Kombucha Classic with quail breast, Kombucha Cranberry with dark Mousse au Chocolat
17.12.2010At an upscale restaurant, about 20 % of guests abstain from alcohol some or all of the time. Water is usually offered as an alternative.
A good thirst-quencher, but doesn't really add much to a nice meal. The president of the Austrian Association of Sommeliers, Dipl.-Sommelier Annemarie Foidl, tells us why, in contrast, Kombucha is the enjoyable alcohol-free alternative especially to wine and which aromas one can detect in it.
As the president of the Austrian Association of Sommeliers, you have recently been recommending alcohol-free drinks more often?
A. Foidl: Yes, namely Kombucha by Carpe Diem. To me this drink, which has actually been known for millennia, is the best alternative to a good wine, truly high-quality and enjoyable but alcohol-free. I especially like to recommend Carpe Diem Kombucha for the afternoon where people often consciously abstain from alcohol, and of course for guests who are driving, pregnant women and also families with children. There is no better alternative. And the guests really appreciate it when you serve them such a special drink as an alcohol-free alternative. Instead of water or soft drinks which are much too sweet.
Enjoyable in what way?
A. Foidl: Each of the three varieties of Carpe Diem Kombucha has a range of aromas rich in facets. From raspberry to rhubarb and tamarillo. Recommending a suitable variety to complement a corresponding dish is therefore not difficult. The aromas in the drink bring out the flavour of the food, and vice versa.
In general, how do you describe Carpe Diem Kombucha?
A. Foidl: Kombucha is generally very full-bodied, slightly foamy and almost creamy, melting on the palate. It has a typical yeasty note that is similar to good champagne as well as a very fine perlage due to the natural carbonic acid.
Where do the aromas in Carpe Diem Kombucha come from?
A. Foidl: The facet-rich wealth of aromas of Carpe Diem Kombucha result from the intensive production process using fermentation. A unique natural symbiosis of yeast cultures and lactobacillus (= Kombucha culture) is used to inoculate a special combination of herbal teas sweetened with beet sugar. Organic acids and enzymes which split carbohydrates develop in this strictly controlled process, which lasts up to 14 days and parts of which can be compared to the process for making wine. These help the body digest food, making Kombucha a highly agreeable pleasure drink.
What is the best way to serve Kombucha?
A. Foidl: For the best taste experience, I recommend serving Carpe Diem Kombucha in a wine glass, specifically in a Chardonnay glass. The aroma spectrum unfolds best in this glass. The serving temperature should lie between approximately eight to ten degrees.
And which varieties go well with what dishes?
A. Foidl: Due to its aromas such as sour cherry or tarragon, Carpe Diem Kombucha Classic is primarily recommended for white meat, veal, wild fowl or hearty terrines and pastas. The sour-sweet variety Quince is an ideal complement to pasta, fish and seafood, and blue-veined cheese. As a dry temptation, Carpe Diem Kombucha Cranberry harmonizes best with game, beef, baked goods, and fine chocolate deserts.
The varieties in detail
Carpe Diem Kombucha Classic: Cherry red with brown tones. Elegant and fresh with a racy acidity. Notes of raspberry, peppermint, sour cherry, and citrus as well as a hint of tarragon.
Carpe Diem Kombucha Classic is the perfect complement to white meat, veal, wildfowl, or hearty terrines and pastas.
Carpe Diem Kombucha Quince: the sweet-tart fruit explosion. Deep golden yellow. Fruity sweetness with the ripe aroma of bananas, melons, vanilla, honey, canned pears as well as rhubarb, apricot, and orange zest.
Carpe Diem Kombucha Quince harmonizes particularly well with pasta, fish, seafood, and blue-veined cheese, but also with desserts and fine sweets.
Carpe Diem Kombucha Cranberry: the dry temptation. Luminescent red crimson. Slim and filigree with a dry fruity touch. Aromas of cranberry, rose hips, elder, apple, tamarillo, mint, and citrus.
Carpe Diem Kombucha Cranberry goes extremely well with game, beef, and all sorts of baked goods as well as fine chocolate desserts.
Carpe Diem Kombucha. The drink that make sense.
Carpe Diem Kombucha unites naturalness, sensuousness, and outstanding taste. The secret of Carpe Diem Kombucha lies in the fermentation of selected herbal mixtures using Kombucha cultures and has been known since the days of the Tsin dynasty around 221 BC. This elaborate and strictly controlled process creates valuable ingredients such as organic acids and enzymes which split carbohydrates, giving the drink its unique and agreeable character.
