Social Workout

Practical Drinking

Scream! Kombucha On Tap at Whole Foods

Attention kombucha freaks: Whole Foods Bowery now has kombucha on tap! "When did this happen?" I hear myself ask with way too much excitement the woman making my salad at the Fresh & Wild station. Yesterday, she says, and pours me a taste of today's flavors: BlissBerry and Ginger Devotion. "Less fermented, huh?" OMG, yes! It actually tastes good! And it comes with all the fizz and none of the mess. (How many times have you twisted the cap of a Kombucha bottle only to have one third of its contents fizz out on to the floor?) Best part: It's vaguely affordable. A 16oz cup goes for $2.99, as compared with a 12oz bottle for $3.29. And if you're not yet making your own, it's also take-home friendly. A 32 ounce Growler is $4.99, and 64 ounces goes for $9.49. (Hint from my Fresh & Wild staffer: Go to Twitter and get the "code" for a free Growler.) Depending on the tap's success, more flavors will be added. No word on when the draught kombooch goes to other stores, but we'll keep you posted.

New York

Don't Believe the Hype

Pop That Cherry Juice Myth...

… and on the faddist food trend tip: The L.A. Times says drinking cherry juice as a post-workout cure is a bunch of baloney. Maybe you've heard rumor of studies, wherein cherry juice drinkers recovered faster from workouts, and experienced less muscle pain, than non-drinkers? Well, seems those findings have been a bit oversold. (Note: Always be skeptical of cherry research funded by outfits with names like "CherryPharm.") Tiny sample sizes, small age ranges, no comparison to standard painkillers, etc. Also, says the Times, the boosters tend to overlook certain unpleasant side effects of hardcore cherry juice guzzling. Think multiple urgent trips to bathroom. Just wanted you to know in case you were getting into extra helpings of the cute POM Cherry Juice and/or hanging out on CherryJuicePower.com.

Impractical Eating

DIY Kombucha!

A new study finally proves what an old Russian taxi driver once told me: Soda makes you weaker. (Seems the ingredients in your typical cola actually disturb the potassium levels in your blood, and can weaken muscles.) This is, of course, why alt beverages are big these days, and especially trendy probiotic drinks like Kombucha, a fermented tea that's got all the fizz of a soda but actually shows some health benefits. Kombucha helps the good bacteria in your gut to thrive, improving digestion, and may also help to relieve joint or muscle pain. AT $4 a bottle, however, you can quickly go broke if you drink alot. [Eds Note: It's true. We've seen Manhattan moms strap their children into car seats and hit the road to find bulk Kombucha discounts not available at local Whole Foods.] 

There's a better way: Try making your own. The following may seem a bit like a high school biology class, but it's easy to do, gives excellent results, and is eco friendly and very easy on the wallet. (There's even a whole Flickr community dedicated to the DIY kombooch.) Without further ado, the first step is to grow your own living SCOBY (i.e. Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast)...

Bloody Good

The Winter Smoothie

Time once again to hear from Rainlove Lampariello, celebrated Rouge Tomate mixologist. (Please to recall The Green Tornado, and please also forgive us for letting so much time go by without a new drink.) Without further ado, and while there is still a chill in the air, we bring you the Winter Smoothie.

• 2 oz Blood Orange Juice
• 2 oz Orange Juice
• 1 oz Yogurt
• 2 oz Soy Milk
• ¼ oz Agave

In mixing glass, add ice and all of ingredients. Shake vigorously and strain over ice into water glass. Garnish with orange zest. Drink.