KOMBUCHA & TEA
As wikipedia so romantically puts it; ‘The history of tea is long and complex, spreading across multiple cultures over the span of thousands of years’. Today we are drinking it in abundance, it’s an everyday item.
But, do you know all there is to know about tea? Do you know what is meant by ‘true’ tea? Or how many different kinds of tea there is? Most of us have only scratched the surface of this. If you want to learn more about the history of tea, head over to Cup and Leaf, and if you want to become a true pro then read this Complete Guide Through The Remarkable World Of Tea.
Kombucha is a tea drink that in recent years has been making it’s way onto menus all over town. Kombucha, matcha, moringa, traditional black Chinese tea, pu-erh, or yerba mate - all have their own flavour, benefits and culture. UNCO aims to put them on the map in Amsterdam.
Kombucha what? Kombucha originates from China where it during the Tsin Dynasty (more than 2,200 years ago) was praised for its detoxifying and energising properties. Kombucha is healthy, frizzy, raw, gluten-free, vegan, and pro-biotic. Perfect on its own, as a cocktail mixer or as a hangover cure. Kombucha can be made from either green or black tea, plus sugar and something called a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, or SCOBY, for short. The ingredients are mixed together and left to ferment in room temperature. The process takes from one to four weeks and creates a frizzy tea brew with a rather fruity and sour-like flavour. During the fermentation process, the acidity increases which gives kombucha its distinct taste. The increased acidity also prevents foreign micro-organism to grow, and the healthy natural bacteria which is cultivated in the kombucha is what gives the brew its beneficial health qualities. Like with other fermented foods, kombucha can support a healthy gut.
Kombucha how? The number of vendors in Amsterdam (just like worldwide) is growing, but you can also make your own kombucha at home. The easiest way is to get your hands on a SCOBY, but you can also make one yourself. Buy some unpasteurised kombucha from your local Marqt, STACH or other vendor as a start, and then follow a simple recipe, like this one for example, and make your own mother load. Once your SCOBY is ready to go, you can make your own kombucha to your taste. Cultcha Kombucha is an Amsterdam based producer that offers some fun recipes.