Synchronicity has a funny way of pulling you into situations you never thought about!
I was clicking through Steemit the other day, making comments and getting inspired, when I came across a headling I couldn't pass up:
A Cornucopia of Goodness
Of course I had to click. Why, you ask? Because the I live in a house called Cornucopia--it is a nucleo community house in Damanhur, a spiritual ecocommunity in northern Italy. Cornucopia is one of about 25 nucleos in the federation of communities. Here is a little glimpse into our world:
- Our House
- Dancing during this year's annual party
- The family laughing about the party the morning after
Why are you talking about Cornucopia?
I wasn't really sure what the post was about, so I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a challenge for a great home remedy by @naturalmedicine! I like home remedies. While I love browsing drugstores and feel the urge to buy just about every product on the shelf, I don't do it because I would never use them. The truth is, I am a natural girl. A home is not a home unless it has a jar of coconut oil, kombucha brewing, and a large collection of essential oils!
My comment was met with an invitation by @riverflows to participate in the challenge. But what would I write about? Sure, I use home rememdies, but none of them are elaborate enough to merit a full post. I could talk about essential oils, since I use them for just about everything, but there is no real recipe there.
Then it hit me!
KOMBUCHA
Don't worry, I am not going to include your typical drinkable kombucha recipes. I want to talk about Kombucha Vinegar!
I started brewing Kombucha over 12 years ago. One day I saw a friend brewing it, and I was hooked! And while I love drinking Kombucha on a regular basis, it was the vinegar that really intrigued me.
I have always been a bit of a vinegar fanatic. When I used to cook on a regular basis, you could always find a wide selection of vinegars in my house: rice, apple cider, red wine, white wine, balsamic (only the good stuff!), plain white, and any exotic type I could find. I not only put it in my food, I also used it to clean the house, as fabric softner, and washed my hair with it. Vinegar is a natural medicine staple!
Knowing that Kombucha turns to vinegar when it brews for too long, you know I had to try to make some Kombucha Vinegar myself to see what I could do with it. I let the brew sit there for about 60 days before trying it. One taste, and it was quite obvious it had turned to vinegar. How could I use it?
Over the years, I have used it in just about all the ways I use traditional vinegar, including in my food. But here are two uses that I like the most:
Kombucha Hair Rinse
My hair is curly and colored (currently a cross between mauve and fucshia), so shampoo is overkill. It strips away all the good stuff! Since my hair doesn't get that greasy, I often wash with Kombucha vinegar. The best way is to get a spray bottle, but I never remember that. I start at the roots and make sure that I saturate everything really well. Given the lowish level of acetic acid concentration, you don't really have to worry about how much you use. I often use coconut oil the night before to untangle my hair--otherwise it would be a nightmare to comb through--so I use a fair amount as a wash. Then I rinse, and apply a smaller amount in the same way to leave in. This acts like a type of tonic for your hair. If you want, you can add aromatic herbs to the second round for a nice smell. If I have gardenia flowers, I use them.
next use...
Kombucha Vinegar Cleaner
I purposely chose a rather small room in my house, since I travel most of the time. But even though it is small, it does not mean it doesn't get dirty, especially with my cat going in and out all the time. We live in the mountains, which means dirt and dust get everywhere. To me, chemical products are a no go. Luckily, at Damanhur, we make our own cleaning products. That way you know exactly what is in them. Those I use for the hard to get out stuff. For day-to-day cleaning, I have a spray bottle with Kombucha vinegar and a few drops of essential oil for the anti-microbial properties. My personal favorites are orange, lemongrass, and clove (not all together). You can use this on pretty much any surface. Just spray and wipe, no need to rinse. For the floors, I spray it directly on the floor, then pass the damp mop.
So there you have it, my two favorite uses for Kombucha vinegar. If you have any uses for Kombucha or any other fermented foods you brew, I would love to hear them. So far, I have made homemade ginger ale (OMG, it is SO MUCH BETTER than what you buy) and kim chi (I couldn't get all the ingredients, so it was a big funky).
If you end up using Kombucha vinegar, let me know how it goes!