I was about to answer when I noticed you said "whole" kava. I have tried their pounded kava - but not the whole roots. I am kind of surprised they are not cheaper than the pounded root...which is excellent.Anyone tried the whole waka roots from Fiji Fresh?
I've been off the kava far too long but this looks like a fun product!
Are they impossibly hard to chew?@Jerome We have whole roots in stock. They're a little more work to prep. You need some good shears to cut them into tiny (< 1cm ) pieces and a coffee grinder or nutribullet to grind them. The potency of the home ground roots tends to be a little less than with our pounding machines, I think, because the pounding creates smaller particles which are easier to extract the lactones from. The home ground roots do have more flavor! Of course, you can also try chewing the roots. I think that is the most efficient way to dissolve the lactones since they're very soluble in saliva.
The Lewena chips are too big and tough but the waka are (mostly) smaller roots and are easy to chew. The taste is different than when mixing with water and it is more numbing to the mouth.Are they impossibly hard to chew?
I've mentioned this a few times on the forum but Nuka Hiva Trading Company used to sell root bundles that were probably the best Kava experience I have ever had. I miss chewing them!
Anyone else chew them yet?
One more question if you don't mind. The product is being described as "waka root". Does it include the stump or is it just the waka?The Lewena chips are too big and tough but the waka are (mostly) smaller roots and are easy to chew. The taste is different than when mixing with water and it is more numbing to the mouth.
Oh I see! I didn't realize you also sold lawena chips.The stump is the lewena. Waka only includes the below ground part of the kava plant.
Waka is what you see on the home page of my web site. www.fijifreshkava.com
My profile picture here is actually a stack of Lewena chips. (I was having some fun one weekend in Santa Barbara taking pictures of Kava roots on the beach. I’m sure people walking by thought I was crazy.)Oh I see! I didn't realize you also sold lawena chips.
I will order some waka now. I'm looking forward to chewing some waka!
That sounds wonderful!I have some roots I grew myself, and they make you hyper alert. It's a pretty cool feeling, to me at least. Very different from most powder. I didn't wash it incredibly well and certainly didn't remove any bark, because they were hair roots.
I found the same thing - with the same bag of kava. Some vendors don't grind quite as finely as others leaving what I call "small fun nuggets". I usually just toss in my mouth and start chewing, or place under my tonque or between lip and teeth. I find them to be much more stimulating and quick acting then making up a traditional prep with the same kava.In my experience chewing kava is much more stimulating and less relaxing. Could be been the type though. Mind you this wasn't fijifresh product, though it was Fijian.