Kvass

Kvass belongs to that common heritage of peasant beverages found throughout Eastern Europe, born from the necessity of wasting nothing from stale bread and quenching families during the hot months. Since the time of Kievan Rus', chronicles mention this drink as an everyday staple, as common as well water, prepared in peasant izbas and monastery kitchens alike. It accompanied field work, long summer days, and festive tables, varying according to each household's means: more or less sweet, more or less flavored. Its preparation, passed from mother to daughter without ever being truly written down, relied more on gesture than precise recipe, each home adjusting according to their bread, water, and patience. A drink of both the poor and the rich, it has crossed centuries without ever leaving Slavic kitchens, preserving intact its original simplicity.

• 500 g stale rye bread, cut into pieces
• 3 liters water
• 100 g sugar or honey
• 10 g fresh yeast or a handful of sourdough starter
• a few raisins
• a handful of fresh mint leaves (optional)
• a pinch of salt

1. Lightly toast the pieces of rye bread in the oven until they take on a beautiful golden color, almost brown, to develop the flavors.
2. Pour boiling water over the toasted bread in a large container and let steep for several hours, until completely cooled.
3. Strain the liquid obtained through a clean cloth to remove the bread pieces.
4. Add the sugar or honey, yeast or sourdough starter, and optionally the mint leaves, then stir gently.
5. Pour the mixture into a pot or jug covered with a cloth, and let ferment at room temperature for one to two days.
6. Taste regularly: as soon as acidity and small bubbles appear, the fermentation is considered sufficient.
7. Strain again, add a few raisins to the bottles, close and let rest for one more day in a cool place before serving well chilled.

Kvass presents a slightly acidic and sparkling flavor, carried by the toasted and rustic notes of toasted rye bread. Its subtle sweetness, provided by sugar or honey, balances with a hint of bitterness and freshness when mint is added. The texture remains light, similar to a fermented lemonade, with a natural cloudiness due to bread and yeast residues.