Part 1: Kombucha In The Mist

We’re kicking it off by pairing Part 1 with a beverage that you can watch develop with a culture of your very own — or just pick up a bottle from your neighborhood market: Kombucha! For best effect, pour yourself a sparkling glass and sit outside on a misty autumnal evening listening to the trees drip, the moss plump, and the fungi fruit.

Wikipedia tells us that kombucha is: “…produced by fermenting sugared tea using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) commonly called a “mother” or “mushroom”. The microbial populations in a SCOBY vary. The yeast component generally includes Saccharomyces cerevisiae, along with other species; the bacterial component almost always includes Gluconacetobacter xylinus to oxidize yeast-produced alcohols to acetic acid (and other acids).^[7] Although the SCOBY is commonly called “tea fungus” or “mushroom”, it is actually “a symbiotic growth of acetic acid bacteria and osmophilic yeast species in a zoogleal mat [biofilm]”.^[1] The living bacteria are said to be probiotic, one of the reasons for the popularity of the drink.^[8][9]“

If you’re not growing your own SCOBY culture, we recommend supporting your local Kombuchary (fairly certain that’s a real word). Find a Kombuchary near you with the Booch News worldwide directory. Here in Humboldt County, CA we’re lucky to have the awesome folks at It’s Alive Kombucha who have been brewing up the good stuff for 24 years.

Part 2: Choco Fungi Latte

Listen to the rain and get cozy with this warm, frothy beverage while you tour through important mushroom habitats of the Pacific Coast!

This feels like a fancy beverage you’d savor at a bougie bakery, but your DIY version rivals that of any pro barista.

Make your own — this is enough for you and a pal:

• Warm 16 oz milk of your choice (the fattier the frothier — I like whole cow milk, but cashew, almond, or coconut are also great choices)

Pour warmed milk into your blender along with:

• 1 to 2 Tbs of raw cacao powder, depending on how strong you like your chocolatey-ness
• 1 to 2 Tbs maple syrup, depending on how sweet you like your sweets
• A combined 2 tsp of powdered medicinal mushrooms. What kind? There are many choices available from your favorite herb shop or natural foods store. Reishi, turkey tail, chaga, cordyceps, and shiitake are all excellent!
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• pinch of sea salt

Now is the MOST IMPORTANT PART: Put the lid on your blender! (I speak from experience here, this is critical)

Blend on your highest power until ultra frothy, pour in a gorgeous handmade ceramic mug, and enjoy!