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this 5L jar of kombucha had been fermenting in my kitchen since november 17th - 53 days ago - almost 2 months. that is one long wait for some fermented tea! the topmost fresh scoby was about an inch at its thickest point. i sampled some of the tea - a strong vinegary tang but still a hint of sweetness. after fishing out the scobies, i managed to pour 6 jars of kombucha. thank goodness i'm partial to hoarding glass jars otherwise i wouldn't have any place to put them. i then went about brewing up the next batch of sweet tea. in the cool wintering house, it took by the afternoon for the tea to be cool enough (measured with the infrared thermometer, 78°F) to duck a fresh scoby into the tea for the next ferment. i also added 2 cups of starter tea, so hopefully it won't take as long this time around. i think the limiting factor is the temperature of my house though, just too cool (normally 60°F) for the bacteria to really grow any faster.

i was glued to the television and streaming videos of what was happening in paris, as the manhunt for the terrorists became a two location hostage-siege crisis. around 11:00 EST something was happening, as broadcasters reported explosions and bursts of gunfire. 3 terrorists died, surviving hostaged freed, and 1 female accomplice still on the run. it really did seem surreal, like watching a movie, except i didn't know any of the details and could only guess what was happening. not only that, but this story was playing out in real time, and not yet concluded.

there was a bit of morning snow, but by the afternoon it'd stopped. i went outside to shovel the trampled dusting from the sidewalk, before it melted and refroze into slick patches. it wasn't that cold today, temperature in the upper 20's, but i still had on my full-blown puffy jacket. i figured better to be warm than sorry. later i went to the supermarket to pick up some snacks.

for dinner i heated up a swanson chicken pot pie. haven't had one of those in a long time, but these small-sized portions aren't very filling. if i'm serious about pot pies, i should go for those hearty brick versions, probably less preservatives too.