Sweet Potato Fly (an easy lacto-fermented drink)

[big brown horse]

Sweet Potato Fly from Wild Fermentation
Here is a recipe adapted from Nourishing Traditions for a soft drink from Guyana. It is sweet and light and fruity, with only a mild tartness. Eggshell is an ingredient that serves to neutralize the acidity of the lacto-fermentation. Sweet potato fly appeals even to kids and other folks who, for the most part, dont like fermented flavors.

Timeframe: 3 days

Ingredients (for one gallon)
1 t powdered mace
2 large sweet potatoes
2 cups sugar
cup whey
2 lemons
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
1 shell from an egg
1 egg white fresh from your chickens (optional)

Process:
1. Boil 1 cup of water with mace. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Grate the sweet potatoes and rinse well through a strainer to remove starch.
3. In a large bowl, combine the grated sweet potatoes, 1 gallon of water, sugar, whey, the juice and grated peel of the lemons, and a pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon.
4. Crush the cleaned egg shell into the mixture. (The recipe also calls for folding in stiff beaten egg whites at this point, but it is optional.)
5. Add the cooled boiled mace.
6. Stir, cover to keep flies and dust out, and leave in a warm spot to ferment for about 3 days.
7. Strain into a jug, bottles, or jars, refrigerate and enjoy.

 

[me&thegals]

That sounds really, really good! Once I get some lemons on hand, I'm going to try this one.

 

[freemotion]

What are the egg whites for? Has anyone tried this yet?

 

[big brown horse]

Not sure what the eggwhites are for, the books didn't say, but I am getting some sweet potatoes today, I already have everything else. I'll get back to you on how it turns out.

It is also known as "Sweet Potato Soda" in the Nourishing Traditions book and I have yet to see why they add the egg whites. Protein? Texture?

 

[freemotion]

I wonder if it collects any impurities and carries them out when filtered?

 

[big brown horse]

Mace must be hard to find b/c I looked everywhere. So I am making this without the mace. Hope it turns out! I am going to be brave and make it with the egg white. I'll let you know what it tastes like in 3 days.

 

[freemotion]

Use some allspice instead if you like it!

 

[big brown horse]

Thanks for the tip freemotion! I used allspice instead and now it is done. It was very easy to prepare all the ingredients and it smells sooo good. I can't wait to taste test it in 3 days!

I'm hoping this will be a drink my 13 year old will like b/c she is getting older now and craving other drinks beside milk, juice (which I hardly buy anymore) and water.

 

[big brown horse]

I waited 3 days and tried it, it was still sugary so I left it alone for one more day. Big mistake...it got thick like wall paper paste and tastes .

If I had waited only 3 days, I think it would have made a fine drink, just like lemonaid with a delightful fall flavor. I was expecting more fizz and less sugar, that is why I waited one more day.

If you try this, don't go over 3 days of fermenting.

(Chickens loved the strained, fermented, sweet potato left overs though.)

 

[freemotion]

Will you make it again, maybe with less sugar? I was reading the recipe last night in Wild Fermentation, and it sounded too sweet for me.