SC - Kvas

[Jenn/Yana]

>Does the kvas-concentrate recipe use raisins to test the fermentation?  I
>have one in a translated-from-Russian cookbook (starts with toasted or
>dried-out black bread) that included three raisins in the ingredients.
>Curious, I read on, and learned that when the bubbles are strong enough to
>float them, the kvas is considered ready to drink.

Nope.  It only took overnight to get bubbly, so the raisins were not
needed.  I mixed up the kvas after dinner, set it in a warm place and let
it ferment overnight until a few hours before party-time the next evening.
We cooled it down (warning--do not stick the open gallon jug of sun-warm
kvas in a cooler full of ice water unless you want a kvas fountain) and
served it.  The native Slavs at the party said it was just like babushka
used to make.  :-)

One of the other reasons that I haven't made real kvas is that I can't seem
to find a recipe for black bread that doesn't use a darkening agent like
cocoa, molasses, or coffee. Even the modern Russian recipes call for at
least one of these ingredients.  I think we discussed this here once
before, but if anyone has any new ideas...

- --Yana