oh yeah some regular grocery stores have it. This is a recipe on erowd that i use all the time.
½ cup Ground Kava Root
2 cups Water
1 cup 2% Milk
Measuring Cups
Blender
Wire-mesh Strainer (the kind that sits on top of a bowl)
Large Bowl or Quart/Liter Measuring Cup
Cheesecloth, Sock, or Scrap of T-shirt Material (optional)
Large Drinking Cup
Chocolate syrup (optional)
- Measure out 1/2 cup (120ml) of powdered kava root, put into blender.
Use more or less depending on taste and individual response. I find
this amount to be good for most occasions. It is also interesting to
obtain several varieties of kava and try various blends.
- Pour 2 cups (500ml) of water and 1 cup (250ml) milk into the blender.
The purpose of the milk is to provide fats and emulsifiers to help
dissolve the kavalactones, as well as for flavor. I find this 2:1 ratio
of water to milk to be best... using more milk makes the drink very
heavy and filling, using less detracts from the taste of the final
beverage. This amount of liquid (3 cups, or .75 liters) is a lot, and
is intended for a tasty brew that can be sipped on slowly over an
evening. You can reduce the amount of liquid if you want to drink it
fast, but be aware that the taste will get much stronger.
- Blend the mixture on high for 2-5 minutes.
- Strain the mixture to remove the powder
Take the wire-mesh strainer and set it over the large bowl or measuring
cup. The idea is to strain out the root powder while collecting the
liquid in the bowl. Do this slowly, pouring in a little bit of the
liquid, letting it strain completely, pouring in a little more, and
repeating. Periodically clump the root powder together. This can be
done with a spoon, or with practice you will find that by gently
shaking the strainer you can get the kava to roll itself into a ball.
This will prevent the strainer from clogging up. When all the liquid
has been poured through, press on the collected root powder to squeeze
out remaining liquid. The root powder can now be discarded or saved for
further extraction. This step will remove the majority of the root
powder, leaving only some of the very fine particles in the liquid. I
have found that using a wire-mesh strainer to get out the larger
particles is much faster than straining the brew through a cloth.
- Strain again if desired
If you do have a cheesecloth, sock, or other such material, you can use
this to strain out the fine powder still in the liquid, if you so
desire. Alternatively, you can get a second bowl and run the liquid
through the wire-mesh strainer another time or two and get out a good
portion of the powder. You can, of course, leave it in the drink. Most
of it will settle in the bottom of the cup. Leaving it in the drink
will result in a stronger brew, but some people object to the gritty
texture of unstrained brew. This step is optional, therefore.
- Pour the brew into your drinking cup
If you want, you can at this point add flavorings. I personally am
quite fond of chocolate syrup. Other things that go well are Ovaltine
or a little bit of coffee (You'll have to either pre-make some or use
instant. Use decaf if you're using the kava as a sleep aid.) A sprinkle
of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom can also be a nice addition. A small
scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream is also good, but requires
re-blending the finished product. You want to make sure to add any
flavorings as the final step in the process, as they tend to thicken
the brew, which would make straining harder. Serve cold.
- Drink and enjoy!
The above recipe can be doubled or more for more people. Kava is great
to do with friends! I also enjoy a cup of kava before bed, as it
promotes sleep as well as dramatically increasing dream activity for
most people. Kava is a great way to take the edge off following
entheogenic experiences, or to relax at the end of a hard day's work.
Kava mixes very well with cannabis, but alcohol and other CNS
depressants should not be mixed with kava. Driving and operating
dangerous machinery is also to be avoided. Kava is probably one of the
most benign of sedative drugs, causing neither addiction nor dangerous
physical effects. As with any drug, however, the determined fool can
probably misuse it. Remember that sobriety is a very rewarding state of
mind, and that consciousness altering substances such as kava should be
used with respect, wisdom, and moderation. That being said, enjoy your
brew!
