The first time I had kombucha was at a New Year’s Eve celebration. It was during the wee hours of the morning and somehow I still felt fully alive and alert as I danced to no apparent end. I had been drinking water throughout the night to stay hydrated and then I was introduced to the earthy, bubbly drink known as kombucha. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it initially, but after hearing about all its wondrous health-promoting benefits, I decided I would drink more, and that I have. It’s been an acquired taste, but I’ve grown to appreciate its unique flavor.
Making kombucha is fun and easy and could be incorporated into a bachelorette/bachelor party or a more general wedding shower. You start with a mother (which is a fungus of sorts, but not quite a mushroom) and add tea of choice (green, herbal, etc), sugar, and apple cider vinegar/some of a previous batch of kombucha. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to sample the treats you make right away (you’ll need to wait a period of days to allow the fermentation process to complete), but it’s a great way to bond with your guests and create something together. You could even have a second party when the process is complete and sample what you’ve made.
Try making batches of different flavors. You can flavor kombucha with anything imaginable – coconut, mango, ginger, strawberry, cinnamon, etc. It can be sweet, tangy, or somewhere in between. Once it’s done, you can have a potluck to celebrate both your upcoming wedding and perhaps just life in general. The time leading up to a wedding can become very stressful, so it’s great to make time for relaxation and simple fun activities with special individuals in your life.
If you’re not interested in actually making kombucha, you could still choose it as a beverage option for any event leading up to the wedding, and for the wedding itself. Often larger cities even have locally made kombucha, so you can both support local business and reduce fuel/transportation usage.
Just like your own mother, kombucha knows what is good for you. It’s full of antioxidants and supports the immune system, digestion, energy levels, etc. It’s the supermom you always dreamed of. Well, enough of this silliness – it’s time to brew!
Image can be found at: http://www.ifood.tv/network/gt_dave_kombucha
