How to ferment Ivan tea leaves. Ivan tea: fermentation of leaves at home

Having heard about the healing properties of fireweed (fireweed), many begin to make their own tea leaves from it. Those who just want to get involved in this homemade drink and harvest the herb themselves should know what fireweed is - how to collect and dry it, and also how to use fireweed. If you carefully follow all the rules for making such tea leaves, you can get a drink whose taste is much more pleasant than ordinary tea.

What is Ivan tea

The plant, which is known to many as fireweed, has many other names: Koporye tea, angustifolia fireweed, Ivan's grass. He populated central Russia. Ivan-tea especially loves abandoned fields, wastelands and forest clearings. Fireweed, which was used by our ancestors for medicinal purposes, is a plant with a long stem up to one and a half meters high and narrow leaves. In summer, crimson and pink flowers bloom on Ivanova grass.

Beneficial features

Fireweed contains in high concentration:

• titanium, copper, calcium, manganese, sodium, potassium, nickel, iron;
• vitamins B and C and ascorbic acid (more than in citrus fruits);
• tannins and bioflavonoids

The combination of high protein and caffeine content in fireweed makes the plant unique for preparing tonic drinks. It will be more effective even than green tea. Ivan tea is recommended in the presence of neuroses and psychological problems. There is no getting used to it. The use of fireweed has the following effects:

• eliminating the consequences of food poisoning and alcohol abuse;
• prevention of caries;
• removal of waste and toxins from the body;
• strengthening hair roots;
• prevention of prostatitis;
• helps with kidney and liver diseases;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• eliminates headaches;
• strengthens the immune system;
• alleviates symptoms of epilepsy;
• treats flatulence, colitis and enterocolitis;
• eliminates inflammation of the respiratory and urinary tract;
• increases the amount of breast milk.

When to collect fireweed

If you want to try your own prepared fireweed, you must remember how to collect and dry it. In the northern regions, fireweed blooms from mid-July, and in the south - in late June-early July. You need to start collecting fireweed during the flowering period, but before the entire cluster of flowers blooms, since then the beans with fluff that are starting to ripen will interfere. It is recommended to collect the plant in dry weather, before noon. The roots of fireweed, which are also useful for preparing raw materials, will have to be dug up in the fall.

How to collect fireweed

Fireweed grows only in open spaces. The flowers of fireweed have a bright pink hue and are collected in brushes. When harvesting, either the leaves, the top, or the entire plant are removed. In the latter case, the stem is cut 15 cm from the ground. It is important to learn how to identify Ivan's grass so as not to confuse it with other plants of the same family that are not suitable for consumption. Forest fireweed and hairy fireweed do not have healing properties. They have purple flowers, and the height of the plants is no more than 15 cm.

How to dry fireweed at home

Having finished with the routine collection, you can move on to the next steps. Preparing fireweed for the winter is not an easy task, but it is doable. There are many instructions and drying options, so it will be difficult to make a mistake. If you don’t know how to prepare fireweed tea at home, you can use “helpers” such as an oven or electric dryer. Preparation of fireweed tea includes several stages, described below.

Preparing for drying

All parts of fireweed are used for harvesting, including leaves, top of the plant, roots and shoots. It is better to collect Ivan's grass in “clean” places, but before the drying process it is better to rinse the collected raw materials in running water. After this, it is time to wilt. A layer of leaves is laid out on plain paper or cloth, which should be mixed regularly. After withering, the leaves of fireweed need to be rolled. At the next stage they are crushed. This can be done in a meat grinder or with a knife.

Fermentation

Many people do not know how to prepare Ivan tea correctly; they skip fermentation, and this is a mandatory process that determines the quality of the brew. For oxidation by air, the container with the green mass is left overnight. The fermentation process is similar to fermentation. At the end, the finest aroma of tea leaves will appear. To complete the process of preparing fermented raw materials, place fireweed in a frying pan and keep at a temperature of 100 degrees for about an hour until it takes the form of granules.

Types of drying

The last part of raw material processing is drying. There are several ways to properly dry fireweed leaves:

• Conventional oven drying. Place the fermented leaves on a baking sheet on top of parchment paper. It is recommended not to close the oven door tightly during drying. Leaves should be kept at a temperature of 95 to 110 degrees for an hour.
• Russian stove. The heated stove should stand for at least an hour, after which you can spread the herbal mass on a baking sheet, which is then placed on the coals.
• Electric dryer. The device is turned on at a temperature of about 90 degrees, the leaves are dried for at least 5 hours. It is important not to overdo it, because then the tea drink will taste like paper.

How to store fireweed

Once dried after fermentation, medicinal raw materials can be stored for two years or more, subject to certain conditions. Ivan tea should be inside an airtight container, preferably glass. Before brewing fireweed, the tea leaves are allowed to sit for at least a month. It is believed that fireweed tea becomes tastier and more aromatic the longer it is stored.

Cooking secrets

The correct way to brew fireweed is as follows: 3 tsp. 150 ml of boiling water, leave for a few minutes, then pour another 300 ml of hot water into the kettle. The amount of brewing water and tea raw materials can be changed depending on the desired strength. Fireweed tea can be refilled with boiling water up to 5 times. You can make your own drink without boiling water. For this, 1 tbsp. l. The tea mixture should be poured with a liter of water and left overnight. In the morning you will receive a healing drink. You can dilute fermented fireweed leaves with flowers dried in the usual way.

Indications for use

• poisoning and intestinal dysfunction;
• disorders in the nervous system (neuroses, alcoholic psychoses, hysteria, depression);
• epilepsy;
• rehabilitation from alcohol addiction to relieve hangover syndrome;
• increased psycho-emotional pressure and chronic stress;
• overwork;
• appearance of baby teeth, gum inflammation;
• problems with the menstrual cycle, uterine bleeding, menopause, premenstrual syndrome;
• chemotherapy and radiation exposure (during the recovery period);
• leukemia or lymphogranulomatosis as an adsorbent;
• immunodeficiency state;
• avitaminosis;
• prostatitis and prostate adenoma.

To get healthy and aromatic fireweed tea, it is not enough to simply brew fireweed leaves with boiling water. The best drink is obtained from pre-fermented leaves in a special way.

Fermentation is the process of preparing leaves, as a result of which insoluble substances in plant fibers are converted into soluble and easily digestible substances. It is these components that give tea its rich aroma, light and taste.

Collection of fireweed leaves

To obtain raw materials for a good drink, you need to adhere to certain rules, starting from the very first stage - collecting leaves. Collect fireweed tea at the time of flowering, when the upper part of the tassel has not yet fully blossomed. It is best to collect grass away from the road, at the edge of the forest. The leaves there are the most juicy and tender, and the tea made from them is the most delicious. To avoid damaging the plant, leave 3-4 tiers of leaves under the flowers. In this case, fireweed will continue to bloom and produce seeds.

Choose dry, sunny weather in the morning, when the dew has just disappeared. But you shouldn’t collect in the sweltering heat. The fastest way to collect leaves is as follows: grab the stem with your fingers at the desired height and move your hand down. You will find that the leaves will stay in your palm quite easily.

Drying fireweed leaves

After collecting, rinse the leaves. Spread a thick napkin or paper in a dry place, avoiding sunlight, and spread the leaves in a layer of no more than 5 cm. During the day, toss them several times with your hands.

Fermentation of fireweed tea

Now you can proceed directly to the fermentation process. For this:

• Take a handful of leaves and start rolling them between your palms until a ball forms. The leaves will darken and release juice. The size of the balls is not important, the main thing is to mash the leaves well;
• Place the leaves in a wide container (enamel pan or basin), also in a 5 cm layer. Cover the top with a damp, thick napkin;
• Place the pan in a warm place for 20 hours. Time may vary depending on humidity and temperature. Optimal conditions are +25 degrees. But you can only determine the exact time required for fermentation through experience. The taste and smell depend on the degree of fermentation. Some people like a very strong drink, others prefer weak tea.

Important! It is better to underexpose the raw material than to overexpose it. In the second case, the aroma of fireweed will be practically lost, and the drink will become similar to black tea from a public canteen.

Drying fireweed

After the fermentation stage is complete, finely chop the resulting balls or “sausages” and place them on parchment or cloth, spreading them evenly over the surface in a thin layer.
Cover the fireweed with a light napkin or gauze to prevent dust. Turn it 2 times a day. When the leaves dry well, the raw material will look like a mixture of green and black tea. The tea leaves should break well, but not crumble into dust.

Ivan tea cannot be compared with any other plant in its importance in the healing treasury of the Russian people. Our ancestors drank a drink from it, knowing about the great healing power of grass, namely its leaves. There was a time when all of Europe could enjoy the exquisite taste of tea, which was in no way inferior to overseas varieties. Admirers eagerly awaited the arrival of merchants from the Russian land with truly golden, useful and fragrant goods.

Ivan-tea, also known as narrow-leaved fireweed, in English Fireweed, which is translated as “weed from fires.” The very first appears on lands devastated by fire to prepare the ground for colonization by other plants. The seeds of a giant flower, reaching up to one and a half meters, thanks to its volatility, can quickly populate vast areas experiencing problems due to disturbance of vegetation cover. Therefore, in wastelands and forest edges, in clearings and swampy places, we encounter the pink blaze of flowers of the miraculous fireweed angustifolia.

Not everyone knows how to properly ferment fireweed at home. To get a real natural product from leaves, you need to try very hard, prepare it correctly, or rather ferment it. It is possible to do this yourself with certain knowledge and experience. There is no point in simply drying and brewing the leaves. You will not get the taste, the result, or the desired effect. Watch the video and see the usefulness of this drink and the importance of preparing it correctly.

The secret of Ivan tea lies in fermentation. Only with proper processing of green raw materials can insoluble substances from plant tissue become soluble and easily absorbed by the body. And we will receive from this process the smell, taste and color of the desired drink, and most importantly, benefits.

Preparing a healing infusion is a process that involves several stages. You need to collect the leaves, wither them, roll them, carry out the fermentation process, dry them and store them properly. And then brew and drink, receiving true pleasure from the tea, a boost of energy and beneficial substances. Let's look at how proper fermentation of Ivan tea occurs at home and its methods.

How to collect and dry leaves

The collection of raw materials occurs during the flowering period of plants from June and throughout August. It is during this period that it gains its greatest strength. As soon as the fireweed blooms pink, people go for the leaves.

They are picked off until the flowers bloom. Then the plant’s strength dries up and begins to decline. They do not tear up foliage near public roads and collect them only in dry weather. You need to choose shaded places, along the edges of forest clearings. The leaf there is green, juicy and tender. It rolls better and is easier to prepare, and the tea itself tastes a hundred times better.

You need to support the stem with your left hand at the peduncle, and with your right hand you need to guide it from top to bottom, tearing off the leaves. The lower ones don't take it, they're rude. And 3-4 tiers are left under the flowers, taking care of the plant. So, it will be able to continue to raise moisture from the roots, collect dew, bloom and delight, and plant seeds. And the plant also tries for humans. It grew tall so that it would be easier to tear leaves from it without bending.

It is better to collect in batches of up to one and a half kilograms. Process one, go for the next one. Dry the flowers separately; you can then add them to tea.

It is necessary to wilt the raw materials, this later helps to curl the leaves. Check the collected leaves and remove any damaged ones. Inspect them carefully and remove snails and other insects.

The leaves are not washed so as not to remove beneficial microorganisms. They take an active part in fermentation.

Place linen or cotton towels in the shade, and a 3-5 cm layer of raw materials on them. If the weather is dry and sunny, dry for 4 hours, cool and rainy - 8 hours. Turn the leaves periodically so that they dry evenly. You can tell when the leaves are ready by the crunch of the central vein. Bend one in half, it crunches, which means increase the time. Soft and without crunch – ready for the next stage.

How to Roll and Ferment Leaves

In order to extract useful substances from the dried green mass as completely as possible, it is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf before the formation of juice. To do this, choose one of three processing methods.

1. Roll by hand. Take a few leaves and roll them between your palms into a tube. They will darken and juice will come out. The formed rolls are usually 10 cm long and one and a half centimeters thick (give or take). Of course, this method requires a lot of time, unless in a large company. Then the process will go faster.
2. Grind in a meat grinder. Grind the raw materials in a meat grinder with a large grid. Fast and easy.
3. Freeze in the freezer. Place the leaves in a clean, dry plastic bag and place in the freezer. There they will collapse evenly and release juice well. And it’s easy to roll the leaves after defrosting.

The main stage is the fermentation of fireweed. The quality of the process will affect the aroma, taste and benefits of the drink. If everything is done correctly, the result at its best will be achieved.

Place the prepared leaves in a plastic container, preferably an enamel pan, in a layer of 10 cm, press down a little and cover with a damp natural cloth (cotton or linen).

Place in a warm place to ferment. The fabric should be moistened at all times. To do this, carefully remove it and wet it again.

It is impossible to say exactly how long the fermentation process will take. The higher the room temperature, the faster fermentation will occur. You need to know that too high a temperature or overexposure of raw materials threatens to deteriorate the smell and taste.

When the color of the mass turns brown or blackens, and the smell becomes rich, floral and fruity, it means that the fermentation was successful.

There are three types of fermentation.

Light – until the first signs of a pleasant aroma, approximately 6 hours;

• green mass;
• light tea;
• the aroma is strong;
• the taste is soft and delicate.

Medium – usually from 10 to 16 hours,

• with a pronounced aroma,
• tart taste with slight sourness,
• The drink itself has a rich reddish-brown color.

Deep – from 20 to 36 hours:

• tart;
• there is no sourness;
• light aroma;
• black tea color.

Try different types of fermentation and choose according to your taste. You can prepare teas of varying degrees of fermentation and then mix them. The main thing is not to miss the moment of the end of fermentation and not to let the mass become moldy.

Drying fireweed and storing raw materials

Loose leaf tea after fermentation will be obtained if the leaves are rolled by freezing or between the palms. The finished rolls are cut into discs (0.5 cm) with a knife and dried. We have granulated tea after rolling the leaf mass through a meat grinder. Here's how to dry fireweed tea correctly:

1. After fermentation, carefully loosen the mixture so that it is free of lumps.
2. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the prepared mixture 1 cm thick on it.
3. Dry for two hours at an oven temperature of at least 100 degrees. Open the door slightly. To completely remove the moisture, after a while reduce the temperature to 50 degrees. Stir the future tea periodically and taste it by touch.
4. The end of drying will be indicated by tea leaves, which, when squeezed, will break, but will not crumble. The color is like regular tea.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and leave to cool. Pour the dry tea into a bag made of thin natural fabric, maybe into a pillowcase and hang it in the shade in the breeze.

There is also a way to dry it in an electric dryer. But there you need to lay out the mass with gaps and not tightly. This way the device will not overheat.

A thick-walled frying pan is suitable for drying, in which you need to simmer the mass and shake it for half an hour. Then, over medium heat, bring to a dry state, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon.
Don't let a burning smell develop. But it is also dangerous not to dry it completely; during storage, the tea may become moldy.

Do not dry the flowers of the plant along with the fermented foliage. They dry out faster, and at 100-degree temperatures they will simply burn. The best option would be the oven (50–60 degrees) and dry them very quickly to avoid loss of aroma.

To keep tea well, you need to prepare containers. Rinse the glass jars, sterilize them, let them dry, and the plastic lids should be clean and preferably new. Birch bark boxes, metal boxes, and disposable plastic containers are suitable.

Make notes on paper indicating the degree of fermentation and dates of preparation.
Do not prepare dry tea right away, let it age. The longer it is stored, the more impressive it is. Wait a month and brew. Dry tea can be stored for no more than 3 years. If you decide to drink the magic drink daily, store it in a metal box.

How to brew fireweed tea

Rinse a clean kettle with boiling water. Add 2 teaspoons of tea leaves and pour a glass of hot water (not boiling water). Cover with a lid and a towel on top for ten minutes. Pour into cups and be amazed at the unique aroma. The drink is already ready and there is no need to dilute it with water.

Pour the tea leaves again and let it brew for 15 minutes. The infusion will become even richer, more aromatic and tastier. This is the optimal time, otherwise it will overheat and the charm of the product will disappear. Use dry tea twice. During this time, it will give up all its beneficial substances.

Drink the drink hot, warm or cold. If you decide to reheat, do not bring to a boil.
In the old days, the healing remedy from fireweed was drunk with honey, dried fruits and jams. No sugar was added at that time, and it was already very good. We enjoyed and thanked the plant for its help for good health.

Try different mixing options with dried flowers, mint, oregano, and lemon balm. Dried blueberries, wild strawberries and raspberries. Here you can experiment to achieve new aromas and tastes.

Recipe for “Gorodets tea” from Margarita Voronina

Prepare two kettles. Pour 1 teaspoon of dry fireweed tea into a small one and pour a glass of very hot water for 10 minutes. Let it brew, pour the drink into a large container, and pour the steamed tea leaves again. So, at least four times.

Beneficial ingredients are consistently extracted from fireweed. The drink acts as a preventative against cancer. Fireweed tea will not stain tooth enamel. Its taste is unique, so don’t look for familiar notes in it.

The secret of fireweed has been revealed. The plant itself contains everything for fermentation. Wet, crumpled leaves are rich in vitamins, nutrients and intracellular enzymes that change the biochemical composition. The process is similar to self-digestion. At the same time, the leaves begin to darken and a pleasant smell appears.

By the way, any medicinal plants are fermented. Just imagine how many new healthy drinks you can prepare. Let’s take Bolotov’s famous kvass as a side dish. Would you like to know more about it?

Official medicine says nothing about taking Ivan tea. You can only rely on information from grandmothers who drink this drink and prepare it in dry form for themselves and for sale.
First of all, pay attention to the contraindications.

Drink tea for no more than 14 days and take a break. Otherwise, it may cause diarrhea. Although for some, the drink has become a daily drink.

The optimal number of glasses of aromatic potion is no more than seven.

Follow the brewing recipe: add a teaspoon of dry product to a glass of hot water.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the famous researcher Badmaev became interested in studying the properties of the magical plant, fireweed angustifolia, and proved its restorative powers by his own example. He devoted a lot of work to the healing gift of Nature. Tea was the main drink for scientists and doctors. And it was to him that Pyotr Alexandrovich was grateful to the joy of fatherhood at the age of 100 and his longevity of 110 years. Here is proof of the uniqueness of the drink!

If you come across a plant somewhere in nature, be sure to pick its leaves and flowers. Prepare fireweed tea at home and drink for your health. This is a powerful force bestowed upon man, which must not be forgotten.

Julia Vern 295 895 23

A nectar smell and amazing taste - this is how fireweed tea, well known and loved by many, is characterized by everyone. In ancient times in Rus', infusions were made from it and taken orally as a real medicine that could cure many diseases. Today we will learn when to collect fireweed, how to harvest, dry and ferment this miracle plant at home, evaluate all the complexities of these processes and think about whether this whole business is worth undertaking?

June and August are the best time to collect fireweed.

Choose dry weather, and consider a few more points:

• The plant should grow away from roads, where layers of dust and other dangerous elements do not settle on the leaves.
• It is advisable that the place be slightly shaded. For example, next to a forest belt. They say that such leaves will be easier to ferment.
• Collect leaves only from the middle of the trunk, starting at the peduncle. Leave the lower ones, as the fireweed needs them to supply moisture. Also the lower leaves are rough.

There is no need to destroy fireweed, because next year you may no longer find it - the plant will simply die at your hands.

You can (and even need) to collect fireweed flowers in a separate bag. Dry them at home, put them in a jar and then add them to your favorite tea.

Withering

From the word you can understand that during this process the leaves should “wither” a little. To do this, pour them onto a newspaper or other surface for a maximum of a day. 24 hours will be enough. However, this layer should be no more than five centimeters, and you will also need to periodically stir the leaves so that they are all in approximately the same condition.

You can’t leave them outside, and you need to choose a place in the house where the sun’s rays will not reach them. The sun and wind will dry them, preventing them from withering. If you notice bad leaves, be sure to remove them, as well as snails and other debris. Under no circumstances should you rinse it - just sort it out.

When the day is over, squeeze one sheet in half. If the central vein crunches, it’s not ready. This usually happens in cloudy and rainy weather, and you have to wait more than 24 hours.

Twisting

If you have a large volume for preparing fireweed, it is not recommended to perform this action manually. It's better to grind it through a meat grinder. When this is not possible, take the sheets and rub them between your palms so that they eventually curl into a “sausage.” This must be done until a little juice comes out.

Before drying fireweed, you need to prepare it. To make it real, high-quality and tasty, pay special attention to fermenting fireweed at home. She plays a huge role.

After twisting by hand or using a meat grinder, place the leaves in a plastic or ceramic container, or you can take an enamel bowl. If you twisted them with a meat grinder, apply additional pressure on them with your hands to compact them a little, and if by hand, cover with a lid and place stones on top to create pressure for a while. Cover with a cloth and leave to ferment. Now let’s look at fermentation methods, because they determine what the tea will be like in the end.

1. Light degree - 3-6 hours. A fruity-floral scent begins to emerge. The taste of the tea is soft, the aroma is strong but delicate.
2. Average degree - 10-16 hours. The tea has a slight sourness, tartness, and a pronounced aroma.
3. Deep degree - 20-36 hours. Tart with a light aroma.

Remember that it is better if it is slightly under-fermented than to over-ferment, because there is a high probability of molding.

Drying

This is the last process. Let's talk about how to dry fireweed at home.

If you rolled the leaves by hand, cut the “sausages” into half-inch pieces after fermentation. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Spread the leaves in a one-centimeter layer. Loosen it a little so that there are no lumps left. Now you can dry the fireweed in the oven.

Warm it up to one hundred degrees and leave to dry for up to two hours. Open the door just a little bit. Then lower the temperature to about 50 °C. So the leaves should dry completely. It is important that it needs to be stirred periodically. Try it by touch: the tea leaves should break and look like real tea. Be careful not to overdo it and ruin your efforts.

After this, it still needs to be dried. When it has cooled at room temperature, pour it into a thin fabric bag and hang it outside (or on a clothesline). If it's raining or cloudy, find a place for it in the house.

Times vary. When ready, it will rustle in the bag when shaken. You can also dry it in a frying pan with thick walls for half an hour, shaking constantly.

The leaves are not dried if:

• there is a strong aroma;
• the granules are crushed and crumble easily.

You need to store fireweed in glass jars or in metal/birch bark boxes. The jars are covered with polyethylene lids. You can place the containers, for example, in the pantry or other place where it is dry and dark. To enjoy the taste of your own homemade tea, pour the tea leaves into a tin jar.

Again from the Khlebopechka website

Cuisine: Russian

Cooking method

• Ivan-tea will bloom a little, from this very color -
• Early summer, goodbye, hello, afternoon summer...
• A. Tvardovsky
• Yes, mid-day summer has already arrived, so it’s time to go to the nearest meadow for fireweed leaves. And start preparing tea with an amazing taste and nectar smell for the whole next year. This is my third year making Ivan tea. And we don’t drink store-bought anymore! It seems to me that I have never drunk tastier tea than this. Everyone I treat to it shares the same opinion - they drink, admire it, and then ask for the recipe. I thought - if my friends need a recipe, then they can post it on their favorite “Bread Maker”.
• In fact, you can find recipes for fireweed on the Internet, but almost all sites quote excerpts from engineer Odintsov’s article “The Forgotten Drink” from the magazine “Science and Life” for 1989. It is difficult to prepare the “correct” Ivan tea according to this article and quotes - many questions arise during the preparation process. I threw out more than one batch of tea before I got it. The recipe that I am posting here takes into account all the nuances, so my friends to whom I give this recipe usually do not have any difficulties when preparing fireweed.
• Although it takes about a day to prepare a batch, our participation will require less than 1 hour*. The main thing is to follow the process, and the tea is prepared as if in passing. Try it! You will see that it is not difficult at all.
• Ivan-tea, Koporsky tea, Russian tea... All this is the name of the same tea from fireweed angustifolia, which grows in huge quantities throughout almost the entire territory of Russia. Here he is, my dear, I ask you to love and favor him.
• 
  
• The secret of making fireweed tea is fermentation, as a result of which part of the insoluble (non-extractable) substances of plant tissue is converted into soluble and easily digestible. These are the substances that give the taste, smell and color of tea.
• The process of preparing fermented fireweed tea consists of several stages.
• 1. Collecting leaves
• The leaves are collected in June-August from the beginning of fireweed flowering until it fluffs up. It is necessary to collect in dry weather, away from roads and polluted places, preferably in shaded places along the edge of forest clearings. The leaves of such plants are more tender and juicy, they curl more easily and ferment better, and the tea they make tastes better.
• It is convenient to collect fireweed leaves by holding the stem near the peduncle with one hand and running the other hand down to the middle of the stem (in the photo this part of the stem is limited by red ribbons). The lower leaves are left on the stem because they are rougher than the top ones. It is advisable to leave 3-4 tiers of leaves under the flowers; the plant needs them to lift moisture from the roots and collect dew. This method of collecting leaves does not harm the plant - it continues to bloom and produce seeds.
• 
• So, for the next batch of fireweed tea, I collected a full bag of leaves (1.2 kg)**.
• 
  
• I recommend collecting fireweed flowers separately and then adding them to fireweed tea.
• 2. Withering of leaves
• This stage is needed to make it easier to curl the leaves in the future. The collected leaves are inspected and damaged ones are removed. There may also be snails, so we remove them too. It is better not to wash the leaves before withering, because... beneficial microorganisms involved in the fermentation process can be washed away. Then the leaves are laid out in the shade on cotton or linen in a small layer (3 - 5 cm).
• 
  
• On average, the process takes 4-8 hours, depending on humidity and air temperature. On a dry, sunny day the process goes faster, on a rainy and cool day it takes longer (a day or more). Therefore, you need to control the process and periodically stir the leaves every hour so that they wilt evenly. The readiness of the leaf is determined by squeezing the leaf in half. If, when folding the sheet, you feel a “crunch” of the central vein, then the sheet is not yet ready. If most of the leaves do not “crunch,” then it’s time to move on to the next step.
• 
  
• If the leaves are already wilted, and I don’t have time to deal with them, then I wrap them tightly in the same fabric on which they dried. This way the leaves can lie there long enough until we are free.
• 
  
• 3. Rolling leaves (or grinding in a meat grinder, or freezing)
• At this stage, it is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf before releasing the juice, which allows the most complete extraction of useful substances from the plant and better fermentation. This can be done by one of three ways.
• The first method is to roll the leaves by hand. Take several leaves (7 - 10), roll them several times between your palms until the leaves darken from the juice that appears. As a result, rolls up to 10 cm long and 1 - 1.5 cm thick will be formed.
• 
  
• This process is labor-intensive and time-consuming. If you have a large company, then you can roll up rolls quite quickly.
• One of the books about fireweed tea says that old people taught how to roll rolls from leaves on a count of one to eight: “one-two - a ball of leaves, three-four - the ball is pulled out into a sausage, five-six - press harder, seven -eight - the twist has time to roll between the palms a few more times and collect the juice.”
• The second method is to twist the leaves in a meat grinder.(grid with large holes). Periodically let the meat grinder cool. Depending on the number of leaves, this takes 10 - 15 minutes.
• 
  
• The third method is freezing the leaves. Place the leaves in the bag in the freezer. As a result, the leaf is destroyed evenly and the juice is released well. By the way, frozen leaves curl very easily and quickly. Therefore, if I decide that I will make loose leaf tea, I first freeze the leaves, then defrost them for a short time, and then roll them.
• It is believed that the most “correct” tea is obtained by grinding the leaves by hand. I didn't feel any difference. Therefore, I often use the second method, since I prepare tea in large quantities. Everyone decides for themselves which method to choose.
• 4. Fermentation of leaves
• The properties of tea - taste, aroma and benefits of the drink - depend on the quality of this process. Leaves prepared using one of the above methods are placed in a layer of 5 - 10 cm in an enamel or plastic container, pressed down a little, covered with damp linen or cotton cloth and placed in a warm place (24 - 27 ° C) for fermentation. Periodically check to see if the fabric is dry. If it’s dry, we wet it again.
• 
  
• It is impossible to say exactly how long fermentation will take - it depends on the temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process goes. Too high a temperature and overexposure are dangerous - the tea takes on the smell of low-grade tea.
• The end of fermentation is a change in the color of the mass from green to brown or black, as well as a change in the herbal smell to a strong floral-fruity aroma. Distinguish three degrees of tea fermentation - light, medium and deep.
• At light fermentation the leaves are fermented until the first signs of a fruity-floral smell (3 - 6 hours). After drying they remain green. Brewed tea has a light color, mild taste and a delicate but strong aroma.
• Tea medium fermentation(10 - 16 hours) is obtained with a pronounced aroma, moderately tart taste with a slight sourness. The color of this tea is rich, reddish-brown.
• Tea deep fermentation(20 - 36 hours) - tart, without sourness, with a relatively light aroma. The color of this tea is similar to the color of regular black tea.
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• It’s best to find the time for yourself experimentally, preparing weak, medium or highly fermented tea - it all depends on your preferences and tastes. I prepare tea of ​​varying degrees of fermentation, then mix them in different proportions and get teas that are very rich in color, taste and aroma.
• It is important not to miss the moment of completion of fermentation, otherwise the mass may become moldy. It is better to under-ferment the tea than to over-ferment it.
• 5. Drying
• If the leaves were rolled between the palms or frozen, then after fermentation is complete, the rolls need to be cut with a knife into washers approximately 0.5 cm thick. Then in the end we will get leaf tea.
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• If the leaves were scrolled in a meat grinder, we get granulated tea.
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• Gently loosen the fermented mass so that there are no lumps.
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• Then spread the mixture on baking sheets covered with parchment in a 1 centimeter layer and dry in the oven at a temperature of 100*C 1.5 - 2 hours. The oven door should be kept slightly open. Then we lower the temperature to 50* - 60*C and dry it completely until the moisture is completely released.
• Periodically stir the tea with a wooden spatula and check the readiness of the tea leaves by touch. Well-dried tea has the color of ordinary tea; when squeezed, the tea leaves break, but do not crumble.
• When the bulk of the tea reaches this condition, remove the baking sheets from the oven and let cool. To remove residual moisture, we dry the tea in a bag made of thin fabric (in an old pillowcase) in the breeze in the shade in dry weather or in a room in rainy and damp weather.
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• You can dry tea in electric dryer. You just need to spread the mass not in a very dense layer, but with gaps so that the dryer does not overheat.
• You can also dry tea in a thick-walled frying pan. To do this, simmer the mass over very low heat with constant shaking for 30 minutes. Then turn on medium heat and, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, bring the leaves/granules to a dry state.
• Carefully! If the temperature is too high and the tea is overexposed during drying, an admixture of the smell of burnt paper appears in the smell of the finished tea. If the tea is not completely dried, it may become moldy during storage.
• If you have collected fireweed flowers, do not dry them together with the fermented mass, as the flowers dry out faster and at a temperature of 100*C they can simply burn. It is better to dry them separately in the oven or electric dryer. dryer at a temperature of 50 - 60*C. They dry quite quickly.
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• I’ll add that during drying, there is such a magical aroma throughout the whole house that this alone makes it worth making fireweed tea at least once.
• 6. Tea storage
• Fireweed tea is stored in a dry, dark place in glass jars with plastic lids, birch bark or metal boxes. I store tea in disposable plastic containers with a label on them indicating the date of preparation and the degree of fermentation of the tea.
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• Tea is aged in jars/containers for at least a month for the so-called dry fermentation. If you try to brew tea immediately after preparation, you may not be impressed by it - it hasn’t steeped yet. The longer the tea is stored, the better it becomes.
• I always wonder where this “extra” smell comes from after aging tea? In a month - better than in a week. In a year, better than in six months. And so on. Miracles! The optimal shelf life of tea is 2 - 3 years.
• For daily use, I pour the tea into metal boxes.
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• I like to mix fireweed with dried fireweed flowers, dried strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, lingonberries, mint, lemon balm, oregano... - it turns out very beautifully, and the tea takes on a new taste and aroma.
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• 7. Brewing tea
• Rinse a clean teapot with boiling water, pour tea at the rate of 1 - 2 teaspoons per glass of boiling water, add hot water, cover with a towel, let it brew for 10 minutes, then pour into cups without diluting with boiling water. And immediately fill the kettle a second time, because the second infusion of tea is even tastier and more aromatic than the first. After another 15 minutes, pour the tea into cups - do not let it sit. And don’t brew the same tea the next day! Even if you only filled it once, it won’t work out well after a break. They drink Koporye tea hot, warm or cold. When heating cooled tea, try not to allow even the slightest boiling of the drink. The subtle aroma will disappear immediately.
• You can drink Ivan tea with dried fruits, honey or jam. Sugar makes tea cloying. But you can drink without anything. The taste is already very good!
• And this recipe signature Gorodets fireweed tea I read in Margarita Voronina’s brochure “Gorodets tea is a joy to the soul, health to the body.”
• Bring the water to a boil (when bubbles begin to come off the bottom). Prepare two teapots - a large one and a smaller one. Pour one teaspoon of fireweed tea into a small teapot (per one glass of water), pour boiling water and leave for 7-10 minutes. After this, pour into a large kettle. Pour boiling water over the already steamed tea leaves and leave again. And so on - up to four times. Leave the tea leaves for the last time for no more than three minutes. This is done in order to consistently extract beneficial ingredients from fireweed. The famous chanerol, which helps prevent malignant diseases, is extracted for the third or fourth time.
• That's it, ours Ivan tea is ready! When you try it for the first time, don’t immediately try to compare the taste with something you already know, don’t try to understand what it’s like. Fireweed tea is unlike anything else, it has its own taste, its own and unique. Enjoy this taste!