When we host holiday parties and get-togethers, I always like to make something special to drink: mulled wine and traditional wassail are favorites.  Cranberry Mors is nice, and so is Cinnamon Spice Kombucha.

We also like this homemade Cranberry Orange Water Kefir Soda, which is at once tart and slightly sweet with a delicate fizz.

What's Water Kefir?

Water kefir is a cultured drink that is rich in good-for-your-gut beneficial bacteria, and one that is naturally fizzy like a homemade soda.  It begins first by culturing the grains in sugar water (don't worry, the sugar's not for you; rather it's food for all those beneficial bacteria), and then mixing the resulting water kefir with fruit juice for flavoring.

In the end, you have a drink that's pleasantly sweet and sour with a natural fizz.  Even better? It's also loaded with gut-friendly bacteria just like yogurt or sauerkraut

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Cranberry Orange Water Kefir Soda

Bright, tart and faintly sweet, this homemade water kefir soda offers a lovely fizz and sparkle.

Course Drink

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 2 days days

Total Time 3 days days

Servings 1 quart

Author Jenny

Ingredients

For the Water Kefir

• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
• 10 drops trace mineral supplement (optional)
• 3 tablespoons water kefir grains

For the Cranberry Soda

• Juice of 1 orange about ¼ cup
• 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

Instructions

• Warm the water over medium heat in a saucepan. Stir in the sugar and mineral drops, and continue stirring them into the hot water until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the sugar water from the heat, and allow it to cool to room temperature.
• Place kefir grains into a jar, pour the sugar water over them. Set the Kefirko's strainer on top of its jar, and top with a loose-fitting lid to allow for limited airflow. Allow the water kefir to culture for 24 hours, then remove the lid and strain the water kefir into a pitcher.
• Whisk the orange and cranberry juices into the water kefir, then pour evenly into swing-top bottles. Seal the bottles, and allow the kefir to culture for 2-3 days at room temperature, keeping in mind that the cooler your kitchen is, the longer it will take to culture and the warmer your kitchen is the shorter it will take to culture.
• Serve right away or transfer to the fridge. Take care when opening the bottles as the fermentation process creates carbon dioxide which may cause the water kefir to fizz and foam.

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Allioli.  Allioli. Allioli.   I love how the vowels and lulling Ls roll off the tongue - softly and whimsically - almost like a child's nonsense word.  all-ee-oh-lee.  It's a melodic sound.  Allioli is a Catalan version of classic aioli, and it differs fundamentally from Provençal aiolis in that it is made without egg yolk - offering just a combination of good quality olive oil, fragrant garlic, and unrefined sea salt.

In this version of allioli, I've augmented the classic Catalan combination of olive oil, garlic, and salt with the bright flavors of preserved lemon and fresh mint.  This is a raw recipe - teeming with beneficial bacteria, vitamins, and food enzymes. 

Preserved lemon, a fermented food featuring prominently in North African cuisine, provides a lovely but well-tempered sourness to the allioli.  Preserved lemon, a combination of little more than lemon, unrefined sea salt, and time, is extraordinarily rich in nutrients including vitamin C, food enzymes, and beneficial bacteria.   The raw garlic provides a boost of additional vitamin C and can be a powerful antioxidant.   Olive oil features prominently in this sauce, so it's essential to choose a very good quality unrefined oil.  Good olive oil should be fragrant, rich, and bold.

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Preserved Lemon Allioli

Thinned with a touch more olive oil, preserved lemon and mint allioli makes a fantastic and flavorful salad dressing. Alternatively, enjoy its fresh and bright flavors in a spread or as a dip. It is a perfect addition to the summer lunch table. I like this sauce served with fish and over grilled meats.

Course Condiment

Cuisine French, Italian, Moroccan

Keyword herbs, lemon, olive oil

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16 servings (2 cups)

Calories 14kcal

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 preserved lemon seeded and chopped fine
• 4 cloves garlic smashed
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Toss the chopped preserved lemon, peeled garlic cloves and chopped fresh mint into the basin of your food processor along with a dash unrefined sea salt. Pulse the ingredients together for a few seconds until they're well-combined.
• Continue to process the ingredients while pouring the unrefined extra virgin olive oil into the mixture in a very thin stream until the allioli is well-emulsified and smooth.

Nutrition

Calories: 14kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 3mg

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What is switchel?

Switchel is a lightly sweet, ginger-infused drinking vinegar similar to a shrub. It also goes by the names switzel, swizzle, haymaker's punch, and sometimes ginger water. Immensely popular during colonial times of 18th-century America, switchel provided a delicious, sweet-and-sour soft drink that helped to hydrate and re-energize workers.

Historically, it was popular among both farmers and sailors because it provided a hydrating tonic that helped slake thirst after hours of intense manual labor. In a way, it's the world's first sports drink, providing adequate hydration, a dose of electrolytes, and a little dose of sugar to help boost energy.

What's in it?

Switchel contains three basic ingredients: vinegar, water, ginger, and a sweetener. Traditionally, switchel makers used apple cider vinegar, powdered ginger, and molasses; however, most modern recipes use fresh ginger and natural sweeteners such as honey, pure maple syrup, or brown sugar.

Additionally, some switchel recipes, include fruit - especially berries or stone fruit such as peaches and plums.

• Vinegar gives switchel a lovely tartness and helps to acidify the water. Most recipes call for apple cider vinegar which has both a pleasant flavor and is affordable.
• Ginger gives switchel a zippy, fiery flavor. Traditionally, people made switchel using powdered ginger, but fresh ginger is popular in contemporary recipes because it's more widely available than it once was.
• A sweetener is essential in providing both calories and in balancing the tartness of the vinegar. Older recipes call for molasses, which was both more affordable and more accessible than other sweeteners at the time. New recipes, such as the one below, tend to favor raw honey or maple syrup as their flavors hold a wider appeal.
• Additions can include fruit, herbs, and other spices. Mint is delicious in combination with ginger and makes a perfect addition to switchel. Fresh berries, such as blackberries, give switchel a boost of flavor and a gorgeous, vibrant pink color.

Is it good for you?

Switchel hovers on the line somewhere between refreshing summer soft drink and revitalizing tonic. The drink's plentiful electrolytes mean it helps to hydrate the body, especially in hot weather or after heavy labor. It's nature's original sports drink.

Additionally, the drink uses ginger, a medicinal herb that is traditionally used to ease nausea, while also supporting the heart, metabolism, and immune system.

• Drinking vinegar may help support better metabolic health and blood sugar regulation (1,2).
• Switchel contains electrolytes including sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium which help support hydration (3).
• Berries are rich in a wide variety of anti-inflammatory plant nutrients that help support gut health.
• Honey provides a little bit of sugar that can give a boost of energy.

Tips for Making Switchel

Switchel, as with many apple cider vinegar drinks and many fermented drinks, is a pretty basic recipe. You'll warm the ingredients in a saucepan until the honey dissolves, and the berries turn fall-apart tender. Then you strain the mixture, and then let it cool. It's delicious served with rum or mixed in with sparkling water or club soda.

• Switchels makes great use of over-ripe fruit.
• Fresh ginger can really lend a brightness to the drink, but you can add powdered ginger if that's what you have on hand.
• The honey mixes best when warmed on the stove. But, if you prefer to keep your honey or vinegar raw, try heating the water, ginger, and berries together, and then mix in the honey and vinegar once the water cools completely.
• Adjust the flavor as you like it. Some people prefer a sweeter switchel, so adjust the vinegar-honey ratio as it suits you. Traditionally, you'd make it using equal parts sweetener and vinegar, so start there and adjust to your personal tastes.

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Blackberry Ginger Switchel Recipe

This riff on old-fashioned switchel uses fresh ginger instead of powdered, and it includes plenty of blackberries, which give the drink a gorgeous pink color and a vibrant, summery flavor. Serve it over ice with a sprig of mint.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 67kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Medium Saucepan
• Fine-mesh Sieve

Ingredients

Ingredients

• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 (2-inch) knob of fresh ginger root (peeled and chopped)
• 2 cups blackberries
• 8 cups water
• pinch fine sea salt

Instructions

• Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Mash the softened berries into the liquid, and continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
• Strain the switchel, discarding the solids. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold over ice.

Nutrition

Calories: 67kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 0.4mg

Common Questions

Love switchel? Try these easy drinks next

References

1. Johnston CS, Gaas CA. Vinegar: medicinal uses and antiglycemic effect. MedGenMed. 2006 May 30;8(2):61.
2. Hadi A, Pourmasoumi M, Najafgholizadeh A, Clark CCT, Esmaillzadeh A. The effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021 Jun 29
3. Wein, H. How the Body Regulates Salt Levels. NIH Research Matters. Retrieved 2020.

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This strawberry wine makes the best of an abundance of early summer berries. Made in the old European tradition of infusing wine with fruit and herbs before fortifying it with a sweetener, this version strikes your tongue with an intense strawberry flavor before settling with a lovely, sweet finish.

It's a lovely summer fruit recipe that's easy to make and requires no complicated brewing techniques.

What is it?

Strawberry wine is a berry-forward, boozy drink made from strawberries. While modern recipes call for fermenting strawberries with wine yeast as you might do when making wine from grapes; however, in older traditions, it was made by infusing wine with berries and later fortifying the drink with sugar or honey.

This is the old European tradition that brings us May Wine, a drink made by infusing white wine with strawberries and the herb woodruff as well as various summer wines flavored with berries and stone fruit.

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Strawberry Wine Recipe

Sweet and berry-forward, this easy strawberry wine recipe tastes delicate and bright. You'll love its vivid red color and delicate sweetness. It's lovely served as a dessert wine on a summer evening.

Course Beverage

Cuisine American, French, german

Keyword berries, strawberries, wine

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Infusion 14 days days

Total Time 14 days days 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings (about 1 quart)

Calories 135kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• 2 quart jar
• flip-top bottles

Ingredients

• 1 pound strawberries (hulled and halved)
• 1 (750-ml) bottle white wine
• ½ cup vodka
• ½ cup sugar

Instructions

• Fill a 2-quart jar with strawberries, and then cover with white wine and vodka. Cover the jar with a loose-fitting lid, and then allow the fruit to infuse the wine for 2 weeks.
• After 2 weeks, strain the wine through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth and into a clean jar. Stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Transfer the wine to a bottle with a tight-fitting lid, and then store in a dark cupboard for up to 1-year.

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

Common Questions

Other strawberry recipes you might like

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Vibrantly tart and spiked with hibiscus and rose hips, this raspberry shrub is excellent served over ice with mineral water or swirled into a summer cocktail. It's a perfect way to use up an abundance of some berries and is positively packed with vitamin C.

What's a shrub?

A shrub is a drinking or sipping vinegar that was popular in colonial America, and has since seen a resurgence in interest. Shrubs are made from vinegar, fruit, and a sweetener like honey or sugar. In addition, they often contain culinary or medicinal herbs.

Shrubs taste similar to kombucha - or definitively tart, slightly sweet, and infused with flavors of fruit, berries, and herbs.

Benefits of Raspberry Shrubs

Raspberry shrubs are rich in plant nutrients and antioxidants that help to support systemic wellness. Traditionally, they were used not only to quench your thirst but as an energizing tonic on hot summer days.

• Apple cider vinegar supports blood sugar balance. Apple cider vinegar helps support blood sugar regulation and insulin sensitivity (1).
• It also helps support liver health. Fruit vinegars like apple cider vinegar help to support liver health in animal studies (2).
• Raspberries are high in antioxidants and plant nutrients like anthocyanins which give them their brilliant red color. These phytonutrients can combat oxidative stress, and support heart and neurological health (3).
• Rose hips are high in vitamin C. Just an ounce of rose hips contains about 200% of the daily value for vitamin C (4).
• Shrubs are deeply hydrating. Because they're served diluted in water and contain trace minerals, they're deeply hydrating.
• They're also energizing. Shrubs were traditionally used as an energizing tonic, and an easy way to use consume gentle medicinal herbs.

What's in raspberry shrub?

In addition to vinegar and raspberries, a raspberry shrub needs a sweetener. Most shrubs call for equal amounts of vinegar and sugar. However, the soft floral sweetness of honey pairs beautifully with raspberries. And since honey's sweeter than sugar, I recommend using ¾ cup honey for every cup of vinegar.

In addition to raspberries, vinegar and honey, I like to add herbs to my shrub. Hibiscus flower gives the shrub a very deep, dark maroon color that, when diluted with water, becomes a vibrant red. While rose hips amplify the vinegar's tartness with a hit of vitamin C.

Tips for making raspberry shrub.

Making a raspberry shrub is easy. You only need to mash berries in a jar, drop in a few herbs and cover them with apple cider vinegar. Then you wait a few weeks, shaking the jar daily to distribute the herbs before straining and swirling in a bit of honey. While it's easy to make, there are a few tips to keep in mind.

• Use fresh, good-tasting raspberries. Some cooks recommend using overripe fruit or fruit just past its prime for making shrubs. But, remember that your shrub will only be as good-tasting as the ingredients you put into it. This is especially important considering it will sit in vinegar for upwards of 2 weeks. So use fresh, good-tasting berries.
• Muddle your raspberries. You can leave your berries whole, but if you muddle them or crush them lightly with a fork, you'll be able to extract the berries' flavor more effectively..
• Use vinegar with at least 5% acidity. Vinegar that's less acidic or more dilute won't preserve the shrub or pull nutrients from the herbs as effectively as a more acidic vinegar.
• Seal the jar with a non-reactive lid. Vinegar can corrode metal, so seal the jar with a plastic lid or glass lid with a rubber seal. If you only have metal lids, slip a piece of wax paper over the jar before sealing it with the lid to prevent corrosion.
• Shake the jar daily. In traditional herbalism, shaking the jars will help energize your tonic. It will also prevent the berries and herbs from packing on the bottom of the jar. And that means better distribution of ingredients, and, ultimately, better flavor.
• Strain gently through a fine-mesh strainer without pressing. While you'll extract more infused vinegar for your shrub if you press the ingredients through a strainer, it will also create sediment. So strain it without pressing until it stops dripping.

How to Use It

Traditionally, you dilute shrubs with water and sip them as a flavorful, energizing tonic. So, splash a few tablespoons of raspberry shrub into an icy glass of sparkling water. Or add it to a cocktail.

But, since they're a vinegar-based tonic, you can use them in place of vinegar in most recipes. That means they make an excellent infused vinegar for a vinaigrette, salad dressing or to splash over roasted vegetables for a hit of acidity.

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Raspberry Shrub Recipe

Strikingly tart with a vibrant undertone of raspberries, hibiscus and rose hips, this raspberry shrub is excellent served over ice with sparkling mineral water, swirled into a cocktail or even drizzled over fresh greens for a summer cocktail.

Course Drink

Cuisine American

Keyword fruit, herbs

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Infusion 14 days days

Total Time 14 days days 5 minutes minutes

Servings 40 servings (5 cups)

Calories 68kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Quart-sized Jar
• Fine-mesh Sieve

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups fresh raspberries
• 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
• ¼ cup rose hips
• 3 cups raw apple cider vinegar
• 2 ¼ cups honey

Instructions

• Place the raspberries into a jar, and then crush them lightly with a fork. Drop in the hibiscus flowers and rose hips. Pour the vinegar over the berries and herbs. Seal the jar tightly with a non-reactive lid, and set it on the counter.
• Allow the raspberries and herbs to infuse the vinegar for 2 weeks. Shake the jar twice daily.
• After two weeks, the vinegar should be a bright, deep red. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or pitcher, and then pour the vinegar through the sieve and into the bowl. Allow the vinegar to strain on its own, without pressing, until it stops dripping - about ½ hour. Discard the solids.
• Whisk the honey into the vinegar, and then bottle. Store at room temperature up to 6 weeks, or store in the fridge up to 6 months.

Notes

If you're using a metal lid, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over the jar before sealing, as vinegar may corrode your lid.

Nutrition

Calories: 68kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 33mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 53IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Other recipes you might like

References

1. Johnston, et al. (2004)Vinegar Improves Insulin Sensitivity to a High-Carbohydrate Meal in Subjects With Insulin Resistance or Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care.
2. Bouazza, A., et al. (2016) Effect of fruit vinegars on liver damage and oxidative stress in high-fat-fed rats. Pharmaceutical Biology
3. Burton-Freeman, B. M., et al. (2016). Red Raspberries and Their Bioactive Polyphenols: Cardiometabolic and Neuronal Health Links. Advances in nutrition
4. Rose Hip Nutrition Facts, NutritionData.com

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What is it?

Kvass is a fermented drink from Eastern Europe. Kvass is typically made by fermenting rye bread in water; however, several variations exist including beet kvass and this fruit kvass which is made from berries.

Kvass made from berries (or other fruit) in absence of bread, was traditionally referred to as Moscow Kvass in Elena Molokhevets' A Gift to Young Housewives - a 19th-century tome that provides instructions on preparing thousands of traditional Russian dishes the way they would have been made prior to the industrialization of food in the 20th century.

Is it good for you?

While research on kvass (and fruit kvass, specifically) is scarce, the benefits of fermented foods and drinks are well-documented. Fermented drinks are rich in beneficial bacteria, and, when made from fruit, also rich in various antioxidants (that's what gives the kvass such a vivid color).

• Kvass is rich in beneficial bacteria, specifically Lactobacillus casei, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1).
• Fermenting fruit enhances its antioxidant capacity and fermented fruit juices are rich in probiotics (2).
• Berries are rich in various beneficial compounds that support cellular health and combat inflammation (3, 4).

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Fruit Kvass

Vivid in color but delicate in flavor, this fruit kvass makes a delicious summer drink. It has a slightly acidic, effervescent edge that makes it super refreshing. This recipe is adapted from Strawberry Kvass from Elena Molokhovets' A Gift to Young Housewives.

Course Drink, Ferment

Cuisine American, Russian

Keyword berries, fruit

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

fermentation 3 days days

Total Time 3 days days 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 quart (4 servings)

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberries (hulled and quartered)
• 1 cup raspberries
• ½ cup blueberries
• 4 cups water
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

• Dump the berries into a quart-sized jar.
• Whisk the water, salt, and honey together in a medium-sized pitcher, and then pour over the berries, allowing 1-inch headspace and discarding any remaining brine. Seal the jar tightly, and shake.
• Allow the fruit kvass to ferment at room temperature for about 3 days, shaking it daily and burping the jar twice a day. The kvass is ready when it lets out a hiss of air when you burp the jar.
• Strain the kvass through a fine-mesh sieve, discarding the fruit. Transfer to a clean bottle and serve right away or store in the fridge up to 1 week.

Common Questions

Other summer drinks you might like

References

1. Dlusskaya, E., Jänsch, A., Schwab, C. et al. Microbial and chemical analysis of a kvass fermentation. Eur Food Res Technol 227, 261-266 (2008). 
2. Melini F, Melini V, Luziatelli F, Ficca AG, Ruzzi M. Health-Promoting Components in Fermented Foods: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2019 May 27;11(5):1189.
3. Burton-Freeman, Britt M et al. "Red Raspberries and Their Bioactive Polyphenols: Cardiometabolic and Neuronal Health Links." Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) vol. 7,1 44-65. 15 Jan. 2016
4. Mazzoni L, Perez-Lopez P, Giampieri F, Alvarez-Suarez JM, Gasparrini M, Forbes-Hernandez TY, Quiles JL, Mezzetti B, Battino M. The genetic aspects of berries: from field to health. J Sci Food Agric. 2016 Jan 30;96(2):365-71. 2015 May 27.
5. Sergei V. Jargin, Kvass: A Possible Contributor to Chronic Alcoholism in the Former Soviet Union-Alcohol Content Should Be Indicated on Labels and in Advertising, Alcohol and Alcoholism, Volume 44, Issue 5, September-October 2009, Page 529
6. Lidum, I., Karklina, D., Kirse, A., Quality Changes of Naturally Fermented Kvass during Production Stages. Foodbalt, 2014.

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What is it?

A shrub is a drink made with equal parts vinegar and sugar to which fruit, herbs, and spices are often added. The fruit and herbs macerate in the vinegar for a few weeks, giving the shrub its flavor.

Then, you'll strain the vinegar. You'll mix it with sugar to make a strong, sweet-tart concentrate. To serve shrubs, mix a few spoonfuls of the concentrate into a jar and top with mineral water.

What's in it?

To make this cherry shrub, you'll need equal parts red vinegar. and sugar You can also use another dark red wine vinegar. Whole, unrefined cane sugars like panela or jaggery have a rich flavor. They work well in this recipe.

To the vinegar, you'll add sweet cherries, thyme, and black pepper. Thyme and black pepper are often used in savory dishes. But, they also work well with many fruits. They are especially good with sweet cherries, figs, and red grapes. The combination works beautifully with the tannic richness of the red wine vinegar.

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Cherry Shrub Recipe

Sharply tart with the robust undertone of dark red wine, this cherry shrub is delicious when stirred into sparkling water. Notes of herbs and spice bring a complex undertone to the drink that balances well with dark, sweet cherries.

Course Beverage

Cuisine American

Keyword cherries, herbs, honey, spices, vinegar

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Infusion 14 days days

Total Time 14 days days 5 minutes minutes

Servings 32 servings (about 2 cups)

Calories 30kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Quart-sized Jar
• Fine-mesh Strainer

Ingredients

• 1 cup sweet cherries (pitted and halved)
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup unrefined cane sugar

Instructions

Muddle the fruit and herbs.

• Spoon the cherries, thyme, and black pepper into a quart-sized jar and mash them together with a wooden spoon or muddler until the cherries begin to soften without losing their form.

Infusing the vinegar.

• Pour the vinegar over the fruit and herbs, and then seal the jar with a nonmetal lid. Shake the jar daily, and let the vinegar sit in a dark cupboard for 2 weeks.

Straining and sweetening.

• After 2 weeks, strain the infused vinegar into a clean through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the solids. Stir in the sugar, and allow it to dissolve.

Serving and storing.

• Store the shrub syrup at room temperature for up to 8 weeks or in the fridge for up to 6 months. To serve the shrub, fill a glass with ice and then pour up to two tablespoons of the syrup into the jar, filling the remaining space with mineral water.

Nutrition

Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 19mg | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 25IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Try these herbal drinks next

Common Questions

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Sweet, tart, and delightfully fizzy, elderberry kombucha combines the two powerful immune boosters. Like most fermented drinks, kombucha is naturally rich in beneficial bacteria that help support general wellness.

When you combine that with elderberry and ginger, two potent herbs for immunity, you create a deeply nutritious tonic that tastes utterly delicious, too.

What is it?

Kombucha tea is a fermented black tea that tastes both sweet and tart, like a light and fizzy version of apple cider vinegar. As a fermented drink, it's naturally rich in beneficial bacteria just like tepache and beet kvass.

You can flavor the tea with fruit, juices, and herbs. For elderberry kombucha, you flavor the tea with a syrup made with elderberries. You can add complementary herbs like ginger or cinnamon, too.

Why should you make it?

Both kombucha and elderberries are nutritious foods that encourage wellness in general, and your immune system in particular. When you combine them together, you create a mighty tonic that nourishes your body and tastes delicious, too. When winter sniffles make the rounds, elderberry kombucha is an excellent tonic to keep on hand for a little extra immune support.

• Elderberries are a potent source of micronutrients including vitamins A, C, and B6 (1) .
• They also contain powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients that combat inflammation (2).
• Elderberries have antiviral activity and support the immune system (3).
• Kombucha is rich in beneficial bacteria (4), which supports gut health.

Which ingredients do you need?

To make elderberry kombucha, you'll need to start with prepared kombucha tea. You'll also need elderberries, coconut sugar (or another sweetener), and additional herbs.

• Prepared Kombucha Tea. If you're new to kombucha brewing, start by making your first batch either using the continuous brew method or the batch brew method.
• If you're new to kombucha brewing, you'll need a kombucha mother which you can order online.
• Dried elderberries. Dried elderberries are available year-round and are easy to order online. You can use fresh berries in the summer if you're lucky enough to find them.
• Ginger or other spices. Ginger harmonizes beautifully with elderberry, both in flavor and in energy.
• A sweetener. The beneficial bacteria in kombucha need sugar to thrive. Caloric sweeteners such as coconut sugar, maple sugar, or organic white sugar work well.

Tips for making elderberry kombucha

Making flavored kombucha relies on a two-step process. You'll first prepare a syrup, and then mix that syrup with prepared kombucha during bottling or secondary fermentation. Primary (or first) fermentation is when you prepare your kombucha tea. Secondary fermentation happens when you flavor and bottle your brew.

• Simmer your elderberries. Raw elderberries are toxic and can upset your stomach. So, simmer your berries for at least 20 minutes. You'll neutralize the berries' toxins and release their nutrients.
• Prepare a syrup. The syrup is easy to add to your kombucha and supports even flavors.
• If you don't want to make a syrup, you can use a purchased elderberry syrup as long as it contains a source of sugar to feed the beneficial bacteria.
• Make sure to stir your prepared tea very well to promote even carbonation. See this post for kombucha brewing tips.
• Use flip-top bottles to bottle your brew so that it becomes nice and fizzy.

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Elderberry Kombucha Recipe

Elderberry Kombucha is sweet, tart and marvelously fizzy. It combines the goodness of elderberry with the vibrant fire of fresh ginger for an easy, immune-boosting tonic. To make it, you begin first by preparing an elderberry syrup that you then swirl into prepared kombucha before culturing them together.

Course Beverage, Ferment

Cuisine American

Keyword fermentation, herbs

Servings 16 servings (about 8 bottles)

Calories 54kcal

Author Jenny

Equipment

• flip-top bottles

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons dried elderberries
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 quarts prepared kombucha tea

Instructions

Prepare the elderberry syrup.

• Pour the elderberries and ginger into a saucepan. Pour in the water, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Immediately turn the heat down to medium, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes or until the liquid reduces to ½ cup.
• Turn off the heat, and stir in the coconut sugar until it dissolves completely in the liquid.
• Set a fine-mesh sieve over a jar, and then strain the syrup into the jar. Allow it to cool to room temperature, approximately 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Add the elderberry syrup to the kombucha.

• Pour the prepared kombucha into a gallon-sized jar or another large vessel. Stir in the room temperature elderberry syrup, and then pour the liquid into bottles. Seal the bottles tightly.

Ferment the kombucha.

• Allow the kombucha to ferment about 2 to 3 days. Enjoy it right away, or transfer it to the fridge to keep up to six months.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 12mg | Sugar: 13g | Calcium: 4mg

Try these fermented drink recipes next

References

1. (2019) Elderberries. Nutrition Data.
2. Sidor, A., & Gramza-Michałowska, A. (2014) Advanced research on the antioxidant and health benefit of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) in food - a review. Journal of Functional Foods.
3. Hoffmann, D. (2003) Medical Herbalism. Healing Arts Press.
4. Chakravorty, S., et al. (2016) Kombucha tea fermentation: Microbial and biochemical dynamics. International Journal of Food Microbiology.

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Vibrant with an intense sweet-tart flavor and gorgeous red color, these honey-fermented cranberries are a delicious fermented fruit recipe that you can make with minimal effort. It takes only five minutes of active time in the kitchen plus two weeks of patient waiting while the honey, beneficial bacteria, and berries do their work. And the result is luscious and so worth your patience.

What is it?

Honey-fermented cranberries are exactly what they sound like: cranberries fermented in honey. They have a sweet, lively nature and a delicious taste.

You can eat the cranberries alongside dishes such as Slow-Roasted Turkey or blend them into a smoothie. And drizzle the sweet-tart honey over your morning homemade yogurt.

How does it work?

Honey is a well-known antimicrobial substance, so it may seem counterintuitive to ferment cranberries in honey. While honey is antimicrobial, those properties are related to its low pH and its low water content.

When you increase honey's water content by adding water in the case of this mead and this fermented honey lemonade or by adding berries and juice in the case of this recipe, you transform honey into a ready medium that supports the growth of beneficial bacteria.

In other words, by adding ingredients with a high-water content (such as berries and juice) honey ceases being antimicrobial and, instead, readily supports the fermentation process.

Tips

Fermenting cranberries in honey is straightforward and uncomplicated. You add your cranberries and other ingredients to a jar, pour in the honey, seal, and wait. Simple, right? But, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure they come out just how you hoped they would.

• Use raw honey. Raw honey contains beneficial bacteria and wild yeasts (2) that you activate when you make this recipe. It also contains prebiotics (food for beneficial bacteria).
• Use runny honey. In order to ferment in honey, your honey must be in a liquid state, so that it's easier to pour and easier to mix. Adding ingredients with high water content, such as cranberries and citrus juice, facilitates fermentation.
• Use a glass weight to keep your cranberries submerged in the honey. Alternatively, agitating the jar daily will also keep your cranberries submerged in honey, and therefore safely fermenting.
• Use only the best, firmest berries. Berries that are soft, squishy, or otherwise compromised may also compromise the integrity of your ferment.
• If you're concerned about food safety, you can test the PH with ph strips. Look for a PH of less than 4.6. Honey has a range of 3.4 to 6.1, with an average of 3.9 (3).

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Fermented Cranberry Recipe

With minimal effort and just a few weeks of patience, you can make these vibrant honey-fermented cranberries. Their flavor is at once bright, delicate, tart, and sweet. This version is adapted from the recipe at Grow Forage Cook Ferment.

Course Ferment

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberries, honey, spices

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Fermentation 14 days days

Total Time 14 days days 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 pint

Author Jenny

Equipment

• Paring Knife
• Quart-sized Jar
• Glass Weights

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cranberries
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 (1-inch slice) ginger
• 1 medium orange
• 2 cups honey

Instructions

Preparing your ingredients.

• Puncture each berry with your paring knife, and then add the cranberries to your fermentation jar. Stir in the ground coriander. Slip a slice of ginger in among the cranberries, and set it on the counter while you prepare the orange and honey.
• Using a vegetable peeler, peel the orange zest into 1-inch thick strips and nestle them into the cranberries. Cut the orange in half cross-wise, and then squeeze its juice into a medium bowl.
• Stir the honey into the orange juice, so that it forms one uniform syrupy liquid. Next, pour the orange juice and honey mixture over the cranberries.

Fermentation and storage.

• Place a glass fermentation weight over the cranberries to weigh them down, and then seal the jar. Ferment at least two weeks, or until the bubbles appear, the honey loosens and turns red, and the cranberries begin to wrinkle everso slightly.
• Store at room temperature away from direct light and heat for up to 1 year.

References

1. Mandal, M. D., & Mandal, S. (2011). Honey: its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine, 1(2), 154-160.
2. Ezz El-Arab, A. M., Girgis, S. M., Hegazy, E. M., & Abd El-Khalek, A. B. (2006). Effect of dietary honey on intestinal microflora and toxicity of mycotoxins in mice. BMC complementary and alternative medicine."
3. pH and acids in honey" (PDF). National Honey Board Food Technology/Product Research Program. April 2006.

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What is tepache?

Tepache is a fermented soft drink native to pre-hispanic Mexico (1). In addition, brewers traditionally made it with corn. But now, contemporary brewers typically use pineapple, cane sugar, and spices.

Tepache's flavor is vibrantly sweet and tart. Further, cinnamon and star anise infuse some tepache recipes with a distinct, sweet-spicy aroma.

Unrefined cane sugar also gives the drink a distinct floral note with mineral undertones. Occasionally, brewers will add water kefir (also known as tibicos) to the brew to kickstart fermentation. Using a starter helps it to brew faster.

These ingredients ferment at room temperature for 1 to 3 days. Hot, tropical temperatures allow the drink to ferment faster, while colder temperatures slow the fermentation process.

Tepache is usually served only lightly fermented as a soft drink, and even young children drink and enjoy it. However, some brewers ferment the drink for a longer period to produce an alcoholic version. And when you let it ferment for a month or longer, it will turn into pineapple vinegar. When you ferment the drink for a short period of time, it will have a very low alcohol content - similar to kombucha.

Is it good for you?

Like most fermented drinks and foods, tepache is rich in beneficial bacteria and probiotics as well as beneficial acids. Pineapple is a good source of enzymes and is rich in vitamin C.

Gut Health and Tepache

As a wild-fermented drink, specific cultures will vary from batch to batch and brewer to brewer. Most tepache recipes will contain lactic acid-producing bacteria including lactobacillus lactis, which is also found in buttermilk and cheese (2).

Most tepache brews will also contain beneficial yeasts like saccharomyces boulardii(3) which is associated with increased enzymatic activity and better nutrient delivery in the gut (4). It also plays a role in supporting gut health and the restoration of the gut barrier, so shows promise in addressing conditions related to leaky gut (5).

Vitamins, Minerals, and Enzymes

Pineapple contains a good amount of vitamin C, thiamin, and manganese. It's also rich in various food enzymes, like bromelain, which may help to support digestion.

During fermentation, beneficial bacteria and wild yeast consume sugars and produce beneficial acids and B vitamins. But even though tepache is fermented, it still tastes sweet. And that means there's still plenty of sugar remaining in your brew. So drink small amounts, and people prone to blood sugar imbalance may wish to skip this drink in favor of fermented vegetables.

How to Make Tepache

Most tepache recipes need only pineapple and unrefined sugar. But you can also add spices. And water kefir will give your brew a boost so it cultures faster.

Slice your pineapple peel, and reserve the fruit for another purpose.

Then warm a bit of unrefined sugar with water. Artisan producers make unrefined cane sugars like piloncillo and jaggery the traditional way, by boiling sugar cane juice into a fine syrup. Then they beat it as it crystallizes. The result is that it has a rich flavor and plenty of residual minerals.

Pour the sugar water over the pineapple peel. Drop in the spices. And then cover it with more water. Next, allow it to ferment for a few days, until lightly sweet, pleasantly tart, and faintly effervescent.

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Tepache de Piña Recipe

Robust with the vibrant sweet-tart flavor of fresh pineapple and gently perfumed with cinnamon and star anise, tepache is a flavor-forward, gently effervescent drink. A short fermentation of only a few days gives this thirst-quenching drink a light effervescence and striking, dynamic flavor. Since tepache takes a few days to ferment, plan ahead.

Course Drinks, Ferment

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword jaggery, piloncillo, pineapple, spices

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 days days 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings (2 quarts)

Calories 49kcal

Author Jenny

Ingredients

• 4 ounces unrefined cane sugar
• 1 large organic pineapple peel only
• 1 medium ceylon cinnamon stick
• 4 star anise pods
• ½ cup water kefir optional

Instructions

• Warm the sugar and 2 cups water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Stir them together until the sugar dissolves fully.
• While the sugar water cools, cut away the pineapple's top and bottom. And then, discard them. Chop the peel, reserving the fruit for another purpose, and place it into a 1 gallon jar. Drop the cinnamon stick and clove into a gallon-sized jar.
• Pour the sugar water over the the pineapple, and then pour in the remaining 6 cups water and the water kefir, if using. Cover the jar, and allow the tepache to ferment for two to three days, or until bubbles and foam form at the surface of the jar. Strain away the pineapple and spices, and then pour the tepache into bottles.
• You can drink the tepache right away, or allow it to ferment in the bottle an addition 1 to 2 days. Serve over ice.

Notes

Make alcoholic tepache or vinegar. You can ferment the tepache longer, about a week or so, and it will become increasingly alcoholic. If you ferment the tepache at least a month, it will form raw pineapple vinegar.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 8.1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Where to find organic herbs and spices

You can find many fresh herbs at your local grocery store; however, medicinal herbs can be harder to find locally. We recommend Mountain Rose Herbs because they stock many organic and ethically wildcrafted culinary and medicinal herbs.

>> Check it out here

Other fermented drinks you might like

References

1. Fuente‐Salcido, N. M., et al (2015), Isolation and characterization of bacteriocinogenic lactic bacteria from M‐Tuba and Tepache, two traditional fermented beverages in México. Food Sci Nutr, 3: 434-442.
2. Fuente‐Salcido, N. M., et al (2015), Isolation and characterization of bacteriocinogenic lactic bacteria from M‐Tuba and Tepache, two traditional fermented beverages in México. Food Sci Nutr, 3: 434-442.
3. Romera-Luna, H.W., et al (2018) Evaluation of the Probiotic Potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Strain (C41) Isolated from Tibicos by In Vitro Studies
4. erciolo, C., Dapoigny, M., & Andre, F. (2019). Beneficial effects of Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 on clinical disorders associated with intestinal barrier disruption. Clinical and experimental gastroenterology, 12, 67-82.
5. Vandenplans, Y., et al. (2009) Saccharomyces boulardii in childhood. European Journal of Pediatrics. 168(3).
6. Lawrence, F. (2010) Bitter fruit: The truth about supermarket pineapple. Guardian.

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