Kombucha Surprise

I tried a new brand of Kombucha today - High Country.  I went out on a limb and grabbed the Chai Spice flavor.  It was....interesting.

First thoughts: I like chai tea and I like Kombucha so why not?

First sip: Uhhh.
Second sip: I can taste the chai - nice flavor, good amount of spice.
Third sip: There's the kombucha.  Tangy, slightly sour and somewhat vinegar-like.

The final verdict??  I liked it but I didn't love it.  I appreciate the flavor that they are going for but the two different tastes clash pretty badly.  I wouldn't recommend it to a newbie - but if you've tried most of the other fruity flavors, this is a nice alternative.  Give it a whirl if you see it.

Plus it's local, made in Eagle, CO.  Local foods/companies are always a plus for me.

 

I also had quite an experience yesterday with my regular brand of Kombucha.  This was my first time trying the original flavor, which has no added fruit juices to "mask" the taste.

I really liked it until about the third gulp - instead of the little floating stringy things that the flavored versions have, the original had something different.  Something horrible.  A loogie!!!  Or a tiny jellyfish - whichever you prefer.

See it?!  Do you SEE the loogie?  Holy balls  - I nearly wrecked my Jeep when this slimy ball of gag me crept into my mouth.  I told my dad about it right afterward, he thought it was pretty funny.   I couldn't finish it, though the taste was just fine, trying to avoid that little creature was too difficult.

Let me provide a back story as to why this was so traumatic.  I've always had issues with loogies, I can't bear the sound of someone hawking up a lung cookie and if I even accidentally get one in my mouth when I have a cold/cough?  I puke.  Yup.  Bad association.

In Other News:  

I celebrated Cinco de Mayo not with a (much desired) margarita but with a somewhat Mexican-inspired meal.  Brown rice, pinto beans, half an avocado & salsa.  With some roasted asparagus doused in a balsamic reduction.

Also - I am excited to announce - oatmeal is back in my life!!  Not in the mornings yet, that still sounds gross, but I had a lovely bowl of AB & J oats for an afternoon snack the other day.  Makes me happy.

So - anyone else have any bad associations with things like my loogie story??  What sounds make you squirm??  Besides the hawking sound, I would like to slap anyone who whistles random tunes around me.  Biggest pet peeve ever.