New San Francisco "treat"

    We all know that many new trends start on the West Coast and move to the East Coast.  Thanks to my recent visit to San Francisco I became aware of a couple of drinks that seem to be everywhere we went out there.  For some of you these maybe know drinks but I can't say that I have seen these in our area.

     The first is Kombucha. I have know about it from my daughters but I didn't realize how popular it was until visiting San Francisco on a recent visit. For those not familiar with Kombucha it is fermented tea. One maker has the slogan " Get tickled not pickled." Many drinkers of Kombucha believe it has health benefits with detoxification of the liver.  It is often used with  food cleanses and fasts.  While the health benefits are in dispute it definitely has a taste that is unique.  It has some alcoholic content ( about 5%) based on how long it is fermented.  It has a strong acidic taste almost like a sparkling drink.

     Out West bottles like those above were sold everywhere, even in gas stations in the cooler next to the sodas. Around here natural food stores and Whole Foods is probably the best place to look.

   The second drink that seemed to be everywhere was cucumber water.  The glass above has some pureed cucumber in it for a stronger flavored drink.

      Often the sliced cucumber was placed in a pitcher of water, like above, that had a milder flavor.  I got hooked on this drink and the joke became that I was going to start to have a green tint to my skin by the time I left.  The way I liked it best was with some slices in ice tea.  The flavor was better than lemon or mint in ice tea.  It is also very easy to make at home and I have been making cucumber ice tea ever since I have come back.  If you have a Labor Day picnic planned try making some cucumber ice tea.