​​

A Kvass is a naturally fermented drink, using the naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria present on the fruit/ flowers you are using.

Traditionally beetroot was made into Kvass, this is a lactic acid fermentation, and is made with salt.
A fruit kvass is made with sugar, so the yeasts dominate, creating an effervescent and rather delicious drink!

I have made many different types of kvass, the process is the same whatever fruits/flowers you are using. The amount of sugar added depends on how sweet your fruit is, and how sweet you want your finished drink to taste.

Rhubarb is extremely sour and teamed with elderflowers, make a beautiful flavour, but with little natural sugar. I add between 100g to 125g sugar per litre of water for this combination.
A strawberry/rhubarb kvass I add around 65g, but its personal taste.

Bear in mind the sugar is a food source for the natural yeasts, and most of it will be metabolised into lovely fizzy bubbles, leaving the finished drink way less sweet.
You can also add a couple of tablespoons of raw organic honey, which add to the flavour and the health benefits of the finished drink.
I tend to use white sugar, but you can also use cane sugar, brown sugar or maple syrup. Darker sugars will result in a cloudy appearance in your finished drink, but again its personal taste. They also impart a different flavour, whereas white sugar is more neutral.

One of the best tips for making bubbly kvass is to stir it vigorously at least 2 or 3 times a day, with a long handled spoon, almost creating a vortex , this prevents mould spores getting a hold and evenly distributes the fruit, which tends to float to the top of the jar.
​
​Also cover the jar with a cloth to keep fruit flies and dust out. Leave it somewhere warm and you should start to see bubbles forming, indicating that fermentation is underway. This can take a few days, depending on the temperature so just be patient.

So here is what you need  for Rhubarb/Elderflower Kvass
Ingredients

• a few sticks of rhubarb, washed and sliced
• a few handfuls of elderflowers, removed from the stems
• sugar
• filtered water

Method
​1. Fill your glass jar 1/4 to 1/3 full with your fruit and flowers.
2. Add sugar, I added 125g then added filtered water to within an inch of the top of the jar.
Or you can dissolve the sugar in the water, then pour that over the fruit/flowers. It depends what size of jar you are using and how much water you are adding so the ratio is around 125g sugar PER litre.
3. Give it a good stir, cover with a cloth and put it somewhere warm.
4. Give it a really good stir, at least 2 or 3 times per day.
5. When you start to see active bubbling, which can take a few days, then strain the kvass, compost the rhubarb, and transfer the kvass into strong clip top or plastic bottles.
6. Leave at room temperature for another few days to develop some fizz, carefully opening the bottles over the sink to check for fizz.
7. Once you are happy with it, transfer the bottles to the fridge and drink within a week or so for the best flavour.

The yeast will continue to ferment the sugar, so if you leave it too long, your drink will taste less sweet.

This Kvass makes a great mixer with gin!!

I am a huge fan of sourdough bread and rolls but sometimes you just want a super soft and pillowy bun and I have to admit, these vegan buns are absolutely delicious, soft and buttery with a lovely glazed top.
I made these yesterday, after seeing them on the rather awesome @chez.jorge on Instagram.

They didn't disappoint!!

I will be adding this recipe to my family favourites and making these to accompany our summer barbeques!

They were so delicious we ate them all with butter/vegan butter but they will be perfect with any veggie burger or filled with salad / avocado/ houmous/ sprouted seeds for a lovely lunch.

They are almost like a brioche but not so sweet,  and I imagine they would be great with jam and some whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar! Although I guess I would make them smaller for a sweet version.

This recipe makes 6 decent sized rolls, so without further rambling here is the brilliant recipe from George Lee, a 19 year old Taiwanese vegan chef @chez.jorge . He has 634K followers on Instagram, and his recipes are fantastic. He shares lots of wee videos too which are most entertaining, so he is well worth a follow!

He is also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chezjorge/

Vegan Milk Rolls

Ingredients

• 380g strong bread flour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar (30g)
• 1/3 cup boiling water (80g)
• 200g warm organic soya milk
• 7g sachet instant yeast
• 60g vegan butter, at room temp

Glaze

• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons organic soya milk

Method 

1. Heat the soya milk in the microwave for 20 to 30 s, until warm, around 40C. Add the dried yeast to the warm soya milk and allow to activate for 5 mins.
2. In a large bowl mix the flour, sugar and salt.
3. Slowly add the boiling water while stirring continuously.
4. Add the yeast/soya milk and start mixing by hand. The dough will feel relatively sticky but mix until it just comes together. You may need to add a touch more soya milk.
5. Add the vegan butter in small spoonfuls and start kneading until all the vegan spread is incorporated and you have a smooth ball of dough.
6. This will take around 10 minutes, its quite oily and difficult to work with at first but soon becomes easier as the butter is incorporated into the warm dough.
7. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and leave to prove at room temperature until doubled in size. This can take between 1 to 2 hours depending on the temperature.
8. Knock the dough back by punching it down to knock the air out.
9. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
10. To shape each roll, turn the dough over and fold each corner toward the middle to create a ball, then turn the dough over, cup your hand over it and move it in a circular motion to create a tight ball.
11. Place the shaped rolls on a lightly greased and floured baking tray, spacing them out evenly.
12. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave at room temperature for 35 to 45 minutes, until they are 1.5 times the original size.
13. Preheat the oven to 180C /350F 
14. Make the glaze by mixing together the maple syrup and soya milk in a wee dish.
15. Brush each roll with the glaze and bake for around 25 minutes, until nicely browned.
16. Cool for 10 minutes before scoffing!!

 

Another fabulous wild plant to bring to your attention!
Here is the well known Sticky Willy, Goose Grass or Cleavers!
I remember this plant from my childhood, it certainly suits its name, it sticks to everything!!
We used to have lots of fun sticking it to unsuspecting people!
So a few years ago I discovered that this is a medicinal plant with some rather awesome qualities!
I had lots of it in the garden and with my new attitude of using any wild plants, rather than seeing them as weeds, I googled it!
Who knew that this is a fabulous cleanser of the lymphatic system, it soothes irritated membranes of the urinary tract, it's a spring tonic, it can bring down fevers, good for swollen glands & tonsillitis and it treats burns!
I was most interested in the immune boosting effects! Consider it like a pipe cleaner clearing out the lymph vessels of any blockages/debris.
It also stimulates the flow & productivity of the lymph, which is an important part of the immune system.
Quite an impressive list of benefits for what most of us consider a weed!!
And all you need to do is fill a jug with freshly picked cleavers, fill it with water and leave it to infuse overnight, then drink it throughout the day. It tastes of cucumber & is really pleasant to drink!
You can fill it again, using the same cleavers, then just compost it and pick fresh.
You can also juice it and freeze it in ice cube trays to add to your green juices.
It is best picked before it flowers so now is the time to use it!
Initially I made the mistake of calling it Sticky Willy Water, so wasn't surprised when no one wanted to try it!!

I renamed it Cleavers Cleanse, which has a nice ring to it!

Here is a close up photo, but never ingest anything you are not 100% sure of. If in doubt, leave it out!

​