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

[Radushka]

Radushka, freeze, it will not be superfluous. Look, there are blackberries in the links.

[lappl1]

lappl1, thanks, Lyudochka!

My grapes have been fermenting for three hours, they smelled it - it smells like a rotten leaf with a hint of dry compote. The color has turned brown and darkened. Is this the way it should be or "something went wrong"?
Twisted leaves - cut.

Hurrah! Finally I figured out my fireweed!
Today I also gathered the leaves of blackthorn, cherry, plum and mulberry, I will try it for the first time.
And another question for connoisseurs - is it possible to put the petals of garden mallow, soapwort and chicory in tea?

The color turned brown and darkened

The darker the better.

[Zachary]

Zachary, it was greenish-brown, dark. I am more confused by the smell, now it is drying out and the smell is very weak and not very attractive. I understand that when drying tea should emit a fragrance

[Serenity]

My grapes have been fermenting for three hours, they smelled it - it smells like a rotten leaf with a hint of dry compote The color has turned brown and darkened. Is this the way it should be or "something went wrong"? Twisted leaves - cut.

I am more confused by the smell, now it is drying out and the smell is very weak and not very attractive. I understand that when drying tea should emit a fragrance

Serenity, OlgaThere is little information on how you made the tea. And yet ... if you make tea from grapes in Moscow or the Moscow region, then it is not the same as in the south. In any case, expect the result in a month or two.

[YuLi]

Hurrah! Finally I figured out my fireweed!

YuLi, Congratulations!

is it possible to put garden mallow, soapwort and chicory petals in tea?

I am only a connoisseur of chicory. But by colors, not petals. The flowers are very bitter. Try brewing separately. And in general, read about them in the internet. Suddenly they are harmful ...

I have always loved herbal teas, but used only purchased herbs for flavoring.
Your labors prompted me to make it myself. I wanted to ask about the cherry. I don't understand what it is, the smell when withering, fermenting was just dizzying and after drying it smelled in the apartment for a week. The jar has been worth 2 weeks already, the smell of completely intoxicated cherries, but I brewed seagulls and a burning disappointment awaited me, there was no color or smell in the infusion itself. Why?
I picked up more leaves and now I'm sitting thinking what to do to make the tea fragrant. I study the topic gradually.

[Divnay]

Divnay, IrinaTo answer your question, you need to know how you prepared the tea at each stage. In the Notes to this recipe, I gave a link to the instructions, which may help you find an error in making tea. If you do not find an error, then please answer the questions in this manual... After reviewing your answers, I can help you. Please open this link:
Tea problems. What should be done to find the error?
And also: what kind of cherry do you have? Not every variety produces delicious and aromatic tea.

[Divnay]

I picked up more leaves and now I'm sitting thinking what to do to make the tea fragrant.

Divnay, Irina, I highly recommend making a mix of 3 - 4 plants. You will definitely not be disappointed.

The jar has been worth 2 weeks already, the smell of completely intoxicated cherries

In general, very encouraging information. Remove the jar for 3 to 4 months and forget about it. You will see the tea change.

[lappl1]

lappl1, we have wild apple trees growing nearby, an apple the size of an apricot.
Lyudmila leaves of such wild apple trees make sense to collect and ferment?

[Kokoschka]

KokoschkaThe best tea is obtained from the wild. Do it!

[lappl1]

lappl1, Lyudmila, thank you so much for such a useful topic. The cooking process is described in such detail that not even a single question arises yet. Several years ago I read an article about the preparation of Koporye tea, in which the technology was described very briefly and indistinctly, and every year I tried to get "wonderful taste and aroma", but it turned out just good tea. And about tea from garden plants I learned only from your topic. Now, like all the participants in the theme in the kitchen, something is fermented, dried, dried. And many thanks to everyone who shares their experience, this also helps to avoid mistakes, but unfortunately there are also troubles .. Today I turned tea from apricot leaves into coals - I put a baking sheet in the oven and completely forgot that I was baking pizza last night. As a result, the smoke was not only in the kitchen, but throughout the house. And then she went away literally for 5 minutes. Today I was drying tea from ezemalina, which is Cumberland. I brewed some still warm leaves and still liked the tea very much. The color is like a medium-brewed black tea, it tasted like a compote from berries and when dried there was a smell of compote. In the freezer, wild pear, willow tea and blackthorn are waiting in the wings. I only make mono leaf teas, but I try to cut the leaf as thin as possible. It is not yet ripe to granular. Girls, tell me, please, how do you put in bold the NICK and the name of the person you are addressing, otherwise I am an adult girl, retired since the last century and do not communicate very well with the computer.

Ga-lina, I also can't distinguish. A! I write as I can! I am very glad that they came to us, and they also wrote so many reports about tea, but it is better not to freeze willow tea while it is still soft, at least try meat grinders with us, it turns out stronger and takes up much less space. I immediately started making them last year and only this year I made a sheet "Macho". Once again, welcome, look into the "Tea Gazebo", there we talk about everything, very interesting and informative conversations are being conducted

Girls, just click on the nickname above the avatar and he himself stands out in the answer. If you click on the name under the avatar, the name will be highlighted.

[Ga-lina]

Ga-lina, I suggest

how do you bold NICK and a person's name,

Move the arrow (cursor) to the nickname and the nickname is printed and also
name.Galina,

More complete answer

[Ga-lina]

Ga-lina, welcome to tea themes! How pleasant it is to read your message! You can't even imagine it! I am so glad that you are doing well. Well, and minor troubles ... Who does not happen to .. The main thing is that you delve into the process and make tea. I am pleased to hear that the recipe is readable and there are almost no questions. Yes, over the past year we did a good job and I reflected our shared experience in links to comments from other tea makers.

Girls, tell me, please, how do you put in bold the NICK and the name of the person you are addressing, otherwise I am an adult girl, retired since the last century and do not communicate very well with the computer.

Galina, it's very simple. just click on the nickname or name of the person you are answering. This nickname or name will automatically appear in your message. And also click on the smiley in the upper right corner of your message. There are many functions there. Move your cursor over them and read what you can do with your message. And emoticons can be inserted anywhere in the message.

[lappl1]

lappl1, Lyudochka you are smart!

[elena kadiewa]

Ga-lina, I also can't distinguish.

elena kadiewa,: girl-swoon: and you say that? Well, I won't be here, but I giggle in the Gazebo
Tonya, honey, thank you! We're all smart here!

[Radushka]

Radushka, I missed that you wilted, sorry. As I remember the leaf - my blackberry - is very similar to raspberries, in structure (almost twin brothers), which means it will crumble in a meat grinder. I froze raspberries, moreover, it resisted freezing for a long time, and then twisted rolls.It turns well with an apple in a meat grinder.

[Oksana]

Oksana, Thank you! I’ve already put it down to freeze. But, I want mono tea for the first time. By the way, I now have raspberries, thanks to Natasha Koval, perfectly granulated and mono (twice through a meat grinder, without defrosting).
Here, soon I will collect the papier and begin to tear the leaves. Then I'll make a raspberry-apple.

Twice you can and blackberries! I haven't done it yet this year. I have not made raspberries yet, I will be a little later. I will twist in a meat grinder twice!

Girls, thank you very much for the warm welcome and help. You have a very friendly atmosphere and welcome all newcomers. It is a pity that only at the end of May I accidentally saw the link to Village Tea, read it in full, and then came to this topic. I just finished reading it today / the rains helped for 2.5 weeks /. I just missed the winter months, so that I could catch up with you faster, I will have time to read them. So far, I have prepared only teas from cherries, blackberries, grapes, willow tea of ​​the first harvest, a little apricot, ezhemalin and from the leaves of a neighbor's pear. I walked through my garden, looked around and realized that there are a lot of things and everything Lyudmila wants, here the girls suggested that you write a book about making tea, it is really very difficult to publish. And if you write an article in some summer magazine? After all, how many people will be happy with such complete information. I will try to gradually figure it out with emoticons, and I can only insert pictures from August - the children will come and everyone will show how and what to do. Although I'm a techie, I'm afraid to press an extra button, because it is problematic to call a specialist to restore to our village.

Serenity, Olga, little information about how you made tea. And yet ... if you make tea from grapes in Moscow or the Moscow region, then it is not the same as in the south. In any case, expect the result in a month or two.

Yes, in the suburbs, Isabella grapes (zoned). The leaves were collected yesterday approx. 6 pm, laid out to dry, in the morning at 10 am rolled, cut, approx. 11 put b an enamel saucepan, bending on top, on any towel u on top the lid is loose. The smell was herbal, after 3-4 hours of fermentation it became rotten. In general, about 5 hours Or a little more he wandered, then I dried it for an hour in the oven for 100, then another two hours about half. in the dryer for 40 (approx.). Now dry, almost black in appearance, it smells of either hay or green tea when brewed, the smell remains the same, the taste is sour, soft, rather pleasant.
In general, I don’t understand whether it worked or not. I was just expecting something else (especially about the smell).

Yes, Galina, work is endless! And everything is necessary, everything you want!
And in winter we chat and cook ... but how we cook! How many! And what! Homemade cheese, sausage, sour cream, and what bread! And pancakes! Oh, and do not list!

[Serenity]

In general, I don’t understand whether it worked or not. I was just expecting something else (especially about the smell).

Serenity, Olga, or maybe try to make grapes in a meat grinder? Or a mix based on it? Add cherries, apples, pears. Alla-francevna, Lina with grape mixes do. And we are very satisfied. Still, I think it's too early to judge this tea. Let it stand ...

Lyudmila, here the girls suggested that you write a book about making tea, it is really very difficult to publish. And if you write an article in some summer magazine?

Ga-lina, Galina, I live in the village without getting out. I don't even know where to go with this article. Moscow is the closest, but I’m unlikely to find myself there soon. It seems to me that the Internet is the most affordable way to get information. You found us, and others will find us ...

I tell you:
On Saturday, she took out her leaves from the freezer: blackberries (quite a bit), chokeberry (quite a bit), raspberries, strawberries and black currants (the one that for the mass ... her berries are long).
I twisted raspberry berries through a meat grinder (I decided to do an experiment) and began to twist raspberry leaves through a meat grinder ... I turned out the meat grinder ...in one word, it broke. Well, it's all okay, I inherited one more (my daughter bought a new one for herself, and gave us the old one for business). I also added a little currant leaves (for mass). I put it on fermentation, dried it in the oven (it took longer to dry than just the leaves, this is normal, there was a liquid mass of raspberries), dried it in the dryer, now it "rests" on the balcony in a pillowcase).

She didn't risk it and rubbed the rest of the raspberry leaves in her palms (together with her husband and daughter), cut into washers and set to ferment, after which it dried perfectly in the oven, I didn't even have to put it in the dryer.

The third tea made them blackberry and blackberry (added a little for the mass of blackcurrant leaves), twisted through a meat grinder, dried in the oven, then in a dryer. It turned out to be a smallish tea mass, but this is not scary, the main thing is that it is tasty!
Now all my three teas are being dried in pillowcases on the balcony, and all my home teas, going to the balcony, knock pillowcases with their hands (they are accustomed already!).

In the freezer, there are still strawberry leaves (the move has not reached) and some grape leaves. They are waiting for their fate.

What do you think, make strawberries mono or with grapes?

[Natusichka]

Natusichka, well done ! Did a lot! It's a pity for the meat grinder, but it's good that there is a second one! I wonder how you like your tea or not?
I would make strawberries and grapes. Strawberries will give color and bright taste, and grapes - sourness, and their own taste, of course. I like mixes more than mono teas. But decide for yourself. Maybe you want to try every flavor in mono.

I will most likely do so, with grapes together.

[none]

Well now let me insert my "5 kopecks"
Immediately I apologize for the great post ...
So I'm telling you.
I read the topic since February - for a long time - dreary - I jumped from page to page on the links, but in the end I decided to focus on the first - the main page. I had a mess in my head. And with the beginning of the season, when a lot of newcomers appeared and a lot of questions along with them, this porridge became even more.
I honestly tried not to ask unnecessary questions, so as not to spawn a topic, but simply read, read, read and slowly took it step by step.
I began to take the first steps (i.e., collecting leaves) on June 13-14, but since only on June 11 I came from vacation, and then I planned to make repairs to myself for the DR, then each stage took me a lot of time ...
I decided for myself - the first page of this topic is "my Bible" for the time of making tea. The page was opened in the tablet and did not close AT ALL these three weeks.
Before each stage, I reread the first posts 10, maybe 15 times (even before collecting the leaves)
She was the first to pick raspberries - they grow in the yard. Collected - went to read the topic. I wither - I read the topic again. I sent it to the freezer - I reread the first page and the main links again.
Since the first leaves were raspberries, I was upset that mono does not work out of it.
I am not a special tea-maker, I am just learning, BUT, when collecting leaves, experience is already gained immediately. So that's what I'm all about. About raspberries - and that the granules crumble. Gathering the leaves, I could not understand why there should be crumbled. I have collected very fleshy leaves. And then I had something to compare with. The fact is that both my parents and I live in a private house. Everyone has raspberries. We also have large yellow raspberries - there are leaves none... It was then that I began to pay attention to the "density" of the leaves (I don't know what else to call it). In general, now I can say for sure that the structure of the leaf will depend on the place where the plant grows (which part of our country) and on varieties plant. But one more fact about raspberries. Fleshy leaves (at least for me) old raspberries, that is, there is no berry there and only the one that grows in the shade of a house, that is, raspberries let all their power on the leaves, and not on the fruits !!! (below I will show a photo of which granules are obtained from these leaves)
So, in the intervals between repairing the house, rush at work after vacation and helping in the garden when children move from one group to another, I still collected, poured and froze the following composition of leaves for the first trial batch:
raspberry - 92 g (13.86%)
apricot - 69 g (10.39%)
pear - 80 gr (12.05%)
grapes - 225 gr (33.89%)
Apple - 198 g (29.82%)
This is the weight after withering... the total weight of the leaves was 664 grams.
By the way, about the structure of the leaves - the same observation as about raspberries, I made about the apple. We have three apple trees growing side by side. The branches are crossing. So only one of the leaves are dense, large and juicy. And if I reached for a branch for a leaf, and he was small, I immediately saw that it was a branch from another apple tree.
On Saturday, having scored on everyone and everything, I decided to finish the tea all the same.
In the morning I had breakfast, fed the family, sent everyone out of the kitchen and took out the leaves to defrost

In a yellow bowl, you can see how large my apple leaves are.
First, I decided to separately scroll through the raspberry leaves to see how the "granules crumble".
I rolled the leaves into a roll and scrolled them like this

here are the granules after the first scroll:

Then I decided to twist the granules a second time. Here's the result:

I did not notice a very big and fundamental difference between the first and second twisting. The granules remained almost the same, maybe a little denser ..
The next step is fermentation. Before melting how to ferment the granules, I conducted an experiment. Here above in the topic it was mentioned that yogurt is fermented in CF. I asked / clarified this point on purpose, because even from the time I bought CF I knew that yogurt is made in the region of 40 C. And for fermentation, a temperature lower is needed. I measured the temperature with a special thermometer in an empty multitool - 30 minutes after the start of the program, it was 41 C ...
But I still folded the granules in a cartoon: this is how they turned out for me

Slightly compacted the granules and the load is small on top:

IMMEDIATELY put such a thermometer in the cartoon to measure the temperature already taking into account the granules in the bowl:

In the cartoon, I pulled out the valve (for air access) and covered it with a damp towel.

I switched on the yogurt mode for literally 20 minutes. Literally, during these 20 minutes, the temperature rose a lot. See for yourself:

This thermometer is very responsive to temperature changes, so when the lid is opened, the temperature begins to drop instantly, that is, already taking into account the readiness of the camera, I captured the already falling temperature.
after opening the lid, the temperature in the cartoon itself dropped (I followed this further).
Fermented for about 8 hours. Although, it seems to me that 6-6.5 hours would have been enough (but just at that moment they brought 20 liters of cherries for processing - and for another 2 hours I was busy with cherries - I will write to you separately about the machines for pits).
I dried part in the oven, part in AG - for me - there is no difference - I will continue to do it in the oven, because the volume fits more there. The temperature in the oven was also monitored using this thermometer - very convenient!
Well, these granules I got after drying:

Now tea dries on the street for the second day.
About the smell - for a long time I did not understand what kind of smell everyone was talking about until I took the leaves out of the freezer, but when I twisted all this miracle - I just sat in the kitchen and blissed out the smell of the fermented mass
But I still have one question: how long will it take for me to dry my tea on the street? Is 2-3 days enough? or longer? The smell is already crazy there ...
sorry again that there are a lot of letters, I hope that my post will clarify for someone in tea making ..
And now she ran to work ...

Made tea from fireweed in 2 types: one mixed and cut, the second granulated. While fermented, dried and dried in a pillowcase, the aroma is awesome. And a week later, in the jar, the aroma of ordinary black tea ...

Can you grind it with a blender?

[Serenity]

Serenity, Olga,

Can you grind it with a blender?

it seems to me that there will be rubbish

[Serenity]

Can you grind it with a blender?

Serenity, Olga, do not need a blender. The girls had an experience last year. There will be no juice, only dust, as Radushka said. No juice - no enzymes - no fermentation.

[Radushka]

Radushka, you can impulse!

lappl1, Lyudmila, I see. And if you first walk over the leaves with a mallet? Yesterday I beat the rolls so that they were denser, very conducive to the release of juice.

By the way, everyone liked the taste of tea made from grape leaves, they said, "As with lemon" u "refreshes" but I just want u to be fragrant.

By the way, everyone liked the taste of tea made from grape leaves, they said, "As with lemon" u "refreshes" but I just want u to be fragrant.

What kind of grapes did these leaves have?

[* Anyuta *]

Well now let me insert my "5 kopecks"

* Anyuta *, Anechka, I have no words! I read your post as an exciting novel. And I looked at the pictures like a child. Very, very impressed with your story. I especially liked your approach - to check the recipe at each stage. Indeed, it is true that our process will be extended in time for a day, at least. Started making tea at some stage, read this moment. Began another - read this one too. Then there will definitely be no mistakes. After all, this is not a 30-minute recipe where you read it and do it right away ... You are my hero, every teacher's dream ... With such students you can relax and enjoy their results. As a teacher by profession, I say this.
Anya, thank you very much for such a report. You made me happy, oh, how pleased you are ...

But I still have one question: how long will it take for me to dry my tea outside? Is 2-3 days enough? or longer? The smell is already crazy there ...

Anya, it depends on the weather. If it's warm and dry outside, then the day will be enough. If it's cool, then it is better to finish drying in the house, or maybe in an oven heated to 50 * and turned off. Sometimes my bags dangle for a week. The main signs of dried tea are a dry rustling sound in the bag, the granules are broken, and not smeared or crushed. The dried granules are strong. Not dry - crumbly.

[Serenity]

And if you first walk over the leaves with a mallet? Yesterday I beat the rolls so that they were denser, very conducive to the release of juice.

Serenity, Olya, but this is for God's sake! You can also ride with a rolling pin. Don't blender, please. It won't work out well anyway. Better rolls or just knead.

[* Anyuta *]

* Anyuta *, Anechka, Well done! Write more, I read it with pleasure! I even brewed a coffee under your post! Thanks for the pleasure!
PySy: I have a yellow raspberry, and I really like its flavor. Moreover, Nastya and I compared red and yellow, yellow is more fragrant! Probably the variety also depends on the growing environment. I also compared it with forest raspberries, but yellow is my favorite!

And my bags hang out for a long time, like passing by, smell the aroma.

[Valyushka]

Made tea from fireweed in 2 types: one mixed and cut, the second granulated. While fermented, dried and dried in a pillowcase, the aroma is awesome. And a week later, in the jar, the aroma of ordinary black tea ...

Valyushka, and where are we in a hurry? It’s early in a week to draw conclusions ... In principle, and already a cool result that smells like black tea. Wait a couple of months. and better - more.

[Light 7 light]

Light 7 light, Isabella. Our, near Moscow

[lappl1]

lappl1, I listen

Anya, thank you very much for such a report.

Write more, I read it with pleasure!

Oh girls, embarrassed me ... I blush ...
I will write about my experiments as far as possible .. I ran to work again ...
Lyudochka, thank you so much !!!!

[Serenity]

lappl1, I listen

Serenity, Olya,

Oh girls, they embarrassed me ... I blush ... I will write about my experiments as much as possible .. I ran to work again ... Lyudochka, thank you very much !!!!

* Anyuta *, to your health! Anya, you deserve it! Write to us more! We love it!

[Lyudmilochka]

Lyudmilochka, yesterday I also took Ivan-tea directly from the site in the country. It's cold at home, laid out on a sheet.

The chicory did not live the night in the refrigerator, it wilted, I threw it away. You can brew it, as I understood from the Internet. In general, I dried rose petals, marshmallow, garden mallow, pink clover and calendula, as well as barren flowers from zucchini.
About ivan tea. In total, we got about 2 kg of finished tea - about 800 g of granules, the rest is different leaf. I stubbornly dislike the smell of granules during fermentation, I fried it in a pan, then dried it in dryers - I liked the smell. Fried a little medium leaf (cut into 3-4 cm). Drying with whole leaves on gas, on a grid for mushrooms - it dries very quickly, a small batch in 20 minutes. The only negative - a grid of 5x5 mm, garbage pours down; then, when tedding and removing the finished tea, she substituted a cutting board under the net so that the garbage would fall on it.