I've been slightly obsessed with fermented foods as of late. (blame Sandor Ellix Katz author of Wild Fermentation) After my kvass adventure in October I wanted to try a commerically prepared version of kvass, so I sent my husband to a Russian market in Toronto. He brought me three bottles of kvass. It's now a few weeks later, and I have finally cracked a bottle.
I opened a bottle of Lidsky Kvass De Pain. Their website is www.lidskoe.by. This kvass is very dark in color. It has a carmel flavor with background notes of molasses and butterscotch. There is very little carbonation. Overall the flavor is akin to a cola, but with more refinement and complex flavors.
I drank the first glass straight but then I added some spiced rum which was delicious. The rum I use has strong vanilla notes which when added to cola makes a vanilla cola flavor but when added to kvass gives more refinement to the flavors already existing in the kvass. I'm sure the Russian mob would disagree with the addition of spiced rum but it sure was tasty.
Overall, I will drink kvass again and it may replace some of my (infrequent) use of cola but the commercially prepared version is an entirely different product from the homemade version I made previously.
I am excited to open the other bottles of kvass! I see kvass cocktails in my future!
What is your favorite commerically prepared kvass?
This drink is so hard to explain. I think it is in a category by itself. It's Russian bread soda! What else do you want me to say?
I really don't think that Katz's description of "ever so mildly alcoholic, full of healthful Lactobacilli, thick and milky, almost viscous" does this drink any justice at all. It's definitely acid and sour, but not unpleasantly so. It would definitely benefit from a flavoring agent of some sort - something like cumin, mint, orange, lemon, or ginger would all work. I did almost make bottle bombs out of this concoction - next time I will bottle in plastic bottles - which is recommended for sodas. This is because you can tell, by feel, the carbonation and because if it does burst there will be no flying glass.
I will be making this again! I really think that you could give this to someone, and they would have no idea what they were drinking and would be surprised to learn that its made from bread!
If anyone wants to point me in the direction of good commercial version I'd love that!
Kvass Part I
Kvass Part II
The next morning....
Strain the kvass mixture, squishing the liquid out of the bread cubes.
Add 1/8 cup sugar and 1/8 cup sourdough starter.
Mix well and leave to ferment for 2 to 3 days.
I tasted the mixture at this point - it was sweet and sour at the same time. Very interesting.... I am looking forward to tasting the end result of this experiment.
Kvass: Part I
I found out about this drink - made from old, stale bread of all things! - from an awesome book called "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz. This book is awesome, full of fun new food experiences and experiments! I highly recommend it!
Kvass is a Russian bread soda and the word Kvass means 'yeast' in Slavic. There is more info on the wiki page.
This 'bread soda' takes a few days to prepare so I haven't had the pleasure of tasting it yet. Does anyone know what I'll be up against? Katz says that "it is ever so mildly alcoholic, full of healthful Lactobacilli, thick and milky, almost viscous. I think it's delicious but some people wince at its sour flavor." A much nicer and more generous description of Kvass comes from Randy Mosher's "Radical Brewing", in which the drink is compared to champagne, albeit a grain champagne!
Kvass (adopted from Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz)
4 cups of cubed rye bread (from this bread recipe)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Toast bread. When cool, place in a mason jar with 6 cups hot water and lemon juice. Stir, cover, and leave for 8 hours.
Come back tommorrow for the rest of the recipe!
