How to make and when to collect Ivan tea. Medicinal properties and contraindications of Kopor tea

There are many types and varieties of tea delivered to Russia from other countries. Not everyone knows that once our country was the producer of the unique Koporye tea, which was obtained from the fireweed plant, the popular name is Ivan-tea.

Tea from this medicinal plant was consumed both in Russia and in Europe. When foreign teas appeared on the market, the original Russian drink was undeservedly forgotten.. Currently, Russian tea is produced in small volumes only in some areas.

Folk names

Fireweed narrow-leaved has a lot of names by which you can make up his "portrait". So, the most popular is Ivan-tea, most likely, it was given to foreigners who bought tea from Russian merchants. Narrow fireweed leaves are similar to willow leaves, hence the popular name "willow-grass" and "willow-grass" appeared. For the fact that the plant inhabits places where there was a fire recently, it was dubbed "fire grass" and "fireman".

At one time, all parts of the grass were used productively.

So, from the dried and ground roots of the plant, an excellent addition to flour was obtained, from which the name “miller” and “bread box” appeared.

Bread baked from such flour retained its freshness for a long time and, thanks to vitamins and microelements, was very useful. The fireweed is called “plakunom” due to the fact that the characteristic sound occurs when the plant is pulled out of the ground.

Fiber was obtained from the stems for the production of fabrics and ropes, for which the grass was dubbed "wild flax", "wild hemp". After flowering, boxes with seeds wrapped in fluff are formed on the brushes, hence another name - "down jacket". This fluff is formed so much that in the old days pillows were stuffed with it. And yet, the plant has found the greatest use as a tea. “Koporsky” tea was named due to the area where raw materials for processing were harvested in large volumes - the village of Koporye near St. Petersburg.

What parts of the plant are used to make tea?

The regions of growth of fireweed angustifolia are extensive. It can be found in central Russia, in Altai, the Urals, in the Siberian taiga. Ivan-tea grows poorly in arid southern regions. This grass prefers weather conditions close to the temperature of the Moscow region. She likes to settle in bright places on the edges of forests, on burned areas, near ditches and hedges, preferring damp areas, but sometimes she is also found on dryish rocky slopes.

The appearance of the plant is tall succulent stems with lanceolate leaves. During flowering, large pink-lilac brushes appear on the tops of the stems. When the fireweed blooms, the field is a breathtaking sight. Bees swarm over a solid bright carpet, collecting nectar and pollen from a valuable honey plant. Fireweed honey has a greenish color, transparency, sweetness and delicate taste.

Leaves, flowers and unblown buds are used as raw materials. It should be collected in a clean area, away from roads, in the morning, when the dew dries. The lower old leaves should not be taken, the upper leaves are most useful.

The most convenient way to collect: you need to grab the stem under the flower brush with one hand, and with the other force down, collecting the leaves in the palm of your hand.

Unopened buds and leaves should be collected separately in cloth bags. You can not take the lower parts of the brushes with pods, otherwise the fluff formed in them will spoil all the harvested grass. How many raw materials are harvested in one hour? On average, you can get about 5 kg of green mass if the willow-tea stems grow close to each other. The heat and blood-sucking insects - horseflies, mosquitoes - make the work very difficult.

The collected raw materials can be dried and used in this form. It will be just a herb that does not have the taste of tea. To turn the leaves into real tea, a special treatment is carried out - fermentation. How much dry tea can be obtained from raw materials depends on its moisture content, but the average ratio is 1:5. Inexperienced harvesters can easily make a mistake in choosing the right plant, confusing it with similar species. Ivan tea is easiest to recognize during the flowering period. When does it bloom?

Fireweed flowering time

It is believed that the best Koporye tea can be obtained from the tops of young shoots, cutting them off in early May. But for this you need to know exactly the places with Ivan-tea plantations. Before flowering, the leaves of the plant are very tender, green and not spoiled by pests. It is advisable to collect grass in the initial stage of flowering, which begins with the lower flowers on the brush. At this time, young leaves contain the maximum amount of nutrients. But most often the collection is made during the active stage of flowering.

In the whole country, flowering lasts from early June to September, but in each region it is different. So, if in the southern regions the fireweed blooms in early June, then in the Moscow region in the second half of June, and in Siberia only by the end of July. Fireweed narrow-leaved blooms unevenly, some plants are just starting to bloom, while others are already in the active phase.

The flowering time of Ivan-tea plantations can be different - in the Moscow region it is June-July, to the north it lasts from mid-summer to early September.

The weather has a great influence on the duration of flowering. In hot summers, the flowering period may begin earlier, in cold summers - later. When thin branches grow on the top of the brush under the flowers, this signals that flowering is ending. It is no longer worth collecting Ivan tea, at this time its leaves have the least biological activity. When asked how long the period of active collection of willow tea lasts, experienced pickers answer that it is approximately 15–20 days.

Chamerion, fireweed, plakun - this is all Ivan-tea - a herb of the fireweed family, which is one of the most useful plants that grow in Russia.

Time to pick Ivan tea

It is necessary to collect Ivan tea during its flowering period, but before the entire flower brush has fully blossomed. Because at the end of summer, beans ripen on the lower branches of the plant, in which there is an unpleasant fluff, which is not used in the collection.

Traditionally, the collection of this plant begins in the last weeks of June and lasts until autumn. In particular, in the south of Russia, this happens at the end of June, in the central part - at the beginning of July, at the end of July - beginning of August - in the northern regions.

It should be noted that it is important to distinguish where Ivan-tea is, and where other representatives of the fireweed family are.

Ivan-tea is a plant with bright pink flowers collected in brushes, from 70 cm to 2 m high. It grows exclusively in open areas - clearings, clearings, edges, sometimes inhabits empty places after a fire or logging, slopes of railway embankments. This grass does not tolerate high humidity.

And hairy fireweed and forest fireweed cannot be used in medicinal purposes . It is not difficult to distinguish them: they are smaller than Ivan-tea, up to 15 cm high, and their flowers are not pink, but red-purple in color, grow in damp places. Small-flowered fireweed with small purple flowers is also used for medicinal purposes.

Collect the leaves and flowers of Ivan-tea should be in the morning, in dry weather. The entire plant is included in the collection. To do this, its stem is cut or broken closer to the ground.

Healing properties of Ivan tea

For medicinal purposes, Ivan-tea is used as a general tonic, which, due to its enveloping and astringent action, improves digestion, helps with gastritis, colitis and ulcers.

In addition, Ivan tea has strong anti-inflammatory qualities, so it is used to treat female and male diseases of the genital area, colds and SARS. True, in the latter case, one should begin treatment as soon as possible after the onset of symptoms, because if it is started in the later stages of the disease, the effect may be reversed.

It is also important to add that, like valerian officinalis, Ivan tea has a mild sedative and hypnotic effect. By the way, about 20 years ago, an effective anti-cancer agent Hanerol was obtained from the inflorescences of willow-tea. Alas, today it is not produced in any country in the world. But until now, most experts appoint cancer patients to apply fees with Ivan tea. However, we must not forget that such treatment should be carried out exclusively under the supervision of a doctor!

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Nectar smell and amazing taste - this is how Ivan-tea, well-known to everyone and beloved by many, also called fireweed, characterizes it. In ancient times in Russia, infusions were made from it and taken orally as the real thing. medicine capable of curing many diseases. Today we will find out when to collect Ivan tea, how to harvest, dry and ferment this miracle plant at home, evaluate all the complexities of these processes and think - is it worth starting this whole thing?

June and August are the most best time in order to collect Ivan-tea.

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 desirable that the place was a little shaded. For example, next to a forest belt. It is said 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 they are necessary for fireweed to feed with moisture. Also, the lower leaves are rough.

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

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

withering

By the word, you can understand that during this process, the leaves should “wither” a little. To do this, pour them on 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 mix the leaves so that they are all in approximately the same condition.

You can not leave them on the street, and in the house you need to choose a place where they will not reach the sun's rays. The sun and wind will dry them, not letting them wither. If you notice bad leaves, be sure to remove them, as well as snails and other debris. In no case should you wash it - just sort it out.

When the day comes to an end, squeeze one sheet in half. If the midrib crackles, 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 harvesting willow-tea, it is not recommended to perform such an action manually. It is better to scroll through a meat grinder. When this is not possible, take the sheets and rub them between your palms so that they end up twisting into a “sausage”. This must be done until a little juice comes out.

Before you dry Ivan tea, you need to prepare it. To make it real, high-quality and tasty, pay special attention to the fermentation of willow tea at home. She plays a huge role.

After twisting by hand or with a meat grinder, put the leaves in a plastic or ceramic container, or you can take enamelware. If you twisted them with a meat grinder, put additional pressure on them with your hands to tamp a little, and if by hand, cover with a lid and put stones on top in order to create pressure for a while. Cover with a cloth and leave to ferment. Now consider the 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 tea is soft, the aroma is strong, but gentle.
2. The average degree is 10-16 hours. Tea has a slight sourness, tart, pronounced aroma.
3. Deep degree - 20-36 hours. Tart with a light aroma.

Remember that it is better if it is a little under-fermented than over-fermented, because the likelihood of mold is high.

Drying

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

If you scrolled the leaves by hand, after fermentation, cut the "sausages" into half-centimeter pieces. Spread a sheet on a baking sheet parchment paper. Spread the leaves in a layer of one centimeter. Loosen a little so that there are no lumps left. Now you can dry Ivan tea 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. Then lower the temperature to around 50°C. So the leaves should finally dry out. It is important that it needs to be stirred periodically. Try to touch: the tea leaves should break and take on the appearance of real tea. Be careful not to overdo or ruin your efforts.

After that, it still needs to be dried. When it cools down in conditions room temperature, pour into a bag of thin fabric and hang on the street (you can on a clothesline). If it's raining or cloudy, find a place for it in the house.

Time is different. When ready, it will rustle in the bag when shaking. You can also dry it in a pan with thick walls: for half an hour, while constantly shaking.

Leaves are not dried if:

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

Ivan tea should be stored in glass jars, or in metal / birch bark boxes. The jars are covered with polyethylene lids. You can put containers, for example, in a pantry, or another place where it is dry and dark. To enjoy the taste of your own handmade tea, pour the tea leaves into a tin.

Fireweed, popularly referred to as Ivan-tea, has anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. With its help, you can overcome a number of ailments and strengthen the body. Making the right drink with the right ingredients is easy. The technology for collecting and processing this type of plant must be observed. You need to know the time of harvesting the plant, its useful parts, the processing method and additional components of the process. Esoteric directions even take into account which moon to collect Ivan tea. It is believed that plants are living organisms with a lot of possibilities. Like all living organisms, they are affected by the change of time of day. The collection of fireweed must be performed in time with the movement of heavenly bodies. In this regard, the procedure is carried out in the morning in the first phase of the moon, from the moment of sunrise until noon. The moon at this time should be in the sign of Leo.

What Ivan tea is better to collect and how to do it

The collection consists of several mandatory conditions. Their list includes:

• choice of ecologically clean area;
• definition of a healthy plant;
• collection method.

When choosing a place where a plant grows, you need to take into account all the factors that affect it. It is necessary that there are no roads and industrial buildings nearby. All vegetation is subject to excessive absorption of toxic and harmful substances. They settle in the structure of the flower and can further harm the body. Next, you need to choose healthy stems with well-developed leaves. Answering the question: what part of Ivan tea to collect, it is necessary to take into account the stage of its development. If the plant has faded, then it no longer makes sense to collect it. All useful material are in the structure of the flower, precisely during the flowering period. When the stage is downloaded, the fireweed no longer has the same properties as before.

Mostly collect leaves and a small part of the flowers. Part of the plant is cut off or leaves are simply torn off. Often the leaves are pinched between the fingers, and held from top to bottom, accelerating the process. They may wrinkle a little, but this is not so significant.

As soon as the plant has set buds and the flowers are ready to bloom, the collection begins. Depending on the territory, the flowering period begins from the end of May to the end of September. The main part falls on June-July. This process is influenced by climatic conditions, the location of the territory, its weather characteristics. In colder areas, the plant blooms a little later than in hot ones. Fireweed grows in places where there is a lot of light. It can be edges, clearings, fields and other flat surfaces. It has the appearance of a stem with pink inflorescences. When determining which willow-tea leaves to collect, you need to take into account the condition of the plant. Its leaves should not be dry and lethargic, without the presence of painful signs. Sometimes the leaves begin to break off before the flowering of the plant, they are not susceptible to pests and drying out from the sun. This type of collection is carried out by people with experience who are able to distinguish a medicinal plant.

When the fireweed has faded, it contains pods, the contents of which look like cotton wool. It can spoil all the raw materials, so the collection is performed when the flower has just begun its active growth.

When is the best time to collect Ivan tea?

In order not to miss the flowering period, you need to choose in advance the place where the collection will be carried out. Determining the time frame for this procedure is not easy. There is no fixed period in which Ivan tea is harvested. The beginning of the active development of a flower may begin at the beginning of summer, or maybe in the middle, so talking about time limits is irrelevant. It is important to have time to collect before the moment when the flowering phase ends. If the month is not defined, it is even more difficult to say until what date Ivan tea is collected. It could be the beginning of September. If it is warm outside, with sufficient sunlight and good weather, the active growth stage may be delayed. At the end of the summer months, everyone is trying to stock up on the most useful herbs, which include fireweed. Determining which parts of willow-tea should be collected is easy. The structure of the flower is simple, you do not need to have a special technique for recognizing a flower, it is enough to familiarize yourself with its visual examples in the form of photographs or pictures. The most useful are the leaves, from which tea is subsequently made. The processing of raw materials includes several stages, including: collection, pre-drying before fermentation, fermentation itself and drying. The process called "fermentation" is a set of actions aimed at creating taste properties plants. When it is performed, tea acquires a different degree of saturation of taste and aroma. The longer this process lasts, the less pronounced the aroma and the stronger the taste.

Speaking about which month is better to collect Ivan tea, you need to pay attention to what the weather is like. On rainy days, it is better not to collect. It is worth waiting for dry and clear weather without precipitation. Closer to autumn, the fireweed begins to ripen and has fruits in the form of beans on the lower branches. Inside they contain fluff, the ingress of which can ruin the entire collection of plant materials. It is better to cut off part of the stem so that the plant does not die and gives even more inflorescences next year. The processed herbal mixture can be stored for up to two years. Her healing properties are not lost and are still active. We figured out what Ivan tea to collect.

The infusion can be brewed up to five times and stored for 2-3 days. This is very convenient, because with ordinary tea such simple actions cannot be performed. The taste characteristics of the drink are not inferior to tea from Ceylon or long leaf. Proper fermentation ensures different types teas with enhanced aroma or flavor. After completing the preliminary preparation, the leaves can be granular, large or small.

Koporye tea should be consumed as a drink after the so-called fermentation. We will learn more about this later, but for now, about the benefits and harms of fermented tea from Ivan tea.
The benefits are obvious due to the presence of a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in this product.

The plant contains ascorbic acid six times more than lemon, vitamins of groups A, B and PP, it contains potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, iron, calcium, zinc, sodium. It is successfully used as a tonic, tonic and therapeutic agent.

Due to the presence essential oils the properties of the drink are preserved for three days. Let us dwell on the medicinal properties and contraindications of fermented Ivan tea.

Did you know? Ivan tea is considered high-calorie product, contains about 100 calories per 100 g. Therefore, it is indispensable for travel, long-term hunting or fishing–strength is restored faster.

Medicinal properties

Due to its beneficial components, Koporye tea has been used for the treatment and prevention of a number of diseases since ancient times.

1. Proven anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect in diseases of the stomach and intestines. Tea helps with gastritis, stomach ulcers, duodenal ulcers and other similar ailments, is effective for various kinds of poisoning.
2. Beneficial effect on the circulatory system. If you drink a fireweed drink regularly, the so-called alkalization of the blood occurs, which is necessary to maintain its normal pH level. It promotes the formation of new blood cells and has the property of stopping bleeding.
3. Ivan tea can be used as a substitute for valerian for the prevention and treatment of various neuroses. It has a calming effect, helps with anxiety and depression.
4. For a long time, the drink has proven itself as universal remedy from diseases and disorders of the genitourinary system. It normalizes potency, fights prostate adenoma and prevents it from developing into an oncological disease. It has a therapeutic effect in kidney disease and cystitis.
5. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and antipyretic drug. There is an effect in diseases of the oral cavity, bleeding gums.
6. Ivan-tea acts as an immunomodulator, works as a powerful antioxidant and cleanser of the body, normalizes blood pressure, relieves headache, has a general strengthening effect.

Did you know? In Russia, the first mention of Ivan-tea, as healing drink, dates back to the 12th century. Alexander Nevsky tried it and instructed to develop production in Koporye.

Contraindications

Since Ivan-tea itself has a healing effect, it should not be used in combination with other medicines, especially antipyretic and sedative. It is necessary to apply dosed, not "buckets" and take breaks after a month of use.

Otherwise, it will lead to indigestion. It is not recommended for children under six years of age, you need to drink carefully in case of blood diseases.

What is fermentation and why is it done?

The fermentation process is used to make Koporye tea at home. Consider what is the process of tea fermentation from a scientific point of view.

The main point is that the plant secretes juice, which reacts with air, which leads to fermentation and oxidation, then it is dried.
After such processing, all beneficial features and the drink acquires a fruity taste. If you just dry the leaves, the brewed tea will be tasteless and useless.

Therefore, there is an answer to the question of what fermented tea is - it is a drink with a pleasant fruity taste that has retained all the benefits of the plant.

The process of collecting and harvesting

To receive later healthy drink it is important to understand what fireweed looks like. In nature, a plant as tall as a man, perennial, with pink and purple flowers.

Collect and prepare leaves of fireweed. The flowers are dried or fermented as an additive to a tea drink, and the roots are dried and ground to a state of flour. Cakes are baked from this flour, it is added to dishes.

Koporye tea is harvested during its flowering period, that is, throughout the summer. It is necessary to distinguish narrow-leaved fireweed from other species of this family. In marshy and damp places, you can meet marsh and small-flowered fireweed.
It is quite simple to distinguish them from Ivan-tea - the height of others is no more than 20 cm.

Did you know?Collecting a leaf does not harm the plant if done carefully and without damaging the stem. The plant is an excellent honey plant, honey productivity per hectare can reach 600 kg.

Collection of leaves

The collection of leaves begins in June and ends in August. It is good to find a corner away from the roads so that the product is environmentally friendly. It is necessary to collect young leaves, starting from the inflorescence and descending almost downward.

The stalk is strong enough, so you can simply drag it down with effort. Near the inflorescence, you need to leave several tiers of leaves - they will help the plant grow well further. It is desirable to collect the leaf in the morning, when the dew has already disappeared in dry, warm weather.

Opinions vary as to where it is best to do this. Someone advises open places with a lot of sun, and someone points to shaded areas and the outskirts of fields.
The latter argue that in such places the leaf is more tender and juicy.

Important!Fireweed leaves should be collected only until the flower is pubescent. Fluff is difficult to remove from the leaves, they are more rigid and they have significantly less useful properties.

leaf wilting

Withering is done in order to remove excess moisture from the leaves, which will interfere with fermentation. From this it is obvious that the sheet does not need to be washed before harvesting. Next, we place the leaves on the fabric with a ball no more than a few centimeters in height and leave to dry for about 12 hours.

Leaves should be stirred. The optimum air temperature for this process is up to 26°C at a relative humidity of about 70%. If the temperature is higher, the leaf will wither faster. The leaf is dried more often in the house in a dark place, less often in the open air.

In the latter case, there can only be a light breeze and a shadow - a strong wind and sun will dry the leaves, and not wither. The easiest way to check if the leaves are wilted is to take a few and squeeze them in a fist.
If they are not ready, they will disintegrate; if they are ready, they will remain in a compressed form. Then the leaf moisture will be approximately 60%.

Important! If you dry out the leaf during the withering process, do not add water.–raw materials are damaged. You need to collect fresh and repeat everything again.

Preparation for fermentation

The leaves have withered and you can begin the process of preparing it for fermentation. It is necessary to destroy the structure of the leaf and extract the juice from it, which contains the enzymes responsible for the process itself. This will allow the most complete release of useful substances from the plant.

If there is not enough juice, the fermentation will go badly, and the tea will lose taste qualities and many useful things. There are several ways to ferment Ivan tea at home, let's focus on the most used and proven ones.

Leaf curl

We take up to 10 leaves of the plant, put them together and roll them between the palms to make a “sausage”.
This is done with effort until the leaves become darker. This means that they have isolated the juice.

crushing leaves

Another recipe for how to make ivan tea at home is creasing. The raw materials are placed in a bowl, preferably enameled, crushed according to the type of dough kneading.

After 15 minutes, the leaves secrete juice and darken, become thinner and somewhat twisted. In the process, the leaves need to be divided, to avoid lumps.

Twisting in a meat grinder

A common way to make Koporye tea at home is to grind the leaves in a meat grinder.

To do this, a mesh with large holes is taken; in the process of twisting, the meat grinder needs to cool down for a short time.

Fermentation

The fermentation technology is directly related to the methods of preparing the leaf mass. Twisted leaves are folded into a pan in layers and oppression is placed on top.

All this should be covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water, and left in a warm, but not hot place. The best fermentation temperature for willow tea is up to 26°C.

If the temperature is low, the processes stop, if it is high, some of the products that give tea strength and taste do not dissolve, it will smell and taste like ordinary cheap tea.

In time, this process can last from 3 hours to 3 days. Longer fermentation - stronger tea. You can extend the fermentation up to a maximum of 12 days, but after 3-4 days it is necessary to rearrange the container in a cooler place and make sure that the mass does not become moldy.
There is a way to ferment rolled leaves in a three-liter jar.

It is necessary to fill it tightly with leaf sausages, cover with a plastic lid or a damp cloth and leave to ferment in a warm place. Fermentation time is not more than 40 hours.

Crumpled leaves can also be fermented using three-liter jar. Hike technology - the leaves are very tightly stacked, covered

and left in a warm place for a day. The aging time depends on the desire for further tea strength.

Crumpled leaves can still be fermented differently. To do this, take a piece of matter and moisten it quite a bit. So the canvas will not take the moisture of the leaves. Foliage is laid out on top, the canvas is twisted and tied with a rope.
The bundle must be mashed for approximately 20 minutes and left for pre-fermentation for 3 hours. It is necessary to check the temperature of the roll - if it is close to 37 ° C, the preliminary process is completed.

Most The best way fermentation of Ivan tea at home, according to many, from leaves processed by a meat grinder. It is the least labor intensive and the fastest in terms of time.

The mixture is stirred, a container is placed (it is better to use enamel or cermet), covered with a cloth slightly moistened with water and placed in heat for up to a day, usually from three to six hours.
Fermentation of Ivan tea at home is completed when the color of the leaf changes from green to green-brown, and the smell from grassy to bright fruity-floral.

Drying

The final step in the fermentation of willow tea at home is the proper drying of the leaf or twisted mass. If twisted "sausages" or crumpled leaves are cut before drying, small-leaf tea will come out.

You can also dry whole leaves - this mixture will become large-leaf tea. After processing in a meat grinder, the mixture will turn out granular. Paper must be placed on a baking sheet, leaves are laid out on it and leveled, their layer should be up to a centimeter.

It is necessary to dry in the oven, stirring constantly at a temperature of about 100 ° C from one and a half to two hours. Further, the temperature decreases.
Do not close the oven. When the color of the leaves takes on the color of the usual tea, and the tea leaves do not crumble when you break them, we take the product out of oven and leave to cool at normal air temperature.

You can also dry tea in the open air, spreading it on paper or cloth, but placing it only in the shade. The open sun has a bad effect on the beneficial substances of tea.

There are also ways to dry tea in a skillet and air fryer. They are less popular.

Fireweed flowers should be dried separately from the leaves, because they dry out much faster.

Important!Do not overexpose the tea while drying. The smell of burning paper can be added to its smell, it will lose its taste and useful qualities.

If you suddenly find yourself with little printed information, there is enough video on the YouTube channel for harvesting fireweed at home.

Tea storage

In order for Ivan-tea to be well stored, moisture as such must be avoided. Dryness is required in storage areas. It is stored in closed glass or ceramic jars.

Also, tea is well stored in waterproof paper and fabric bags. You can use tin or plastic containers.

Brewing

There are no many recipes for making Koporye tea. He is only one.

A teapot, ceramic or porcelain, is poured with boiling water. Inside, 2-3 tablespoons of tea are poured into half a liter of water and infused for up to 15 minutes.

Some connoisseurs insist on brewing for at least 40 minutes. No need to wrap. It is important to brew the drink using filtered or spring water. Can be drunk hot and cold.
Connoisseurs say that Koporye tea is far superior to good Ceylon tea in its characteristics. It tones, quenches thirst well. Benefits of fermentation Ivan-tea at home, which appear in the final product, and do not count at all.

Important!If heated, do not boil– helped