Ginger and Turmeric Soda/ Ale

Left Ale has added turmeric root color

I've posted about making Ginger Ale before. I'm still regularly making it since it is a favorite of Monte's, as well as guests.

Turmeric root to the left and ginger to the right - they are related

I'm again posting the how-to. My health food store had a root looking like ginger next to the ginger - it was turmeric. So I tried adding half the grated ginger as turmeric last week. It was ready for drinking Sunday . . . And we like it!

See the turmeric color when grated compared with the grated ginger?!

Turmeric stained hands

GINGER ALE

First I make a ginger bug.
Scrub a fresh ginger chunk, no need to peel, and store in a baggy in the fridge.

Put some water about 2/3 full in a quart jar. Add- 
1 Tb of fresh grated ginger and
1 Tb of sugar

Stir vigorously to incorporate air and dissolve the sugar. Either rubber-band the top with a napkin or something breathable.

Continual Brew Kombucha crock, Dairy Kefir, and my brewing Ginger Ale Bug to the left on warm mat in back of my pantry. NOTE!: I love this picture BUT I no longer keep all these brewing side-by-side. Ferments need to be separated to prevent contamination. My dairy kefir is the one to suffer!

Keep this in a warm spot.
Every 24 hours add another-
1 Tb sugar and
1Tb fresh grated ginger
Stir well

I have a seed starting heat mat on a shelf at the back of my pantry that my Kombucha and Dairy Kefir sit on, and now my brewing ginger. By 3-7 days (mine's usually ready in 4 days) you'll hear it bubbling when you're stirring. This is your bug, or starter, for ginger ale.

1 Cup of the ginger bug will make 1 gallon of ginger ale. The rest of the bug can store in the fridge for more batches.

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/3 packed cup of fresh grated ginger
1 Cup of the bug
1/3 cup lemon juice (usually 2 lemons)
Enough water to fill for 1 gallon of beverage

Either boil the sugar in some of the water to dissolve. Remove from heat and add ginger, cool and add the rest. Or just stir well till sugar is dissolved.

Ginger bug, lemon juice, sugar and grated root in jars

I don't have a gallon jar so I use two 1/2 gallon jars. I loosely put on white plastic lids rather than the rubber-banded cloth lid. They'll need to be tightened and shook, or stirred well, every 12 hours.

Enough "ginger bug" left to start another batch

Start tasting about day 3 to see if bubbling with a bit of carbonation and satisfying to your taste. It can brew longer, but it's usually ready to strain off and bottle. More starter and sugar could be added to a batch not brewing, or just a bit more sugar.

If you want carbonation, bottle to within 2" of top. Cap. Leave at room temp or warmer for 3-5 days to build up carbonation. It will also get less sweet as it "eats up" the sugar. When to your liking chill till ready to serve. Chilling slows fermentation. I've not let it sit out longer. I fill my refrigerator pitcher and store the extra in my cellar.

Our Cellar- Ginger Ale, Moroccan Lemons, Dairy Kefir cheese in olive oil, Kombucha, Fermented Salsa

Poured from stored jar in cellar and it really fizzed!

Additional notes:
Turmeric is very good for you. Look it up . . .

Your bug can keep going for further batches. Just keep adding a bit of sugar and grated ginger like above. Refrigerate when not using for a batch of Ginger Soda.

Current Note (10/20/2015): Our youngest son, now several years married, makes his own ginger-ale. But is making it in 5 gallon quantities. He keeps it in one of his Kegerator containers with it's own tap on the outside of the fridge!

Ginger Ale

I just posted about all my food pets needing feeding. I ended the post talking about a new pet I'll be keeping, thus maintaining, thus feeding - Home brewed Ginger Ale. Monte loves this, especially with meals. Guests have really liked it too. So it's a keeper.

Ginger Bug for Ginger Ale

GINGER ALE
First I make a ginger bug.
Scrub a fresh ginger chunk, no need to peel, and store in a baggy in the fridge.

Put some water about 2/3 full in a quart jar. Add- 
1 Tb of fresh grated ginger and
1 Tb of sugar

Stir vigorously to incorporate air and dissolve the sugar. Either rubber-band the top with a napkin or something breathable. I might even start doing it in one of my Pickl-It Jars (another past post).

Continual Brew Kombucha crock, Dairy Kefir, and my brewing Ginger Ale to the left on warm mat in back of my pantry

Keep this in a warm spot.
Every 24 hours add another-
1 Tb sugar and
1Tb fresh grated ginger
Stir well

I have a seed starting heat mat on a shelf at the back of my pantry that my Kombucha and Dairy Kefir sit on, and now my brewing ginger. By 3-7 days (mine's usually ready in 4 days) you'll hear it bubbling when you're stirring. This is your bug, or starter, for ginger ale.

1 Cup of the ginger bug will make 1 gallon of ginger ale. The rest of the bug can store in the fridge for the next batch. You might as well make a gallon (or more) -

1 1/2 Cups sugar
1/3 packed cup of fresh grated ginger
1 Cup of the bug
1/3 cup lemon juice (usually 2 lemons)
Enough water to fill for 1 gallon of beverage

Either boil the sugar in some of the water to dissolve. Remove and add ginger, cool and add the rest. Or just stir well till sugar is dissolved.

I don't have a gallon jar (ah, I should be using my 3 Liter Pickl-It - next time) so I use two 1/2 gallon jars. This time I loosely put on the white plastic lids rather than the rubber-banded cloth lid. They'll need to be tightened and shook, or stirred well, every 12 hours.

Start tasting about day 3 to see if bubbling with carbonation and if sweet enough. It can brew longer, but it's usually ready to strain off and bottle. More starter and sugar could be added to a batch not brewing, or just a bit more sugar.

If you want carbonation, bottle to within 2" of top. Cap. Leave at room temp or warmer for 3-5 days to build up carbonation. It will also get less sweet. When to your liking chill till ready to serve. Chilling slows fermentation. I store the extra in my cellar.

Our Cellar- Ginger Ale, Moroccan Lemons, Dairy Kefir cheese in olive oil, Kombucha, Fermented Salsa

Poured from stored jar in cellar and it really fizzed!

NOTE added 11/11 - I know I said to let sit at room temp after bottling for more carbonation, but I've been straining each 1/2 gallon that's brewed about 3 days with the bug into 1/2 gallon jars and storing in my cellar, which is consistently about 48 degrees. When I bring up a bottle to pour into my fridge container it is VERY fizzy!

3/11/13 Note - I'm still making ginger soda, dairy kefir, and kombucha as shown above. BUT I'm often adding turmeric root, which looks related to ginger, to the ginger soda brew. Click here to see that post.








This post Linked to: Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Traditional Tuesday, Melt in Your Mouth Monday, Monday Mania

Kombucha

When did I start making kombucha? Sometime last early Spring, and I'm still making it. If you Google it you'll find tons of posts on it. I don't want to write about all it's benefits and history (it has been around a long time). I just want to post some pictures and how I do it.

Kombucha continual brew crock on seed starting mat and electric temp regulator (and some culturing dairy)

I do the continuous brew method. I bought a SCOBY online and initially got it started in a quart jar. Then I moved it into a 2 gallon crock with a tap I already had ... And it's still there. I clean the crock about 4 every months. I don't have to touch my scoby weekly with the typical method (some people refer to it as a mushroom, tho it's not). I've only touched my scoby when separating it to give to someone - their "baby" to get their own brew going. And I've split it in two to create a "Kombucha Scoby Hotel", which sits on a shelf in a cool room - if ever I need it. Most people rubber band a cloth over the top of their crock. Since my lid is not air-tight it works fine.

I read it does best around 75-85 degrees, so I bought an electric seed starting mat and a temp regulator (which saves electricity)(my mat is 9x20"). In the picture you will notice other things sitting beside the kombucha crock - usually my dairy kefir and anything else needing a bit more warmth (like a refrigerated sourdough bread dough boost, ginger ale bug/fermenting beverage ...)

Large tea ball and stainless steel spoon

The Kombucha scoby feeds from a strong sweetened black brewed tea. I start tapping some off in a glass to taste around day 5. I don't want it too sweet. If left too long, like after 7 days (unless the temp is cooler, so it ferments slower) it starts taking on a vinegar taste. This summer I've been tapping it off every 6 days, filling jars until no more comes out of the tap, which is leaving the scoby and enough brew as starter for the next batch. I make a large amount of the sweetened tea and let cool to room temp. You don't want to add a too hot tea to the scoby or you'll kill it. Then I add more water up to my crock's shoulder.




KOMBUCHA Recipe to refill my crock -
about 1 1/2 gallons
- 1 1/2 scant cups organic cane sugar (Costco carries the most economical 10# bag)
- 8 tsp tea (mostly black tea, sometimes a bit of green)
- Boiling water initially to dissolve sugar and brew the tea.

Put the tea leaves in a large stainless steel tea ball (or 8-10 tea bags) and the sugar on the bottom of the heat-proof jar (mine's a Vlasic pickle jar I found at a thrift store. It's best that the jar opening is wide so a large tea strainer ball will fit down in. I put a long stainless steel spoon into the jar to diffuse the boiling water's heat). A lot of this could be done in a saucepan ... Remember to let it cool to room temp. Or if you want it to be done with quick, just add cold water to the pan before dumping it on the scoby. Yes, I said you just dump your tea over the scoby. It'll rise to the top of the liquid level as you add water.

I started with using all black tea (an organic English Breakfast Tea I order from Amazon), then started doing 1/2 and 1/2 with sencha green tea. But I've returned to doing it all black. I find the green tea produces a more sour taste.

I've bought stuff and learned the most from Kombucha Mamma. Cultures for Health is another good source for learning about all types of fermenting.

Sweetened strong tea to feed Kombucha Scoby. See (smell ;^) the sweet peas?

Home Sweet Home

I was gone for two weeks - my daughter had her second baby - this time a girl - Bridget. What did I do the day I got home? I pulled out my Water Kefir grains and Sourdough starter from the fridge. Soaked nuts to dehydrate. Started the soaking process for Cold Cereal and Sourdough Crackers. And then got a batch begun for sourdough bread (which I'm going to have to post about). Those are now staples I always have on hand.

Bridget Lynn

Water Kefir - Best Soda Ever!

Water Kefir

I am hooked on water kefir (keh-FEER). A friend of mine gave me some fresh kefir grains about a month ago. They look like a juicy gummy candy (or some describe them as 'cauliflower looking pieces'). It comes dried for purchasing and starting - like from Cultures for Health. There's quite a few videos on youTube - like this one. Kefir is so healthy - full of probiotics (see link for list)! Here's another link with lots of info.



A basic recipe for WATER KEFIR -
In a 1/2 gallon jar dissolve -
1/3-1/2 C sucanat or organic white cane sugar -
fill to 1" of top of a quart jar with cool water (best to not be chlorinated or with flouride)
Then add -
1/4+ C kefir grains

Cap with a plastic lid - tighten and shake - then loosen the lid to breath. Then store in place with no direct sunlight for 24-48 hrs. The kefir grains will have multiplied. Taste. If too sweet, sitting longer eats up more sugar. Eventually it starts making alcohol (very slight). Strain the liquid into another jar. You'll need to eliminate some of the grains since they multiply (I give them to my chickens or throw them in with some juice). Start the process over.

Eat the extra grains. Throw them in your garden. Compost them. Share them with friends.

You can experiment with flavorings. Try adding sliced ginger. I so like the plain kefir. You can add some molasses, and vanilla flavoring. Try orange juice. Try raisins and sliced lemon. Try other fruits. But do these additions after straining off the kefir grains so you don't compromise their integrity - you could call this a second ferment. Let sit another day and strain to refrigerate.

Vacation? Your jar with sugar water and grains will keep in the fridge several weeks. Freezing works too. And since it comes dry in packets, it must be able to be dehydrated.

Added later note: I'm now making it only with organic white sugar and a tsp of blackstrap molasses and a washed egg shell - for added minerals. I'll occasionally do a second jar with the extra grains (I always keep extra grains in a small jar in the refrigerator). A couple Tb raisins, and/ or lemon could be brewed in it.

I'm now always adding a teaspoon of vanilla to the 1/2 gallon glass pitcher I keep in the fridge. It tastes like cream soda. Water Kefir doesn't need to be refrigerated, if you're a room temp beverage drinker - like me - like I prefer room temp flavored beer - I guess I'd make a good European. There's lots of flavoring ideas out there.

I've ordered Madagascar Vanilla Beans to make my own vanilla extract, and will post about it.

Since I'm going to be doing a raw milk piima culture (probably similar to the dairy kefir), I've been reading more. Just in case you are "brewing" differing strains of things in your kitchen ... Separate them by at least 3 feet, so no "cross-pollination" (gardening term). Once bottled in fridge there's no problem.

Newest note-  Am going to start making the dairy kefir too. As I've researched more, it's the only strain that will keep reproducing using raw milk. All the other cultures (Villa, and yogurt ...) require a sterile milk mother culture which requires heating milk to at least 160-180 degrees and refreshing this culture.

Kale and Banana Smoothie

I'm eating this right now! This is the second large batch I've made so to have in the fridge to eat bits of off and on. I just had Splarah and Dawson taste these latest exotic things I've made lately with the kale. They're here for the evening, sitting side-by-side at Dawson's desk - Splarah working on her computer doing homework (she's in nursing school) and Dawson's editing shots he took for some people's school photos. They love the kale chips and wanted me to leave the bowl. This so-called smoothie ... they could eat their spoonful, but didn't want anymore, so I'm finishing it.



I think I put more kale in it then called for - how do you measure ripped kale leaves, or basil leaves for pesto ... other than weighing it?!

KALE AND BANANA SMOOTHIE

1 banana

2 C chopped kale

1/2 C milk

1 tsp maple syrup

1 Tb flax seed



Puree in blender. They pour it over ice cubes and serve. Mine doesn't pour! I think I used 1 Tb maple syrup.



You could use any type of liquid other than the milk, like even water, and more of it. Adding any other fruit you have on hand plus the banana would make it even better.



Splarah and Dawson said it tastes ... nutritious!

Chokecherries

Monte and me harvested the chokecherries today. The bushes are on the edge of the woods, edging my lower garden. We figure they were planted 100 years ago by a homesteader, along with our rhubarb. Only the clusters on the garden side exist. Bear, deer, and elk have eaten all of them on the woods side. The chokecherries weigh in at 30 pounds! There used to be aspen trees over them, so they'd not always fully ripen. Colorado has it's droughts and several years ago was a bad one and lots of aspen trees died. We're in another drought this year cuz we've not had rain for 1 1/2 months and there's been wildfires.

I used to make chokecherry jam and syrup, but I don't like the amount of sugar it takes to make them palatable, so I stopped harvesting them. This year I decided I'm going to try making wine of them. We have a friend who's made wine from just about everything - like even beets! So from her trials and reading, chokecherries make a great wine - and I'm going to jump in. The chokecherries are bagged in the freezer for now - which is the best way to start the breaking down process for developing the 'must' and not crush the pits (which are undesirable).



I'll probably post pics of the process, but I can't report on the results for a year!

Cucumber Lime Drink

Several summers ago Dawson and me craved a cucumber lime beverage we'd get when walking around the Farmer's Market, so we tried to make it at home. My guess is the lady making it at the market just used a reconstituted frozen limeade and added pureed and strained cucumbers, and I'm going to have to try that. But here's the recipe I created ...

CUCUMBER LIME DRINK

3 long cucumbers

1 1/2 - 2 C sugar (depending on your sweet tooth)

2 C fresh squeezed limes (8)

enough water to make a gallon

I put the sugar in a large pan with a strainer above, then puree the cucumbers in 2 batches in my blender, each batch with 2C of water. I pour these in the strainer and then stir the pan mixture till the sugar dissolves. Then add the lime juice and add water, pouring through the cucumber in the strainer till it equals a gallon.



I do this process when I make rhubarb-ade (posted earlier). But maybe it would be easier to just mix everything in a large bowl, stirring awhile, both to dissolve the sugar and letting the flavors mingle more, then strain the whole mixture, pouring off into jars to refrigerate.



We had a series of guests this last week, and everyone really liked this. Everyone always does. I don't know if I know of anyone not liking this nor the rhubarb-ade.

RhubarbAde

A beverage I make often for company and family gatherings is rhubarb-ade. It's my made-up version of lemonade utilizing rhubarb we harvest and freeze. It's gotta be made from frozen rhubarb, otherwise you'd need to break down the rhubarb by cooking. I think I already mentioned in the Rhubarb Crisp post that I freeze rhubarb in 2 quantity sized bags: either a heaping quart measure (so more like 5+ cups) for my rhubarb custard pie (in my Hearth & Home cookbook), or a heaping 2+ cup measure, for the crisp.

From the pie bag measure of rhubarb I make a gallon of the ade beverage.


So, the RHUBARB ADE recipe proportions:

1 heaping quart of rhubarb
1 cup of sugar
1 gallon of water

Mix and cook in saucepan the rhubarb, sugar, and enough water to cover till rhubarb is soft. You have two options: either pour this mixture in a colander and pour the rest of the water to equal a gallon over the rhubarb, OR have your full gallon of water with the rhubarb and strain it all into your serving container. Then of course chill it before serving.

People like this beverage and I often have it requested by guests. I took it this past weekend for our 4th of July gathering. Years ago when Monte was telling a Wisconsin uncle about the drink, he laughed, thinking it sounded like silage (green farm fodder stored in silos for winter animal feed). I don't know if he believed us that it could taste good!

Posted at Gnowfglins

Iced Coffee

I just made myself a glass of iced coffee since it's so hot.

I read once about making coffee ice cubes. I thought that a great idea so my beverage doesn't get diluted by regular ice melting. So every summer, I keep ziplock bags of both decaf and regular coffee ice cubes in the freezer.

Just think of all the other possibilities of flavored cubes!