Procedure:
Metal should never touch the culture.  Avoid contamination, make sure your utensils and work area are scrupulously clean.  Never make ingredient substitutions.  White sugar is essential for its survival.  (I use organic raw sugar)
Tobacco smoke will kill your kombucha.
After using one kombucha “mushroom” for some time, environmental stresses may affect the organism, causing the tea to taste flat.  When this happens, use green tea, rather than black, to make the growing medium, and use the tea from a “livelier” fungus until the old one is restored.
To make the tea, you will need:

1.    Place the water in the glass or enamel pot over high heat.  (do not use aluminum pot).  Add sugar, and boil for 5 minutes.
2.    Remove the pot from heat.  Add the tea bags to the pot, and steep for 10 minutes.  Wash your hands, and remove and discard the tea bags.
3.    Pour the tea into the glass bowl (do not use crystal, metal ceramic or plastic), and allow it to reach room temperature.  Add the harvested kombucha tea or vinegar.
4.    Place the mushroom smooth side up in the “growing” tea.  Cover the bowl with the cheesecloth, and secure the cloth with rubber band.
5.    Place the bowl in a dark, quiet, ventilated place with temperature between 70F and 90F. (A shelf in the kitchen is an ideal place.) Allow the bowl to remain there for 7 to 10 days.  Do not refrigerate.
6.    After 7-10 days, remove the “mushrooms” with a wooden or plastic spoon.  Note that a “baby” kombucha is now growing on top of the original kombucha.  Separate the baby from the mother by gently pulling them apart with clean hands.
7.    Using the cloth as a strainer, pour the new tea from the bowl into a glass bottle, leaving some space at the top of the bottle.  (Do not store the tea in plastic, as chemicals can leach out of the container into the tea.)  Store in the refrigerator, drink 4oz 3x day, before or after meals.  (Do not drink more then recommended amount.)  Use the 2 “mushrooms” and part of the newly harvested tea to make more tea.

Kombucha is part lichen, part bacterium, xylinum, and part natural yeast culture.  When placed in a mixture of ordinary sugar and tea for 7-10 days, the kombucha produces both a winey tasting health restoring tea and a new ‘baby’ kombucha.

Wash and trim the okra, taking care to not cut the stem too close to the neck, since that will release too much of the stickiness.
In a 5 cup open mouth glass jar with tight-fitting lid, combine okra and salt.  In a saucepan  bring vinegar and peppercorns to a rolling boil; pour over okra.  Add the chile peppers and ginger.  Keep okra completely covered in the vinegar by weighing down with a small saucer or plate.  Cover with vented plastic wrap and let cool to room temperature.

Cover with lid and chill for 24 hours before serving.

Crust
3c shredded coconut
4-6oz dates
pinch salt
¼ tsp. vanilla

Blend in cuisinart.  Add more dates if necessary until it can hold together when pressed in pan.  (oil pan with coconut oil 1st)

Filling
3 c. coconut milk
1 c coconut meat
¾ c dates
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla

Blend in vitamix of good blender until very smooth and slightly warm to touch.  Add 3 Tablespoons non gmo soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin, ¾ cup virgin coconut oil (liquid…if its hard in jar put in double broiler & heat slightly until melted)

Once warm or smooth, add lecithin and oil and blend until smooth again pour into crust and refrigerate until firm.  You can add lilikoi (passion fruit) or other ymmies to fancy or spice it up. (cacao for a chocolate cream pie)