Kvass Kvass Kvass!!!

Lacto-fermented beet kvass is my new favorite thing. It's not the traditional kvass that uses stale bread. Just beets, water, salt, and naturally occurring lactobacillus bacteria (ya know, the friendly kind, the kind that you want in your gut....what? What's that? You thought you were a single organism? You forgot that "you" are actually billions of different little cells and microorganisms, working to keep "you" going).

Ever since I got a sip from Corey B.'s Bubonic Tonic from Fab Ferments, I've been craving it. What better way to keep those cravings met than to make my own. And hey, there are a lot of cravings that aren't as beneficial. This stuff is a great blood cleanser, good for yer liver, and is loaded with those beneficial lactobacilli buddies. It is even used in cancer treatments (likely/hopefully before the radiation therapy). "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." This is wisdom that seems to be wholly ignored by our current medical system. But they are clearly more into money than they are your health and well-being....

I love to eat beets, too. But this kvass kick ain't goin' away soon.That's half the reason why I load up on beets whenever I can. Even better when they are organic and local. I had one or two beets survive the deer grazing so I couldn't bring much to the table. Thank goodness they don't dig up potatoes.

Many recipes call for using whey as a "starter culture." You can also use kvass from a previous batch, even kraut juice, in the same manner, as it contains the healthy bacteria that you want.

 Did my darndest to get all of the dirt off.

 

 

These are the same 3 Root Grex beets that I mentioned in an earlier post. Some look a lot like the Chioggia beet.

 

 After they are all chopped into big sticks (because shreddding them causes them to get too mushy and wet and that can lead to alcohol fermentation, not the desired lacto-bacteria) they are stuffed in glass jars and mixed with some salt and water....and then the hard part. Waiting. I wanted to keep the orange and white beets seperate from the redder beets to see if there is any differenece in flavor.

 And here is where all of the snow is going. The cycle rolls on.