KOMBUCHA!
Brad Procak with Probiotic Sparkling Kombucha.
Mother load, immortal elixir, symbionic, tea kvass. Adjectives connected with some sort of new and exotic karate move? Wrong. They are terms used in the fermenting and brewing of a longevity tea called Kombucha.
Being back on the Farmer's Market in Roanoke this year has felt good. We have a lot of new artists and farmers and even a new market manager. Eric Pendelton seems to know how to bring the best to the market. One example is 'Tha BEST Kombucha.” Brad Procak and his family moved to Floyd, Virginia few years back because being health-conscious, they wanted to live in a community where eating and growing nutritious foods in the norm. They made a good choice. Floyd is not only known to be populated by organic food and health enthusiasts but is also becoming a destination for Blue Grass and Old Time music.
Brad pouring tea
Brad started his business in kombucha brewing because he wanted to provide organic foods that are beneficial for his family. After family and friends started enjoying his teas along with his desire to add to the betterment of people, he decided to take it to the next level and has been selling this amazing probiotic beverage on the Roanoke Farmer's Market.
Years ago, I harvested my own kombucha after a friend from China gave me a starter, which is called a 'mother.' He told me that in his family and in his community in China most people drank kombucha because they knew it to be a cure for cancer and other ailments. I was excited and kept mine going for a few years but because of time restrictions, I stopped making it. My interest was renewed recently after drinking some of Brad's citrus ginger kombucha. I was hooked. To me, and apparently many others, it tastes better than a good glass of champagne and a lot easier to purchase than making your own. Another one of his standard teas is the longevity tea. This tea boasts large amounts of wheat grass which is purported to cleanse the body of toxins.
Delicious Cold
I can give an honest testimony about Brad's kombucha. After grieving for my son, Charlie, who passed away last October, my spirits have been down, to say the least. Drinking 1 cup of this wonderful elixir a day has given me an amazing lift. My energy level has risen tremendously. It is like the spring tonic you heard about your ancestors taking or as Ray Bradbury quotes in his book 'dandelion wine,' "The medicines of another time, the balm of sun and idle August afternoons, the faintly heard sounds of ice wagons passing on brick avenues, the rush of silver skyrockets and the fountaining of lawn mowers moving through ant countries, all these, all these in a glass."
Close-up of New Serenity Series cup
Sold. Thank you Gloria!
Many like to drink kombucha cold but you can also heat it up for a warm luxurious cup of tea. What to serve it in? How about one of my new Serenity tea/coffee mugs. This is a new series for me and seems to be a winner. I am offering my “Patience” cup for $30. It is 4 1/2" round by 4" high and holds a very generous cuppa. I created an original bas-relief face and used a rich glaze. There is also a nice indentation where you can place your thumb. If you are interested in purchasing, you can
e-mail me. I can ship anywhere in the continental USA. I accept personal checks and Paypal. Just let me know and we can go from there.
Close-up of Inside of Cup and Thumb Rest
If you are interested in finding out more about“Tha BEST Kombucha, you can catch Brad on the Roanoke City Market most Saturdays but if you would like to contact him, here is his
e-mail (thabestkombucha@gmail.com)
