Fermented foods and beverages, like kombucha, are tasty ways to add healthy probiotics to your diet.

Do you regularly enjoy kombucha (extra points if you make it yourself at home) yet find yourself wondering what other healthy probiotics that you can buy (or make)? You are not the only one. After a period of waning interest, curiosity in fermented foods is at an all-time high in the U.S.

We all know that probiotics are good for gut. Get on board and try or make some new fermented foods to up your probiotic game.

4 Fermented Foods to Try After Kombucha

Sauerkraut

Think you aren’t into sauerkraut? Think again. The canned sauerkraut from the school lunches of your childhood is a thing of the past. Today, it is possible to find delicious small-batch sauerkraut made with love and perfect to top your next sandwich.

Brand to Try: Cultured

Cultured features ten varieties of sauerkrauts ranging from classic Eastern European spices to Ayurvedic blends, and quite a lot in between. All of Cultured’s sauerkrauts are naturally fermented in brine created from the juice of the vegetables and salt.

Make Your Own: Foolproof Homemade Sauerkraut

Water Kefir

Just like kombucha, water kefir is a fermented drink that you can make at home. Water kefir is a lightly carbonated lacto-fermented beverage that is made from water kefir grains and sugar water, fruit juice, or coconut water. It is incredibly easy to make and  is a fantastic probiotic beverage alternative. Like kombucha, kefir is a symbiotic relationship of cultures, but the taste may be more sour and bitter than kombucha.

Where to Buy Grains: Cultures for Health

Kimchi

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean food made from a variety of vegetables and seasonings. Not only does kimchi boast of some big probiotic power, but it’s got a little bite to it as well making it the perfect topping for everything from stir-fry to eggs.

Brand to Try: Choi’s

Choi’s Kimchi is handcrafted using a small-batch process that has been handed down from generation to generation. Choose from Napa, White Napa, Radish, or Green Cabbage.

Make Your Own: Homemade Vegan Kimchi

Yogurt

If you love yogurt, you owe it to yourself to find small-batch yogurts to buy or to make it yourself at home. The stuff you buy at the big grocery stores is nothing like the real thing.

Brand to Try: Trimona Yogurt

Trimona Yogurt is a Bulgarian-style yogurt so it is is unstrained (to keep all the nutrients in the whey), and tastes tart but light.

Make Your Own: Cultures for Health offers a Bulgarian yogurt starter

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

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I don’t know about you, but I’m used to vegan leather that’s made out of synthetic man-made products. And while I suppose kombucha is man-made, I sure as heck didn’t know you could make vegan leather out of the fermented, bubbly, hipster drink of choice.

Researchers at Iowa State University are “using the cellulose fibers taken from kombucha tea to make a new substitute for leather,” Ecorazzi reports. The researchers were able to conduct their work thanks to a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Iowa researchers are combining the healthy beverage, plus vinegar, sugar, bacteria, and yeast in a shallow bath. The fermented tea feeds off the mixture and forms cellulose fibers.

“The film is grown by using a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY),” Iowa State news reports. “Young-A Lee, an associate professor of apparel, merchandising and design at Iowa State, says the properties of this SCOBY film are similar to leather once it’s harvested and dried, and can be used to make clothing, shoes or handbags.”

“Fashion, to most people, is an ephemeral expression of culture, art, and technology manifesting itself in form. Fashion companies keep producing new materials and clothing, from season to season, year to year, to fulfill consumers’ desire and needs,” Lee says. “Think about where these items eventually go. They will take tremendous underground spaces of the Earth like other trash.”

Now, this research is only in its beta phase. The researchers still need to solve a few problems: moisture can make the kombucha “leather” lose its structural integrity and cold temperature can make it fall apart. The fiber also is time-consuming to make—“it takes up to four weeks to grow a sheet of the stuff,” Gizmodo notes.

If the researchers can work out these kinks, this biodegradable leather could become a reality.

“It does not take that long to make certain synthetic materials, but for this new material we are proposing, it requires a certain amount of time to grow, dry, and treat the material within specific conditions,” Lee explains.

“If our experimental effort from this EPA project is successful, this cellulose-based renewable fabric can be an alternate future where we move to a cradle-to-cradle system, instead of relying on materials derived from unsustainable sources.”

And while this whole vegan leather idea alone is pretty rad, this substance has been used for other things as well—cosmetics, foods, and biomedical tissue for wound dressing.

So, I guess kombucha is good for everything!

Related on EcoSalon

Foodie Underground: Should Kombucha Be Your Party Drink?

4 Ways to Be Certain You’re Investing in Eco-Friendly Clothing

Linen Fabric from Flax is Sustainable and Special: Fiber Watch

Image of kombucha via Shutterstock

The post You Can Make Vegan Leather Out of What? appeared first on EcoSalon.

What do you do if you’re a police officer looking for something to do on a slow day in Venice, Calif.? You bust an organization for selling “illegal” kombucha.

That may sound a bit farfetched, but that’s exactly what happened at Full Circle, a community organization that’s headed by Andrew Keegan (former actor featured in films such as “10 Things I Hate About You”), in Venice a few weeks ago.

According to the LAist, undercover agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control “raided” a fundraiser the organization was hosting. Money raised at the event was slated to go to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a marine conservation non-profit that’s known for its eco-activism.

So, what were Beverage Control agents looking for? Kombucha, a tasty, fermented tea with a bunch of health benefits. Apparently, red flags were raised when the organization made it known that they were serving kombucha made by Kombucha Dog. While most kombucha has less than .5 percent alcohol by volume, Kombucha Dog’s product is one of the more potent versions of the tea. (We’re still talking below 1 percent, here, people. There’s no way you can get drunk drinking it.)

When authorities caught wind of this information (via a tip), they planned a raid… to take away the group’s kombucha… Sorry, just had to write that again because it all reads so silly.

Luckily, Full Circle is taking the entire thing in its stride and maintaining a positive outlook. The following is a statement from Full Circle about the kombucha brush-up:

Full Circle Venice Gives Official Statement Regarding #KombuchaRaid

“We were very shocked when agents from the department of Alcoholic Beverage Control conducted an undercover investigation last Friday during a charity event at the temple. Kombucha tea is considered part of a healthy lifestyle to most. We at Full Circle Venice are focused on co-creating harmonious community- whether it is through mindfulness events, art happenings, health and wellness activities or charitable causes.

Rather than put energy into the unnecessary disturbance that took place, we will instead focus on business as usual. This Sunday’s Activ888, a weekly offering of conscious conversation and sound healing, will focus on social justice. {This event occurred last Sunday.} In honor of Brendon Glenn, a young man whose life was lost in an altercation with the LAPD last week, we will be hosting a benefit concert from 5-9pm.

Full Circle remains committed to providing a center where people of all backgrounds can come together to find spirit in community. We do purposeful work at our temple, and we look forward to energy being directed for the greater good.”

Full Circle Venice
May 15, 2015

Honestly, this whole raid just seemed totally unnecessary and like a gigantic time-waster. But, hey… whatever.

We’re happy to see that Full Circle has recovered from this totally weird incident and is moving on.

What are your thoughts about the raid? Do you think it was necessary?

Related on EcoSalon

15 Things the Foodie Next to You at the Food Co-op Probably Was Thinking: Foodie Underground

Moonshine Kombucha Cocktail Recipe

Pomegranate Kombucha Recipe

Full Circle image via Facebook

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Try this re‑creation of a classic cocktail and enjoy the digestive benefits of both kombucha and bitters. The dashes of bitters lend an aromatic, well-balanced flavor to the fresh citrus, resulting in a crisp cocktail.

Jovial King of Urban Moonshine is an expert when it comes to pairing food and drink with bitters, which are made of a variety of herbs, fruits, spices, and roots distilled in a base liquor. She inspired me to add cherry bitters to my Traditional Kombucha Wonder Drink—and what a wonderfully refreshing flavor combination! I recommend using Urban Moonshine’s Citrus Bitters.

Serves 1

Ingredients

2‑inch peeled fresh ginger, chopped
Ice
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1/2 of a lime)
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/4 of a lemon)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) plain kombucha
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) vodka
5 dashes bitters
Twist of lemon peel, to garnish

Directions

Place the ginger in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and press with a muddler or blunt kitchen utensil. Half fill the shaker with ice. Add the lime juice, lemon juice, kombucha, vodka, and bitters. Shake well. Pour the strained liquor into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

Reprinted with permission from “Kombucha Revolution” by Stephen Lee, copyright (c) 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Cover photography (c) 2014 by Katie Newburn All other photography (c) 2014 by Leo Gong. Publisher retains all copyrights and the right to require immediate removal of this excerpt for copyright or other business reasons.

Related on EcoSalon

Sweet Beet Juice Recipe with Kombucha

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Pomegranates soared to popularity because of their high amount of antioxidants. The taste can range from sweet to sour depending on the variety of pomegranate and its ripeness, but as a general rule, if you like the taste of grenadine syrup, you probably like pomegranate. You can push this pomegranate kombucha recipe to the sweeter side by adding more juice or make it more sour by using less.

Pomegranate Kombucha Recipe

Makes 1 gallon

Ingredients

14 cups purified water
16 to 20 tea bags or
8 tablespoons (35 grams) loose-leaf black teaa
1 cup evaporated cane sugar
2 cups starter tea (Starter tea is previously brewed kombucha or store-bought raw kombucha with no flavoring or infusion.)
1 SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony Of Bacteria and Yeast is the starter culture for kombucha and can be sourced online or at specialty stores.)
4 cups pomegranate juice

Directions

Heat 6 cups of the water in a stainless steel saucepan to 212°F over medium heat. Remove from the heat, add the tea, stir well, and cover. Steep for 4 minutes, stirring once after 2 minutes. Remove the tea bags or pour the tea through a colander or fine-mesh strainer into a second pot. Compost the tea.

Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining 8 cups of water to cool the tea to about room temperature (72°F or cooler). Add 2 cups of the starter tea and stir. Pour into a 1-gallon jar.

With rinsed hands, carefully lay the SCOBY on the surface of the tea. Cover the opening of the jar with a clean cotton cloth and hold it in place with a rubber band. Place the jar in a warm spot (72°F to 78°F) out of direct sunlight and leave undisturbed to ferment for 7 days.

Taste your kombucha using a straw. Does it taste too sweet? Let it go a few more days before tasting again. Is it sufficiently tart, and you love it? Time for the next step.

Carefully remove the SCOBY with rinsed hands and place it on a clean porcelain or glass plate or bowl bathed in kombucha. This will be your culture for the next batch.

If immediately proceeding with another batch, reserve about 2 cups of the finished kombucha for the starter tea of your next brew.  

Add the pomegranate juice to the fermented kombucha tea. Stir gently. Using a funnel and a spouted measuring cup (for easy pouring), fill your bottles with the flavored kombucha, leaving about 1 inch of air space in the neck of the bottle. As you pour, you may want to use a fine-mesh strainer to filter out yeast strands. Cap tightly. Your kombucha is ready to drink, but if you prefer a more carbonated beverage, proceed to the next step.

To begin the optional secondary fermentation process, simply store the capped bottles in a warm dry place (72°F to 78°F is best) for 48 hours. Be aware that the sugars present will add fuel to the fermentation action in the bottle, which will increase the pressure inside the bottles. After 48 hours, chill one of the bottles for at least 6 hours. Crack it open and pour it into a glass. If it effervesces, you’ve done it! If you want more carbonation, let it go for a few more days and test again with another chilled bottle. When you’re pleased with the carbonation, refrigerate all the bottles to end the fermentation.

Reprinted with permission from “Kombucha Revolution” by Stephen Lee, copyright (c) 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Cover photography (c) 2014 by Katie Newburn All other photography (c) 2014 by Leo Gong. Publisher retains all copyrights and the right to require immediate removal of this excerpt for copyright or other business reasons.

Related on EcoSalon

Sweet Beet Juice Recipe with Kombucha

Kombucha Beer: Catch a Fermented Buzz!

Fermented Frenzy: 15 Different Uses for Kombucha

The post Pomegranate Kombucha Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Pull out your juicer to make this fresh combination of a beet juice recipe with kombucha, or simply buy the juices to make this sweet and tangy blend with a subtle ginger flavor.

Beet Juice Recipe with Kombucha

Serves 2 

Ingredients

11/2-inch knob peeled fresh ginger
11/2 cups plain kombucha (plain kombucha can be either home brewed or store bought)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup beet juice
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Combine the ginger, kombucha, orange juice, carrot juice, beet juice, and lemon juice in a blender and blend for about 15 seconds. Note: There will be small pieces of ginger. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the ginger pieces, if desired. Serve.

Reprinted with permission from “Kombucha Revolution” by Stephen Lee, copyright (c) 2014. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Cover photography (c) 2014 by Katie Newburn All other photography (c) 2014 by Leo Gong. Publisher retains all copyrights and the right to require immediate removal of this excerpt for copyright or other business reasons.

Related on EcoSalon

Kombucha Beer: Catch a Fermented Buzz!

Fermented Frenzy: 15 Different Uses for Kombucha

Foodie Underground: Should Kombucha Be Your Party Drink?

The post Sweet Beet Juice Recipe with Kombucha appeared first on EcoSalon.

Kombucha, a fermented tea drink with probiotic properties, has become very popular over the past few years. Regular kombucha only has trace amounts of alcohol, but what happens if you up the ante?

One couple is finding out. Called Unity Vibration Triple Goddess, it’s a marriage of fresh-brewed kombucha, organic hops, and a medley of seasonal flavors. This kombucha beer is 95 percent organic, gluten-free, raw, vegan, and sourced from local producers whenever possible. But at 7 percent alcohol, you’ll be flying high after enjoying just a couple.

Rachel and Tarek Kanaan have been brewing kombucha since 2008 when they started selling their home brewed bliss out of a van in Santa Barbara. Their newest venture is actually a product of the couple’s unwillingness to sacrifice their beloved recipe.

“When kombucha tea was recalled a few years ago because of its alcohol content, we didn’t want to change our recipe,” says Rachel. “Instead we decided to become a microbrewery so we could continue to make kombucha tea the way we wanted to.”

A Healthier Beer

The process of fermenting kombucha tea naturally produces alcohol but only a very slight .5 to 1 percent. As a microbrewery the natural next step was to brew beer as well and see what happened when they were combined.

According to Tarek, kombucha beer is healthier than other beers because of the ingredients. Literally everything in it is good for you, from raw ginger to organic raspberries, as well the probiotics and phytonutrients.

The Kanaans now hope to bring healthy beer to the masses and thus far their delightful kombucha beer is being sold in California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. They’re constantly coming up with enlightened combos like raspberry, ginger, bourbon peach, and their signature Kombucha Pale Ale.

Brewing Beer With Intention

For the Kanaans, it’s all about intention. And this isn’t just a mission statement, it’s present in everything that they do. Each tank is named and has a positive mantra posted on its side. Rachel even blesses the tanks with Tibetan bowls because the couple believes you can create whatever you want in your life through positive intention–their kombucha beer is a product of that intention.

They’ve come a long way since selling kombucha from the back of their van. The couple eventually moved to Ypsilanti, MI, where they produced home brewed kombucha tea and later kombucha beer from a commercial kitchen in their 300 square foot basement. Today, they’ve expanded to a 2,400 square foot manufacturing facility in the same Michigan town but their emphasis is still on producing carefully home brewed kombucha goodness.

Related on EcoSalon:
Kombucha Closer
EcoSalon Recipes: DIY Kombucha from a Seasoned Expert
5 Delicious Ways to Get Your Probiotics

Image: Unity Vibration Kombucha Beer

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Why just drink kombucha? Here are 15 other ways to put your fermented tea to use. 

Hippie alert: I have been brewing kombucha for quite some time. I have passed along many a SCOBY (that’s a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast to you kombucha newbies) to family members and friends. And although the site of a gelatinous form brewing in a large glass jar on the kitchen counter might freak some people out (it does) there’s nothing more satisfying than fermenting your own kombucha and skipping out on the $5 bottle at the local co-op.

Kombucha is a beautiful – albeit slightly odd looking – thing. The fact that you pour sugary tea into a glass vat and it somehow transforms into a fizzy drink full of probiotics still amazes me. But if you brew your own kombucha, you know fully well that once you get going, you can soon have too much of the stuff. Granted, a refrigerator full of ready-to-drink kombucha is not a bad thing, but there are plenty of other ways to put the stuff to use.

1. Wash your hair

Just like vinegar can do some good for your hair, so can kombucha. In fact, it is gentler on hair than regular vinegar, and can serve you well as a hair rinse. Because you want stronger kombucha, making your own hair rinse is also an excellent way to put over-brewed kombucha to use. Consider infusing it with some rosemary while you’re at it.

2. Mix a cocktail

Kombucha is fizzy, why wouldn’t you want to make a cocktail out of it? Because of its strong taste, you can think of kombucha as a sour mix. Kombucharita anyone? Or how about a Kombucha Pineapple Cocktail? Summer drinking just got a whole lot more appealing.

3. Blend smoothies

Kombucha can easily be used as your liquid for a healthy smoothie. If you’re a fan of green drinks, try a kale kombucha smoothie. Or if a fruitier taste is more to your liking, try this strawberry coconut smoothie.

4. Facial toner

As it turns out, just like vinegar, kombucha can also be used as a facial toner – it helps balance the skin’s pH levels. You can use it on its own, just applying with a cotton ball, or make a toner with a few other ingredients like this kombucha aloe toner.

5. Make popsicles

Put that kombucha in the freezer! Freeze in popsicle makers on its own, or come up with crazy combinations like vanilla and berries.

6. Mix up a salad dressing

You can make a basic vinaigrette by switching out kombucha in recipes that call for apple cider vinegar.

7. Clean your house

If your kombucha has sat a little too long and it’s too strong to drink (i.e. it tastes like vinegar) bottle it up and use as an all purpose cleaner. Use it as you would distilled vinegar for cleaning.

8. Give yourself a facial

Some are so addicted to kombucha that they swear by using it for making your own facial creams. You can add a bit of it to your regular moisturizer as well.

9. Ease a sore throat

Blend tea and honey and gargle like you would salt water.

10. Soak your feet

Use one part room temperature water and one part kombucha for a foot soak. Make sure you use kombucha that has been brewed for a long time so that it’s extra strong and not as sweet as one you would drink.

11. Use it as a pet treat

If you’re trying to get rid of some of your SCOBY, you can dry it and use it as a chew toy for your animals. No, really, it’s like fruit leather for your dog.

12. Make vegan sushi

Granted, this may make some people queezy, but you can cut up a scoby and use it as a replacement for fish in sushi.

13. Compost with it

When your scoby gets out of control and you don’t have a friend to give it to, you can throw it in your compost.

14. Two words: vegan jerky

Yes, you can turn your scoby into jerky if you really feel like it. Just marinate and dehydrate and you can serve kombucha jerky to all of your friends.

15. Use as a natural pesticide

You can use kombucha as a natural pesticide in your garden. Just pour into a spray bottle and go to town. You can also combine with a few tablespoons of dishwashing liquid in a bowl and set out to help get rid of fruit flies.

 Image: Anna Brones

The post Fermented Frenzy: 15 Different Uses for Kombucha appeared first on EcoSalon.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help balance your internal flora and maintain a healthy metabolism. The truth is, most of us could use more of them on a daily basis. You could take a pill, sure, but there are more delicious ways to ensure that you incorporate enough probiotics into your diet. Here are five of our favorite ways.

1. Kefir and Greek Yogurt
Yogurt and kefir are two of the most familiar source of probiotics. Both contain tons of good bacteria like acidophilus, lactobacillus or bifidobacteria that help balance your delicate internal flora. If you’re worried about dairy, there are studies that suggest that probiotics can help ease lactose intolerance. Any brand that lists “live and active cultures” among the ingredients is a good choice, but make sure it’s organic to avoid other potential side effects of dairy.

image: Omar de Armas

2. Kombucha
Arguably the hottest thing in the beverage industry right now (even Celestial Seasonings is making their version), kombucha is a form of fermented tea. It’s been used for centuries for various purposes, like increasing your energy levels and maintaining a healthy weight. The large amounts of healthy gut bacteria formed during the fermentation process are the key to kombucha’s health benefits. Always read the ingredients to make sure you are getting authentic kombucha, not a kombucha-flavored beverage. Or, best of all, try and make your own.

image: sarea

3. Sauerkraut and Kimchee
Long heralded in Europe for its health benefits, sauerkraut contains the probiotics leuconostoc, pediococcus and lactobacillus. The health benefits of this fermented cabbage is limited to the homemade or more artisanal varieties, as pasteurization (used to treat most supermarket sauerkraut) kills virtually all the helpful bacteria. The spicy Korean version of sauerkraut, kimchee, is equally loaded with probiotics, as well as vitamins that help ward off infections.

image: Quinn Dombrowski

4. Miso Soup
It’s time to look at miso soup as more than a sushi lunch accoutrement. This fermented soybean paste can really get your digestive system moving, as it contains hundreds or beneficial bacteria strains. In Japan, it’s often enjoyed as a breakfast food, perhaps to kickstart the metabolism.

image: Kathie Lapcevic

5. Pickles
Like most fermented foods, pickles contain lots of good probiotics. Look for naturally fermented varieties that were pickled without vinegar. A pure mix of sea salt and water makes a great pickle brine, that encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria.

When you’ve managed to fill your gut with beneficial probiotic strains, it’s important to keep them happy. Prebiotics feed the good bacteria that already live in your system and can be found in foods like asparagus, bananas, oatmeal, legumes, honey, maple syrup and red wine. Consider mixing foods rich in probiotics with those rich in prebiotics (red wine and pickles anyone?) to maximize your body’s ability to absorb them.

Top image: haley. s

The post 5 Delicious Ways to Get Your Probiotics appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnIf only food conversations were this interesting.

“All I had to bring was this jar of homemade pickled carrots.”

“Oh the popcorn? Yeah, it’s the truffle oil that does it.”

“It was Sunday. So I got the pan-fried trout.”

These are all direct quotes that I overhead, or caught myself saying, in the last week. If you spend any time around food lovers, or are simply food obsessed yourself, and you will pick up on some humorous things. Absurd even. If ferment, infuse or are co-op are part of your vocabulary, you know what I am talking about. But don’t you just wish that the foodie world would take it to the next level? Here’s what you wish you had overheard.

“We have to harvest our sweat today so that we can make salted macarons tomorrow.”

“Your kombucha mother is so beautiful.”

“I finally got into the goat share program.”

“I am my cooking.”

“I couldn’t bear to sleep with him. He couldn’t even pronounce croissant correctly.”

“You need marrow? I know a guy with a freezer on the other side of town.”

“We’re a new kind of DIY artisan butcher. We kill the cow in your kitchen so you get to really take part in the process.”

“I only drink a coconut and sparkling water blend. The effervescence seems to help me absorb the potassium better.”

“Is your butter hand churned?”

“I name all of my fresh eggs before I eat them. I find that when my food has a personal identity I enjoy it more.”

“Oh, please don’t take a picture of that, it’s so rude when people photograph during a meal.”

“We’ve been working on recycling the leftover coffee grounds into a new edible body treatment line.”

“This salt must be from the Northeast, I can taste the terroir.”

“Sorry couldn’t meet that deadline, I had a bit of a infusing fruit with fruit issue last night.”

“Don’t worry, I brought my own fennel seeds.”

“Do you think this sangria has too many floral elements in it?”

“I really would have rather had a fried egg in this spicy ramen broth than a poached one.”

“We’re starting a foraging club for weeds and non-native edible plants.”

“Instead of rose petals sprinkled on the floor, he dusted everything with organic spelt flour before proposing.”

“Canning really allows me to get to know my vegetables.”

“The truffle ice cubes were sort of disastrous.”

“I had an allergic reaction from that instant coffee she served me yesterday. The local espresso blend never gives me hives.”

“Does this camembert taste off to you, or has it just been too long since I was in France?”

“I can’t believe I have gone this long without candied thistles in my life.”

“Would it be possible to get that served in a mason jar instead?”

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s weekly column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground, discovering what’s new and different in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to the culinary avant garde.

Image: henofthewood

The post Foodie Underground: Things You Wish You Had Overheard a Foodie Saying appeared first on EcoSalon.