water can be very refreshing, there is nothing like drinking a cool sparkling homemade fermented beverage.

Actually the variety is almost unlimited. Fortunately, most of the commercial brands ferment to have minimal (5%) or no alcohol at all for people with sensitivities.

MY FERMENTED DRINK PROJECT

KOMBUCHA My homemade fermented beverages project originated with my love of kombucha. Over the years, I’ve consequently spent a great deal of time learning about fermented drinks in general. Then I discovered on my own how to make delicious flavors.

Although there are many delicious commercial brands of kombucha on the market, making it at home can be lots of fun even if it is time consuming.

Making Homemade Kombucha Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of fermenting of our kombucha. In that case, commercial kombucha will do nicely. But if time does allow, I think it is worth it to experience homemade fermented beverages.

‘1F’ Kombucha As I mentioned, fermentation, either ‘1F’ and/or ‘2F’ does take considerable time. Let’s begin. The ‘1F’ process includes boiling and cooling (black or green) tea. Then place it in a glass jar without the tea. Next add the fermenting agent known as a SCOBY.

Cover the glass jar with cheesecloth or a coffee filter secured with a rubber band or string. Once the liquid ferments, remove the SCOBY from the tea. Fermentation can take from a few days to over a week even. The result is a drinkable ‘1F’ Kombucha.

Keep SCOBY Mixture Warm During Fermentation It is crucial to keep the designated fermenting area and bottle(s) warm. To accomplish this, be sure to cover the container with a heavy material like a sock or even a heating belt specifically designed for this purpose.

Recipes There are so many great recipes for Kombucha available on the Internet. For example, here is one of those recipes. How to Make Kombucha at Home Using a SCOBY. The ‘Sources & Resources’ section below has a terrific recipe. Many other recipes are on the Internet.

FERMENTED LEMONADE/LIMEADE

This thirst quenching homemade fermented beverage is probably the easiest to make. It only requires two ingredients consisting of whey and ‘Simply Lemonade or Limeade’. First make whey with a cheesecloth by straining store bought, full fat probiotic plain yogurt.

GINGER ALE

Ginger ale involves another two step process similar to the ‘2F’ fermentation process used for making flavored kombucha. In this case, start by making a ginger bug.

Combine bug and Liquid Then add it to a liquid specifically prepared for making homemade ginger ale. There is a great photo subtitle link that provides an excellent recipe for both a bug and ginger ale.

BEET KVASS

Red Beet Kvass Recipes for beet kvass vary depending on your preferred fermenting technique as well as taste (sweet or salty). Here is a recipe that uses salt as its fermenting agent

Sally Fallon Morell highly recommends beet kvass as an excellent nourishing beverage.

To quote her from the website threestonehearth.com, ‘Beets are sliced and cultured in water with yogurt whey and Celtic sea salt to make this traditional tonic drink.’

GOLDEN BEET KVASS Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Wayfrom the CulturedGuru.com Golden beet kvass involves a more complicated recipe, possibly with more powerful results. I have not made this kvass yet. But I will as soon as I purchase some golden beets and fermented rye bread.

SOURCES & RESOURCES

a.The Magic of Fermented Foods and Beverages b.Salty Beet kvass c.Sweet Beet Kvass d.Kvass and Kombucha: Gifts From Russia e.Golden Beet & Turmeric Kvass: A Fermented Home Brew Recipe for a Healthy Probiotic Drink

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BEVERAGES THROUGH THE AGES

DRINK UP Pure Water or Fermented Beverages Contrary to popular belief, fermented beverages were a source of pleasure even nutrition rather that a sanitary necessities in Medieval Europe going forward.

Middle Age Water Myth

Sources of Water in Cities It is known that cities even constructed sources for pure water. In fact infrastructures were created to supply clean water to populated areas.

Rural Water Requiring Less Engineering Where underground water existed naturally, wells provided pure drinking water.

Water in Colonial New England (3)

Preferred Palatable Beverages But for pleasure, alternative drinking liquids were prefered. In fact, there were many options to choose from. Fermented beverages from distant and recent history are still popular today.

Food and Beverage Hobby As part of my interest in food and beverage history, I like to prepare and drink these beverages. They range from thousands of years old to much more recent concoctions.

SCOBY “Kombucha is produced by symbiotic fermentation of sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) commonly called a “mother” or “mushroom”. The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary.

Yeast The yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species; the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids).[7]

SOURCES & RESOURCES

Share this:

Like this:

Varieties of Kvass With its popularity due to health benefits, many recipes developed. But first I would like to present the simplest recipes to the most complicated.

Beet Kvass photo by Bobbi Lin

KOMBUCHA
My homemade fermented beverages project originated with my love of kombucha. Over the years, I’ve consequently spent a great deal of time learning about fermented drinks in general. Then I discovered on my own how to make delicious flavors.

Making Homemade Kombucha
Sometimes we don’t have the luxury of fermenting of our kombucha. In that case, commercial kombucha will do nicely. But if time does allow, I think it is worth it to experience homemade fermented beverages.

‘1F’ Kombucha
As I mentioned, fermentation, either ‘1F’ and/or ‘2F’ does take considerable time. Let’s begin. The ‘1F’ process includes boiling and cooling (black or green) tea. Then place it in a glass jar without the tea. Next add the fermenting agent known as a SCOBY.

Keep SCOBY Mixture Warm During Fermentation
It is crucial to keep the designated fermenting area and bottle(s) warm. To accomplish this, be sure to cover the container with a heavy material like a sock or even a heating belt specifically designed for this purpose.

Recipes
There are so many great recipes for Kombucha available on the Internet. For example, here is one of those recipes. How to Make Kombucha at Home Using a SCOBY.
The ‘Sources & Resources’ section below has a terrific recipe. Many other recipes are on the Internet.

GOLDEN BEET KVASS

Sparkling Golden Beet Kvass Made the Traditional Way
from the CulturedGuru.com

Golden beet kvass involves a more complicated recipe, possibly with more powerful results. I have not made this kvass yet. But I will as soon as I purchase some golden beets and fermented rye bread.

a.The Magic of Fermented Foods and Beverages
b.Salty Beet kvass
c.Sweet Beet Kvass
d.Kvass and Kombucha: Gifts From Russia
e.Golden Beet & Turmeric Kvass: A Fermented Home Brew Recipe for a Healthy Probiotic Drink

DRINK UP
Pure Water or Fermented Beverages
Contrary to popular belief, fermented beverages were a source of pleasure even nutrition rather that a sanitary necessities in Medieval Europe going forward.

Sources of Water in Cities
It is known that cities even constructed sources for pure water. In fact infrastructures were created to supply clean water to populated areas.

Rural Water Requiring Less Engineering
Where underground water existed naturally, wells provided pure drinking water.

Preferred Palatable Beverages
But for pleasure, alternative drinking liquids were prefered. In fact, there were many options to choose from. Fermented beverages from distant and recent history are still popular today.

SCOBY
“Kombucha is produced by symbiotic fermentation of sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) commonly called a “mother” or “mushroom”. The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary.

Yeast
The yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species; the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids).[7]