Are you drinking kombucha? Among my friends, it's becoming all the rage. Kombucha is a tea-based drink that has been fermented and is effervescent. Many varieties of kombucha are available these days at stores like Whole Foods and Rainbow Grocery. While not proven, many tout health benefits such as liver detoxification, better digestion, increased blood circulation, and a general boost to the immune system. I personally like kombucha because I like the flavor -- with its fermented qualities, kombucha reminds me of an alcohol-based drink without the alcohol.

Last week, I had the chance to taste a great kombucha that is being produced locally: Lev's Original Kombucha. Lev Kilun is making kombucha-on-tap in carefully created small batches. He sources his ingredients with intention, starting with a green tea that is chosen for its flavor. "You can't make good wine from bad grapes," he says, explaining that the same is true for kombucha.

Contrary to what I learned, Lev says that kombucha is not a mushroom-based drink. Instead it is fermented with a mother -- similar to vinegars. Lev says that the Russian word describing a mother is close to the word for mushroom, so the misinterpretation began the myth.

Lev's Kombucha is available in two flavors: black currant and original. You can try it at Cafe Lyon in Rockridge, Power Source Cafe in the San Francisco Financial District, or eight other locations around the Bay Area.

Cafe Lyon
5701 College Ave
(510) 547-0800

Power Source Cafe
81 Fremont Street (at Mission)
(415) 896-1312

Fri, Oct 17, 2008
The California Report
Host: Stephanie Martin

Melamine-Tainted Cookies
Food safety experts say one of the most serious issues concerning the appearance of melamine-tainted foods from China lies in finding what's contaminated -- and getting it off the market. We bought samples of popular Chinese-made cookies and had them tested for melamine. The results? Positive.
Reporters:
• Oanh Ha

Listen to the program

Mon, Oct 20, 2008
The California Report
Host: Rachael Myrow

Melamine Cookie Recall
We reported on Friday that our testing of a popular snack sold in California came back positive for the industrial chemical melamine. Lotte USA, the Michigan distributor of Koala's March cookies, has now announced through the FDA that it's recalling the product nationwide.
Reporters:
• Oanh Ha

Listen to the program

I had something else planned for my post today, but the truth is that I am completely under the weather. As in having to rest between the kitchen and the bedroom, as in bundled in blankets and fleeces and warm socks. What are your magic remedies when you're not feeling great? Here are some of mine:

Dr. Mathra's Totally Hot Toddy. Ever since I got my hands on this recipe, it has been my go-to hot toddy drink when I'm under the weather. A pinch of red chili flakes is a great addition.

Tom Yum Goong from Thai House Express on Geary at Larkin. This hot and sour soup warms me up and helps clear up any congestion. If I don't have the energy to pick up, I order from Chai Yo on Polk street.

Pho from Mai's on Clement. There's better pho in town, but this small restaurant is a comfortable spot to slurp some pho when you're under the weather.

Parmesan toast with tomatoes. This is one of my tribe's comfort foods. I've been eating it since I was a kid.

In an ideal world, I would have the energy to whip up my own lentil soup or chicken soup or spicy tomato sauce, but when all I can think about is going back to bed, these quick food options provide comfort and sustenance.

What do you do when you're under the weather?

Oh, Golly. Where to start this morning?

I think I’ll just begin as I do every morning-- with fashion, diet, and exercise advice from Brenda Dickson.

There are some people in this world who spend entirely too much time on YouTube. I count myself as one of them. One of my favorite discoveries has been Miss Dickson. She’s been somewhat of a sensation on the website over the past several months, elevating an otherwise forgettable actress to cult star status.

She’s been parodied dozens of times, but her original, self-produced self-help video "Welcome to My Home" (1987) needs no added commentary to be both horrifying and hilarious-- it's so vain, yet so well intentioned that it’s impossible not to love. It is gorgeous, wonderful Camp. If you don't know what I’m talking about, I shall refer you to the late Susan Sontag-- she can explain it all to you.

And then I shall cry.

Here is part two of Miss Dickson’s video. Her diet advice begins at 4:14, but warm up a little with her exercise routine (with her dog, Charles). There is nothing more to be said, there is only to watch.

Enjoy. Just remember: Salt can make your face puffy, and sugar causes wrinkles.

All of a sudden, it seems that everyone around me is doing a cleanse. I went to a work meeting a couple weeks back, and one of the women ordered a salad with no dressing, lemon on the side, and had an at-length conversation with the server about sugar in the dressing. "I'm on a cleanse," she explained.

Dooce did it. Bay Area blogger extraordinaire Jennifer Jeffrey did it.

And in the greatest tipping point of them all, Oprah got into the cleanse craze after reading Kathy Freston's book Quantum Wellness. Oprah ate a vegan diet and gave up alcohol and caffeine for 21 days. Of course in typical Oprah style, she had a private chef cooking for her most days who even overnighted vegan food to her in Las Vegas when she was desperate.

Generally, a cleanse is a strict elimination diet which usually requires eating lots of fruits and vegetables and eliminating items such as meat, animal products, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods. Some extreme versions of cleanses go even further. The Master Cleanse eliminates all solid food, has the cleansers drink a fresh lemon juice and use laxatives for up to 45 days.

People who are cleansing do so in order to re-set their system, remove toxins, and lose weight.

But not everyone is a proponent of a cleanse. Many people in the medical community say that cleanses are unnecessary and dangerous, stating that the science is "deeply flawed" and ineffective long term.

I am in the midst of a five-day detox of my own -- cutting out alcohol, meat, cheese, fried and processed foods, sugar, and most dairy. I am basically doing it because I have been over-indulging a ton lately and had a few days open in my social calendar where I could just focus on eating good food at home. But I can't imagine doing a master cleanse -- good, satisfying food is too much a part of my daily life.

Have you cleansed? Are you a proponent of giving your digestive system a break every once in a while, or do you agree with much of the medical community that we already have systems in place to do this on a regular basis without cleansing?