Ivan tea (fermentation of fireweed leaves) - master class

And I also regret that I did not collect it in the morning. True, nobody slowed me down. The morning was so sunny. I didn’t even think it would rain like that. The rains usually bypass us, no matter what forecast is drawn. I have tea in bags, too, got caught in the rain today. I was at the commemoration when the rain started. Fell off like crazy! people ask - where are you? I say: "Save tea - it dries out on the street." Most of those present did not understand me. Thank God, only the bags got a little wet. I quickly poured into others. Now I'm finishing drying at home.

Yesterday, after work with my husband, we picked up 5 kg of Ivanushka's green mass. We laid out the houses for withering, wherever you look ..., leaves, leaves, leaves. But inside me, the tea demon woke up ..., I was driving in the car, I looked around and realized what else could be put into action ...

Luda, our man! Now you will consider every perfume as a potential tea!

It seems a little brighter, maybe microbes will run into Ivanushka. If it doesn't rain again.

[Lucilia]

Yesterday, after work with my husband, we picked up 5 kg of Ivanushka's green mass. We laid out the houses for withering, wherever you look ..., leaves, leaves, leaves. But inside me, the tea demon woke up ..., I was driving in the car, I looked around and realized what else could be put into action ...

Lucilia, Luda, that's it, you're gone! This tea mania is waking up! We all know this!

It seems a little brighter, maybe microbes will run into Ivanushka. If it doesn't rain again.

Lenusik! God forbid! Let the sun shine and the clouds flee.

you all!

People, how much to ferment May fireweed!

Plucked more than 2 kg of leaves. The smell differs from the summer leaf already at the breaking stage. A happy husband walks around and tries to find out how much his favorite tea will turn out from this amount. Hooked up specifically! Even when he was in the hospital, he eaten everyone's brains with stories about an extraordinary tea that literally grows underfoot. We don't have snails and midges on the fireweed. By the way, no one was there last summer.

Oksana, everyone ferments for a different amount of time, who likes what at the end. Luda 7 o'clock, Galina 20. I will look at the smell and color, and last year I did 18 hours. Here, if you theoretically approach, then young leaves should ferment longer, since they have not yet fully collected the required amount of substances. But practically - you have to look, ferment!

Veronica, thanks, I understand. I also want to ask how to cut off correctly? Can the tops be torn off? Or leave. I washed the leaves, maybe there are a lot of animals of all kinds. ((

People, how much to ferment May fireweed!

Oksana, I like 12 hours the most. so about and doing.

Plucked more than 2 kg of leaves. The smell differs from the summer leaf already at the breaking stage.

Veronicek, couldn't you resist? Well done! And I also went and collected 2.5 kg. Come across wet from the rain, but I still collected it, because, God knows, what kind of weather will it be?

A happy husband walks around and tries to find out how much his favorite tea will turn out from this amount.

Oh, how great it is when our men are happy! And the output is 5: 1. What summer, what now.

Can the tops be torn off? Or leave. I washed the leaves, maybe there are a lot of animals of all kinds. ((

Ksenia, you can rip off. So it will be better for the scent. I break off the stems, and then at home I break off all the leaves, including from the top of the head. It won't work in another way now - it's still small.

Luda, thank you, did just that.) But very little so far, I have traveled all the places on a bike, only found one in one.

Lyud, my husband asked not a purely questioning question, but a rhetorical one! He is so happy that the season is open! It seems to me that there may be a little less output from May - more moisture in a fresh leaf. Or did you do the same? Our leaf has just been winnowed in the morning, so now it is drying quickly. Maybe I'll play it tonight.

Or did you do the same?

Yes, Veronicek, that's how I did it. Weighed the first 3 batches of tea - 700 gr. Output 5: 1. And last year, when I wrote the recipe, about the same output. But I did the first games when it was very dry. Maybe that's why. Now it is damp, the leaf is saturated with moisture. maybe there will be less output, but the difference is not great.

Our leaf has just been winnowed in the morning, so now it is drying quickly.

And I don't know where to put these leaves to wither. The last batches were dried out on the veranda. It was warm and ventilated there. And now I'm sluggish in the house - the process is slower.

And I collected my first Ivan-tea! Collecting, of course, is easier, but then sorting out ... I cut off 2/3 of the stems, the rest tomorrow, I have no strength! Spread out to dry.

Lenusik, so my hands were tugging on a whole bunch. But it was almost wilted - I took it back to the second floor and turned on the canvas heater there. He will be ready for Eurovision.

Here is such a Vanka, for me a baby kid. In the shade a little higher and there are more leaves. And they also saw a leaf with red in the sun, but there the rosette of leaves only hints, they did not tear.

Oh, twisted it. I didn't bring a more powerful meat grinder, but there is no strain. I threw it back to the second floor, let it steam until tomorrow lunch. We will sniff and control.

And mine is so easy to spin. Twisted 2.5 kg of leaves in 10 minutes. As I remember the autumn leaves, I shudder. And now the young fireweed is spinning with a bang. And the meat grinder is very easy. Even my husband inquired that it was me who managed so quickly. I noticed that the meat grinder is easy. Here's another plus of young Ivan-tea.
And my leaves do not want to wither. Although they stoked the stove, it is cool in the room where the leaves are withered. And they are on my floor. it's even cooler there. I put an infrared heater next to it, but the matter did not move. I feel that tomorrow evening I will twist.

Luda, I forgot the meat grinder with my sclerosis. Last year, autumn leaves were twisted just like that! And then our beloved neighbors unexpectedly arrived and turned on something like a water heater in the bathhouse, and we were on the line behind them. And that's it, the tension is over! Okay, everything is ahead! Tomorrow at lunch I'll start drying, 4 runs will turn out, and always 2 dried. Works for the whole evening!

Veronica, you need a voltage regulator. We had one in Alma-Ata. They brought it here too, but here it was not needed - the tension is always excellent, even in winter. And in Alma-Ata, without it, even in the microscope nothing was warmed up. If you spend six months at the dacha, maybe it makes sense to buy?

4 passes will turn out, and always 2 dryers. Works for the whole evening!

So I am drying for a long time. 3 calls in the morning was - 4 hours of drying. All nothing, but you will not leave the house.

Ufff ..., one part was twisted, with my husband in turn. Girls tell me, if you twist on the electric meat grinder, there is a chance that it will not break? And then there is no manual strength to twist, already a corn was formed

[Ludmila]

Ludmila, I'm on my cheap Chinese email. I've been twisting the meat grinder for the fourth year already. I also started with a mechanical one, but it's not really difficult. I'm fine so far (mmm). all parts are metal. But Mistletoe and someone else immediately broke theirs. They had expensive meat grinders. In general, fireweed turns easily. The meat grinder does a good job. But the leaves of garden stench spin very tightly. The meat grinder groans. Therefore, it is better to freeze the leaves after withering. the process will go better.

Excuse me! Here's a tea.

Lyudochka, we have nothing to stabilize. We are the last on the branch.There is a stabilizer, but it's useless. And a neighbor, a former military man, a special electrician, also said that our fate is such ...
And the fireweed in the morning behaves perfectly - it smells right! Still, I think to go hunting again, although it will be hard tomorrow. But - yesterday I saw this beauty in the sun and ...

Well, I got to the Internet, I report! Since I collected it right after a shower (well, I have no other time), it was fast, but it was soooooooo wet. Karoch, laid it out on the sheets to dry, at the same time finished it. I thought I collected some tops, but no, I got a lot of stems. The humidity in the house is 100% probably, it dries out for me for 5-6 hours, but it was still wet in places. She spat, swaddled him in tighter sheets, and he dried out for almost 30 hours! So badly withered leaves still came across. I played it by 1 am, 1.5 hours with breaks for Eurovision and Froska. Fermented until 3 o'clock today, now set to dry. The smell differs from the summer one, it somehow smelled sweeter and fruity, and this one is fresher. Now I will stitch the bags for drying.

Excuse me! Here's a tea.

Oksanchik, sunshine, yes ... Quite tiny. We have, of course, more. Today I collected 60 - 70 cm. I made it before the rain.

We are the last on the branch. There is a stabilizer, but it's useless. And a neighbor, a former military man, a special electrician, also said that our fate is such ...

Veronichek, life is more complicated without stress. Well, what can you do? Get out.
Linochka and Veronica! Congratulations on the first Ivanushka.

Girls! I ran through the topic and want to understand if my conclusions are correct.
Collected 2 packages of Ivan tea. I'll take him with me to Moscow. There, first of all, you need to sort it out, separate the leaves and dry (dry)
What to do with young stems?
Next, throw it into the freezer, then rub it with your hands or pass it through a meat grinder, depending on which tea you want (granulated or leaf)
Then put on fermentation, that is, under oppression in a warm place for 8-12 hours.
And then into drying, first at high temperature, then at 40 degrees.
Correct me if you misunderstood ...
Thank you in advance!

Girls who have already made the first ivan tea. I want you to dispel or confirm my doubts. I'm talking about the fermentation time. If you remember the theory for the production of traditional tea, then the fermentation time is indicated there is not long. I quote:

On average, this process should last no more than 4–5 hours from the start of curling, given the fact that the accumulation of essential oils occurs especially vigorously in the first three hours after curling. With an increase in the duration of fermentation, the infusion turns out to be dark, but low-extractive, not tart enough, loses its characteristic aroma and is ranked among flat or empty teas. Therefore, prolonged fermentation is especially unsuitable for producing aromatic and tart teas.

For the first year, I often fermented willow tea for 3 hours. The tea was excellent. And then something moved on for a longer time. But the fermentation time depends on how the leaf is processed. if rolls are curled, then fermentation takes longer. Granulated tea takes less time.
And this year I caught myself feeling that after twisting the mass literally in a few minutes begins to smell incredible. Then the aroma begins to grow and after a few hours it decreases. Today I sniffed the tea after 2.5 hours. The smell is very strong, tasty. There is not even a hint of herbal. Stronger than 12 hours. I took the first container and began to dry it. From the smell went crazy! There is no such smell after 12, and even more so after 24 hours. In general, the tea still turned out to be black. And such a smell! not convey!
Girls, I usually put tea to ferment at night and, of course, I had no time for it at night. And today I got it so that I set it to ferment at 11 o'clock. And at 14-30 already set to dry. That is, practically in Chinese.
Try, please, at least smell the fermented mass after 2 - 3 hours.Please describe to me your feelings.
And for myself, I decided that for now I am returning to the 3 - 6 hour fermentation of granulated tea.

[Jouravl]

What to do with young stems? Next, throw it into the freezer, then grind it with your hands or pass it through a meat grinder, depending on which tea you want (granulated or leafy). Then put it for fermentation, that is, it bends to a warm place for 8-12 hours. And then into drying, first at high temperature, then at 40 degrees. Correct me if you misunderstood ...

Jouravl, Hope, young stems can be dried and brewed as medicine - for the stomach och. well. But I throw it away. There was an idea to wither and try to make tea too. But after 2 days they remained practically the same as they were. So I decided not to bother.
It is not necessary to throw it into the freezer. Ivan tea is processed very easily and without a freezer. The freezer will help preserve withered leaves if you don't have time to deal with them.
We put only loose leaf tea under the yoke. We do not put granulated under oppression.
We dry at first at 100 *, then, when it starts to dry out, we reduce it to 70 - 80 *, and when we dry it at 40 - 50 *. But not for long. then pour it into a bag and dry it in the room until the residual moisture disappears. A sign of tea readiness - the granules break, not smear.
Pour into an airtight container and put it in a dry, dark place.

[lappl1]

lappl1, Luda! Thank you so much!

Luda, twisted her own, dried it in the sheet. I wanted to put it on overnight, but now I will leave it for 3 hours.)

Ksyusha ... What if I'm wrong? But my nose tells me the opposite. You control the smell. if you like sushi.
My oven is small. I land the party in 3 passes. Now I have poured out the third portion. The identity smells very good. well. But the 12-hour groin is much weaker.

The smell is already breathtaking, I have never smelled like that. And what about color? But I still have no choice. I will dry at 22.00. And then how will it turn out.)

Lyuda, I understood the task. Only when we arrive from Moscow. I will definitely try. Now I land the third batch. It dries perfectly. A neighbor came in and immediately - oh, what does it smell like? Fermented for 16 hours. When dried, the smell is more intense than that of summer. Now, if I didn't go to classes tomorrow morning, now I would fly for raw materials.

And we have rain, I also wanted to drive it away. (

The smell is already breathtaking, I have never smelled like that.

Ksyusha, that's what young fireweed means! I like it so much! Sushi, don't be guided by color. it becomes slightly darker - brownish. And dried is still black. Good luck to you!

And we have rain, I also wanted to drive it away. (

Yes, we also have rain. But I managed to collect before the rain. Now he is dry.

Lyuda, I understood the task. Only when we arrive from Moscow. I will definitely try. Now I land the third batch. It dries perfectly. A neighbor came in and immediately - oh, what does it smell like? Fermented for 16 hours. When dried, the smell is more intense than that of summer. Now, if I didn't go to classes tomorrow morning, now I would fly for raw materials.

Veronicek, you still have time. At least just sniff. And whether you will ferment longer or not, you will decide for yourself.

Good day to all! Girls, if only someone posted a photo of a teenage fireweed! Without peduncles. I once, ten years ago, saw fireweed in bloom on the way home from work. But now I know that fireweed. And then, besides the magical flowers, I did not notice the details! Now she persuaded her husband to go and take a look. There are no flowers yet! How to find out? With a height of 30-40 centimeters. The leaves seem to be similar. Only still tender and subtle at all. Narwali a little. I'm fading. I'll try to ferment. But, so hunting to look at the pictures of a real young fireweed.

[Radushka]

Radushka,

Excuse me! Here's a tea.

Look at the same page at the very beginning, Oksanochka posted a photo.

Oh, it's really small! I do not know !. And you won't be able to photograph your own. He completely wilted. We have it 30-40 centimeters high.

[Radushka]

Radushka, we too...but next to you for sure you have such a small one. Rub the torn off leaf and remember the smell. His leaves are now really delicate and thin.

The smell of the usual herbal seemed to me. And I didn't notice a special smell before. Found a photo here before posted. It seems similar. And "next to" I have to go for two hours and still walk for an hour)

And "next to" I need to drive for two hours and still walk for an hour

I apologize!
I'm used to having everything in a 5-minute walk.
If nobody posts a photo today, and if it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'll go take a photo in the morning.

I'll try to ferment. Maybe a special smell will appear and "recognize".

[Radushka]

Radushka, I showed a photo of a baby tea on a page earlier, and now I can still take a photo of tea, but I'll be tortured to upload it from such an Internet, I'll post it late in the evening, if it doesn't appear earlier.

Girls, went to the dacha, picked fireweed. After withering, I put it in the freezer, then twisted it with my hands. Fermented 23 hours, as it was cool in the room, and it still did not darken. Then I cut it and dried it. The tea leaves are almost black and slightly greenish. I brewed 1 teaspoon per glass. The tea turned out to be light yellow, not dark as I hoped. What did I do wrong? Photos of the process are attached.

Sprigs of fireweed after the freezer.

After 23 hours of fermentation.

Ready dried tea.

[Radushka]

Girls, if only someone posted a photo of a teenage fireweed! Without peduncles.

Radushka,
Here, I just went, took a picture. The sun is setting, so it was difficult to photograph:

Lyudmila, thank you very much! Great photo! My Ivanushka is very similar! Only some flimsy one. Probably because the city))) Well, he has a usual smell. Herbal. Sourish. While dry. The children are leaving tomorrow, and in the morning I will do it closely. I am thinking - either put to ferment overnight, or freeze until morning? Its a little bit at all. I see no point in sharing.

[niamka]

niamka, Natalia, loose leaf tea is lighter than granular. Almost all of them are light. And granular turns out to be black. At what temperature did you dry it? How many degrees is cool in a room? At temperatures below 18 *, fermentation may not take place at all. you need to wrap the mass with blankets. what layer was during fermentation? With a small layer, fermentation is also worse.