Beet Kvass

This recipe is from Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions, my most reliable source for healthy, traditional recipes and information. Even though beet kvass is considered a Russian or Ukrainian beverage, my husband recognizes it as very similar to a traditional fermented Turkish beverage called salgam. He loves this stuff.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium or 2 large organic beets, peeled and chopped up coarsely
  
• 1/4 cup whey
  
• 1 tbsp sea salt
  
• filtered water

Directions:

This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, promotes regularity, aids digestion, alkalizes the blood, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments. Beet kvass may also be used in place of vinegar in salad dressings and as an addition to soups.

Place beets, whey and salt in a 2-quart glass container. Add filtered water to fill the container. Stir well and cover securely. Keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to refrigerator.

When most of the liquid has been drunk, you may fill up the container with water and keep at room temperature another 2 days. The resulting brew will be slightly less strong than the first. After the second brew, discard the beets and start again. You may, however, reserve some of the liquid and use this as your inoculant instead of the whey.

Note: Do not use grated beets in the preparation of beet tonic. When grated, beets exude too much juice resulting in a too rapid fermentation that favors the production of alcohol rather than lactic acid.