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

[Valentine]

Valentine, apparently, when the fermented raw materials are kept in the refrigerator, lactic acid bacteria have developed, they are alive from 6 degrees and are anaerobic. But this is already the second stage of fermentation, at the first stage lactic acid sleep, they are clogged by aerobic bacteria. When silage is made, the second stage begins after a few weeks. And for some reason everything happened quickly for you. Maybe because you artificially caused their development, completely depriving the raw material of air.
Lyudmila wrote that it would be nice for us to introduce silage technology into tea production. So, we have already come close to this!

That's how it turns out! By the way, there were abundant drops of water on the film covering the salad bowl with raw materials, so I thought that the fermentation process was in progress!

when fermented raw materials are kept in the refrigerator, you have developed lactic acid bacteria

This is what always works for me when making black bread, I always keep the dough in the refrigerator for 12-36 hours, only then this "correct acid" is produced. I'm afraid that acid will also appear in the tea, but I really liked it without acid. Today I sent the children to the nearest field for a new portion of Vanyusha, the site has already ended. I will ferment in the warmth, I want a fruity aroma. But rye dough in the refrigerator, as always, ripens 2-3 kg.

[Linadoc]

Linadoc, tea will not be sour. Bread fermentation and leaf fermentation are not the same thing. So don't be afraid, ferment.

[Valentine]

Valentineof course there will be droplets. It breathes, moisture is trying to evaporate, but it was not there! And at low temperatures and high humidity, fermentation continued. But in a different way. And we, tea-makers, do not care what the scheme is, the main thing is that there is color, taste and smell!
I think if you overexpose the raw materials in the refrigerator closed, it can get moldy, since the layer is small, there is nowhere for bacteria to roam, they will die. The silage pits are so deep! And we have 5-10 cm ...

[lappl1]

lappl1, Lyudmila, how is this delicious honey again? My vacation is over: cray: when will I get to tea again ....?
Do you also have 1 glass of flowers? Dried or Raw?
By the way, I picked meadowsweet flowers, I also wanted to make honey, but after the smell of the leaves, I decided not to bother, not our taste. Does the smell of honey actually repeat the smell of flowers? By the way, I took work at home Japanese quince leaves.
I went further

[Loksa]

I made lemongrass

Loksa, Oksana, and you twisted it through a meat grinder or hands? And how long did you ferment? I have a bowl of leaves full, dried, and what to do next with them ...

[vvagre]

vvagre, Valentine, thanks for the detailed description of the process using "fogging". Today it was not possible to collect the leaves, to tomorrow I postponed this venture.

Like mint, celery leaves dried, dried quickly, remained green and fragrant. I grind it into small glass jars, you open, and the smell

I also wanted to do this, but closer to autumn, otherwise a lot of greenery leaves under the snow. Now I will know that you can dry greens like that. Thank you!

[Oksana]

Do you also have 1 glass of flowers? Dried or Raw?

Oksana, no, I took more than 2 glasses of flowers - both in linden "honey", and in this, fireweed. To have a richer taste. I took fresh flowers. It seems to me that from dried it will not be so. Today I picked flowers again, put them in a bag in the refrigerator, tomorrow I will do it. My husband really liked this "honey".And I trudge from color ... Aesthetic pleasure from one sight ...
By the way, fireweed began to puff. I found a new clearing of fireweed at home - on the northern side of the forest. There the leaves are juicy, and they are not fluffy yet. So there is little time left for fireweed. A week, no more. With us, anyway. Therefore, I took up it at an increased pace - I began to do two parties a day.

Does the smell of honey actually repeat the smell of flowers?

I didn't understand the smell, but the taste - yes! For some reason, fireweed flowers have a bitter taste. Actually, like fresh leaves. But in "honey" it's a pleasant bitterness. Oksana, you love bitterness, so try to do it. I made half of the portion for testing. Liked it, now I'll do it whole.

By the way, fireweed began to puff.

Yes, I also noticed today. And what. how will it not be possible to collect leaves?

Yes, exactly the color of me: swoon: on the spot when I slammed, I will definitely do

[Veronica]

Valentina, apparently, after keeping the fermented raw materials in the refrigerator, you got lactic acid bacteria,

Veronica, we are thinking in the same direction.

I think if you overexpose the raw materials in the refrigerator closed, it can get moldy, since the layer is small, there is nowhere for bacteria to roam, they will die.

With Mariii, almost the same happened with Ivan tea. She also put the fermenting mass into the refrigerator. Then I decided to continue fermentation. And lost the smell that we want. So Valentina had all the conditions well.

And what. how will it not be possible to collect leaves?

You can collect something, but there is a risk of picking together with the leaves the barely noticeable seed pods, which were once flowers. When withering, they can open up and throw out the fluff. And then you can't get rid of it in tea. But I also collected the fluffy ones, trying to pick the leaves lower. By the way, today I caught 10 of these boxes from the leaves brought home.

Yes, it was the color that hit me on the spot, I will definitely do

Do it! Then you will share ... By the way, I poured less water than according to the recipe, so that I can boil less later.

[Tashenka]

I have a bowl of leaves full, dried, and what to do next with them ...

Tashenka, if it is dried, it means that you need to twist it through a meat grinder. Oksana, answer me! What did you do with lemongrass?

I caught 10 of these boxes

Well, what do these boxes look like? Are these stamens in flowers or where?

I haven't processed today's one yet. left until tomorrow. It will be necessary to look more closely.

[Tashenka]

Tashenka, I was the first to make lemongrass, twisted it by hand; I did not like the smell - changed to herbal and Fse. Maybe you need to ferment more, we can try to granulate in a meat grinder? I didn’t experiment, I was waiting for the change, but for some reason it didn’t wait for it to become damp in a glass jar under the usual layers. A lid, did you think to dry it again or in a bunch at once? While I thought he was dead, he was irretrievably moldy;
it was dried very well (maybe more than necessary), curled up well, but the chorus did not smell (I'm afraid I fermented a little for 6 hours) and the color is very light like that of green tea. Somehow it didn't work out with him

No, not stamens. Below the flowers on the stem, look - such long narrow pink things. In my opinion, this box is pink among the stamens. And in this photo, these pink boxes are visible.

You just don't rip a couple of upper tiers of leaves, they won't get caught. They sit firmly enough on the stem. And they tear, unlike the leaves, not down, but up ... So just pluck carefully.

box is pink.

This is not a box, but a long stick or something like that ?? Okay, I will remove all foreign objects.)

[Tashenka]

Tashenka, you can try to freeze some of it, I had a couple of sheets in the freezer that were worthless, they froze evenly. I was surprised that he was damp. And I ate "like jam" from lemongrass, unusual, I liked it, so I tried the leaves.I can add that the weather was nasty: rain, dampness, cold (16-day, 20-night oven). Although the temperature regime is kind of normal.
I have the first teas of weak fermentation. Until I realized that I need to ferment longer.
It spins gorgeous, but I already wrote - go

This is not a box, but a long stick or something like that ??

well, it looks like a wand. There are as many of these "sticks" on the stem as there were flowers. The flower wilted, it turned out "stick". And in botany it is called a seed capsule. So I confused you with this name. These sticks-boxes look very beautiful on the stem - like a Christmas tree. In general, look below the flowers. You will not overlook ...

looks like a wand.

And in botany it is called a seed capsule.

Semyon Semyonitch !!!

I was surprised that he was damp.

Oksana, I think that you didn’t twist them enough, there was not enough juice squeezed out, so they fermented badly. And with a meat grinder or freezing, it should turn out better.

Semyon Semyonitch !!!

I think so too.
And I got buds with flowers. I dried a lot of dry ones, Oh, I would have more syrup ...
: scout: will be done.

And it rained every day, I collected lemongrass during the break. And after the rain it is necessary to wait a couple of days.

Oh, syrup, I would have more ...

So do it! We still have flowers, and even more so.

it rained every day, I collected lemongrass during the break.

But this could have affected. The bacteria were all washed away, who will ferment? It remains only to sour ...

Well lemongrass I can always pick it up from us - a whole pergola and there are not many berries. Most likely, the rain spoiled the tea, well.

Most likely, the rain spoiled the tea, well.

The rain is like that! Always to blame for everything! Eating is bad! No - too bad! We would have this rain! Everything is dry. I do not have time to water the garden.

Today I brewed tea, which stood in the refrigerator for almost 2 days before drying. I used a mug for brewing.
Put a teaspoon without the top of the granules

And this is after ten minutes of insisting

Taste with pronounced bitterness, rich color, pleasant aroma. All liked it. There is no sour either in taste or in smell.
I put this tea in a jar from under Ahmad ti, I will test it on a visit

ABOUT! Very beautiful dark tea

I can't believe how quickly I coped with the leaves today.
I want to thank everyone who shares their experience. Now I understand why the first time I had a not very pleasant smell.
This time I decided to cook separately cherries, plums, cherry plums and apricots. The leaves are all dusty, so I had to wash, dry, put them on a towel, and twist them into a roll for 12 hours. Then in the freezer for 2 days, cherries and plums. and for a day apricot and cherry plum. She took the bags out of the freezer, put them in a tight plastic bag and left them in the room. I had to leave before evening. I entered the room, and there was a pleasant fruity aroma in it (and the bags were closed), I checked the leaves, they were sweating well, there was a lot of moisture, changed color and smell good. The strength was gone, I put all this beauty in the refrigerator and started working with the leaves only this morning.
Only now I realized that everything turned out right, not only the leaves, but even the veins changed color. She twisted the cherries and plums into rolls, immediately cut them, and put them on fermentation. Apricot and cherry plum have small and thin leaves, I just took them in a handful in my hand while still in the bag, squeezed them and immediately cut them into strips. It turned out beautifully and very quickly. In terms of juiciness, it turned out as if we cut juicy dill.

Now I think how many more hours to stand before drying?

My first tea lost its sourness, a sweetish taste appeared, and the aroma intensified.

[francevna]

francevna, will you still ferment, won't you dry?

[Oksana]

Oksana, put the chopped leaves for fermentation. I want to withstand more, so that the tea becomes richer, maybe the taste will be different.

This time I only want to dry in Isidri. I wonder how it will differ from the first one, where I first dried it in the oven.

I am writing off-topic, but here it is more necessary now.
Yesterday I bought a tabletop electric oven EK-1606 for 45 liters for only 4290 rubles. Temperature from 65 to 240 degrees, 5 positions (top, bottom. Top and bottom, grill top, grill bottom), timer for 60 minutes. There is a chicken skewer. Information can be found on the website 🔗
I wanted to buy a small oven, took my teflon baking trays, but they do not fit anywhere (although they fit perfectly in my old Novosibirsk (27 years old). All the ovens are elongated and low, but in this one even bread, muffins, bake sushi tea. So thanks to tea I also bought an oven, now it will be cool in the house, the oven will rest.

Reporting on orange tea. I collected the leaves, about 500 grams. I sent them to the freezer for 2 days, then took them out and waited until they were completely warm. The leaves were tough, as if they hadn't been in the freezer. I cut each leaf into 3 parts, shaved it, sprinkled it with water, under oppression and put a damp terry towel on fermentation. And here I seem to screw up, maybe I didn't notice any special changes and fermented them for about 20 hours, probably. Then dried at 75 g for 1.5 hours and at 50 for 1.5 hours. The leaves have brightened, more than half are twisted into a tube. The tea turned out to have a citrus aroma and sourness, but very light, like a weak green tea.
How can I achieve rich color? I would like tea, but it turned out like grass ...

I report on the rosehip (fermentation for 10 hours). Even when I separated the leaves from the stems for an hour, I decided that I would no longer be capable of such a feat. And when I tasted the ready-made tea, I was confirmed in this conclusion. Absolutely neutral taste. As mono tea it is not interesting at all, only as an additive to other leaves.

[Omela]

Rosehip - cross out, we will collect only the fruits! Thank you, Omela,

[Valentine]

Valentine, but not at all! Although, as you understand. this is purely all individual.

I finally picked up blackberries today. These leaves are tough. And there are so few of them on the tree. Something without rain completely withers away.

[Valentine]

Today I brewed tea, which stood in the refrigerator for almost 2 days before drying.

Valentine, super tea! Today I also put the leaves in the bag for sweating. I don’t know yet whether to hide it in the refrigerator for two days or not. Which tea do you like best - with or without a refrigerator?

These leaves are tough.

Ksyusha, you wilted them better. I have them dried for a long time.

[Alla]

The leaves are all dusty, so I had to wash, dry, put them on a towel, and twist them into a roll for 12 hours.

Alla, in fact, in the "roll" you have already started the fermentation process. This method was sometimes used by our ancestors in the production of willow tea:

This, in fact, ended the fermentation.

Then in the freezer for 2 days, cherries and plums. and apricot and cherry plum for a day. She took the bags out of the freezer, folded them into a tight plastic bag and left them in the room. I had to leave before evening. I entered the room, and there was a pleasant fruity aroma in it (and the bags were closed), I checked the leaves, they were sweating well, there was a lot of moisture, changed color and smell good. I no longer had the strength, I put all this beauty in the refrigerator and started working with the leaves only this morning.

And after freezing, you fermented twice more. Thus, you have fermented 3 times.

Now I think how many more hours to stand before drying?

Could dry immediately. When did you start drying?
Very interesting, what did you end up with?

[Anna]

Reporting on orange tea. The leaves were tough, as if they hadn't been in the freezer. I cut each leaf into 3 parts, shaved it, sprinkled it with water, under oppression and put a damp terry towel on fermentation.

Anna, it is difficult to talk about a plant that I did not hold in my hands. But I'll try.It seems to me that since the leaves were tough after the freezer, then this method is not very suitable for them. Maybe they had to be dried first and then sent to the freezer? Or, after the freezer, walk over them with a rolling pin to destroy the surface of the sheet and squeeze out the juice.

How can I achieve rich color? I would like tea, but it turned out like grass ...

This is most likely a feature of orange leaves. What gives color to tea? Tannins and tannins. Here is what is written about this in a book about traditional teas:

The color of the infusion, astringency, aroma and other properties of tea depend on tannins and their compounds with other substances or on the products of their change during processing. The bitterness of tea infusion is mainly associated with the catechin fraction of tannins, while the astringency, fullness of taste, good color and other properties are associated with tannins.

It seems that there are no tannins or tannins in orange leaves.

Then dried at 75 g for 1.5 hours and at 50 for 1.5 hours.

The color of the tea is added by the higher temperature of the first drying - 100 * С. At low temperatures, the color of the tea is lighter.
Anna, it seems to me that all the beauty of orange leaves is in their aroma. Apparently, as a result of oxidative and enzymatic processes, the chemical composition of the leaves does not change for the better. Drying removes the aroma.
By the way, I had a similar situation with blueberry leaves. I expected too much from them. And the result was not a very bright infusion, a weak sour taste and no aroma ...
Try making tea with other leaves to get a feel for the process. Because it didn't happen on orange leaves.

[nyusay]

I report on the rosehip (fermentation for 10 hours). Even when I separated the leaves from the stems for an hour, I decided that I would no longer be capable of such a feat. And when I tasted the ready-made tea, I was confirmed in this conclusion. Absolutely neutral taste. As mono tea it is not interesting at all, only as an additive to other leaves.

Here is the same story I got with blueberry leaves - a lot of work, but no result. In answer for nyusay I just wrote about tannins and tannins that give color, aroma and taste to tea. Apparently, they are not in the rosehip either.
Now rose hips have been added to the list of oranges and blueberries ...
Ksyusha, how cool you photograph! From the photo you might think that the tea is super! What granules! Which color! Yes, looks were deceiving!

From the photo you might think that the tea is super! What granules! Which color!

yyy)) at first I took a picture, then I tried it !!

shl. maybe someone will find this tea to taste, it's all subjective.

Ksyusha, I'm trying to do a survey now. And there, it seems, you can only choose one answer.

I don’t know how anyone, I liked the tea after Izori, it seemed richer and tastier, daughters, on the contrary, after frying.
fermentation and assembly under the same conditions, only the batch lasted in drying, the other in a frying pan, the cups were the same, but the taste was different. I decided for myself, it's easier for me in the dryer, I dropped the temperature, after a while changed the temperature, neither stir nor rearrange, in a word, less labor costs. And where are you in a hurry with the blackberry, Luda said the taste of saturation by the fall.
Mistletochka, I diluted the apple tea with dry apples, finely chopped and spices (cinnamon-cloves, in a word, what was in the country), somehow I didn't really like it, my daughter and friends liked it, try to save your tea this way.
I looked through something and didn't like Loboznik? I just haven't brewed yet?