Last week I was honored to join some sweet friends to teach a kombucha class at For His Temple Family foods in downtown West Monroe. Chef and owner Dana Milford graciously opened her lovely restaurant to us once again to learn about the art of fermentation and nourishing our bodies with the help of kombucha. The first time I met Dana was at a class she held in which we learned to make sauerkraut. I am so excited about the growing enthusiasm for food as medicine, nourishment and enjoyment in our community!
History and Benefits of Kombucha
We started off our class by learning a little bit about the history and benefits of kombucha. I really enjoyed researching for this first part. There is so much good information out there. I love that there is now a lot of science backing testimonials and claims to the benefits of kombucha. Sometimes it’s nice to have evidence which legitimizes what the ancients have known. There really is healing power to this fermented drink, once known as the the “Tea of Immortality.”
Step-by-Step Demonstration
During the next part of the class, we were able to demo the entire process of making kombucha at home. We had several people wondering how to make their kombucha turn out fizzy like the store bought stuff. The trick to perfectly fizzy kombucha, is to add a second fermentation. If you are interested in seeing this process, check out this blog by Starla. It includes 2 videos from our YouTube channel from a class that Starla and Sierra held at their house for some friends.
Kombucha Class Tasting!
I have to say, the last part of the class was the highlight of the evening! We all brought kombucha that we had brewed at home to have a tasting. It was simply delightful! How fun to try other flavors and compare notes! It was a lot of fun to interact with our students and to have a chance to answer questions. I always say that when you are taking on something new like this, it is always best to share the experience with friends. The process is so much more fun, and allows you to feed off of one another’s enthusiasm. I came away from this experience with a renewed joy and interest in pursuing my own health. We are all on a journey. This class has motivated me to keep going forward on my own.
At the end of the night, we sent a SCOBY home with everybody so they could put what they had learned into practice. I am so delighted to say that we have already had some of the attendees share pictures of their first batches of kombucha brewing away! I am happy to be a part of passing on the legacy of this bubbly health tonic to others in hopes that it will be a blessing to them and their families.
Stay tuned as Dana is planning on hosting more classes at her restaurant in the future! God bless! ~Shanna
p.s. I would like to say thank you and to give credit to Sherry Smith for taking pictures of the class and sharing them with us! Thank you so much and happy brewing!
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