Waste Saving Kombucha & Cordial Workshop
On August 23rd, STREAT teamed up with Moving Feast and MAKE for an exciting Kombucha and Cordial Workshop as part of the ‘Kitchen Alchemy’ series. Participants dove into the fascinating world of fermentation, learning how to craft delicious, gut-friendly drinks from scratch. The workshop not only inspired delicious concoctions but also empowered everyone to embrace sustainable practices and reduce waste in their everyday lives.
Eco Chef, Chris Locke crafted a kombucha recipe that used citrus peels, herbs and apple skins to transform what usually ends up in the FOGO bin into a delicious and nutritious drink!
The main element of kombucha is a Scoby, more commonly known as the ‘mother’ which is a unique, gelatinous culture which is crucial for the fermentation aspect of kombucha. SCOBYs need to be cultivated for several weeks, as they thrive by developing bacteria on their own. For this workshop, Chris prepared a whole tub of SCOBY in advance. And each participant was given their own at the end of the workshop so they could continue with their kombucha making journey!
Participants had the exciting chance to customize their kombucha flavors from an array of overripe or undersold produce. One participant combined peppermint, ginger, and lemon, while another popular mix's included mango, thyme, parsley, and fennel. The combinations across the three workshops were incredible not to mention the aromas! The beauty of each class was the freedom to experiment—everyone could create a unique drink tailored to their taste.
This session spanned over 45 minutes, and each participant took home a bottle of kombucha, a recipe card and their own SCOBY. They walked away feel excited and confident in their kombucha – making skills.
Some of the positive feedback we received from participants:
“It was inspiring and has changed how I fundamentally think about food. It makes me consider what is the next life before food enters the compost.”
“Always being able to learn by doing! This workshop is fun, informative, practical and value for money! I will definitely recommend it to others. QVM should do more cooking classes.”
This project is supported by the Victorian Government’s Circular Economy Business Support Fund as part of the Circular Economy Business Innovation Centre (CEBIC).
Inspired? Well, keep an eye out on the Purpose Precinct website for the next Workshop being held in the Moving Feast Kitchen!
Did you know, this commercial kitchen space, is also available for hire by social enterprises and social entrepreneurs with products to test and refine? Enquire on the Purpose Precinct website. Learn more about what else is happening at the Purpose Precinct on the website or subscribe to learn of upcoming events.
You can visit the Moving Feast Kitchen at the Purpose Precinct, in the F sheds, at the Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne. It is open between 9am-3pm on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.