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Home , Kvass

Introducing the Russian classic and how to make it

WORDS: Liz Longden ILLUSTRATION: Ross Daniel Russell

f you’re looking for But my teacher’s was the real deal. “Imagine a lightly fizzy , maybe, something new and a It was just gorgeous.” but without it being and beery,” little bit different to sup has long been a Hercules explains. “Like really light during the coming natural part of Russian and Slavic and sour, but where you can definitely summer, how about cuisine and the slightly sour, tangy recognise flavours in there. It’s like some homemade Russian flavours it imparts are cherished. In ...” – she pauses to think, and then ‘fizzy rye ’? fact, Hercules explains, in Ukraine laughs – “... a fizzy drink. Kvass is relatively unknown in ‘kvass’ – which comes from the word That’s what it is, and that’s what it IWestern Europe and the US, having for ‘making sour through tastes like.” only recently surfaced on the hipster fermentation’ – traditionally refers to Kvass of the kind that used to radar thanks to a growing trend for a fermented liquid, which is be quietly fermenting on Hercules’ home-fermentation. In and the used to make the famous borsch soup, teacher’s window sill is a living countries of the former , amongst other things. But the most product, drawing its uniquely however, it has been part of everyday commonly understood meaning of refreshing flavour in part from the life for centuries. Very slightly the word comes from the Russian naturally fermenting within, alcoholic, naturally fizzy and with a tradition of fermenting stale rye and is therefore ill suited to canning, tangy, bready flavour, it is a traditional bread with and spices, which transportation and commercialisation. summer quencher enjoyed by both produces something somewhere That’s not to say, however, that some adults and children. While Western between a beer and a soft drink, haven’t tried. Somewhat ironically, kids might chase the chimes of the ice but which is not quite either. given that kvass apparently used to cream van through the streets on a be touted as a patriotic alternative warm summer’s day, their ex-Soviet to Coca-Cola during the Cold War, counterparts would more likely be How to make Coca-Cola itself launched its own found queuing alongside giant tanks the perfect kvass version of the drink, Krushka & of kvass, which would be wheeled Bochka, in Russia in 2008. around the streets by mobile vendors. Fill a large jar with three litres of hot An arguably more authentic And, indeed, the street vendors still and 200 grams of dry rye bread attempt has been made by some do the rounds today. crusts – the darker the better. Add US craft , including The chef and food writer Olia honey, and , plus a handful Pennsylvania’s Beaver . Hercules hails from Ukraine and has of toasted seeds and toasted Beaver produces kvass all year fond memories of this most refreshing coriander seeds and cover with a loose round, and owner and head brewer of . “My experience of it is from muslin cloth. Feel free to experiment Dan Woodske claims his is closest the age of six to around 12. I had an with different quantities. Leave in a among commercial incarnations English teacher, who was Russian, in warm place – the kitchen is ideal – until to the original Russian classic. a tiny town in Ukraine; I had English you see bubbles beginning to rise. “A lot of breweries in the United lessons with her, and every time I’d This can take anything from six hours States will make a version of kvass and come I’d get some kvass and it’d be to a couple of days, depending on the it’s more like beer. It’s not like authentic like a little treat.” She adds: “I don’t ambient temperature. Put the jar in the Russian kvass,” he says. This is because know how amazing or real street fridge to slow fermentation and enjoy the drink’s naturally low alcohol level, vendor kvass is – I’ve never had it. within a few days. combined with a lack of preservatives

www.hotrumcow.co.uk 31 and , means it has a shelf-life Nevertheless, for Olia Hercules, limited to a maximum of two weeks – “Imagine a lightly kvass ultimately remains a drink and that is not an enticing prospect fizzy beer, maybe, made to be fermented in the home for anyone hoping to launch a major – not only because she argues that commercial product line. Unwilling to but without it being it tastes better that way, but because change the characteristics of kvass that the process of ‘’ is simplicity make it unique, Beaver has instead bitter and beery” itself, perfectly suited to the had to adapt its production and everyday, humble kitchen. Rather distribution. Its brew is made in “super than any complex technique or small batches” to avoid wastage and is expensive equipment, the key to only available in-house, at the brewery. success, she says, is in the quality “We want it to be good, we want it to of the ingredients. be fresh, and true to the style,” Authentic rye bread, made from Woodske says. “So we don’t ship it a sourdough culture and organically anywhere. If you want it, you have produced, is essential. It is important to come to the brewery to get it.” not just in causing fermentation but The reason that Woodske goes to because some of kvass’s distinctive such trouble is, he says, for a love of flavour comes from the wild yeast the unusual. To the American beer naturally present on and within drinker, constantly on the lookout the bread, and chemicals and for something new and interesting to overprocessing can hinder or kill challenge the palate, kvass, he says, these off. Natural honey – that is to represents a whole new experience. say, organic and unprocessed honey “It’s just really weird, and fun,” he – is recommended for the same candidly admits, adding that the reason. To further boost the wild yeast brewery regularly shakes things up and impart a ‘meadowy’ flavour to the with experimental variations. Indeed, drink, traditional kvass brewers in the so much fun has Woodske had with Ukraine will often use dried pellets, kvass, drawing inspiration, he says, made from a mixture of organic from recipes mined from old Russian and wild hop flowers. Hercules says housewife magazines, that he has she usually brings a stash of the even written a book about it. pellets back with her from visits to Ukraine, but that organic rye grains – easily found in health food shops or online – can work as a good Kvass in the kitchen substitute. Spices such as caraway and coriander add an extra aromatic The distinct, earthy flavour of kvass drinking food paired with . and the final vital ingredient is means it has always been used as Morales says: “We use our homemade good water – in other words, not the basis of many traditional dishes, kvass in a recipe for Buzhenina, chlorinated tap water, but mineral but its unusual sour taste has led to poaching pork loin in kvass to add or natural spring water. it being used by modern bartenders flavour as well as to reduce it down The last thing that is needed is a as a tangy addition to to a syrup to accompany the dish. large jar and a piece of loose muslin and picklebacks. Some also put kvass in their borsch. to keep out dust and flies. “People In 2014, Bonnie Morales and her “We’ve made cocktails with it too. are so scared of fermentation – they husband opened the doors to their ‘Pass the Kvassier’ has , kvass think it’s such a complicated process. Portland restaurant, Kachka, cooking and orange, as well as a version of It’s not. It’s really easy. You can up dishes infused with nostalgia and a Alexander with kvass, ferment anything. As long as you steeped in history, inspired by her brandy and ice cream. use really good produce, you upbringing in a Belarusian family “It did fall out of fashion from the can’t go wrong.” n and putting kvass to good use. fall of the Soviet Union until now. But Meals at Kachka begin with a table we’re seeing a nostalgic interest in Olia Hercules’ new book, Dedakatsi: of zakuski, Russia’s answer to tapas – the era’s food and drink returning.” The Cookbook – A Journey Through the Wild East is out now.

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