Kombucha gets sophisticated
But, where does kombucha come from ? Is the job that is done today very far from the mushroom to what has been done in the past? Kombucha is trending even in cocktails.
If we have to talk about kombucha in Spain, it is essential to have the voice of a great expert, Anne Moreno. This vegan guru, nutritional coach and master chef , with 35 books published behind her back, she is known above all for the program ** 100% vegetal, from Canal Cocina **.
She tells us the story of the kombucha mushroom, which It was introduced to China around 230 BC. . from the hand of Dr. Kombus. By invading China, the samurai in the Middle Ages were surprised by the longevity and good health of the Chinese elderly , who were over 100 years old, which they attributed to regular consumption of kombucha tea.
It was in the mid-20th century that kombucha tea took fame in russia , due to the longevity of the inhabitants of a small industrial town located between China and Russia itself , where they used to consume it on a regular basis. Today it is also commonly drunk in the West, especially in places like Australia, United States and Germany , where the benefit derived from its medicinal properties.
Kombucha tea is very popular in the Anglo-Saxon world
IT ALL STARTED WITH ANA MORENO
Although the call kombucha tea It's a drink bubbly obtained from the fermentation of black tea with white sugar and kombucha mushroom , nowadays it is prepared with green tea and brown sugar, panela or coconut sugar. In Los Angeles, the consumption of kombucha tea has long been routine.
"I grew up traveling the world and I visited Chef Ito in his restaurant, among many places and people. au lac of Fountain Valley, California. This chef is very particular, because he is not mute, but he does not speak ; he did some kind of pact with God offering him his voice in exchange for the gift of cooking . With signs and by writing on a piece of paper, he invited me to a kombucha Cocktail, and there I discovered it. I wasted the rest of the trip buying kombucha everywhere, but nothing like what Ito had given me to try", Ana tells us. And that's how kombucha was brought to Spain.
"Kombucha is a food with many properties ", assures Moreno. He maintains that all fermented foods contain antibacterial or antibiotic substances and collaborate in decomposition of some carcinogenic substances. They synthesize vitamins of group B and K, acidify the intestinal tract and produce an inhibition of pathogenic germs.
Among the specific indications of kombucha, are relief of cold symptoms , flu, bronchitis, stomach ulcers, acne (usually skin health improves incredibly) menopause, mental exhaustion, obesity, stress, etc. In addition, it produces a great feeling of well-being, provides energy, cleanses and regenerates, according to the expert.
Kombucha is a regular on the Au Lac menu
But also, make kombucha at home It is a practice that is becoming more and more widespread among the foodie community, in which Do it yourself is the first psalm of all their bibles. "It is nice to prepare your own drinks at home, and even more so to know that they are rich and healthy. Today it is also common to prepare beer at home in an artisanal way. I am right now investigating with mead "says Anne.
And if we talk about cocktails, we can already lose our minds. The kombucha itself is delicious, but adding it to the pomegranate juice, mango smoothie or simply flavor it with ginger and lemon slices , improves its flavor exponentially. They are delicious, digestive, probiotic cocktails and, if you want, They don't have to bring any alcohol.
Preparing kombucha at home
MARIO SANDOVAL, MICHELIN AND KOMBUCHA STAR
In the last edition of Madrid Fusión, Mario Sandoval already predicted that the fermented ones were going to make a lot of noise in this 2017. Many of us are already used to Mario Sandoval's restlessness. Perplexed we were when his alliance with Carlos Moro of Matarromera led to Vinesenti , that magic dressing extracted from the polyphenols from grape skins , who transformed the dishes into sidereal storms.
In front of the famous coke restaurant , proud with his second Michelin star achieved in the last edition of 2016 and its three Repsol suns, Mario Sandoval now opens the doors to Traveler to tell us what does he do with kombucha , a food that cannot be missing from the Coque menu.
Mario starts: "In Coque we have spent many months working with fermented in several of our dishes. Currently, we also use kombucha to make a cocktail served before dessert , and that the client enjoys because it is very digestive. But the possibilities of kombucha are many and, really, every day we discover a new application". In fact, kombucha is also known as the mushroom of immortality , because as it feeds, it reproduces, and therefore, it never seems to die.
In Coque, everything is delicious
When we ask the chef about his crazy, as well as wonderful proposals, he tells us: "Both in the kitchen and in cocktails, kombucha is an entrance through the big door of "living foods" in our body, which help us improve our digestion and keep our “second brain” in top shape . Perhaps the most risky is a jelly bean that we have managed to make with the kombucha fungus and that is also really good". But of course, Is there anything that is not good in Coke?
And after the kombucha, what will come? "After the kombucha come all live foods , fermented, probiotics and with all its microorganisms that help us improve our quality of life through food," Sandoval tells us. Or a bubbly future , as Ana Moreno assured. The important thing is that bets on gastronomy are becoming more and more healthy, sophisticated and fun
Kombucha cocktails, fun and healthy
FOUR KOMBUCHA TEMPLES WHERE TO TAKE A DELICIOUS COCKTAIL
still today It is not easy to find a place where you can enjoy this rare cocktail So sophisticated as well as healthy. But it is not necessary to invoke the spirits of the samurai to act as a GPS for your search: we recommend four essentials where to enjoy the kombucha cocktail.
coke restaurant _(Francisco Encinas, 8. Humanes. Madrid) _. Little letter of presentation needs the restaurant of two Michelin stars of the Sandoval family. There are also two proposals from Coque: soul, for lovers of gastronomic experiences slow food , Y earth , a shorter route, both with their respective pairings and in which kombucha has a very special hole. Definitively, Restaurante Coque is a necessary stop for any foodie.
The GreenHouse _(Paseo de los Rosales, 48. Collado Mediano. Madrid) _. Green haute cuisine is a reality. Rodrigo de la Calle runs this peculiar space that houses only four tables and has a Michelin star. In his offer there is no lack fermented, seasonal products and his love for gastrobotany. And of course, your kombucha cocktail , served by the same chef who made it.
Green haute cuisine in El Invernadero
Rural Hotel The Fountain of the Cat _(La Fragua, 1. Olmeda de las Fuentes. Madrid) _. This vegetarian and raw vegan rural hotel offers plant-based gastronomic getaways. Lovers of rural tourism can enjoy a privileged environment and try the kombucha cocktail of Ana Moreno herself , who runs the establishment.
Pizzi & Dixie _(San Vicente Ferrer, 16. Madrid) _. Nacho Sanchez decided to put an end to his adventure in the Antón Martín market, called botanical . His careful, creative and superhealthy cooking was always accompanied by fabulous mixes he created with kombucha , like his sangria or his cocktail.
Botanique says see you soon while Nacho Sánchez, alma mater, will soon open his new gastronomic laboratory, Pizzi & Dixie, where the kombucha cocktail is installed in the heart of the Malasaña more hipster. And, of course, Traveler will be there to tell you about it. Soon on your screens!
Nacho Sánchez cocktails will return at Pizzi & Dixie