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

[Ludmila]

Ludmila, got to the point, looked at the dumplings and stomped into the pantry to look at her flour. I eat flour of the 2nd grade, but not according to that GOST, which means not from hard varieties ... And Oksana's dough should, in theory, be dense, since enta flour is considered the best for dumplings, dumplings, mantis dough ... It is popular among Italians, but for some reason not very popular with us. Probably, it all goes to pasta ... And we have an expensive one, in my opinion. We must ask where Oksana grabbed her.
It's quiet here today. Everything, apparently, in business, in business ...

[Veronica]

Veronica, and I also have a second grade. The bread is heavy, so I don't use it very often. Oksana will show up, you need to ask her for the recipe for the test.

It's quiet here today. Everything, apparently, in business, in business ...

Yeah, quiet ... I noticed that Saturday - Sunday is always calm. The people are resting! And this is good...
But today we have the 92nd voter. URAAA !!!

I read everything, only there is no time to answer, so many things have piled on, the mood is not very, even very not very much (I wrote it!), But I bite my teeth in front of my husband, and I drink a sedative myself, went for a walk, not for long, true, but nevertheless. And for tomorrow we have a strong wind (up to 30m / sec) and frost up to 32.

Helen, I really want to hug you ... Hope for the best. Modern medicine is capable of many things. Hold on, we are with you!

[brewing tea]

Although today there is a lull in the topic, but I continue the materiel about brewing tea... Let me remind you that this process consists of 6 stages:
1. Boil water.
2. We warm the teapot.
3. Fill in the tea leaves.
4. Pour boiling water over and stir.
5. We insist.
6. We pour.
We've covered the first three. Today we'll talk about how to properly pour water into a teapot.



Comrade Shumakov from the "Site about tea" writes the following about this.

STEP 4 - Fill with boiling water and stir.
Immediately (as soon as possible!) after we poured the tea leaves inside the teapot, pour boiling water over it. The mode of pouring boiling water can be different: in one step, in two steps, the authors even met recipes where it is recommended to pour boiling water into the teapot in 3-4 doses.
The most standard scheme for brewing black tea is brewing in two steps: first, the tea is poured with boiling water to a volume of about 1/3 of the teapot (or even less), the tea is allowed to "swell" for 1-2 minutes, and then boiling water is added to the volume of 2/3 or 3/4 of the teapot and then the infusion is already insisted until cooked.
I can say that I myself use a simpler method - pour boiling water over the teapot in one go... I fill it almost to the top, so that 1-1.5 cm of free space remains until the cap. If the kettle is well warmed up (and all other brewing rules are followed), pouring in one step does not in the least degrade the quality of the tea. I will add that I pour boiling water in a circular motion so that it does not pour into one point, but to wash the tea leaves as much as possible and warm the entire teapot. Some tea lovers, for example, specially pour boiling water in such a way that it not only gets inside the teapot, but also washed it outside, flowing down the walls. Of course, you need to put something under the kettle so as not to flood everything around.
Immediately after we poured the tea leaves and poured boiling water, it is necessary to take a spoon (silver!) and stir the tea well. Stirring is necessary so that the tea leaves are washed faster and more intensively with boiling water, and, accordingly, for a stronger extraction of the tea.
In addition, if the tea is of good quality, then when stirring, all tea leaves floating on the surface must sink, and on the surface yellowish foam should appear... If, even after stirring, tea leaves (or "logs") float on top, then this is a sign of poor quality or dry tea. If no foam appears after stirring, this is an indicator of poor tea quality or indicates that too little infusion has been added or bad (hard) water is being used.
We also add that some experts are against stirring the infusion, especially when brewing elite green and white teas, because in their opinion, the aroma of tea is lost during the stirring process, the stages in the release of various essential oils into the tea infusion are disrupted. But for black tea, a stirring procedure is usually necessary.
A separate topic is complex brewing modes. We are talking about those cases when you did not limit yourself to just one brewing (although this is an ideal option, it is during the first brewing that the best quality brew is obtained), but you want to get a second, third, etc. from the same teapot. As a rule, the word "vtoryachok" even in everyday kitchen matters has a negative meaning. What, then, can we say about advanced tea-lovers?
If we speak objectively and impartially, then:
a) Black tea withstands no more than 2 (very rarely - three) infusions... In this case, "two infusions" means the following: they brewed (at least one, at least 10 doses), completely drank, and immediately (it should not take more than 10-15 minutes!) Again completely (that is, in one dose) teapot with boiling water (heated!). Here's what happens, and there is a very high-quality "second".
If these conditions are violated, for example, try to add boiling water not after 10 minutes, but later, or add it in several steps, then this will not turn out tea, but ....: - (((((Of course, you cannot do at all and drink "second" from the tea leaves, which has stood for several hours, or at least just cooled down. You can try to get the "second" gradually. For example, drank half of the teapot - immediately refilled with boiling water; drank another - refilled it, etc. Immediately I will say that even such a cunning method does not change the essence: black tea can withstand no more than 2-3 toppings, then it is no longer tea.
b) Unfermented (white and green) and semi-fermented teas (oolong) can withstand on average 3-4 fillings (with normal brewing), and up to 5-7 fillings when using the Chinese technique of brewing gongfu cha. It is generally accepted that some oolongs can withstand up to 15 infusions (all according to the same gongfu-che), but from our own experience we can say that all infusions after 7-8 are, rather, of purely sports interest.

Well, the picture. I have already shown it, but it is just right, so I repeat:



To be continued...

Girls, check your tea. Are your tea leaves drowning? Is there any foam?

We are all at the dachas, we take a steam bath and walk in the fresh air. Lenochka Kadieva, strength to you! Hugging you!

I forgot to take our tea to the dacha, well, I thought I was gone! But I found some tea and was so happy!

Checkmark, with light steam!

I also found an interesting recipe, now cookies made from rye flour with cranberries and oatmeal, they write that they are right for diabetics ... Tomorrow I will bake and take a picture. And I'll tell you.

Lyudochka, thanks! the street is beautiful, everything is covered in snow. I write from the phone, it's not very convenient, but I read everything and I'm with you)

the street is beautiful, everything is covered in snow

Wow! And here it is sunny and dry. It doesn't smell of snow yet. Although frosty! The children of our neighbors were skating around the pond today.
Checkmark, have a good rest!

[Veronica]

I also found an interesting recipe, now cookies made from rye flour with cranberries and oatmeal, they write that they are right for diabetics ... Tomorrow I will bake and take a picture. And I'll tell you.

Veronica, come on, peki! We will wait for impressions and a recipe.

Can people see snow somewhere in the Middle Lane ?! Today, too, an uncle from Gidromet told us on TV to wait for a drop in pressure and snowfall.Only did not specify how long to wait ... The dog is already gray, lying in the dry grass and sad for the white color.

[lappl1]

lappl1, Luda, I put an egg for density, it turns out medium, I generally like fried with a crust (blow to the figure), and fried are all dense
My tea leaves always float up at me to look at me, I don’t think how they begin to float up, I throw them away!

In St. Petersburg and its environs, snow fell last night, it was not possible with the bodies. show you, don't copy the link (

[Oksana]

Oksana, thanks, everything is clear with you and the test! I categorically do not make fried, although I know that it is delicious. My husband asks, and I read him a lecture about the harmfulness ... He has to eat boiled.

I have tea leaves always pop up to see me

And with this everything is clear ... We are all like that, I guess ...

In St. Petersburg and its environs, snow fell last night, it was not possible with the bodies. show you, don't copy the link (

Okay, let's see your snow on TV ...

Checkmark, the snow is gone
Lyudochka, What can I say, you can listen to the lecture, eating it with a delicious dumpling! I can’t keep myself in strict severity At first I eat, then I don’t eat all my life on the edge: mail: Actually, I can eat boiled food

Outside the city, the snow did not melt), well ... they believe me (

you can listen to the lecture, eating it with a delicious dumpling!

Oksan, what can he do ... He listens and eats ... Eats and listens. By the way, boiled with raw potatoes are our favorite dumplings. But for tomorrow we have dumplings. There are no options - just cook ...

Who misses the snow there? Welcome to me, everything is there, both snow and frost, casserole in the oven, seagulls are being brewed, come! Galina, when is it to me? Otherwise, a dacha, a bathhouse, you can't crawl to the dacha now, there is more than a meter of snow, and there is no one to clean it yet. I like to be at the dacha in winter - the stove is heated, the kettle is gurgling on it, there is pure, pure snow on the street, the child rushes through the snowdrifts in delight and is quiet ...

And we have no sun, not a single snowflake, frost from -5 to -10, gray, the earth is shackled. I'm afraid something in the garden will freeze. But tea does not let the mood fall, but plans for the spring ... Girls, I even bought a Teapod (Gongfu) kettle for brewing, it is convenient, only after draining the tea leaves through a strainer, there are small tea leaves on it below (a little), but how I won't find any information to wash them out of there. I became such a tea-girl

She baked diabetic cookies. More than half have already been eaten. And not only the one to whom it is intended. The remainder will not survive until the evening.

[paramed1]

paramed1, with berries?

and here is our snow, the photo was taken before leaving for the city
Oksana, I agree, but in the city there is practically no

Oksana, with currants, from the freezer.

baking a cupcake

Galina, how is it snowing in the evening? We promised tomorrow, we are waiting. I was already tired of cleaning my boots from dust. November...

baking a cupcake

And here are my rye-wheat starter cultures:

Lina, tell me please, do you have any baking stone in your oven?

Veronica, I have a mini oven. No stone fits there. I used to do it on a ceramic flower pallet (terracotta), and then just adapted on a pallet. I especially like rye on a pallet, because I pour half a glass of boiling water onto a hot baking sheet and immediately put the bread there. Steam immediately begins to fall, and after 10 minutes it evaporates. As a result, the crust turns out to be scalded, sooooo tasty.

Lina, is it on the oven tray on the pallet? and what, you pour water into it and straight bread into this water? Or bread for something else? I try to understand whether you still need to put something in the oven or you can get by with what you have. That is, whether to buy something extra. Recently I have been drawn to spiritual bread, and I have a bad nature - if you do something, then do it right and as best as possible. And before that, study the "primary sources", theory and practice ... Since childhood, this.

[Veronica]

Girls, hello everyone!

She baked diabetic cookies.

Veronica, it is clear that not a cookie, but a continuous benefit ... Write us the recipe, please. I also want something tasty, but not very harmful.

And here are my rye-wheat starter cultures:

Lina, you are also in great favor. And here I am not going to dare to leaven. I read about all the failures with her.

I have a mini oven.

I also have a mini oven. For a long time I did not dare to bake bread in it. Then I began to bake, but all the tin bread stuck to the roof. Then I adapted any bread to bake loaves. And I also do without a stone and a pallet. Simply, I put bread on a baking sheet and sprinkle it into the oven with a spray bottle. And I moisten the bread in front of the oven with water. always a cool crust turns out.

[Veronica]

you still have to put something in the oven or you can do with what you have. That is, whether to buy something extra.

Veronica, of course, ideal - a special baking stone. But my experience has shown that you can do without it. You can bake on an inverted baking sheet. Of course, if there is an opportunity and the oven allows, then you can buy a stone.

and here is our snow,

Checkmark, thanks for the winter photo. Very beautiful! And we don't seem to have snow. The whole year is kind of dry. I thought autumn would come, it would rain. And here it is already winter on the nose, and it does not smell of snow. I am also worried that everything is frozen. They promise up to -15 *, but without snow ...

[Ludmila]

Ludmila, Thank you. Of course, the stone is good, but it must be put somewhere, it will not live in the oven all the time. I already have all the corners taken. I envy our neighbors in the country, they have a 19 m kitchen in an apartment near Moscow ... I'll try to do without a stone, at least for now.
I'll post the recipe for cookies, today I even took pictures, however, I forgot half of the stages, since everything is in thought, as always in the kitchen. We were already together, the daughter returned from work at 11, was late for the meal ...

on a pallet is it on an oven baking sheet? and what, you pour water into it and straight bread into this water? Or bread for something else?

Sorry, I cut a mediocre one. They have me for a hairdresser-make-up artist too. Yes, just on a baking sheet on a non-stick mat. I just pour the boiling water and immediately put the bread on the rug directly into the boiling water. And then you don't need additional dishes with water.

[Veronica]

I'll post the recipe for cookies, today I even took pictures, however, I forgot half of the stages, since everything is in thought, as always in the kitchen.

Veronica, nothing, we will go without pictures. The main thing is to have a recipe. I saved the cake recipe on my computer so that it wouldn't get lost. And I'll keep this one.

Oh, Lyuda, well then tomorrow it doesn't matter, can I? I altered it a little along the way, I will have to make notes on my own. Wait a little more work on your computer.

Lina, I will try to do as you advised. The day after tomorrow it's time to bake the bread, I'll put it in the oven.

Oh, Lyuda, well then tomorrow it doesn't matter, can I?

Veronica, of course you can. The main thing is to be.

[infuse tea in a teapot]

how infuse tea in a teapot? What time is it? We read from Comrade Shumakov and compare with our actions:

STAGE 5 - Insist (brewing time). After we poured tea into the teapot, poured boiling water over it and stirred it, we cover the teapot with the correct tea napkin (see) and put it in a secluded place.
A "secluded" place should be:
a) Free of foreign odors... If tea is brewed in the kitchen, then at least away from strong-smelling products.
b) Warm (room temperature), but not cold (windowsill, and even more so a refrigerator ;-))) will not work), and not hot.
I would especially like to note that in no case should the tea leaves be heated, placed on or near the fire, and even more so - boiled! When the teapot is heated, the extraction of tea will not only speed up, but also become excessively strong - such substances will come out into the infusion, which it is better not to go there. Moreover, it is very dangerous for health to warm up old (yesterday's) tea.
Now the most important thing: tea needs to be infused strictly at a certain time... The brewing time is traditionally different:
a) Black tea brewed on average 3-5 minutes, in exceptional cases (hard water, cold room, infusion of poor quality) - 10-12 minutes.
b) Green teas are brewed for 1-3 minutes, although, as you remember, they can withstand up to 3-4 boiling water fillings. Also note that the brewing time of these teas is very much related to the temperature of the water used. A brewing time of 1-3 minutes is best if you brew such tea with relatively “hot” boiling water in the second boiling stage (“white key”).
If you use colder water for brewing (for example, 60-70C), then the infusion can take much longer - 5-7 minutes. At the same time, for each subsequent pouring (if you want to maintain the quality of the tea), hotter water should be used, and the brewing time should be reduced accordingly.
in) Elite white and green teas, as well as some thin oolongs, which often have a unique aroma, must be brewed with boiling water "white key" (and sometimes water with a temperature of 60 degrees) for 30 seconds. - 2 minutes. In the traditional gongfu-cha procedure, such dry tea leaves are "washed" with boiling water. In this case, the first fill is the shortest, the subsequent ones slightly increase in time.



Here it is also important to have a large enough kettle of boiling waterso that it maintains the optimal temperature of the brewing water. Or, as in China, you need to keep a kettle of boiling water on a special brazier so that its temperature remains on the verge of boiling with a "white key".



The temporary brewing regime must be strictly observed. British chemists studied the extraction process of black tea in detail and found that essential oils are released into the infusion in about 4 minutes, and most intensively in the first two minutes of brewing.
Experiments carried out in conjunction with experienced titters have shown that the richest range of taste and aroma shades of black tea is observed 3-4 minutes after the start of brewing. If you start drinking black tea earlier, then, as a rule, its taste characteristics suffer; if you start drinking black tea after this time interval, then its aromatic characteristics suffer.
It has also been experimentally proven that after 5.5 - 6 minutes from the beginning of brewing, poorly soluble substances that give the tea a bitter taste begin to actively release into tea. Titesters also confirm that the longer the tea is infused, the more the taste harmony of the tea is disturbed towards the prevalence of bitterness. They start to taste especially bitter
(a) green teas;
(b) grown in southern regions with a hot climate and an abundance of sun;
(c) teas of low grade (non-apical leaves).
Finally, we also add that the strength of the tea does not depend at all on the time of its brewing... The strength (not bitterness!) Depends first of all on the quality and grade of the dry brew, and indirectly on the amount of brew poured into the kettle.

To be continued...



Girls, how long have you been making tea? Leaf and granular do you brew the same time? Have you noticed a loss of aroma and an increase in flavor from prolonged brewing?

[Teapot Cover Napkin]

Teapot Cover Napkin



The purpose of the napkin is twofold: 1) maintain a stable brewing temperature for the required time; 2) preserve the tea aroma (by allowing it to weather, and not letting in odors from the outside). We also add that a napkin is essential if you are brewing tea in a cold season in a cold room.
The napkin must be from dense natural fabric, best in linen, but can also be used in regular cotton. Of course, you cannot use synthetic fabric (or with synthetic additives), silk (it does not breathe well), wool (it has its own smell, easily absorbs strangers).
The napkin must be large enough she must cover the whole kettle, so to speak, to the floor ;-))) If it is too small, then this will not be enough to maintain the correct brewing temperature.In addition, if the room is cold, then a large napkin can be folded several times and then you can cover the kettle (although this is not a very good option, since there is a risk that the tea leaves will "suffocate").
Teapot Cover Napkin must be clean, since any dirt is foreign odors that kill the real tea aroma. The more often you change it (dirty to clean), the better. But this should not turn into paranoia, once a week is enough.
Tea napkin best kept away from harsh food odors... Even a new (clean) tea napkin should not smell too much, for example, with perfumes, laundry detergent, etc.
We also add that it is better not to use the so-called. "Tea nesting dolls". "Tea nesting dolls" are decorative fabric dolls that are worn on top of the teapot. As a rule, they are sewn from several layers of dense fabric and contain a sewn-in cotton pad inside. It is believed that "tea nesting dolls" are an attribute of "Russian tea drinking". The aesthetics here are rather dubious, but these "nesting dolls" spoil the taste of tea thoroughly. The tea covered with "matryoshka" overheats, "suffocates", loses its aroma and taste.
V. Pokhlebkin offers his original version of tea napkins... To do this, a kind of "mattress" is sewn from thin hebesh fabric, which is stuffed with dry tea leaves or some fragrant dry herb: mint, oregano, thyme, etc. When you cover the teapot with such a mattress, a double effect is achieved: 1) the grass slightly aromas the tea leaves ; 2) the grass itself is impregnated with the essential oils of tea, holding them quite well. But this is not the main thing! After some time (about six months later), this herb itself becomes a very valuable brew..

By the way, girls, it's a good idea to make such a herbal mattress to cover the teapot. I used to make herbal pillows and give them to my friends. And I used it myself - I made a small pillow with different herbs and put it next to a regular pillow. Sleep well with this!

Lyudmila, thank you for the science! I sit analyzing how and in what I make tea, dreaming about a samovar :-)
Regarding how long I brew - I really liked the taste of tea, which is brewed for a long time - two hours. In general, the process looks like this: I rinse my large cup with boiling water, generously put in the tea leaves (in a stainless steel strainer), cover the mug with a lid, and put my (already favorite) heating pad on top. And I don't touch an hour or two. Then, before drinking tea, I interfere with the tea strainer in a circular motion over the mug. The tea turns out to be rich, tasty, aromatic. Then I can brew the same tea again (I didn't leave it for the 3rd time).
I read about napkins - I was a little upset about woolen ones. I rolled the heating pad from natural wool, it turned out like a hat - it covers the mug "to the floor" - I just put the "hat" on the table, and the mug is inside. The tea never choked. It is written about the smell of wool - indeed, if you bury your nose in a woolen product, that is, there is a slight smell, but this is not reflected in tea. At least for my taste)
Liked the idea about herbal mattresses :-)

[Linga]

thank you for the science!

Linga, to your health! I'm glad I like the information.
By the way, for many years, while drinking ordinary tea, I brewed it in a mug, from which I drank it later. When I began to make my own tea, I also started with a mug, but did not drink from it, but simply filtered it into another and poured tea again. Then I switched to teapots. I tried different ones. But it seems to me that tea from a mug is the most delicious and fragrant. My mug is closed with a lid, and on top I cover it with a regular cotton napkin. I also liked the tea from the thermos. insists for several hours. It turns out very strong and tasty. With the aroma, however, it is more difficult - the aroma in a thermos is very weak.
I also liked herbal mattresses. will have to be done.

Girls, in general, it seems to me that the infusion of our tea should last longer.I met info about ivan tea on a site about traditional teas. So, the author wrote that it takes longer to brew ivan tea, unlike traditional tea. And he will only benefit from this.
I used to write in recipes that tea made from fireweed and other herbs is brewed for 10 minutes. It seems to me that the information on the brewing of ordinary tea, posted by me yesterday, we need to adjust for our tea individually, by trial.

An old friend came to me the other day for a consultation on accounting, she lives in the nearest suburb of St. Petersburg, in a private house, that is, they practically eat everything they own. And we, during a quiet conversation about taxes, accounting (but he failed) drank different tea and, of course, a jar of tea left with her, so she called the next day and was just shocked by my tea. It sounded something like this: "Gaal, what kind of tea do you have? How do you make it ??? teach it urgently! I've already phoned everyone with whom we talk about making homemade wine and told about this tea."
but I am so pleased to hear words such as balm ivan tea per soul

it seems to me that the infusion of our tea should last longer.

Yes, Lyudmil, you're probably right. I noticed that even in a tea maker, the longer it is, the more saturated it is in taste and color. So I'm already thinking about sewing a heating pad for a tea maker.