Making kombucha at home

To make kombucha at home, you need a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) from someone else. Maybe you get it from me!

Here is a picture of my kombucha set-up. The first fermentation jar is on the left and the second fermentation bottle is on the right.

1. Make a pot of tea (about 1 L of water with four teabags) and dissolve 1/2 c sugar.

2. Let cool to below body temperature; add to a large, clean jar, and add SCOBY. 

3. Cover with paper towel or a cloth to keep dust out. Leave on the counter top. Label with the date you started the batch.

4. After seven to ten days, decant the liquid into a storage jar or bottle which has a lid. Discard any slime at the bottom of the jar when transferring liquids. Add fruit or spices for a second fermentation of two days on the counter top. Release the pressure every morning and evening, as bubbles will build up. Move to fridge and enjoy. 

5. Make a fresh batch of sweetened tea for the SCOBY and repeat indefinitely. 

6. Take a break of three to four weeks by putting the SCOBY in the first fermentation jar into the fridge with a fresh batch of sweetened tea. 

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Rich and Creamy Eggnog

Even living in Singapore, when December starts, I am ready for the comforting winter items of my childhood. Eggnog tops the list. (Further down the list are hot chocolate, warm apple cider, stews, and pumpkin dishes.)

Eggnog is not common in Singapore, though, so I have to make my own. And so I chose this eggnog recipe, from Mark's Daily Apple. It has less sugar (and hence tastes less sweet) than any commercial version. This means I can drink more of it - and with abandon - yippee! December beverages are sorted and lots of eggnog lattes are coming my way.

Weekend Links #39

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every month. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:

--This pictorial guide to mushrooms (from Oh My Veggies) takes you through the main types, storage, and preparation.
--A guide to recipe copyright by Paleo Living Magazine. An in-depth look at recipe copyright from all angles.
--I'm still trying to find healthy milk to drink - and the latest wandering step is A2 Milk.

recipe links:

--I find wine too hard to navigate so I think I will try to learn something about whiskey instead. Here is a list of the best affordable bottles (from Serious Eats). And here's an extremely simple cocktail made with whiskey called The Presbyterian (from Martha Stewart). There's also the hot toddy, of course (from The Guardian's wonderful How to Make the Perfect [weekly recipe] column by Felicity Cloake).
--German mulled wine (from Rachel Cotterill). Even though I live in the tropics I am still desiring this warming Christmassy winter drink.
--I'm going to be making some veggie "risotto" soon and I plan to use this recipe as a guide: turnip "risotto" with spinach and rosemary (from Inspiralized).

books I'm reading:

--I just finished Man's Search for Meaning by Victor E Frankl, a classic which argues that we can all make choices and our life's meaning is found in making them.
--The Signal and the Noise: The Art and Science of Prediction by Nate Silver. It's about separating out the "signal" in data to help make predictions. He covers many fields such as weather, earthquakes, elections, sports, and health. Fascinating.

Easy Edible Gifts for Christmas

Here are four fabulously easy gifts to make as Christmas gifts: limoncello, hot chocolate on a stick, boozy fudge with nuts, and hermit bars.

Frozen Grapes: a Refreshing Snack or a Tasty Drink Cooler

When it's hot outside, what's better than a icy snack? Or at the end of a hot day, do you like to enjoy a nice cool glass of white white as the sun goes down? I've discovered that freezing grapes makes them perfect for snacking and for keeping drinks cool.

A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage [book review]

I read most of our Kitchen Reader books on my Kindle. When I finish, I write my reviews by looking back over my highlights--usually about twenty passages that struck me while reading. I mark them so I can remember them later. While reading A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage I highlighted 78 passages! (And I still have two chapters out of twelve left to read!) This is a hugely informative book that I found fascinating. The main idea is that world history can be charted with the history of the six drinks that have been consumed by humans the most: beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.

In some cases, the history of these six drinks is a reflection of what was going on in human history in different periods. But in other ways, I have come to learn, history was made by these drinks. Many more world events than I realised were tied up with these six beverages.

I feel a little unequal to the task of summarising what I have read, thanks to those 78 highlights. So let me just try to say one or two things about each drink.

Beer, first consumed by ancient Middle Eastern peoples, made water safe to drink and also was a way of preserving grain. It rose to popularity with organised agriculture.

Wine was made by ancient Greeks and Italians and it played a key role in their rational ideas of civilised society and learning.

Weekend Links #36

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every month. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Saveur's Best Food Blogs Awards highlight some incredible blogs. There are plenty of new-to-me reads here as well as many old favourites.

recipe links:
--How ingenious is this? A porridge recipe that has a blended egg whisked in during cooking. That sounds like a great way to add protein to your breakfast (from Natural Kitchen Adventures).
--I like the idea of a corn and parmesan cheese creme brûlée (from Tasty Kitchen).
--You can make your own electrolyte energy cubes for endurance sports like long distance running (from Healthful Pursuit).
--My friend at work made fermented ginger ale (from Wellness Mama). I want to make some too. I also really want to buy some nice flip-top bottles; hee hee!
--Also on my list of fermented foods to make: easy peasy probiotic pickles (from Sarah Ramsden).
--And finally, I should go back to making yogurt at home (pictured above).

books I'm reading:
--Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel H Pink
--A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage

Dirty Chai Tea Latte

Speaking of novel food pairings, how about tea and coffee together? It sounds ridiculous. Enter the "dirty chai tea latte".

This is an idea from the New York cafe Dean and Deluca. We have a branch in Singapore and "dirty chai tea latte" is on the menu. The first time I went to eat there, I learned that it was a chai tea with a shot of espresso added. Ingenious! But was it tasty? I ordered one and they said the menu boards were being updated and they actually no longer sold it. So I didn't taste it until I recreated it at home.

Weekend Links #34

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

It's a drinks-themed set of links this time, with tea, coffee, and ginger-ade featured. I love me a mug of tasty stuff to sip.

food reading links:
--A good discussion on The Kitchn centred around meal planning and allowing inspiration to strike. One reader plans "improv night" on the day of grocery shopping so she can cook whatever sparked her interest at the shops. Also, I love that someone has a spreadsheet for recipes.
--Yippee, several huge studies show that coffee helps you live longer (from Authority Nutrition). But obviously, adding sugar would kind of defeat any idea of healthiness.
--The science and psychology of a diet cheat day (from Q by Equinox).

Sarah's Wine Project Starts Today

Do you know much about wines or keep a wine journal? I know nothing about wine! I have decided it is time to finally start keeping track and learning about wines. At the moment all I know is that I like most wines! I usually prefer white because I like chilled wines.

On the advice of my sister-in-law, who worked in a wine shop, I've decided to pick a varietal to start with and concentrate on it until I get to know what I like. So I've decided to mostly try pinot gris wines (pinot grigio in Italian) for a while. I had the first one with dinner tonight and here are my notes.

Sparkling Ginger and Lime Crush

As part of Thanksgiving dinner, I made this easy drink. It's my first foray into making a "house cocktail". We also served other drinks, but everyone tried and enjoyed a glass of this sparkling beverage. It's markedly gingery with a hint of lime.

I made it with part plain water and part sparkling water (in about the ratio 1:3) to make it lightly sparkling. When sparkling drinks have too many bubbles, they just go up my nose and destroy my imbibing enjoyment. This ginger and lime crush is enjoyably bubbly.

Weekend Links #31

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--How poetry can help you become a better food writer. Fascinating (from Monica Bhide).

recipe links:
--Burger buns made from spiralized sweet potatoes and eggs, formed in ramekins (a guest post on Paleo OMG from Inspiralized).
--How to use up a half cup or so of pumpkin puree (from Kitchen Stewardship). What a great problem to have!
--These espresso martinis sound killer - in a good way, of course (from A Beautiful Mess).
--Easy preserving if you have too many radishes (from Adventures in Local Food). Huh, has this ever happened to you?
--How to make a simple steamed bok choy salad (from A Veggie Venture). A simple entry to Asian greens if you are new to them.
--Simple and delicious pumpkin roasted with rosemary and onions (from BakingNCooking). This is just the kind of simple dish that makes cooking worthwhile.

Weekend Links #30

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Liking healthy foods is a choice, argues Zen Habits.
--In defense of posting pictures of your food on social media (from Inside Scoop SF). We do it because it's fun and it's what we actually like.

recipe links:
--I've decided that Sunday should become my roast chicken day. I was inspired by Nourished Kitchen.
--Ginger cilantro slaw sounds like a perfect summer crunchy dish (from Cave Girl Eats).
--When I last made muhammara (a roasted red pepper dip) it included a ground up pita bread. Now that I don't eat (much) wheat, I want to try this version from Paleo Non Paleo.
--An iced coffee frappucino recipe (from Healthy Green Kitchen, pictured above).

Mint and Lime - a Perfect Combination

I have decided that I need to use lime and mint together more. They are a perfect pair. Think about mojitos, for example. They are just lime, mint, rum, and soda water. And they are delicious!

Edible Gift: Hot Chocolate on a Stick

I like to give small gifts to my colleagues at Christmas. I usually want to thank about 40 or 50 people at work who have contributed to my year - fellow maths teachers, office staff, and friendly colleagues. I'm on a budget, so 40 bottles of wine is ruled out as a gift idea! But handmade gifts are usually reasonably cheap to make. They involve a bit more time, though. And people are grateful for something handmade because they realise that it took time to make.

Visit to a Tea Plantation in Yangshuo, China

I recently accompanied a school trip to Yangshuo, a town in an agricultural area of southwest China in the Guangxi province. Together with 48 students and three other staff, I climbed, biked, hiked, and kayaked through the gorgeous rural scenery and walked through bustling, dusty chaos of the town. One highlight for me was a visit to the Qi Xian Feng Peak tea plantation, on a hilltop outside the town. We had a tour, picked tea, and drank tea in the traditional way. I even got to pour the tea for the group!

Mango and Ginger Smoothie

This was a nice, cool, creamy drink for a summer afternoon. I was home alone, working and puttering around. I paused for a break, drank this smoothie, and sat on the couch, gazing on the sparkling sea outside.

weekend links #19

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--All about the quest to improve airline meals (from the Guardian). I'm eating a lot of these this month.
--Criteria when shopping for props for food photography (from Still Life With). Prop shopping has become a favourite hobby, much to my husband's consternation.
--Nathan Myhrvold's TED talk about his cookbook Modernist Cuisine. It's the only cookbook I've ever heard of with differential equations. It illustrates and explains the physics and chemistry behind types of cooking, with photographs of food in the act of being cooked.

recipe links:
--I am utterly taken with the idea of a peanut butter beef burger. This is actually a link to a restaurant review, so now I need to find the recipe for such a thing (from Suzie the Foodie).


--I am seeing bacon recipes everywhere at the moment, both sweet and savoury. For instance, bacon slices dipped in balsamic reduction and chocolate (from My Cup of Creativi-tea), a bacon swizzle stick for Bloody Mary cocktails (from Tastes Better with Friends), and bacon cinnamon rolls (from Jam Hands). The picture above of bacon swizzle sticks is used with permission from Tastes Better with Friends.
--There is a chance I might like avocado made into a dessert, since, you know I do like beetroot brownies. I think this avocado and grapefruit cream sounds interesting, or how about this chocolate avocado mousse? (Both from Cooking Books.)

off-topic links:
--I fancy me some Ctl-Alt-Del coffee mugs (from Shareables).

What engrossing things have you seen around the internet?

Or tell me... What is your favourite blog post (of your own or someone else) these last two weeks?

weekend links #17

Weekend Links is a way of sharing all the engrossing things I see around the internet. I publish Weekend Links approximately every two weeks. As usual, I welcome your ideas and feedback.

food reading links:
--Does being a food blogger lead to a book deal? An article from The Guardian exploring the idea of bloggers versus "expert" book writers.

recipe links:
--Pizza dough made with white wine; what an interesting idea (from Suzie the Foodie)!
--Four new ways to drink gin and tonic (from The Kitchn). G&T is my favourite after-work drink. I think the lime and cilantro version might be enjoyable.
--This cottage cheese and mint flatbread sounds exceptionally easy to make (from Lite Bite).
--Chocolate chip cookies that are gluten- and sugar-free (except for the chocolate chips)--sweetened with bananas (from Gluten Free A-Z Blog).

off-topic links:
--I've been researching camera handbags. I really want a girly bag for my camera and laptop. VeraLana posted a great list of women's camera bag options. At the moment, I'm leaning towards an epiphanie bag called Clover.
--An article about the correctness (or lack thereof) of meta-anaylses of scientific studies. If you read only one article about scientific studies, this is my suggestion (today, anyway!).
--Why we find things annoying and how to cope (from Sarah Wilson). An insightful and funny article.

weekend links #14

food reading links:
--Bagel cutting for the mathematician (from George Hart).
--A review of the book Home Dairy, which I now want to buy (from Eat Make Read). I wish to make my own cheese. Mmm, cheese.
--Are plastic food containers too toxic to reuse? Mr Green replies (from Hey Mr Green).
--How many ways can you combine five ingredients into pairs? Indexed shows the diagram for cinnamon, sugar, salt, pepper, and mint (from Indexed).

recipe links:
--Limoncello is easy to make at home, with only two ingredients (from Sugarlaws).
--Cake baked inside (real) egg shells (from Delicious Days), reminds me of those chocolate-filled egg shells you can buy at Maison du Chocolat.
--A cake that may be the royal wedding cake (from Baking Banter at King Arthur Flour).

off-topic links:
--Making your own photo collage in Picasa (from petit elefant).
--A review of an Indonesian restaurant in Hong Kong that makes me want to visit (from Mochachocolata Rita).
--A place to get inspired--Pinterest. Here's the food and drink front page.