Fermented tea made from leaves of garden and wild plants (master class)

[Leaf fermentation]

Fermented tea made from leaves of garden and wild plants (master class)

Category: Blanks

Ingredients
Leaves of garden and wild plants	1 kg
(cherries, apples, pears, currants, raspberries, etc.)	and more

Cooking method

Many people like to make tea from fresh leaves of currants, strawberries, cherries ... And they are stocked up for the winter ... But tea from dried leaves is not as tasty and aromatic as from fresh ones. Fermentation of the leaves makes it possible to make a very tasty, aromatic and rich in color drink.
In the recipe Ivan-tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) I described in detail how to make willow tea by fermenting its leaves. By the same principle, I make tea from the leaves of various garden and wild plants.
Leaf fermentation consists in converting insoluble (non-extractable) substances of the leaf tissue into soluble and easily assimilated ones. In order for the fermentation process to begin, the leaf structure must first be destroyed before the juice is released. The bacteria found in abundance on the leaf surface and in the air actively contribute to the fermentation process.
In order to make a delicious and aromatic tea, it is important choose the right plants for its preparation.
Basic principles when choosing plants for tea are:
1. Presence in leaves tannins (tannins)... If there are no tannins in the leaves, then the tea will turn out to be tasteless. Therefore, when choosing a plant for making tea, you should read with the chemical composition of the leaves plants by making a request in any search engine on the Internet... Young leaves are richest in tannin. There are more of them in delicate raw materials. In a hardened leaf, the reserves of tannins are sharply reduced.
2. We prepare tea from those plants the fruits of which we are happy to eat - apple trees, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, black currants, pears, plums, thorns, dogwoods, suckers, grapes, quince ... In the leaves of each of these plants, tannins are in sufficient quantities.
I make tea from cherry leaves, apple trees, pears, garden strawberries, raspberries, black currants, black chokeberries, pine shoots, mint and lemon balm. These teas are very tasty, aromatic and beautiful. I tried to make tea from linden leaves, maple, hazelnut. But this tea didn't impress me at all. Not tasty and smells like bath brooms ...
The process of making fermented tea from the leaves of various plants consists of several stages. Every stage is important. Violation of technology even on one of them can make tea tasteless.
1. Collection of leaves.
We collect the leaves in dry weather, preferably in the morning. It is advisable to choose plants that are in the shade. The leaves of these plants are more succulent and the fermentation process will be better. It is advisable not to wash the leaves, because they contain bacteria that are directly involved in the fermentation process. But if the leaves are dirty, it is better to wash them and dry them from moisture.

You can collect tea leaves throughout the season. In spring they are very tender, easier to process and ferment. The tea turns out to be delicate, with a delicate aroma. But it is better to collect the leaves for tea during the period of fruiting plants., then the leaves, like the fruits, will accumulate a lot of useful, flavoring and aromatic substances. In autumn, the leaves are coarse, harder to process, and take longer to ferment. And it is more difficult to collect quality leaves in the fall - they are damaged by garden pests and diseases.
You also need to consider that if the leaves are harvested before the fruit set, then the outflow of nutrients for the growth of new leaves, which are necessary for the normal process of photosynthesis, i.e. plant nutrition, will not allow a full-fledged harvest to form.
2. Withering of leaves.
This process is needed to make the leaves easier to process in the future. Besides, excess moisture in the leaves does not allow for high-quality subsequent fermentation... As a result, the tea will be of poor quality.
This step cannot be skipped, since the withering of the leaves begins to occur reactions that partially destroy chlorophyll and other compounds that give the leaf the taste and smell of greenery, essential oils accumulate and other aromatic substances are formed that contribute to the appearance of a pleasant smell.
We spread the leaves indoors on cotton or linen in a small layer (3 - 5 cm). It is necessary to control the process and periodically stir up the leaves so that they wither evenly. Try to keep the rays of the sun out of the leaves, otherwise the leaves will dry out rather than wither. For the same reason, leaves cannot be dried outside, because the sun and wind will quickly dry the leaves, which will complicate their processing and worsen the quality of future tea.

On average, the process takes 12 hours depending on humidity and air temperature. On a dry sunny day, the process is faster, on a rainy and cool day - longer (a day or more). The best temperature for wilting is considered to be 20 - 24 ° C at a relative humidity of 70%. Relatively strong a withered leaf curls better and produces more good teas than an unfinished leaf... The remaining moisture in the sheet should be 60–62%.
End of the withering process we determine by folding the leaf in half. If in most of the leaves we feel the "crunch" of the central vein, then withering must be continued. If most of the leaves do not have "crunch", then proceed to the next stage. The end of withering is determined in another way - when a handful of withered leaves are strongly squeezed, the lump should not open.

If the house is very damp or, conversely, dry, or there is no time to stir up the leaves, then you can wither them in cotton or linen... For this, it is advisable to choose a fabric as dense and thick as possible (bedspreads, towels, tablecloths, sheets). To do this, spread the leaves in a thin layer evenly over the fabric, fold it as shown in the photo and twist it as tightly as possible. The fabric will absorb excess moisture, the leaves will not dry out and will become very pliable for further processing. We check the readiness of the leaves in the same way - by squeezing a handful. If the leaves have not yet wilted after 5 - 6 hours, then they can be transferred to another dry cloth and the wrapping process repeated.




Leaves withered in this way produce stronger granules, and they are easier to process in a meat grinder. This method works especially well for tough leaves.
Immediately after drying, you can freeze leaves... it optional process, but it facilitates further processing of the leaves in preparation for fermentation. During freezing, cell membranes burst and juice is released, which is what we need. The withered leaves are put in a bag and sent to the freezer for a day or two. The longer the leaves are in the freezer, the easier they will be processed later. The leaves can be stored in the freezer for several months.

When the leaves are completely frozen, they are scattered on the table in an even layer, thawed for a short time and prepared for fermentation in one of the following ways.
3. Preparation of leaves for fermentation.
At this stage you need destroy the leaf structure before saping, which allows the most complete extraction of useful substances from the plant and better fermentation. The leaf juice contains enzymes, i.e. substances directly responsible for fermentation.If the juice is not enough, then the fermentation will not be of high quality, which will affect the taste and aroma of the tea.
You can destroy the structure of the leaves in several ways.
3.1. The first method is to roll the leaves by hand. Take a few leaves (7 - 10), roll them with effort several times between your palms, until the leaves darken from the emerging juice. As a result, rolls up to 10 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm thick will be formed.In the future, the rolls are cut and obtained small leaf tea.


3.2. The second method is kneading and crushing the leaves.
This method is similar to the process of manually kneading dough. With vigorous squeezing movements, the leaves are "kneaded" in a deep and wide bowl for 15 - 20 minutes (you can directly on the table). As a result, the structure of the leaves is destroyed and sap is released. During kneading, you need to periodically loosen the lumps and separate the stuck together leaves. In the future, from such leaves it turns out large leaf tea... One drawback of such tea is that when finished, it turns out to be very voluminous and takes up a lot of space during storage.
Here, the leaves of the pear after kneading:

3.3. The third way is to twist the leaves in a meat grinder (grid with large holes). Let the meat grinder cool down periodically. Depending on the number of leaves, this takes 10-15 minutes. The result is granulated tea.

It is quite difficult to twist the leaves of garden plants in a mechanical meat grinder. Until I had an electric meat grinder, I entrusted this process to my husband.
4. Fermentation of leaves
The quality of this process determines the properties of tea - the taste, aroma and benefits of the drink. Fermentation begins with the destruction of cells and the release of juice to the surface of the leaf. Enzymes provide a continuous chain of transformations: the product formed by one enzyme is the object of action for another group of enzymes. If one of any enzymes is turned off in the chain of these transformations (due to inappropriate conditions), the processes are suspended or not brought to the desired level, which negatively affects the final result. Therefore it is important create the right conditions for fermentation - a sufficient volume of fermented mass, temperature and humidity.
Leaves prepared by one of the above methods are placed in a layer of 7-10 cm in an enamel or plastic container. With a small amount of leaves, fermentation will not be of high quality. Therefore, you should collect enough leaves for a batch of tea.
If the leaves were twisted in a meat grinder, then crush them a little with your hand.

If the leaves are rolled or mixed, then we put oppression on them.



Cover with a damp linen or cotton cloth and place in a warm place to ferment. Periodically check if the fabric is dry. If it is dry, then we wet it again. If the room is dry, then we close the container not only with a cloth, but also with a lid, making a small gap for air to enter.

How long fermentation will take, you cannot say for sure - it depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process. Too high temperature and overexposure are dangerous - tea takes on the smell of low-grade tea... The optimum temperature for the fermentation process should be considered 22 - 26 ° C... Below 15 ° C, the fermentation process stops, at a temperature of 15 - 20 ° C its beginning is noted, above 30 ° C part of the soluble fermentation products, which give strength and "body" to the infusion, goes into an insoluble state, at the same time the pleasant aroma of tea is lost. If the house is cold, then I cover the container with leaves with blankets. Due to oxidative processes, self-heating of the mass occurs, the blankets retain this heat and the fermentation process of the leaves takes place in a natural way with high quality.
Fermentation of leaves of garden plants is carried out on average 6-8 hours depending on temperature. The smell of the mass during fermentation does not change dramatically (like that of willow tea), it simply intensifies and acquires interesting notes - each plant has its own. It is important to "catch" the strongest smell (with experience this will be easy). This moment will be the signal for the end of fermentation. As the fermentation continues, the odor will subside and the tea may result in a milder aroma. It is important not to overexpose the leaves during fermentation so as not to lose this flavor.
5. Drying tea.
If, before fermentation, the leaves were twisted or kneaded and crushed, then they need to be cut up to 0.5 cm thick.As a result, we get leaf tea... The finer the rolls are cut, the thinner the tea leaves will be. You don't need to cut the blended tea, then we get a large leaf tea. But it will have a very large volume. Can cut rolls and before fermentation... Then the mass will be denser and fermentation will be better.

If the leaves were twisted in a meat grinder - we get granulated tea.

Lay out the fermented mass 1 cm thick on baking trays covered with baking paper and gently loosen it so that there are no lumps.

Dry in the oven with the door ajar within 1 - 1.5 hours at a temperature of 100 * C. Then we reduce the temperature to 50 * - 60 * C and dry the tea until moisture is removed. The mass on the baking sheets must be constantly stirred. I mix the tea as follows. I lift the opposite corners of the paper, then the others. Tea is going to the center. Then I gently smooth out the tea on the baking sheet with my hands (it does not burn). You can also stir with a spatula, but during stirring with your hands, the tea practically does not crumble than if you do it with a spatula.
When the main part of the "tea leaves" will break, and not crush, the tea is ready. It is important not to dry the tea... Otherwise, it will lose its taste and aroma.

We take out the baking sheets from the oven, let the tea cool to room temperature and pour it into bags (in a pillowcase) made of thin cotton or linen fabric for drying.
Drying tea until residual moisture disappears we spend outdoors in the shade in dry and warm weather or in a room in wet rainy weather. Shake the bag periodically so that the tea dries faster.

How long the tea will be dried is hard to say. It depends on the weather. It happens that in damp weather, when it is damp in the house, tea is dried for a week. And in dry weather, one day is enough. If it is impossible to create conditions for drying the tea, then you can heat the oven to a minimum, turn it off and hold the tea there until the oven cools completely (stir the tea periodically).
Well dried tea is practically odorless and produces a dry rustling sound when shaken in a bag. If the tea has a strong aroma, then it is not dry yet. Well dried tea granules do not crumble or crush, but break.
It is important to dry the tea well, otherwise it may become moldy during storage.
You can dry tea in small portions in a frying pan - first over medium heat, and after 20 minutes - over low.

You can successfully dry tea in airfryer... In the Hotter airfryer it happens as follows. Put the tea in the heated AG on a tray and dry first for 15 minutes at a temperature of 150 * (medium speed), stir after 10 minutes. Then dry for 20 minutes by 85 * or 105 * (depending on how the AG heats - the speed is average). Dry at 65 * (medium speed). During the whole process, periodically stir the tea to dry evenly. Be sure to keep the lid ajar - you can put a skewer.
That's it, the tea is ready for storage.

You can try drying the tea using the method used by Chinese manufacturers for certain types of tea. This method is called "fry". To do this, at the beginning of the drying, set the temperature 125 - 150 * for 10 - 20 minutes. This temperature allows the sugar of the plant sap to caramelize on the top of the granules and, as it were, seal the rest of the juice inside. Then dry the tea as described in the recipe. This method gives an easy caramel flavor and tea flavor.
6. Storage of tea.
The finished tea is stored hermetically sealed in glass jars with polyethylene lids, in disposable plastic containers, in birch bark or metal boxes in a dark dry place.


It is better to let the tea brew for about a month for the so-called dry fermentation... If you try to brew tea right after brewing, it may not impress you. The longer the tea is stored, the tastier and more aromatic it becomes.
I store tea in disposable plastic containers. On each container I glue a self-adhesive tape (for gluing windows) and make on it an inscription in which I indicate the type of plant, the time of fermentation and the date of tea preparation.

7. Brewing tea.
Fermented leaf tea is brewed in the same way as our usual tea. Rinse the teapot with boiling water, pour tea into it at the rate of 1 - 2 tsp. on a glass of boiling water, pour boiling water, close the kettle with a lid and let it brew for 10 - 20 minutes. For better brewing, you can cover the kettle with a towel. Then pour the tea into cups, without diluting with boiling water, and pour the kettle over and let it brew for about 15 minutes. This tea will also turn out delicious and aromatic. This tea can be brewed up to 3 - 4 times.

Added on 06/22/2016. A wonderful way to prepare leaves for fermentation invented Zachary... According to his method, tea turns out to be more saturated in all respects! Recommend!

Method of hardening tea leaves in preparation for fermentation
(Zachary)
Now let's take a closer look features of making tea from different plants... I divided all the plants into groups, each of which contains plants that behave approximately the same in the process of making tea.
1. Leaves of cherry, apple, pear, strawberry, black chokeberry, I combined into one groupbecause when preparing the leaves for fermentation, they well processed in a meat grinder.
The principle of collecting leaves for these plants (except for strawberries) is as follows. With one hand we hold the branch of the tree at the base, and with the other we pull the leaves towards ourselves. As a result, we have a bunch of leaves in our hand. We try not to expose the tree. If there are few trees in the garden, it is best to carefully cut the leaves with scissors so as not to harm the trees.

I make strawberry leaf tea after harvest, when I process the beds. I remove the cuttings from all cut leaves as they are very rough. And I leave cuttings on the leaves of other plants - they do not really interfere.

Now a little more about tea from each plant.
Tea from cherry leaves has a very strong aroma and slightly tart, very pleasant taste. During fermentation, the leaf takes on a "drunk cherry" scent. I really love this tea. And my son says that he is a fan of him. But I rarely brew this tea alone (although it turns out very tasty). More often I mix it with other teas - it sets off the taste of the main tea very well and gives it a deeper color and aroma. Better to take simple cherries for tea. Some cherry hybrids make tea weaker in all characteristics.


Tea from chokeberry just magical! The color is very intense, dark. The taste is tart, bright, with a slight sourness. The scent is unmatched, very similar to cherry, but more concentrated. I drink this tea like a delicacy. And more often I add to tea mixes. I'm greedy for myself - I just don't cook it very much, because in our village there is only one black chokeberry bush, and that one is from my neighbor. You can't cut the whole thing - it will disappear. But when the leaves begin to fall in the fall, then I don't stand on ceremony - I cut everything off. The leaves are already red-yellow, rough. The meat grinder grunts when I twist the leaves, but the tea is still delicious. It is better to take the simplest blackberry for tea, and not cultivated varieties.

Tea from pear leaves also among my favorites. It is very soft and unobtrusive - both in taste and in aroma. But some deep, thick! Drinking this tea is very pleasant - there is a sweetish aftertaste. The color of tea made from pear leaves will save any light tea, because pear gives such a dark color that it is dear to look at.If you make a tea mixture, then pear tea does not interrupt the taste and aroma of the main tea. For this tea, I take the leaves from the wild pear, but it is also possible from the garden one - it also works well.


Tea from apple tree leaves - unusual! The granules are light brown. And the brewed tea has a very beautiful color and soft, sweetish taste and aroma. I love this tea very much.


Tea from strawberry leaf it turns out a very rich color, sweetish taste and aroma. If you wait for autumn and reddening of the leaves, the taste and aroma of the tea intensifies. Once I tried to make tea from wild strawberry leaves. It is recommended to collect them in the fall, when they turn red. But all our strawberries were covered by half-meter grass by the fall, so while I collected half a packet of leaves, winter almost came. The tea, of course, turned out to be noble. But I was no longer qualified for such feats.


2. Leaves of currant and raspberry behave quite differently from teas from group 1. They do not tolerate a meat grinder, granules crumble, and the finished tea turns out to be weak. But you can still get delicious tea from these leaves! In it, the smell of fresh leaves, changing, becomes refined. But everything is in order ...
Firstly, these leaves are somehow dry, even in damp weather.

Secondly, they are rough, difficult to twist, and they give little juice. If you twist these leaves in a meat grinder, then you get not tea, but some kind of dust. And therefore they are less fermented.

When I made such teas several times, I decided for myself - that's it, I won't cook them again. But then I remembered about freezing leaves before fermentation. I typed black currant leaves, wilted, put the bag in the freezer, took it out a day later, thawed it for 20 minutes. And she began to roll it into rolls. They curled up easily and quickly.

I sent the rolls for fermentation. Fermented for 5 hours. The leaf darkened, the smell intensified. I cut the rolls into 0.5 cm thick washers.

I sent it to the oven, slightly loosening the mass.

The temperature was set to 80 * C. The smell during drying was crazy! This cheered me up, because past attempts with a meat grinder did not give such a smell. I followed the process more often than usual. After half an hour, the leaf is almost dry. I reduced the temperature to 50 * C and after 1 hour the tea was ready.

The tea turned out! The smell is magical, the taste is also. The color is not dark, but it doesn't matter! I got the tea I dreamed of!
That's it, since then I have been doing it this way: I wither the leaves, freeze them, then defrost them, roll the rolls, ferment them, dry them and ... enjoy!
In the photo, tea made from leaves dried in a dryer (the lightest), twisted in a meat grinder (slightly darker) and twisted after freezing into rolls (the darkest). Next to the cups is the tea from which I brewed it.

I like to brew this tea with pear, apple or strawberry. It turns out a wonderful color of black tea and a unique taste of currant! I recommend to all!
It is better to collect currant leaves for tea at the time of ripening of currants, until they are destroyed by aphids and other pests. Otherwise we won't get anything later. It is advisable to cut off all the cuttings, leaving only the leaf plate.
Raspberry leaves in the process of making tea, they behave in the same way as currants. During harvesting, it is advisable to tear the leaves without cuttings - they are as rough as those of currants and strawberries. It should be noted that the reverse side of the raspberry leaf is silvery. This color is retained throughout the entire tea making process. The top side of the leaf changes color during fermentation and drying, so you need to focus on it.

Through a meat grinder, raspberry leaves spin a little better than currant leaves, but they also crumble. Yes, and the aroma is lost.
Therefore, after drying, I also froze them.

And then she rolled the rolls. After freezing and rolling, the leaves look moldy. This was the destruction of the lower silvery surface of the sheet.

I ferment the leaves for 6 - 8 hours under yoke, since after twisting, not very much juice is obtained.



Since it was very cold in the house, I put the container with leaves in the greenhouse, covering them not only with a damp cloth, but also with a plate.

After fermentation, I cut the rolls up to 0.5 cm wide, put them on a baking sheet, loosen them slightly and send them to the oven at 80 * for 1 - 1.5 hours. Then I lower the temperature to 50 * C and dry it until dry. Tea dries very quickly, so remember to stir it occasionally.

To eliminate residual moisture, I pour the tea into a bag made of thin fabric and hang it in a dry place.
The color of the finished dry tea made from raspberry leaves is not very beautiful (in the lowest container - fermented leaf tea).



But the brewed one looks very cute. In the photo - tea made from leaves, dried in a dryer (the lightest), twisted in a meat grinder (the darkest) and twisted after freezing (bottom left).

Tea made from simply dried leaves turns out to be weak, slightly recognizable in taste and aroma. Tea made from leaves twisted in a meat grinder has a stronger taste and aroma than tea made from simply dried leaves. But all the same - it is difficult to recognize. But tea from leaves twisted after freezing, although lighter than a "meat grinder", but has a delicious aroma and recognizable raspberry flavor with new shades, with a pleasant sourness. It does not need to be mixed with other teas - it is self-sufficient! We like it very much.
You can harvest raspberry leaves all season - they only get better! Yes, and pests do not favor them (at least for me). Tea made from forest raspberry leaves is preferable to garden tea. So if you have wild raspberries, go there for the leaves. At the same time, collect the forest raspberries. Then dry it in the dryer and add it to any tea!
Update as of 06/22/2016. Our tea-maker Radushka managed to get the recipe for granulated raspberry tea with strong granules.


Fermented raspberry leaf tea "Radushka"

3. Leaves of aromatic and spicy plants (mint, lemon balm, pine shoots ...) - that's another story. The aroma of the fresh leaves of these plants is given by essential oils. If you prepare tea from them, as described above, i.e. ferment and dry at a temperature of 100 *, then you can get an unpredictable result. During fermentation, the smell of essential oils is transformed, and when dried, it evaporates. Therefore, the aroma for which we love these plants is lost. It is better not to ferment them, but to oxidize them. To do this, you need to wither the leaves, twist them in a meat grinder and immediately send the resulting granules to the dryer at 40 - 50 * C for 40 minutes. Then reduce the temperature to 30 * and dry to the end. The granules dry quickly.
When twisted in a meat grinder, the leaves instantly change their color, that is, they are oxidized. Due to this, their taste is enhanced. In the photo, I recorded the end of the process of twisting the mint leaves. For comparison, I put fresh leaves. See what a contrast.





Now about the brewed tea from such granules. The smell of tea is stronger than that of simply dried leaves. The color is beautiful, transparent. The mint tea shown in the photo was brewed for only 4 minutes. The taste of the tea is mint and very pleasant.



In general, we really like such mint and lemon balm. And just like that, they can be added wherever the heart desires - to other teas, drinks, meat dishes, pastries (convenient!). They will not overpower the taste and aroma of the main drink or dish, but emphasize them favorably.



Pine shoots ... I drew attention to them thanks to Linadoc with its coniferous rosehip jam (thanks, Linochka). It so happened that I broke too many shoots for this jam. And I cooked 2 batches of jam, and there were still shoots left - a large package. I no longer planned to make jam, and it is a pity to throw away the shoots. Then I remembered what I had done with mint and lemon balm. Without hesitation, she twisted the shoots in a meat grinder.



And then she dried the resulting granules in a dryer at a temperature of 60 * C for 1 hour.



It turned out to be very aromatic and tasty!



For reference: the process of collecting shoots does not harm pines.On the contrary! If you break off only half of the shoot, then the pine will become fluffier the next year. This technique is used specifically for the formation of the crown of coniferous trees. It is important to do this in May, until the shoots have laid buds for the next year. Such shoots are called "candles", they are very tender and have not yet overgrown with needles. So the granulated pine shoots were a discovery for me.

I also recommend doing with other fragrant herb leaves that smell delicious due to essential oils. Fermentation and drying at high temperatures will "kill" these aromas and flavors, so a delicious tea with pronounced characteristics will not work out of them.

Update as of 06/22/2016. Fermented tea recipe made from aromatic plants made by Linadoc. The result is great! I leave the information originally placed in the recipe so that tea-makers have the opportunity to compare both options. Personally, I will now only make fermented tea from such plants.


Fermented tea and fiber from aromatic herbs
(Linadoc)
Prepared tea from any plants can be decorated with petals, berries and peels of a wide variety of plants - from flowers of garden plants (apples, plums, for example) to various flower petals (roses, marigolds, phlox, chrysanthemums, chamomiles, nasturtium, zinnia, asters, Jerusalem artichoke, sunflower, peonies, etc.). You can also add dried raspberries, lingonberries, rowan, chokeberry, blueberries, strawberries or thinly sliced ​​peel of apples and pears to the finished tea ... Dried lingonberry leaves look good in tea. When dried in a dryer, they hardly change their color and remain green.
To store petals, unlike tea, you need, like herbs, in paper bags or boxes, in a dark, dry place. It is better to add petals to tea when pouring it into boxes for daily use. Or, when forming a gift version of tea.
I draw your attention to the fact that you should not collect the flowers whole. You only need to collect flower petals. The petals are practically odorless, even from such fragrant flowers as monarda and marigolds. And if you collect them together with the cup and sepals, then this smell will remain and can interrupt the smell of the tea itself. This remark does not apply to flowers of garden plants (apple, plum). They can be collected with whole flowers.



This tea turns out to be very beautiful and more aromatic and tasty. Having packed such tea in beautiful boxes or bags, you can present it to your friends and acquaintances. It is only necessary to dry the petals, berries and peels at a low temperature in a dryer or oven (40 - 50 *) so that they retain their appearance, aroma and taste as much as possible.

















So, we examined the basic principles of making delicious tea from the leaves of different plants. You can diversify this list, but I remind you that it is important to choose leaves for tea, which contain tannins. It is also important to choose the leaves of plants, the fruits of which we are happy to eat. There are enough such plants to make tea in large quantities throughout the season.
This topic describes the process of making mono teas. But you can ferment the leaves of not one plant, but several at once. Experience has shown that such teas are very tasty, more often tastier than mono teas. Moreover, it does not matter what composition and what proportions are taken. In addition, the joint twisting of the leaves in a meat grinder almost always gives very strong granules and the tea looks very beautiful. You can read more about how to make such tea in the topic. Country tea (fermented) - seven in one.
Join, dear bakers, to this exciting and useful activity!

[Note from lappl1:]

Note from lappl1:

Important! In 2014, our members of the forum gained rich experience in making tea. This experience was described in the comments to this recipe. I made active links to the most important questions related to fermentation of leaves of different plants. They can be found after Notes on the same page. I also posted active links to excerpts from Wu Wei Xin's book "The Encyclopedia of Healing Tea", in which you can read a lot of useful information about all stages of making tea. Please read all this information.
Important! *If willow tea can be consumed by almost everyone without restriction, then teas from garden and wild plants may have contraindications. Therefore, when choosing plants for tea, it will not be superfluous to consult a doctor. And further. You should not drink only one tea for a long time. I'll tell you about myself. I prepare teas from a large number of plants, I constantly alternate them, so I did not observe any problems from their use.
Important! Do not ferment herb-leaves of medicinal plants for making tea (e.g. chamomile, St. John's wort, yarrow, Rhodiola rosea, Echinacea, etc.). You won't get a tasty tea or a medicine. At first, the properties of medicinal plants during fermentation may either weaken or disappear altogether, or even change. Therefore, when preparing fermented teas from medicinal plants, those useful substances that are present in properly prepared medicinal raw materials do not always work. Secondly, the taste of tea made from fermented medicinal herbal leaves is very far from the taste of the drink that we consume as tea. Exactly tea, not a medicinal infusion... Therefore, if you want to prepare something for medicinal purposes, then it is better to do it as recommended by herbalists-pharmacognosts, that is, dry the raw material at certain temperatures, which are different for different types of medicinal raw materials.
Sources:
1. V. Odintsov, Ing. - Forgotten drink (109). "Science and Life", 1989, no. 07
🔗
2. Fermentation of Ivan tea ... 🔗
3. Own experience.
4. Medicinal plants and herbs, photos, description, application, properties, treatment. 🔗

Links to answers to frequently asked questions:

For a beginner. The correct approach to making the first tea (* Anyuta *)
Tea problems. What should be done to find the error?
Debriefing (tea failed - at least three conditions were violated when making tea)

Brief instructions for making tea Description, Scheme
What is the difference between herbal and fermented teas?
What affects the quality of tea?
Natural fermentation
Aroma test for future tea
Snails on leaves
To wash or not to wash the leaves? 1 2 3
Twist the leaves in a meat grinder or twist by hand? 1 2
Leaf twisting grinders 1 2 3 4
Why do the leaves crumble when twisted in a meat grinder? 1 2 3
How to cut leaves for loose leaf tea?
Effect on Fermentation of Insufficient Manual Leaf Processing
Chopping leaves on a combine
The effect of fermentation on the medicinal properties of plants 1 2 3
What conditions do you need to create for good fermentation? 1 2
How to ferment tea with what layer? 1 2 3
At what temperature should tea be fermented?
Why and when do you need oppression during fermentation? 1 2 3
Fermentation in a ham maker
How to dry tea 1 2 3 4 5
Drying temperature 1 2
Drying tea in a dryer 1 2 3
Airfryer for drying tea (paramed1)
Peculiarities of tea drying in a PAN (Galina Iv.)
Drying tea on a gas mesh dryer (YuLi)
How to tell if the tea is dry?
Why do you need to air-dry tea in a bag?
Why is there a "bath" smell (the smell of brooms) of ready-made tea? 1 2 3 4 5
Why is tea odorless?
Why is brewed tea light in color? 1 2
Why does tea have a herbal smell?
The reason for the fishy smell of tea
Whole leaf tea made from frozen leaves (no withering or curling)
The method of hardening leaves in preparation for fermentation - alternate freezing and thawing of leaves (Zachary) 1 (pear), 2 (cherry and apple)
Making tea using the sweating method 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Rada-dms 36-hour fermentation tea without grinder or curling
How to “fit” tea into your personal schedule? 1 2 3 4 5
How to achieve the strength and astringency of tea?
Why does tea grow moldy when stored?
How to store tea?
How much tea to procure?
End of the fireweed season
Fermentation of leaves with fresh berries and fruits (Natalya Koval)
Disposable tea bags for brewing tea scatter left after drying tea - elena kadiewa, Natalishka, businkairika

Tea from the leaves of some plants:
- Features of drying black currant leaves
- Apricot 1 2 3
- Cherry plum is a common technology, Cherry plum by hardening
- Amaranth
- Grapes 1, 2, 3, 4
- Bird cherry 1 2
- St. John's wort
- Viburnum
- Irga
- Linden
- The turn 1 2
- Badan 1 2 3 4 5 6
- Barberry 1 2
- Lingonberry
- Elder
- Felt Cherry
- Blackberry 1 2
- Peach
- Spiraea, The properties of meadowsweet, Mixes with meadowsweet
- Blueberry, What remains in blueberry leaves after fermentation and proper drying
- Feijoa
- Rosehip
- Cherries
- Schisandra
- Cypress
- Loch Jigida 1, 2, 3, 4 (see the page to the end)
- Sea buckthorn
- Wild water mint (Mentha aquatica)
- the Rose 1, 2, 3, Photo, Dried granular petals, fermentation of petals
- Mulberry (black tea), Mulberry (green tea)
- Fermentation of berries 1 2 3 4
DIY tea gift wrapping 1 2 3 4 5, Carton for packaging, Gift stickers
Lunar landing calendar - how Radushka does it

Wu Wei Xin "Encyclopedia of Healing Tea" (excerpts):
- Tea classification
- Harvesting raw tea
- Transportation of tea leaves
- Withering
- Twisting
- Fermentation
- Drying
- Green tea production
- Yellow tea production
- Red tea production
- Changes in the chemical composition of the tea leaf
- Factors affecting the quality of the tea leaf

Fermented tea recipes from different plants:


Ivan tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) - master class
(lappl1)
Green Ivan tea
(Borisenok)
Ivan-tea "White-pink" (from the tops)
(lappl1)
Ivan-tea "Fluffy" (from immature seed bolls)
(lappl1)
Ivan-tea autumn
(MariV)
Related fermented willow tea with various additives
(Galina Iv.)
Granulated tea from fireweed flower brushes
(Ovelini)
Fermented tea made from leaves of garden and wild plants (master class)
(lappl1)
Country tea (fermented) - seven in one
(lappl1)
Fermented tea "Currant Benefit" from black currant leaves and other garden plants
(Radushka)
Method of hardening tea leaves in preparation for fermentation
(Zachary)
"Frosty tea" from conifers and leaves of natural fermentation
(Linadoc)
Green tea from the leaves of garden and wild plants + Bonus - dried strawberry tails
(Zachary)
Fermented Geranium Meadow Leaf Tea (Mullah Herb)
(Zachary)
Fermented tea "Mojito" from mint leaves, grapes and cherries
(Lasto4ka)
Fermented tea from garden leaves with fruits and berries (Fruit tea)
(Natalya Koval)
Green tea - fermentation in Brand 100 yogurt maker and Brand 701 multicooker.
(MariV)
Fermented tea and fiber from aromatic herbs
(Linadoc)
Fermented raspberry leaf tea "Radushka"
(Radushka)
Tea additives. Tea substitute (we prepare healthy products from the cake from the juicer)
(lappl1)
Italian macho hair (fermented willow leaf tea)
(Tricia)
Fermented rose petal tea
(kubanochka)
Fermented flower tea "Garden Mix"
(MariV)
Rubel - a device for grinding leaves for loose tea - lappl1.
Roller - a device for grinding leaves for loose tea - Mandraik Lyudmila
The process of grinding leaves on a roller

That's it, I'm lost, I'll rip off everything in the garden and vegetable garden!
Although you can start with the neighbor

HURRAH! I was the first to see it !!!!
This is just an encyclopedia of garden teas! Liu-uu-da-aaa! What Labor!
Mnu has cherry, raspberry, apricot, cherry plum and mint. Tomorrow I'll start the process. I wonder if the grape leaves will roll?
Can't you offer anything from potato, tomato, cucumber or zucchini leaves? : crazy: and then them I have to fig

Right, not the first

[Rada-dms]

Rada-dms, You are again the first to come for a seagull! Hurrah!

Although you can start with the neighbor

Of course, from the neighbor's! You can always catch up with yourself ...

HURRAH! I was the first to see it !!!!

Zhen, nope ... Rada-dms is 3 minutes ahead of you ...

Mnu has cherry, raspberry, apricot, cherry plum and mint. Tomorrow I'll start the process. I wonder if the grape leaves will roll?

Come on, Zhen, prepare some tea from everything that you have written in this paragraph. But with potatoes and tomatoes - this will already be extreme ...
By the way, I also thought about grapes ... Only he stayed with me in Kazakhstan ... And I would definitely try it.

[useful properties of the plants listed in the recipe, and possible contraindications when drinking tea from them]

A little bit about useful properties of the plants listed in the recipe, and possible contraindications when drinking tea from them
Cherry has a wide range of medicinal properties.

Cherry leaves contain organic acids (malic and citric), tannins, coumarin, sucrose, dextrose, anthocyanins, vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, B9 (folic acid). They have an expectorant, diuretic, antiseptic, sedative and anticonvulsant effect. Their infusion is used for inflammation of the respiratory tract, for anemia, as a laxative for constipation, to reduce fermentation processes in the intestine and as a general tonic.
Cherry leaves also have diuretic and astringent properties. They are used for kidney stones, joint diseases, edema, diarrhea.
A decoction of young leaves is used for diarrhea, chronic colitis, as well as in the complex treatment of intestinal atony. Vitamin tea is brewed from spring leaves, which has anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and hemostatic effects.
People with gastritis or gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer with increased acidity of gastric juice during an exacerbation of the disease should take decoctions and infusions with caution.
Chokeberry (chokeberry) possesses hypotensive, antispasmodic, diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, capillary-strengthening properties, and also lowers blood cholesterol levels, stimulates the homeostasis system.

It is indicated for hypertensive disease of stages 1 and 2, various disorders in the blood coagulation system (hemorrhagic diathesis, capillarotoxicosis), bleeding, atherosclerosis, glomerulonephritis, rheumatism, diabetes mellitus, allergic diseases.
The pectin substances contained in the chokeberry remove radioactive substances, heavy metals, pathogenic microorganisms from the human body, eliminate spasms, and normalize the intestines. The contained complex of vitamins (a combination of vitamins P and C) strengthens the walls of blood vessels, improves their elasticity and firmness.
With the formation of stones in the kidneys and urinary ducts, chokeberry leaves are capable of exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties. Its haemostatic, laxative, diaphoretic actions are known. Rowan leaf tea is useful for treating kidney and liver diseases.
It is recommended to take chokeberry with caution for gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, hypotension, increased blood clotting and thrombophlebitis.
Pear rich in fructose, glucose and sucrose, organic acids, tannins, pectin, nitrogenous substances, carotene and vitamins of groups A, B, P, PP, C and B. Pear leaves contain a large amount of iodine. Infusion of pear leaves has a diuretic, fixing, disinfecting, expectorant and antipyretic effect, helps to normalize the digestive tract.

Apple tree leaves due to their rich chemical composition, they have many beneficial properties for the body - anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, improve metabolism in the body, and are useful for edema.

Apple leaves, as well as fruits, contain phenolic compounds that strengthen the walls of blood vessels, reduce their fragility and permeability, promote the absorption of vitamin C. Infusion of apple leaves is used for colds, coughs, hoarseness, nephritis, bladder problems and kidney stones ...
IN maple leaves contains essential oil, betuloretinic acid, saponins, tannins, hyperoside, carotene, essential oil, vitamin C, phytoncides. Young maple leaves have a white sweetish, pleasant taste, sticky juice, rich in vitamin C, which has antiscorbutic, tonic, choleretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, tonic, analgesic and diuretic effects.

Maple - an excellent antidepressant, well relieves nervous tension caused by stress, reduces aggression, harmonizes, leads to the restoration of energy, enriches the body with useful substances. In addition, it is an excellent drug for crushing stones in the bladder and kidneys. There are no contraindications for maple.
IN leaves of hazel (hazelnut) contains sucrose, essential oil, myricitrozil, vitamins. Hazel is a laxative, so it is used for constipation. The plant has antipyretic and astringent properties. Hazel is used as a means that dilates blood vessels. This medicinal plant dissolves kidney stones, stimulates all body functions. Tinctures and decoctions of hazel leaves can increase blood pressure.
Infusion leaves of garden and forest strawberries have general tonic, sedative, vasodilator, tonic, hematopoietic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, choleretic, anti-sclerotic, hypoglycemic properties. Inside it is taken as a fortifying, antispasmodic agent for neurasthenia, leukemia, enuresis, polymenorrhea, laryngeal carcinomas. The infusion of leaves slows down the rhythm and increases the amplitude of heart contractions, dilates blood vessels, and promotes the elimination of salts from the body. In scientific medicine, an infusion of strawberry leaves is recommended to be taken to reject necrotic masses in decaying tumors.

In folk medicine, leaf infusion is used for gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, colitis, hypertension, weak heart, palpitations, kidney and liver diseases, edema, neurasthenia, insomnia, bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, gout, liver stones and kidneys, skin rashes, rickets, scrofula, hemorrhoids. Also, the infusion is taken for colds, which are accompanied by high fever and cough, with anemia, vitamin deficiency, hepatitis, diarrhea, atonic constipation, spleen diseases.
Outwardly, an infusion of strawberry leaves is used in the form of rinsing for purulent inflammation of the mouth and throat, in the form of compresses in the treatment of weeping, bleeding wounds that do not heal for a long time.
Currant - a storehouse of vitamins.

The berries and leaves of this unique plant contain provitamin A, essential vitamins B and P, as well as pectin substances important for the body, useful sugars, phosphoric acid, carotene and essential oil. Currant leaves contain high amounts of magnesium, phytoncides, manganese, silver, sulfur, lead and copper.
Currant leaves are used to treat diseases of the liver, respiratory tract. Infusions of the leaves are great for increasing immunity and resistance to colds. They have tonic and antiseptic properties due to the contained tannins and biologically active substances, vitamins and essential oils. The leaves of this shrub contain more vitamin C than its berries, therefore they are used for gout, gastritis, as well as for cardiovascular diseases. Traditional medicine strongly recommends using decoctions for eye diseases and various dermatitis.
Due to the high content of unique phenolic compounds and vitamin K, the use of currants is contraindicated in thrombophlebitis.
Raspberry is an invaluable treasure for health.

It contains five organic acids in its composition: salicylic, malic, citric, formic, nylon. Raspberries are also rich in tannins, pectin, nitrogenous substances, potassium and copper salts, vitamin C, carotene, essential oils.
Raspberry leaves have antipyretic, diaphoretic, antitoxic and hemostatic effects. Infusions of raspberry leaves are used for colds, acute respiratory infections, flu, radiculitis, fever and neuralgia. They are also a constituent ingredient in the preparation of diaphoretic teas. Raspberry leaves are also used for atherosclerosis, diseases of the kidneys, stomach, intestines, hypertension and dysfunction of the heart, with diarrhea and bleeding. Infusion of raspberry leaves can be used to gargle the throat and mouth for various inflammatory processes. Use with caution for nephritis and gout.
Mint.

Mint leaves have antispasmodic, soothing, choleretic, antiseptic, analgesic, weak hypotensive properties. It improves appetite, enhances the secretion of the digestive glands and bile secretion, reduces the tone of the smooth muscles of the intestine, as well as the biliary and urinary tract.
An infusion or tea from mint leaves is indicated for nausea of ​​various origins, vomiting (including in pregnant women), gastrointestinal spasms, heartburn, diarrhea, flatulence, spasms in the gallbladder, biliary and urinary tract, cholecystitis, cholangitis, hepatitis, cholelithiasis , states of nervous excitement, insomnia, pain in the heart, cough, to increase appetite.
Also, the infusion and tea from mint inhibit the fermentation processes in the digestive tract and, removing spasms of the smooth muscles of the intestine, contribute to the free passage of food. Due to the fact that mint stimulates the biliary function of the liver and enhances the secretion of other digestive glands, its preparations (infusion or tea) will be useful for those people who have poor digestion of fatty foods.
Contraindications. For some people, the pungent smell of mint preparations can cause respiratory distress, bronchospasm, and pain in the heart. When treating the upper respiratory tract in children under 5 years of age, drugs containing menthol should not be used, as this can lead to reflex respiratory arrest! Peppermint should not be used by people with anxiety or insomnia. Mint should not be used for people with low blood pressure (arterial hypotension). It is not recommended for men to use it either, as it can reduce male libido. Peppermint should be discarded for people suffering from drowsiness. With infertility, mint should not be consumed either.
Melissa.

Lemon balm leaves contain essential oil, tannins, bitterness, sugar, succinic, oleanolic, ursolic acids, mineral salts. Melissa has soothing, antispasmodic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, analgesic properties. It stimulates the appetite and secretion of digestive juices, relieves tension in the smooth muscles of the intestines. In folk medicine, lemon balm is used for nervous agitation, insomnia, hysterical seizures, with poor digestion, palpitations, vegetative-vascular dystonia, anemia, painful menstruation, dizziness, delayed menstruation, gout, as an antiemetic for pregnant women.
Despite the low content of toxins, lemon balm intake is not advisable in case of hypotension. Also, using lemon balm for treatment, one should abandon those serious activities that require a good mental reaction, maximum attention and concentration. Among the possible side effects of using the plant are vomiting and nausea, muscle weakness, fatigue, dizziness, drowsiness, diarrhea, cramps, heartburn, lethargy and loss of concentration, itching, constipation, etc.
Pine is a truly medicinal tree.

It is rich in chlorophyll, carotene, vitamin K, phytoncides, tannins, alkaloids, terpenes. It is used to prepare infusions and concentrates for the prevention and treatment of hypo- and avitaminosis. Also, infusions of pine shoots are used as a disinfectant, expectorant and diuretic.
Swollen and not yet blossoming pine buds (pine shoots) are accumulators of biologically active substances - resins, essential oils, starch, bitter and tannins, mineral salts. Decoction and infusion of pine buds have long been treated for rickets, chronic inflammation of the bronchi, rheumatism, chronic rashes. Infusions of pine shoots help to remove stones, they have diuretic and choleretic properties and reduce inflammation in the bladder. Pine bud extracts kill the pathogenic microflora of the nasopharynx and oral cavity. The broth is used for inhalation for pulmonary diseases.

Adoring herbal teas, I did not know that they can be fermented! Well truncated, again a new toy!
Oh yes thanks!

[Tatyana]

I didn't know they could be fermented!

Tatyana, not only possible, but also necessary! It's so delicious and healthy!

Well truncated, again a new toy!

This is definitely a toy. My husband says to me: "Are you playing with tea again?" And I like this process so much that it really reminds the game - each time with different scenarios and characters - either with cherries ... or with currants. Then I freeze ... Then I twist in a meat grinder. And when I roll the rolls, I can imagine what kind of massage I transfer through the palms to the whole body! In general, health improvement goes in all directions - physiological, emotional and psychological ... Beauty!

[lappl1]

lappl1, since childhood I have been fond of herbs, aromatherapy and there are accumulated fees! But only Ivan-tea and raspberries with linden were fermented. On battery;)

[Lyudochka]

Lyudochka, thank you for your work!
what now to think of where to type the leaves we will think

Can't you offer anything from potato, tomato, cucumber or zucchini leaves?

Lyudmila! Thank you very much! Again, incredible work, also accelerated (with adjustments)! And loading work (very pleasant) for the whole summer.
I went to blink the leaves with potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers ... bushes.

Wow! I read it like a novel, so interesting! I myself am unlikely to do such things, in a big city you will not find clean trees, but it is useful for general development. Maybe there will be a case where the thread gets hold of good leaves and it's time to cook them. To bookmarks!

Lyudmila, did I understand correctly that the leaves from the first group (cherry, blackberry, etc.) do not wither beforehand, but immediately go to the meat grinder? Or do you still need to hang up?

[THANK YOU]

Luda
Big THANK YOU
Yesterday I looked at fermentation all day, and today, only in the computer in the morning, straight into this topic.
What a FUNNY you are, just super-super, no words.
I print it out and I have to sleep with it more than one night.
I'm not quite normal anyway. they count with herbs, now I will show this treasure to everyone.
Thank you so much. It's how many years you've been doing this, it's so difficult to come to this.
I came to the fireweed, just a neighbor's plot was not processed, and this fireweed, well, just heaps. It was a pity. And so thoroughly. absolutely all leaflets about kt. You said I dry, but just with leaves, and clover and cornflower, and once. medications herb. But I didn’t even think so. Straight MONSTER (in a good way)

Thank you very much! This is the first time I’m reading about the opportunity to make real tea from herbs, for me this is just invaluable information. And the presence of a list of sources with a link to the magazine just won me over. Success to you and new publications! I really want to make as many types of tea as possible this season according to your recommendations. I even have one black chokeberry bush in mind =) And yes, I make syrup from this black chokeberry and then I’m greedy for it all winter, because it turns out the most delicious =)

and no one collects blackberry from us, I make liqueur for my husband. but we drink a little, so it remains, since last year, 40-45 liters. Sorry for the berries. Jam is badly eaten when strawberries and cherries are eaten. Leaves dry, and nothing more. Blackberry lowers the pressure, we can't. It’s a pity for the berries that are showered, Thrush does not even cope, everything after them is black.Sorry for the digression.

Lyuda, do you not use citrus in teas?

[Luda!]

Luda!Thank you for such a titanic work! You have to love these teas so much and be able to make them in order to write about it with such love and inspiration.

Luda, thank you very much! The material is well chosen and designed. Now all HP will drink their tea with their pastries. Eh, goodbye, my beloved tea maker, I will not be there soon. In the garden, the trees and shrubs will definitely go bald ahead of time And strawberries, we have a plantation ... dear mothers, how much work

[Ludmila]

LudmilaThank you very much for the information. I love herbal teas very much. When the children were small and I spent the whole summer with them at the dacha, I also collected herbs for tea. Ivan tea was among them, and fermentation was, but alas, everything was forgotten. Sometimes I just dry leaves of currants, raspberries, mint, St. John's wort.
But after the perfectly described method of making tea and its undoubted benefits, I cannot resist in July, I will definitely do this during my vacation

Thank you ! I learned so many useful things.

Thank you for sharing your experience and best practices, for such an easy and pleasantly readable material! After reading straight through, I want to make all the teas, but unfortunately there is no time for everything, but I will definitely dry a few from the list

and no one collects blackberry from us, I make liqueur for my husband. but we drink a little, so it remains, since last year, 40-45 liters.

Verunchik! You there it - do not pour it out, eh? Suddenly my Pretzel will gather for the car to go to St. Petersburg (and he plans closer to autumn)

Lyudmila, thank you very much, it was long time for me to gather and this knowledge was not close, I only dreamed of her herbal teas. True, I did not understand everything, I will carefully read and be sure to do it - I have a lot of strawberries that do not bear fruit, even now take the leaf, and there is a cherry only for the leaf, and a black chokeberry. Very handy, and super-seriously you understand this, thanks again.

Thank you!

Verunchik! You there it - do not pour it out, eh? Suddenly my Pretzel will gather for the car to go to St. Petersburg (and he plans closer to autumn)

Zhenek, no question

[lappl1]

lappl1Thank you for this recipe! Very interesting, timely and detailed. I brought it to the "masses" - many friends now live in their dachas and love herbal teas. But very few people know how to do them correctly, without losing their qualities, smell and taste.

[Rada-dms]

Rada-dms,

Since childhood I have been fond of herbs, aromatherapy and there are accumulated fees! But only Ivan-tea and raspberries with linden were fermented. On battery;)

And I, apparently, finally woke up my grandmother's love for herbs. She lived for 100 years. And she was treated only with herbs. I saw it all, but I never went into it. And now there is an opportunity - we have been living in the village for the third year, so it’s a sin not to take advantage of what is growing under our feet.

Lyudochka, thank you for your work! what now to think of where to type the leaves we will think

Alyona, to your health! I would be glad if the information comes in handy.
And about where to take the leaves, I can share the experience of my Moscow friend. She has no dacha, no time to travel out of town. But when I treated her to these teas, she could no longer live in peace. She said that she would make such tea by any means. In general, she began to order leaves of willow tea and other plants to friends who have summer cottages. So, on Monday, bags of these leaves were brought to her work. Now she also began to make a lot of tea. So, Alena, you can do it.

Gorgeous recipe! I will definitely try. Lyudmila, here you are doing everything separately, or you can mix them, for example cherries and strawberries. Or is it not worth it, first ferment each type of leaves separately, but mix it when brewing tea?

[Rada-dms]

Rada-dms, Leka_s-Alena, Mariii Marina, Kolobashka-Varya, vera100865-Verunchik, vetyk, ang-kay-angela, Sima, Tata, julia007-Julia, irysikf-Ira, GenyaF-Zhenya, | Alexandra | -Sasha, Olga from Voronezh, Ikra-Irina, Sea Marina
Thank you very much, dear girls, for your kind words and feedback. I am very, very pleased! I will be happy if my work is useful to you! I know how much pleasure you can get from the process of making these teas. Not to mention the teas and the benefits they give us. And I want all of you to receive this pleasure and benefit.

Lyudmila, did I understand correctly that the leaves from the first group (cherry, blackberry, etc.) do not wither beforehand, but immediately go to the meat grinder? Or do you still need to hang up?

Marina, thanks for noticing. I missed this moment. Already corrected. I wither them before the meat grinder. But if I make leaf tea, then I first freeze the leaves (without withering), then twist, ferment, cut, dry.
The withering process is needed to make it easier to roll the leaves by hand. Fresh leaves are difficult to curl.
And when the leaves are twisted in a meat grinder, a wet mass is obtained. If the leaves are not wilted, the granules will squish during fermentation in the juice. And then tea in the oven will dry longer ...
In general, I wither the leaves only for the "meat grinder" tea. And for leafy I do not wither, since I twist rolls from frozen leaves - it turns out very quickly and easily. And from withered leaves it is difficult for me to twist rolls - my hands get very tired. Yes, and I do not have enough strength to squeeze juice from these rolls. So the freezing made my life easier.

Maybe there will be a case where the thread gets hold of good leaves and it's time to cook them.

Barbara, Thank you so much ! And where to get the leaves, I have already taught Leka_s - to ask friends who have summer cottages to bring them. It doesn't take long to collect the leaves, so it won't be difficult for them!



Verunchik, oh, what good words you wrote about me! I'm embarrassed, but nice! Thank you so much !

It's how many years you've been doing this, it's so difficult to come to this.

Yes, I have not lived in the village for three full years, and I have been doing this for as many years. I wrote already here that, apparently, from my grandmother, the love for herbs was passed on ... All my life this love slept, and now it woke up.

This is the first time I’m reading about the opportunity to make real tea from herbs, for me this is just invaluable information. And the presence of a list of sources with a link to the magazine just won me over. Success to you and new publications! I really want to make as many types of tea as possible this season according to your recommendations.

vetyk, Thank you so much ! I would be very glad if you make such teas! Good luck to you ! I'm waiting for your impressions!

Lyuda and citrus you do not use in teas

Verunchik, I mean, fermented? No, I do not use. Somehow I didn't think about it. The lemon itself will give a lot of juice when twisted, so it will take a long time to dry. In general, nothing clever comes to my mind yet ... Apparently because I already have enough raw materials for tea, and then you can put a lemon in the finished one.

Blackberry lowers the pressure, we can't.

Verunchikso tea can still be made. And then treat those with high blood pressure. Or decorate tea with a gift. Such a gift will go for any occasion. My friends are already expecting tea from me as gifts!

Thank you for such a titanic work! You have to love these teas so much and be able to make them in order to write about it with such love and inspiration.

Angela, thank you for your kind words! And I really love this tea very much. And not only drink, but also do. And it's easy to write about a loved one ...

Luda, what a titanic work is needed! You are a great fellow (good fellow) !!! Infected downright! And then I was bored yesterday evening, I went to bed at 12. And now I’ll dry all my nights. And the girls wrote correctly here: the neighboring gardens sometimes miss without our help in getting rid of excess foliage. I have apple trees of all sorts of different varieties, respectively, and foliage of different colors. It will be interesting. Bliiin! I've never been like this. And here!!! Definitely, she became a housewife.
Thanks to our site.

[Sima]

Luda, thank you very much! Eh, goodbye, my beloved tea maker, I won't be there soon. In the garden, trees and shrubs will definitely lose their hair ahead of time And strawberries, we have a plantation ... dear mothers, how much work

Sima, to your health! Enjoy making and drinking tea. Let tea shops remain for those who do not know about such tea. But it is also necessary to introduce them!

Now all HP will drink their tea with their pastries.

And that would be very, very good! Let's hope that at least part of the Bread Maker will start making, and then the rest will become infected ...

Lyudmila, thank you very much, it was long time for me to gather and this knowledge was not close, I only dreamed of her herbal teas. True, I did not understand everything, I will read carefully and be sure to do

Sasha, and thank you ! If you haven't read the topic about Ivan-tea, then read it. I wrote everything there in great detail https://mcooker-enm.tomathouse.com/index.php@option=com_smf&topic=389191.0
And if you have any questions, ask, I'll be happy to answer!

Thank you, thank you !!!! Now I will take the whole dacha from my mother-in-law and father-in-law ...

[Tata]

Lyudmila, thanks a lot for the information. I love herbal teas very much. When the children were small and I spent the whole summer with them in the country, I also collected herbs for tea. And Ivan tea was among them, and fermentation was, but alas, everything was forgotten. ... after the perfectly described method of making tea and its undoubted benefits, I cannot resist in July, I will definitely do this during my vacation

Tata, to your health! Glad to remind you of fermentation. Good luck in preparing teas and a good holiday!

Yes, I have already skimmed about Ivan-tea, I realized what fermentation is - it’s when it’s standing under a wet cloth, but we still have to figure out how to do it for a long time. And to dry in what is better - I have an infrared dryer Dachnik 4 (but it was bought with a youngster and there is no time to send it under warranty - there is no way to understand which mode is set) and there is a good Shteba oven, is there any temperature?

[Sasha]

Thank you for sharing your experience and best practices, for such an easy and pleasant reading material! After reading straight through, I want to make all the teas, but unfortunately I don't have time for everything, but I will definitely dry a few from the list

Ira! glad you liked it! Thank you ! I wrote in the topic about Ivan tea that although tea is prepared for a long time, about a day, it does not take much of our time. With experience, in general, everything will work out on autopilot. So just start, and there you get infected with teas, just like me. I can’t stop. I do 2 - 3 parties a week. And so for the third year in a row ... Good luck and more free time - for yourself, your beloved, and for tea ...

Yes, I have already skimmed about Ivan-tea, I realized what fermentation is - it’s when it’s standing under a wet cloth, but we still have to figure out how to do it for a long time. And to dry in what is better

Sasha, You understood everything correctly. Fermentation is the process of fermenting processed leaves until a pleasant, strong odor appears and the color changes to dark. And in time it turns out differently. If it's cold - longer, if it's warm - fermentation goes faster. The main reference point is color and strong smell. I mainly dry my tea in the oven. Granular is longer (and the initial temperature is 100 * C), and the leaf is faster (the initial temperature is less - 80 * C). And in the dryer, non-fermentable teas - mint, lemon balm, pine - dry land. They dry very quickly.

Thank you, thank you !!!! Now I will take the whole dacha from my mother-in-law and father-in-law ...

Natta de facto, to your health! And also bring the mother-in-law and father-in-law to this case. They will love it!

Thanks for this recipe! Very interesting, timely and detailed. She brought it to the "masses" - many friends now live in their dachas and love herbal teas. But very few people know how to do them correctly, without losing their qualities, smell and taste.

Irina, thank you ! Make tea for health - yours and those of your friends!

Lyudmila, here you are doing everything separately, or you can mix them, for example cherries and strawberries. Or is it not worth it, first ferment each type of leaves separately, but mix it when brewing tea?

Marina, Thank you! I mix ready-made teas when brewing. But not always. I love each tea very much for its taste and aroma.Therefore, you must first make each tea separately! And then you can try the way you write.

You are a great fellow (good fellow) !!! Infected downright! And then I was bored yesterday evening, I went to bed at 12. And now I’ll dry all my nights.

Olesya425, yes this is such a tea that does not interfere with sleep at night. At night - the leaves wither. When at work - let it ferment ... But when it dries, you need to keep your ear on the alert - do not burn or dry it out.

Bliiin! I've never been like this. And here!!! Definitely, she became a housewife.

And this is not bad at all.
By the way, about the neighboring gardens. I do not have my own cherries at all and blackberries. So I go to the neighbors for them without asking. Used to!

I was very impressed with your recipe for making tea, thank you very much for the experience. Questions arose as for a working person, there is only time in the evenings and on weekends. If you freeze the leaves in the evening, they will freeze until the next evening, will they not be hurt by the extra frost time? And even if, for example, freeze cherry leaves, and then cut them into strips without twisting them before fermentation and drying, so that they would take up less space during storage, does this method have a right to exist? I'm trying to figure out the time, what to do, how to allocate the time.

Lyudmila! Thank you so much for your work. With great pleasure I read about how to make tea correctly. To be honest, I used to just dry the leaves. Now, thanks to you, I have seen the light. If I don't succeed with fireweed (for lack of it), then there will be no problems with cherries and strawberries. It remains only to tune in and fight.

Fantastic recipes
And I threw the extra needles into the freezer, do you think I can dry them?
(mother-in-law requires freezing and tidying up) And here is a recipe

Don't even persuade, I won't! Bo from read only

LuCHChe to visit you I will ask for a tasting.

[lappl1]

lappl1, read this extensive recipe in one breath. How interesting and informative, thanks for sharing the secrets. I have to start somewhere, there are raspberries, strawberries. There is also tarragon. What do you advise? Option like with mint-lemon balm? I dry it for the winter, but still tea with dry is not as fragrant as with fresh and often in the spring I throw out more than half of the prepared one.

[lappl1]

lappl1, and your recipe had the effect of an exploding bomb! I don’t remember such a stir!
Raspberry leaves are already in the freezer - I join the question Eva3,

If you freeze the leaves in the evening, they will freeze until the next evening, will they not be hurt by the extra frost time?

[Eva3]

Questions arose as for a working person, there is only time in the evenings and on weekends. If you freeze the leaves in the evening, they will freeze until the next evening, will they not be hurt by the extra frost time?

Eva3, No, it won't hurt! They can be in the freezer as long as you like. Get it when it suits you.

And even if, for example, freeze cherry leaves, and then cut them into strips without twisting them before fermentation and drying, so that they would take up less space during storage, does this method have a right to exist?

So I wrote about it, what is possible. I quote the text from the recipe:

I made this tea a couple of times by freezing it. After collecting the cherry leaves, I sent them without prior withering in the freezer overnight. In the morning, she took out the leaves, thawed and warmed them at room temperature. Then I put it in an enamel pan 10 cm thick, pressed it down with oppression, and covered it with a damp cloth. Fermented for 5 hours at a temperature of 27 * C. Dried with constant stirring in the oven for 1 hour at 80 * C, and then dried until tender at 50 * C. It turned out to be a wonderful tea with a whole leaf, very dark. And with a very rich taste. This is due to the even destruction of the leaf and, as a result, better fermentation. One drawback of such tea is that when finished, it turns out to be very voluminous, fragile.If the leaves are not tamped into jars during storage (so as not to break them), then they take up a lot of space. All in all, a very simple way to make wonderful and beautiful tea. This way you can make tea from any leaves.

I do not know your schedule, but I would tell you when it is better to start doing it. For example, like this: put the leaves in the freezer when it is convenient for you. And on a day off in the morning, get it. If you do not want to twist the rolls, then immediately cut to the desired size. Or you may not cut it at all. Then you get a large tea. And then everything is as in the recipe - fermentation will go on until about lunchtime. Then drying for a couple of hours. Here you need your constant attention - stir the leaves, reduce the temperature. And when the tea dries, pour it into a bag and hang it in a dry room to dry it - there is no need for your attention. It happens that I have a day. No more. Then pour into a container for storage.
Well, something like this. If anything, ask.

To be honest, I used to just dry the leaves. Now, thanks to you, I have seen the light. If I don't succeed with fireweed (for lack of it), then there will be no problems with cherries and strawberries. It remains only to tune in and fight.

knob, so there is no battle, but peace ... you get such pleasure! First, in the garden, when you collect the leaves, then when you "catch" the smell of the fermented mass, and when drying is in progress, then pure aromatherapy for the whole house! So, knop, make tea with cherries and whatever you love! I am already waiting for your report! Good luck!
And thank you, Knop, for your attention to the recipe and kind words!

Thank you, so we will drink delicious tea. The strawberries are already dried, I think in the morning before work I will have time to scroll in a meat grinder and send them to ferment, and in the evening I will dry them. The only leaves had to be washed, there was a lot of dirt on them. I hope this will not affect the quality of the tea.

[Oksana]

And I threw the extra needles into the freezer, do you think I can dry them?

Oksana, is it from a pine "needle"? Here I do not know how they will behave after defrosting. I did not freeze the pine. But I would try, especially since my mother-in-law demands.

Don't even persuade, I won't! Bo from read only LuCHChe I'll ask for a tasting to visit you.

Mistletoe, what can I do with you? Then come on, come! Just don't ask for me! We are always glad to see guests! Let's drink teas. And we will make tea together - you can't get out of it!

I read this extensive recipe in one breath. How interesting and informative, thanks for sharing the secrets. I have to start somewhere, there are raspberries, strawberries. There is also tarragon. What do you advise? Option like with mint-lemon balm?

ElyaThank you for evaluating the recipe and being inspired by it! Definitely, you have to do everything from everything.
But I do not know anything about tarragon, except that there was such a lemonade. I went to Yandex and saw how it looked. Leaves are very similar to fireweed leaves. And they also write about him that he "has a delicate, original aroma." If the aroma is delicate, then it is probably better to ferment. Then the aroma will intensify. And if the smell is sharp, then proceed as with mint and lemon balm. Or maybe try both options?

and your recipe had the effect of an exploding bomb! I don’t remember such a stir!

Tatyana, thanks for such a "strong" recipe rating! Nice, no words!

Raspberry leaves are already in the freezer - I join Eva3's question,

I already answered - let them lie until you have time. nothing will happen to them

The strawberries are already dried, I think in the morning before work I will have time to scroll in a meat grinder and send them to ferment, and in the evening I will dry them. The only leaves had to be washed, there was a lot of dirt on them. I hope this will not affect the quality of the tea.

Eva3, wow, the process has started! The beauty! Just cover the container with leaves first with a damp cloth, and then with a lid (not tightly, with a gap) so that air flows in. Otherwise, while you are at work, the fabric will dry out. And the fact that the leaves were washed is okay. New bacteria will invade ...

And today I walked around the garden, I looked at my neighbor ... Tea will be added - mulberry, apricot and peach. There are also almonds and walnuts, of which you can also?

[lappl1]

lappl1, Lyudmila!
Hats off for your master classes! The most valuable information collected in one place with detailed instructions is a colossal work. Thank you very much!
I have a question - is it possible to dry teas not in the oven (dryer), but naturally, under a canopy? Have you tried that?

[Natalia]

mulberry, apricot and peach. There are also almonds and walnuts, of which you can also?

Zhen, from all that you have listed, I did not prepare tea. Therefore, I do not know how they will behave during fermentation. This is how I usually determine whether a plant will make good tea or not. I tear off three or four leaves, rub them strongly between my palms and smell. If the smell impressed me, then I make tea. And I also check it - I put in a bag of leaves (a few handfuls), close the bag, wrinkle the bag with leaves a little and after a couple of minutes I stick my nose there. Here you will immediately understand whether you like this tea made from such leaves or not. I wrote that maple and nut tea did not impress me very much. So, they did not pass such a preliminary "test", but I still made tea.

I have a question - is it possible to dry teas not in the oven (dryer), but naturally, under a canopy? Have you tried that?

NataliaThank you very much for evaluating my work!
The fact is that the fermentation process must be abruptly interrupted at the moment of the appearance of the strongest smell. And this is done with a high temperature - 100 * C. Some even set 120 - 150 * C. If this is not done, then you can lose the smell, since the bacteria participating in the fermentation process will continue their work under natural conditions. And the smell may not be the same. So I didn't even try to do it.

Twisted the leaves in the morning, the smell. I covered it with a cloth folded in several layers, quite plump, so I think it won't dry out until the evening, especially since now there is no particular heat and it is humid after the rain. The mass itself after the meat grinder became lukewarm, so I think the fermentation process will be normal. Well, in the evening I'll go to the freezer for raspberries and currants, and then in turn cherries, apricots, peaches, and apple trees. In short, the process inspired

Luda, I saw your dryer in the photos. And in the recipe, almost everything is in the oven. And in the dryer there is no way to dry?