Fermentation
is all the rage nowadays. There are foods and beverages that fermentation makes
truly interesting, and others that I believe should be left alone (stinky tofu,
anyone?). Everyone is familiar with wine and beer – both are fermented
beverages with an ancient heritage and a great variety of flavors. Kombucha,
which is basically a fermented tea, may be the non-alcoholic fermented beverage
most of us have tasted, of at least heard of.
Kvass'
roots lead way back to the Slavs of the Middle Ages, where it was brewed and
consumed in humongous quantities in ancient
Rus', and became popular throughout the region. Truly everyone, rich or poor,
drank it. The peak of its
popularity was the 15th and 16th centuries, where every Russian on average
drank 200 to 250 liters of kvass per year, from the poor to the Tsars.
 |
| (Painting by Vassiliy Kalistov, Street vending of kvass (1862), Chuvash State Art Museum, Russia, photo source here) |
Traditional kvass is made by fermentation of bread, most often rye,
sometimes, though not necessary with risen bread, boosted with added "iesals" (malt), and flavored by
fruit, berries, dried fruit. It's a fine way to make use of stale leftovers and
"doniņi" (ends)
of "rupjmaize" (rye bread). Modern kvass most often uses rye bread, sugar, raisins, and a
yeast culture or "ieraugs" (starter).
 |
| (photo source here) |
During
the years of Latvia's occupation by the Soviet Union, a frequent sight on the
streets was was a kvass-wagon, where people could stop, pay a few "centi" (cents), and be handed
a communally used glass of kvass. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991,
new health laws banned street sales of kvass, and many kvass factories closed.
Quickly, the Coca-Cola company moved into Latvia and other newly independent
nations, and soon bought existing kvass manufacturing facilities to make and
market their own brand of kvass.
How
does all this apply to Honey-Lemon Kvass? Really, only in the process itself.
Our ancestors were innovative and inventive, were already fermenting beer,
sauerkraut, a kefir-like drink called "rūgušpiens"
(literal translation: fermented milk). Black and red currants, rhubarb, and
other fruits were experimented with.
This
particular recipe was the result of a dare. Quite a few years ago, the folklore
teacher at our Latvian School was organizing a traditional holiday event, and
challenged me to learn to make several traditional foods I had never before had
a need to make, and this beverage called "medalus"
(literally translated "honeybeer") or "medus kvass" (honey kvass). I began to do research and
experiment with different recipes, combinations of recipes, trial and error. I
ended up with this, and brew it several times a year, for special Latvian
events, like celebrating the Solstice, and for our school's yearly Christmas
Market. It has developed a small following.
Traditional
kvass has its fans, but it's usually a love it or leave it beverage. I've found
that it's kind of the same thing with honey-lemon kvass, although many
kvass-haters were pleasantly surprised when they were talked into taking a sip.
This kvass is nothing like the traditional bread-based kvass – it is a
refreshing and vibrant beverage!
When
trying this recipe, leave yourself about a week before drinking; this is not a
last-minute-throw-together thing. That said, it really is quite simple. If you
find you like it, the recipe multiplies nicely – I usually brew it x8, and it
ferments nicely and tastes great. The ingredient amounts for larger quantity
are at the end of the recipe.
HONEY-LEMON KVASS
INGREDIENTS:
½ pound (1⅓ cups or 200 grams) honey (raw honey is best – and should
be heated to liquid form, if sugar crystals have developed, but processed honey
works just fine)
grated peel (zest) and juice of ½ lemon
¼ ounce (6 grams) cake yeast (or approximately
⅞ teaspoon active dry yeast – I use Red Star cake yeast
a small amount of sugar
1 quart distilled
water – tap water varies from place to place in the amount of minerals,
chlorination, taste, and in some instances may give the kvass an unpleasant
side-flavor, or it may not ferment properly
YOU WILL
NEED:
A pot
that holds at least a gallon, a wooden spoon, grater or lemon zester, lemon
juicer, a cup in which to proof the yeast, a glass container for fermenting the
kvass, straining ladle, sieve and cheesecloth, a ladle and a funnel tor
transferring kvass, glass bottles or jars that can be well sealed for storage.
PREPARATION:
1.
Bring
water to a boil, add honey, lemon juice and zest. Stir until honey has
dissolved completely.
2.
Proof
yeast in a cup with the sugar and a splash of warm water (if your tap water has
an unpleasant taste, use distilled or filtered drinking water).
3.
Cool
honey mixture to 18°C (65°F) – the ideal temperature for rising – and gently
stir in the proofed yeast.
4.
Cover
with a clean cotton or linen cloth and let the mixture ferment in a warm place
a day or two, three, skimming foam from the surface. Taste it daily, until it
you consider the flavor pleasing, not over-fermented.
5.
Filter
fermented kvass, through cheesecloth in a sieve. Pour into clean glass bottles
or jars, seal tightly and store in a cool place – like your refrigerator.
* Kvass will become more effervescent if stored for
a few days or a week!
** Since the kvass has no preservatives and is not
processed by canning, it will not keep indefinitely. Some solids from the yeast
may settle in the bottle – don't shake the bottle – let them stay on the
bottom!
Honey-lemon kvass in quantity (somewhere around 3 gallons):
4 pounds honey (5⅓ cups)
Zest and juice of 4 lemons (juice of 4 lemons is about 6 ounces or 12 tablespoons or 3/4 cup)
2 ounces cake yeast (6¾ teaspoons active dry yeast)
2 gallons distilled water
Zest and juice of 4 lemons (juice of 4 lemons is about 6 ounces or 12 tablespoons or 3/4 cup)
2 ounces cake yeast (6¾ teaspoons active dry yeast)
2 gallons distilled water
Some little things to know:
Of
course, raw honey is always best, but store-bought processed honey works just
fine.
Use
large lemons, and wash them thoroughly before grating the peel. Grate the peel
before squeezing the juice – it's really hard to grate an empty, limp lemon
skin!
I
always use fresh yeast (cake yeast), and I prefer Red Star brand, but active
dry yeast will do in a pinch – let it proof
(make sure it's active and will do the job of rising) really well.
During
fermentation, you need not skim the surface more than once daily; you will skim
off some lemon zest along with the foam – oh, well. Taste it after skimming –
you can follow the changes in flavor, and decide when is enough.
Wash
bottles with dish soap and rinse with VERY hot water, or follow instructions
for sterilizing bottles as written in recipe.
Once
bottled, resist the urge to taste it daily (that lets out the bubbles!). At
least two days in the refrigerator are needed to let it start becoming
effervescent, a week should have the bottle popping like Champagne!
Remember
that home-made kvass is not canned or preserved, and though honey is a very
good anti-bacterial agent, it will not keep forever in your refrigerator. Drink
up before it "turns".
Honey-Lemon
Kvass is non-alcoholic, although it might have a miniscule alcohol content –
just like kombucha. But – rumor has it
that the longer left alone in the refrigerator, the higher the alcohol content.
I have never known anyone to get drunk from this kvass, but the rumor has
helped pre-teen boys think they are getting away with something, and acting a
bit silly. I have purchased alcohol-content measuring equipment for use with my
next batch, so that I can definitively defend my assertion of non-alcoholicism.
Don't
expect everyone to be thrilled and love your new drink, but do encourage them
to try it!
PRIEKĀ!
(It's what you say when you look into the
eyes of the person you are about to klink glasses with – literally translated
"in happiness"!)
* Historical references
sourced from Wikipedia,
www.npr.org, various food and drink websites and blogs, old and new Latvian
cookbooks.
*
This recipe is a mix-and-match of my research, experimentation, and good luck.
Paldies, Inga, for another fascinating post! Your
recipes and posts from previous years are among the most-read in the series,
and I have no doubt this one will join the others, bookmarked and pinned for frequent reference. I’m so glad you were able to
join us again this year!!
If you are in the Chicago area, I urge you to stop
by the Krišjāņa Barona Latviešu Skolas tirdziņš; not only will you be able to
purchase Inga’s pīrāgi,
piparkūkas dough and kliņģeris, but the piparkūkas baked by the school
that will be for sale utilize her recipe – which you can find right here on 24
Days of a Baltic Christmas: A Baltic Christmas Day 5 - Piparkūkas!
Tomorrow on the series we cross the ocean to the U.K.,
to find out more about the Lithuanian shops in London!
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