SCOBY

2 quarts water

1 tablespoon black or green tea leaves

½ cup sugar

1 ounce store-bought raw kombucha, such as Capital Kombucha brand

Sterilize two wide-mouth quart-size jars by placing them in a deep pot of boiling water over high heat; boil for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat. Use tongs to transfer the jars to a dish towel.

Boil the 2 quarts of water in a pot over high heat; remove it from the heat and add the tea. Allow the tea to steep for 30 minutes, then strain out the tea leaves, reserving the tea. Add the sugar to the tea and stir until completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool to room temperature before adding the kombucha; do not rush this step by adding the kombucha to the tea when it's still too warm or you'll kill the cultures. Stir gently and divide the mixture between the jars.

Cover each jar with a double layer of cheesecloth; secure the cheesecloth with rubber bands. Place the jars in a warm, dark place (between 72 and 85 degrees). After 2 to 4 weeks, you'll see the SCOBY disks form on the surface of the tea; they can then be used to ferment batches of kombucha. You won't want to drink the tea, which will have become quite sour.

Makes 2 starter-culture disks.

Note: Do not use reactive vessels for brewing kombucha or for storing the SCOBY; glass is best. And, should mold ever form on the SCOBY or in the kombucha, discard both and start over.

Adapted from Daniel Lieberman of Capital Kombucha