It’s another hot day here (in the 90’s), so refreshing beverages are in order. Today’s water kefir second ferments are luscious banana and sparkling kiwi. Refreshing and loaded with probiotics…and the flavor? Like drinking a fresh, creamy banana and a sweet/tart kiwi. Want to make some for yourself?
To a quart or liter of finished water kefir (you’ll need water kefir grains to culture this beverage), add a half a mashed – really mash it well with a muddler or something similar – banana and let it do its second ferment for 24 hours. Depending on the temperatures where you are, you may want to burp the bottle periodically to ensure it doesn’t build up too much pressure. Strain out the banana (you can eat it, it’s still quite tasty and maybe a bit fizzy!), chill, and you have a delightful live beverage.
For the kiwi, take one kiwi fruit, peel it, and then mash it up. I used one that had been in the crisper for far too long and looked like it had already been beaten to a pulp by other crisper residents – it was slightly flat, but will still taste great in the kefir. Add to the finished water kefir and after 24 hours, strain off the fruit. If there’s a slightly sulfur-y odor, don’t worry – it’ll dissipate and won’t affect the flavor.
Make these “adult” beverages by adding a splash of light rum. Cheers!