Here at Culinary Cruisers we specialize in custom-built, food carts. Our first cruiser can be found serving up organic Kombucha on tap at farmers markets and special events in and around Somerville, Cambridge & the greater Boston area.

WHAT IS KOMBUCHA?

Kombucha (“com-boo-cha”) is a delicious and energizing ‘live’ drink that contains a vast array of probiotics, including lactobacillus acidophilus and s.Boulardii, as well as digestive enzymes, antioxidants, B vitamins, and valuable trace minerals. Together these work in a variety of ways to support the natural functioning and vitality of the body, and help to promote harmony, balance and overall wellbeing.

THE FERMENTATION PROCESS:

The Kombucha culture is a continuously reproducing, symbiotic colony of beneficial bacteria and yeast, and is similar to that of a sourdough starter. It floats atop an infusion of tea and sugar, and through the natural process of fermentation, a chemical reaction comparable to the way yeast reacts with complex sugars during the brewing of beer, the sugar is converted into organic acids and carbon dioxide. At the same time, a variety of other compounds that are detoxifying and nutritious to the human body, including gluconic, lactic, and folic acids are also produced.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF KOMBUCHA:

Due to the production of B-vitamins, probiotics, and a variety of other compounds, drinking Kombucha tea regularly can benefit the human body in a number of ways. It can help:

  • Balance metabolism
  • Cleanse the blood and regulating pH levels
  • Improve liver, gall bladder, and digestive function
  • Detoxify the body and enhancing the immune system
  • Raise overall energy level

To insure none of the live bacteria and vitamins are lost, it is not pasteurized or heat-treated.

HISTORY OF KOMBUCHA TEA:

The earliest recorded consumption of Kombucha tea dates back to the Chinese Qin Dynasty of 221BC. Ancient records from the period refer to the unique tea infusion as ‘The elixir of life,’ while the spiritual Zen Masters regarded Kombucha as a source of chi – a revitalizing life energy which they believed aligns and harmonizes the body and mind with the soul. The Japanese Samurai warriors often carried Kombucha tea in their hip flasks to help recharge their energy levels.

As trade routes expanded beyond the Far East, Kombucha spread via travelers and traders to India, Russia and Eastern Europe, arriving in Germany around the turn of the 20th Century. Kombucha tea was soon being enjoyed throughout Europe until World War II broke out and, with it, the rationing of the two essential ingredients for metabolizing Kombucha: tea and sugar. However, by the early 1960s, Kombucha’s popularity was starting to take off again.

Today, Kombucha tea is experiencing a further resurgence of popularity worldwide, so head on over to the Cruiser and get yourself a glass!