Living tea - Louise Avery

Kombucha is a fermented drink (made using tea, sugar, a simple bacteria and yeast) that is known for its health-giving properties. It is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, along with the trends for home-fermenting, preserving and enjoying 'living' foods.

Louise Avery began brewing kombucha in 2010 as part of a self-sufficient and healthy lifestyle, living on a Scottish Island in the Hebrides, simply because she loved its unique and moreish taste. Now she is one of London's best-connected kombucha producers and the owner of Lois and the Living Teas. Here she reveals her tried-and-tested recipes that use the freshest produce to create truly delicious cold teas.

Starting with an introduction to kombucha, Louise offers information on the types of tea you can use to flavour your kombucha, the health benefits of drinking it, the essential equipment you will need to brew your own and the dos and don'ts when it comes to selecting other ingredients. Following this, she presents a step-by-step basic process for brewing kombucha, bottling and storing and controlling the yeast. Recipes are then organized by type of base: Fruit, with recipes for Blood Orangeade, Pear and Ginger, Pomegranate and Lime, a Cranberry Cleanse and Blueberry Lemonade; Vegetable, including Sour Rhubarb Fizz, Striped Candy Beetroot and Lime, and a Virgin Mary. Next up, Flower has ideas for Hibiscus Kombucha, Rose Petal Tea, Lavender Love and a Hoppy Pale Ale, while Herb, Spice and Tea is where things heat up with Lemongrass Tea and two Turmeric Immune Boosters as well as Jasmine Kombucha and a Lychee Basil 'Mojito'. You'll be spoilt for choice for ways to flavour this health-giving drink.