Kombucha is a funny word. I swore I would never try the stuff. But as the saying goes, never say never!
It all started at Comforts, a nearby café/restaurant/deli (it’s really all of the above), about two weekends ago. I was grabbing a couple of their famous Chinese chicken salads for lunch, when the person behind me in line made some silly comment about whether he was next. I forget exactly what he said. It was a joke about cutting in line… Somehow, I rarely leave a place without exchanging a few words with at least one person in a store. (It just happens!) People seem to always want to chat, and I tend to chat back. It drives Patrick crazy. He’s not much of a chatter.
My new acquaintance was holding a brown glass bottle with a reddish-orange label and white type resembling an old Coca Cola bottle. I knew it was a brand of kombucha. And since I’ve been scared to drink kombucha ever since our last Exploratorium visit with the kids, I had a hard time believing this person (this pretty regular-looking human) thought it was worth paying money for the stuff. “Is that actually good?” I had to ask. “Yes! You should try it. I got mine from right over there!” he said, as he pointed to one of the refrigerators behind the other thousand people who had also thought takeout on the day before the “Super Bore” was a good idea.
But I wasn’t convinced. I wasn’t really going to try that. Plus, I was next up in line to pay for my food, and the kids and Patrick were waiting for me to get back with our lunch. Kombucha Cola would have to wait.
Since then, I have developed a ridiculously childish curiosity to try kombucha. I see the pretty bottles everywhere, as if they’re calling out: Try me! You’ll be surprised!
Nah…
I’d been at the Exploratorium with the kids some months back. They had an exhibit on how kombucha was made. The kids wouldn’t dare touch it, but I did! I’m talking about the rubbery, milk-colored disk that had formed in the tray, known by more informed people as the SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) — and more commonly referred to as the “mother.” “This is a living thing!”, I’d said to the kids. They weren’t impressed. (Teenagers…) Let me tell you, the “mother” looked pretty gross. I couldn’t stomach the idea of drinking something soaked in it. Funny, because I love other fermented foods so much — cheese and yogurt, kefir, even sauerkraut! All foods that gross some people out, my kids included.
But here’s the thing. My stomach has been acting up a lot lately, and I’ve been wondering…What if this thing actually works? A New York Times article I was reading about kombucha says some people believe it can cure almost anything: improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, help with diabetes, all by increasing the “good” bacteria in your gut. Plus, I hear it can even make you slightly more popular. (Ha, ha.) Of course, it’s probably all a hoax. I should know better!
Yesterday morning, while I waited for my café latte at the Good Earth (the local organic grocery store), and debated whether to grab a ready-made wrap or a salad for lunch, I thought about kombucha again. (And how could I not?!) Their cold drinks section is full of all kinds of kombucha! I think you could easily fill a year’s worth of exploration trying all the brands and flavors they sell. And the packaging… well, as some people know, I’m a sucker for pretty labels and such. The bottles are so darn cute!
This was my chance to finally put this silliness behind me, to “woman-up” and taste the darn thing once and for all. I looked at all the choices in the display case and decided to go with a juice flavor I liked a lot, just in case it tasted horrible. Mango or guava? Guava, it would be!
I proudly marched over to the register with the kombucha, latte and a falafel wrap in hand. This would be a day to remember. A first. (I love firsts.) I was pretty proud of myself, and suddenly felt slightly more in harmony with my fellow Good Earthlings, who of course love kombucha.
…
For some reason, though, when lunchtime came around, the falafel wrap didn’t sound like a good match for the guava kombucha tea. So, I brought the pretty bottle back home after work and put it in the refrigerator. It’s still there. I wonder what food goes best with kombucha. Is there perhaps a specific time of day you should drink it? I’m going to try it. I will! (Pinky promise.) 😉