Children drink cordial. And adults? In the last few years, they have discovered drinks such as kombucha, a fermented drink which is also very useful in the kitchen.
The basis for kombucha is sweetened black or green tea. This is then mixed with a kombucha culture and fermented for around 10 days in the kitchen, for example. The result is a sweet and sour drink which is said to have a positive effect on the body. Depending on how long the fermentation process lasts, the drink will be more sweet or more sour. What’s more, it is slightly alcoholic.
Kombucha is not just a refreshing drink – it can also be used for cooking. For example, you can use it in a salad dressing instead of vinegar. Or as an acidic component in a mayonnaise. Top chefs use kombucha in many different ways – many chefs now produce their own kombucha in their kitchens.
The culture is referred to as a scoby, which stands for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast”. Whether you get it from a friend, a chef who works with kombucha, or online from one of the countless health food shops, once you have a scoby, you can use it for years.