opinionated alchemist

I am fermenting (...) already so long, that it seems pretty easy in my eyes. Yet a lot of people asking me over and over again, how to do it.  Well there are a lot of websites which have good kombucha recipes. However I still think, that there is too much of a "tree-hugger" approach to the topic - hence I think, it is a good point to write up a post how I make kombucha (as straight forward as possible). What is kombucha? Kombucha is a ferment made out of (real) tea. It is made with a designated culture, which is called SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of bacteria and Yeast).  What is kombucha for? There is not much scientific evidence for or against health benefits. It is for sure lacto-fermented which is quite gut friendly. It also made with tea, hence it has caffeine which has a vitalizing effect. And real brewed kombucha is further low in sugar (as the sugar has been converted). And in the bar? We are not using kombucha for its health benefits. But in the bar the acidity in kombuc...

Usually I am more into education and more into R&D when it comes to my blog. However every now and then, a product lands in my hands, which is remarkable (or the opposite) - and there it certainly calls for a review. Today it is a waiter’s knife. First off all let’s determine what it is: a waiter’s knife, waiter’s key, waiter’s friend - you can call it also just bottle opener (used in professional environments - usually the home bottle openers are designed differently). I have owned and bought in my career dozens if not 100’s of openers. Just like pens (in hospitality), you need them, but also quickly “loose” them. Colleagues (and at times guests) are “borrowing them” and don’t return them. You are forgetting them in your laundry and they get lost there, or they drop just out of your pocket on a very busy and tiresome day. Hence if you are not a sommelier in a high profile fine dining environment - where you can consistently take 100% care of your stuff - or if you are jus...