Ivan-tea (angustifolia fireweed) is a plant that serves as a source of raw materials for the production of traditional Slavic teas, infusions and medicines. Fermented Koporye tea- This is one of the types of drinks that are made from fireweed. This plant is widespread throughout Russia and has been used in folk medicine to maintain health and treat a range of diseases.

Kopra tea, like any type of drink, has its benefits and harms. To produce this tea, the upper shoots of fireweed are collected along with the inflorescences; it is best to harvest the raw materials at the very beginning of the flowering of the plant.

Features of Koporye tea production

Unlike fireweed tea, which is also prepared from fireweed, the harvested parts of the plant are not dried, but fermented (withered). With this processing, the beneficial properties of Koporye tea are preserved as much as possible.

Tea fermentation is a process that consists of several stages. The first stage is kneading the leaves, which triggers fermentation reactions due to the flow of juice. Fireweed contains components (enzymes, bioactive substances, lactic acid bacteria, sugar) that trigger the fermentation process.

In subsequent processing, the raw materials are kept under pressure for 24 hours, fried and dried at room temperature. When preparing, avoid contact with metal objects to reduce oxidative reactions.

Composition and properties of Koporye tea

Fermented fireweed tea has a peculiar bright aroma, when brewed, gives a rich color and a little pleasant tart taste. Along with its high taste, Koporye tea has great benefits for our body. The healing properties of this drink are due to its unique biochemical composition:

young shoots of fireweed contain up to 20% tannins (tannins), which have a pronounced antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect, and also have the ability to remove toxic substances and heavy metals from the body;
mucus contained in Koporye tea, tends to envelop the walls gastrointestinal tract, thereby relieving inflammation, pain and spasms;
alimentary fiber Ivan tea facilitates intestinal function and helps cleanse it;
bioflavonoids from the leaves and inflorescences of fireweed reduce oxidative processes in the body, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, and prevent premature aging of cells;
pectins normalize metabolism, reduce cholesterol levels, remove toxins and improve blood circulation;
vitamin composition contains high level vitamin C (4-6 times higher than in lemon), and is also rich in B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, B9), which allows you to replenish the balance of vitamins in the body, especially in winter and spring;
The minerals of Koporye tea are a storehouse of the most important macro- and microelements; it contains iron, nickel, manganese, titanium, copper, phosphorus, molybdenum, boron, potassium, calcium, magnesium.

Koporye tea has a powerful healing effect on almost all systems and organs of our body. It is especially useful for people with digestive problems, metabolic disorders, helps cleanse the body after poisoning and intoxication, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous and cardiovascular system, reduces apathy, neuroses, and increases vitality.

Contraindications for Koporye tea

Harm from Koporye tea can only occur in cases of individual intolerance, as well as with excessive consumption. Excessive use Ivan tea can cause intestinal dysfunction, which goes away when you reduce the number of cups of this drink you drink.

The first mention of Koporye tea, a traditional Russian drink, dates back to the 12th century. Since ancient times in Rus' it has been prepared from a plant - fireweed angustifolia.

A more common name is Ivan-tea. It acquired another name from the town of Koporye near St. Petersburg, where it was harvested in large volumes and distributed throughout the area. It was consumed not only in our country, but also in Europe, where until the 17th century there was no tea in its modern quality.

Already in those days, Koporye tea deservedly enjoyed the fame of a healing drink.

Angustifolia fireweed contains various useful elements:

Flavonoids, including quercetin and kaemferol. These components have antispasmodic, choleretic and diuretic effects.
Tannins(up to 20%), they have anti-inflammatory, hemostatic and astringent properties.
Alkaloids. In large doses these are toxic substances, but in small doses they effectively help improve blood circulation and metabolism, have an analgesic effect, and have a beneficial effect on the nervous system.
Chlorophyll- green pigment of grasses that absorbs light energy. It promotes wound healing.
Carotene (provitamin A), vitamin C and other substances that have a positive effect on various diseases.
Its unique properties include its content in sufficient quantity and in an accessible form of beta-sitosterol, a substance effectively used in the treatment of prostate adenoma.

In our time healing qualities Ivan tea in the treatment of prostate diseases have been confirmed by scientific research. But about a hundred years ago, the popularity of angustifolia tea decreased significantly. The famous healer from Austria Maria Treben announced a radical remedy for the treatment of the prostate - small-flowered fireweed.

Later, Austrian and German scientists published data that this particular type of plant cures prostatitis and actively promotes recovery from prostate adenoma. Gives positive effect in the treatment of cancer in this area and helps restore health after removal of the prostate gland.

Further scientific research has shown that the anti-inflammatory effect of angustifolia fireweed is much stronger than that of small-flowered fireweed. The effectiveness of prostate treatment with fireweed was confirmed by instrumental analysis.

But producers of medicinal raw materials, due to past misconceptions, give preference to the competitor angustifolia fireweed. It is also argued that effective medicinal plants cannot grow en masse.

Range useful properties Ivan tea is very wide. This is an effective, non-addictive natural remedy for restful sleep for children and adults.

It systematically normalizes arterial pressure, the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, cleanses the organs during intoxication and alcohol poisoning. At regular use relieves depression and increases performance.

Koporye tea has a beneficial effect on the endocrine and immune systems. The microelements contained in it improve the body's protective functions and stimulate hematopoiesis. An important property of angustifolia fireweed is the inhibition of any inflammatory processes.

Crushed tea is sprinkled on non-healing wounds. For general tone, rub the body with olive oil mixed with tea powder.

If you list all the beneficial properties of Koporye tea, you can get an impressive list:

effectiveness in diseases of the genitourinary system, prevention of prostatitis;
prevention of cancer;
improvement of blood composition;
increasing immunity to acute respiratory infections;
increased potency;
scarring of stomach and duodenal ulcers;
prevention of caries;
elimination of body intoxication, treatment of food and alcohol poisoning;
recovery from exhaustion of the body;
strengthening hair roots;
treatment of headaches, normalization of blood pressure;

Tea from fireweed leaves is produced using a technology similar to the method of making black tea. You can make tea from freshly picked fireweed leaves yourself. The leaves must be thoroughly mashed until the juice appears and placed in a glass container with a wide neck (not in a metal container).

We put pressure on the green mass so that the grass releases juice. Its cells will begin to ferment, as during ensiling. Keep the raw materials under pressure for no more than a day, so that fermentation does not begin.

Then we put the resulting material on a baking sheet and put it in the oven over the lowest heat. During drying, a second fermentation will take place. Dried Koporye tea is difficult to distinguish from large-leaf black tea. But its taste is original. Cold tea it becomes even tastier.

You can drink Koporye tea by mixing it with natural black tea. They complement each other when creating the smell of the brew and creating the color of the drink. Four parts of fireweed are brewed for one part of black tea. But Koporye tea should be brewed for 10-15 minutes. It has a mild sedative, calming effect and partially neutralizes the effect of caffeine, which is contained in black tea.

The history of the oblivion of “Ivan-tea” is closely connected with the name - “Koporo tea”. This was the name of the drink that in the old days was prepared from Ivan tea.

The fact is that Chinese tea FIRST came to Russia in the first half of the 17th century (this is the BEGINNING of the tea and coffee world expansion! :), but since the foreign product cost a lot of money, the ALTERNATIVE to it in Russia was OBVIOUS!

THE ALTERNATIVE, of course, was “ Blooming Sally", which Russian "tea drinkers" brewed and drank back in the 12th century!

Brewed " Blooming Sally"in such a way that it began to resemble subtropical tea in taste and color. It was made like this: leaves " Ivan-tea“Dried, scalded in a tub with boiling water, ground in a trough, then thrown onto baking sheets and dried in a Russian oven. After drying, the leaves were crushed again and the tea was ready.

Most of this tea was prepared in the village of Koporye near St. Petersburg. That’s why they began to call the drink, and later the “Ivan-tea” itself, Koporye tea . HUNDREDS of pounds of this product were used in Russia. Later it became the most IMPORTANT component in Russian exports. After special processing, “Ivan-tea” was sent by sea to England and other European countries, where it is also FAMOUS as Persian carpets, Chinese silk, and Damascus steel. Abroad " Blooming Sally"Called RUSSIAN TEA!

When going on a long journey, Russian sailors always took “Ivan-tea” with them in order to drink it themselves. And as gifts in foreign ports.

However, there were also unscrupulous merchants who used Ivan-tea to counterfeit Chinese (Beijing) tea. They mixed with Chinese tea leaves of "Ivan-tea" and passed off this mixture as an expensive oriental curiosity. But it must be said that in pre-revolutionary Russia, and even after the revolution until 1941, adding other plants to subtropical teas was considered unscrupulous falsification, fraud and was prosecuted by law. Therefore, such merchants were most often caught in such unseemly acts and brought to justice, sometimes even holding high-profile trials.

However, even such cases could not deprive Koporye tea of popularity, and already in the 19th century it constituted a POWERFUL COMPETITION to Indian tea.

Great Britain, which owned HUGE tea plantations in India, annually bought TENS OF THOUSANDS of pounds of Koporye tea, preferring RUSSIAN TEA to Indian tea!

So WHY did so much stop in Russia? profitable production Koporye tea? The fact is that at the end of the 19th century its popularity turned out to be so GREAT (Attention!:) that it began to UNDERMINE the financial power of the East Indian tea company, which traded Indian tea!!! The campaign stirred up a scandal, alleging that Russians grind their tea with white clay, which they say is harmful to health. And the TRUE reason is that the owners of the East Indian Campaign had to REMOVE THE MOST POWERFUL COMPETITOR - RUSSIAN TEA - from their own English market!!!
(This is the same East India Campaign that got all of Southeast Asia hooked on opium.)

The company did achieve its goal, the purchase of Russian tea was reduced, and after the revolution in Russia in 1917, when England entered the Entente military bloc, the purchase of tea in Russia STOPPED COMPLETELY. Koporye went bankrupt.

BUT A NEW TIME HAS STARTED!!! :)

And just recently people REMEMBERED this healing drink. After a long break, it was reproduced according to old recipes and the Kruzenshtern sailors took it with them to the round-the-world regatta. The famous solo traveler F. Konyukhov always uses this healing “Ivan tea” in all his travels!

The reverse side of coffee vivacity

In the near future, we NEED TO INTRODUCE “Ivan-tea” into people’s food, eliminating or at the first stage LIMITING the consumption of subtropical teas and coffee, which contain excess caffeine, which can be used very limitedly for a Russian person.

Another academician I.P. Pavlov found that caffeine enhances excitation processes in the cerebral cortex and increases motor activity. However, large doses can lead to depletion of nerve cells. Tea alkaloids enhance cardiac activity. Myocardial contraction becomes more intense and rapid. Thanks to this, more blood flows to all organs and tissues and they receive increased nutrition. AS A RESULT, a person feels like a surge of strength, his mood improves, and all his senses become sharper.

However, such uplifts of spirit are naturally accompanied by increased energy consumption, which is not compensated for by tea, because although it is a rich plant in terms of its chemical composition, a person needs 2-3 times more for normal activity.

BUT... CAFFEINE, like other central stimulants nervous system and CONTRAINDICATED in cases of increased excitability, insomnia, severe hypertension and atherosclerosis, diseases of cardio-vascular system and just in old age.

An important role in the mechanism of action of caffeine is that it inhibits the enzyme phosphodiesterase. At the same time, cyclic adenosine monophosphate accumulates inside the cells, under the influence of which metabolic processes in various organs and tissues are enhanced, including muscle tissue and the central nervous system. But a paper cup of tea or coffee is not considered doping at a distance.

At the same time, caffeine binds to brain receptors, displacing adenosine, which normally reduces excitation processes in the brain. Replacing it with caffeine leads to a stimulating effect.

However, with prolonged use of this alkaloid, like other drugs, its effect gradually decreases.

And from tinted boiling water they often move on to a cup of real tea (a teaspoon of tea leaves per 0.15-0.2 liters of boiling water) washed down in three doses at intervals of 1.5-2 minutes. Then, by the morning cup, a day cup, and then a third, because in the absence of caffeine, the accumulated adenosine occupies all available brain receptors, sharply increasing the inhibition processes, fatigue, drowsiness, depression appear, blood pressure decreases and other unpleasant sensations arise.

In addition, tannins contained in tea, and up to 18% of them (the higher the grade, the more of them) bind insoluble compounds and remove calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, metal salts of copper, zinc, nickel and other trace elements from the digestive organs. That is why in the East they drink tea an hour before meals or two hours after meals, and without any seasonings and sweets, which stimulate the secretion of saliva containing a lot of calcium and other digestive media rich in enzymes and vitamins.

And “Ivan-tea” blooms from mid-June to the end of August. The flowers open between 6 and 7 am, attracting many bees. This is not surprising, because “Ivan-tea” is one of the best honey plants. It is estimated that bees can store up to a thousand kilograms of honey per hectare of “Kipreyny” land. By the way, fireweed honey According to experts, it is the sweetest, and if the honey is fresh, it is the most transparent. In addition to nectar, bees collect their bread-bread from the flowers of Ivan-tea.

Ivan-tea seeds ripen in August. Ripe seeds with fluff fly out of the fruit boxes. Over the thickets of Ivan-tea and far around, fluff flies - as if several feather beds had been torn apart. Ivan-tea seeds are distinguished by their amazing volatility - the wind carries them tens of kilometers away. Flowers, leaves, and less commonly roots of Ivan-tea are used as medicinal raw materials.

The collection is carried out during flowering (usually leaves and unopened buds are prepared separately).

"Ivan-tea" contains:

Flavonoids (quercetin, kaemferol, which has antispasmodic, choleretic and diuretic effects);
Tannins (up to 20% of tannins of the pyrogal group, which have astringent, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effects);
Mucus (up to 15%, which provides emollient and enveloping properties, the ability to relieve inflammation, relieve pain, soothe and relieve cramps);
Not a large number of alkaloids (these substances are poisonous in large doses, but in small doses they have remarkable healing properties, can improve metabolism, blood circulation, the state of the nervous system and are good painkillers);
Chlorophyll (green plant pigment that absorbs light energy, stimulates wound healing, improves metabolism);
Pectin (this substance increases the shelf life of tea).
The leaves contain vitamins, especially a lot of carotene (provitamin A) and vitamin C (up to 200-388 mg - 3 times more than in oranges).
The roots are rich in starch (this is a reserve carbohydrate of plants), polysaccharides (these carbohydrates are involved in immune reactions), organic acids (participate in biochemical reactions, play an important role in maintaining the acid-base balance).
In addition, a large number of microelements stimulating hematopoiesis were found in the leaves of Ivan-tea - iron, copper, manganese and other microelements necessary for metabolism - nickel, titanium, molybdenum, boron.

No plant can boast such a set of microelements!

The unique composition determines the variety of healing properties of Ivan tea. This is a mild laxative, emollient, enveloping, wound healing, analgesic, anticonvulsant effect. In its anti-inflammatory properties, Ivan-tea surpasses all medicinal plants - it has been scientifically proven that it has the highest anti-inflammatory coefficient among plants! :) And by its tranquilizing effect (sedative, reducing feelings of tension, anxiety, fear)

In folk medicine, “Ivan tea” has long been considered an antitumor agent. And scientific research has confirmed the centuries-old experience of herbalists; the high-molecular compound hanerol was isolated from the inflorescences of Ivan-tea, which exhibits antitumor activity, has relatively low toxicity and a wide range of effects on tumors.

To summarize, “Ivan-tea” GIVES YOU AND US:

Prevention of malignant and benign neoplasms;
Increases potency;
Effective for diseases of the genitourinary system (powerful prevention of prostitis);
Scars stomach and duodenal ulcers;
Increased immunity to respiratory viral infections;
Prevention of caries;
Improves blood composition;
Reduces intoxication of the body;
Relieves food and alcohol poisoning;
Restores strength when exhausted;
For stones in the liver, kidneys and spleen diseases;
Strengthens hair roots;
There is 6.5 times more vitamin C in Ivan-tea than in lemon;
Eliminates headaches;
Normalizes blood pressure!!!

Detailed recipe for making Koporye tea

Withering: The leaves are scattered in a layer no thicker than 5 centimeters per day or day until they become limp, and they must be stirred periodically, not allowing the leaves of the top layer and along the edges to dry out.
Twisting: the leaves are rolled between the palms of the hands into small spindle-shaped sausages, about half the size of a sausage, until they darken from the released juice.
Fermentation: rolled leaves are placed in a layer of 5 centimeters in an enamel bowl or tray, covered with a wet cloth and placed in a warm place (24-27oC) for 6-12 hours to ripen. The higher the temperature, the faster the fermentation process occurs; the end of the process is characterized by a change in the herbaceous smell to a rich floral-fruity one. Too high a temperature and overexposure are dangerous - fireweed takes on the smell of low-grade, over-boiled “public catering” tea.
Drying: the fermented leaves are finely chopped, spread on sieves or baking sheets covered with parchment in a layer of 1-1.5 centimeters and dried at a temperature of 100 ° C for about an hour, periodically checking readiness by touch. Well-dried tea has the color of black real tea, a rich and stronger aroma than its own; the tea leaves break when squeezed, but do not crumble into dust. When the bulk of the tea reaches this condition, the drying temperature is reduced, and the draft, moderate during the drying process, is sharply increased. When too high temperature and overexposure of tea in the dryer, an admixture of the smell of “dry paper” appears in the bouquet.
Storage: same as real tea, Koporsky requires tight packaging during storage - best in glass jars with plastic lids. Koporye tea reaches marketable condition after about a month of storage, and subsequently its properties, like those of real tea, improve even more. The dried flowers also make an excellent drink.

How to dry Ivan tea leaves correctly

This original Russian tea is prepared from the leaves of the fireweed plant (E. angustifolium). It has an exquisite taste and is in no way inferior to overseas varieties. In the centuries before last, Russia supplied all of Europe with Ivan tea.

The English name for fireweed, or fireweed, is Fireweed—meaning “weed of fires.” On lands devastated by fire, this plant appears first, preparing the conditions for the colonization of other plants in the future. Fireweed has flying seeds and quickly colonizes areas with disturbed vegetation; The pink glow of fireweed flowers can be seen in vacant lots, in vegetable gardens and villages, in clearings, and on the edges of forests.

Recipe for making fireweed tea from Dmitry Samusev

While still living in Belarus, I noticed the name of the plant and tried to simply dry it and brew it. It turned out to be nonsense: hay is hay.

I tried something different several times. Then I found out about fermentation, but didn’t know what it was.

Having already arrived on my land this spring and seeing the young shoots of this plant, I again wanted to unravel the secret of tea and drink a normal domestic drink. Managed. I figured out the secret.

Everything is very simple. The plant itself contains everything necessary for fermentation. These are his own juices and enzymes. If you crush a leaf in your hands, some of the cells will burst and the plant will release juice. Moist, crumpled leaves will contain vitamins, nutrients and intracellular enzymes. These enzymes, emerging from the vacuoles, begin to actively change the biochemical composition of the plant. It's like self-digestion. At the same time, the leaves darken somewhat, and a different, pleasant smell appears. For this fermentation process, I leave finely chopped, well-brushed leaves in a non-metallic container under pressure (by reducing contact with air and metal, vitamins are preserved) for 1-2 days at room temperature. If you keep it longer, the tea will ferment like cabbage.

In agriculture, something similar happens when ensiling hay, when the mown grass is collected into clumps and it sours with the help of its own enzymes. The resulting lactic acid naturally preserves the weed. I wrote this to ensure that any medicinal product can be fermented. wild plants and based on this process, prepare an endless variety of teas. The taste and smell of freshly dried and fermented herbs are noticeably different. You can add flower petals, dried berries, fruits to teas...

So, after fermentation, you put the sheet on cast iron frying pan and “simmer” over very low heat for about forty minutes. This heating to a hot state is necessary to accelerate fermentation, during which part of the insoluble, non-extractable substances of plant tissue are converted into soluble and easily digestible. These are the substances that give the taste, smell and color of tea.

After forty minutes of languor Turn on medium heat and, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula, bring the sheet to a dry state. Carefully! Don't burn it. Otherwise the tea will be scorched.

In appearance it is a regular black loose leaf tea, however, with a pleasant, peculiar smell. When brewed, Ivan tea gives a good color and a pleasant smell, and with increasing dosage it acquires an intense color and astringency like regular tea.

Interestingly, brewing Ivan tea does not stain tooth enamel, and in general, well-made Ivan tea is much tastier than Indian or Ceylon tea. In terms of properties, the drink Ivan tea occupies an intermediate position between black and green in terms of strength and healing properties. And if you add flowers to this tea, dried berries and fruits, then there will be no price for it!

And this is all “pasture”, a gift from native nature, an environmentally friendly fortified product made with your own hands to your delight and to the surprise of your neighbors.

So, we collect young shoots of fireweed (you can also have flowers, but I haven’t experimented with flowers yet, I don’t know), finely chop the leaves, crush them thoroughly with your hands so that the green mass becomes slightly moist, put them in a bowl under pressure for a day or two at room temperature.

Then heat under the lid in a frying pan over low heat for 40 minutes. And finally, dry the mixture over medium heat with constant stirring.
Ivan-tea, aka Koporye tea, is ready! Enjoy your tea.

If you notice a plantation of fireweed tea, in the spring, around the beginning of May, although the timing may be different in different areas, tear off the tops of the young shoots, from them you will get Koporye tea premium. And the cropped shoots will begin to bush, and by the beginning of flowering, there will be much more leaves on the plants than usual.

Based on materials from: anastasia.ru

And finally, friends! You can right now buy Koporye tea (Ivan-tea) of the highest quality. (If you are selling top quality Koporye tea, your link could be here)

To manufacturers and distributors of Ivan-Chaya: for long-term cooperation and placement of your advertising - please write to us using the contact form.

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Koporye tea (Ivan-tea)

Recipe for making Russian tea

The preparation of any fermented tea consists of four steps - withering, rolling or grinding, fermentation and drying. But we will start from the beginning - with the collection of raw materials. Tea is made from leaves, but flowers are also useful, they are useful (the substance hanerol, obtained from them not so long ago, has antitumor properties), smell pleasant and are simply beautiful. And this is important, because according to the rules for preparing herbal infusions, you must add something to them for beauty, most often, of course, flowers. Without this aesthetic component, the collection will not be complete.

Fireweed is collected during flowering, carefully breaking off or cutting off the stems. There is no need to pull them out by the roots, because this is a perennial plant. And be sure to leave at least a quarter of the population intact so that the plants flower normally and produce seeds. Collect and
Van tea is better not in the sun, but in shaded places, somewhere along the edge forest glades– the leaves of such plants are more juicy and tender, and the tea made from them tastes better – the leaves curl more easily and ferment better. And in open sunny places the leaves are rough and dry, they curl poorly and give little juice, fermentation is sluggish, and the tea is not so tasty.

At home, the flower tops can be tied into small bunches and hung to dry. The flowers should dry well, check carefully and, if you are not sure, it is better to dry them in a low-heat oven (about 50°C). Remove the dried flowers from the stems and store them in a dry place. You can immediately pick off the flowers and dry them, scattering them in a thin layer on paper (just don’t use newspaper) or fabric.

Tear off the leaves and place them in a box about 5 centimeters deep for drying. When you pick off the leaves, be careful not to tear off the lower flower ovaries that ripen into boxes along with them. These boxes will open in the warmth, and then you will have to choose fluff from the tea. And look again to see if there are any diseased leaves among the leaves - with some spots, for example, or generally incorrect. It happens that with reverse side leaves you can find eggs laid by insects... Tear off all such leaves and throw them away, and then with one movement of your hand from top to bottom along the stem, remove all other leaves. It takes 10-12 hours to wilt, sometimes more. From time to time, the leaves must be stirred so that the top layer does not dry out. As soon as the leaves become limp and flabby, you can start rolling.

Take some leaves and roll between your palms, first into a loose ball, and then into a roll
Place it into a small sausage about half a sausage long and wide. It is more convenient to start rolling with a ball in order to collect the leaves into a ball, so they will not fray at the ends of the sausage. You need to roll the leaves with your palms until they darken from the released juice and the sausages stop crumbling. At the same time, the sound will also change - from rustling it will become like slurping or smacking. Place the finished sausages tightly in a glass or enamel container and cover with a damp cloth. No oppression needed. You can close the lid so that the aroma is retained under it, so it is easier to control it in the future.

Now all you have to do is wait for the leaves to ripen. It is impossible to say exactly how long fermentation will take - it depends on the temperature in the room. From our own experience, we can say that at 20°C it takes 5-6 hours, and at 25°C – about 2-2.5 hours. In order not to be mistaken, watch the aroma - the initial herbal smell will change to a rich floral-fruity one. This smell will first intensify and then begin to weaken. This is a signal that it is time to stop fermentation. Do not overexpose the leaves, you will ruin your Koporye tea, if left too long, the aroma will change to the smell of drunk cheap tea.

Ripe sausages should be finely chopped and placed on baking sheets in a centimeter layer
m. You can place tea directly on stainless steel baking sheets, but if you have regular steel baking sheets, lay them on paper, preferably parchment paper, but not newspaper. You can use sieves and special dryers, but only on the condition that there are no foreign odors on all this, otherwise the tea will absorb them all. Gently toss the cut sausages with your hands to break up any large clumps that stick together. Place the baking sheets in an oven or oven heated to 100°C, but not higher. Leave the oven damper and oven door slightly open to allow for draft. Stir the tea occasionally. It is again difficult to say about the exact drying time. You need to dry the tea until the tea leaves begin to break when compressed, but not crumble into dust. When almost all the tea becomes like this, the cravings need to be sharply increased. Do not overdry the tea, especially at high temperatures.
ture, it will smell like dried paper (even if you didn’t lay it down). If you don't have a thermometer, follow the rule - it's better to underheat than overheat. Therefore, it is better to keep the tea a little longer in a non-hot oven than to burn it.

Well, Koporye tea (Ivan tea) is ready. This recipe may seem too complicated to you and you may even wonder if you can do it right. Do not doubt. Just don’t let the process take its course, watch the tea as carefully as you would small children, and you will notice everything you need in time, and the recipe will tell you what to do next. We have tried to put together here our own experience of making this tea; we make it every summer for the whole year. As they say, tea will reach marketable condition after a month of storage, and about
definitely in a tightly closed container. We use a large 15-liter birch bark tube, but regular ones will do. glass jars with a well-fitted lid. The longer the tea is stored, the better it becomes. Don't forget to mix it with dried flowers.

And now the last and almost most important thing remains - brewing. Don't dismiss this topic impatiently. Improper brewing can ruin the best tea.(it is impossible to spoil only tea with flavors; it cannot be made worse). And since now you can’t buy good tea in a regular store and there is no mass tea culture in general, we think it will be useful to tell people who are deprived of the opportunity to see real tea (not only Russian) what it really is.

How do people generally rate the quality of tea? Most often, by the way it is brewed, and this is easy to determine: throw the bag into a cup, pour boiling water, and if the water
immediately turns brown, which means the tea is brewed well. Now don’t be lazy and do the following: pour water into a glass, wet a brush, put some water-soluble paint on it (watercolor or acrylic and preferably dark for clarity) and lower it into the glass, just lower it, don’t stir. Do you see? Now raise and lower the brush with paint, as if dipping a bag into water. Do you see the process? This is how “good” tea is “brewed” quickly and well. But real herbs (any kind, including tea) are never brewed right away! And the color of the infusion also darkens gradually!

Another significant mistake that the Japanese or Chinese will never make, but which we make all the time. How do we even use tea? We rinse the kettle, pour tea into it, pour boiling water over it, and let it sit. And we drink, diluting this thick brew little by little until it runs out, sometimes for several days. And then we fill it again. If you prefer just such a drink, then Ivan tea is not for you. Koporye tea should be brewed in the same way as any other tea. good tea, i.e. before drinking. And not for future use, but fresh every time.

In a clean kettle, rinsed with boiling water, lower the teapot (a glass with holes) with tea, pour hot water(it’s better if the water is “boiling like a white spring” - at this moment numerous streams of bubbles rise from the bottom, but the water is not yet bubbling, as when boiling; it is better to take spring water, and a regular kettle, not an electric one) and let it brew for 15-20 minutes, then pour into cups and enjoy. And immediately fill the kettle a second time, because the second infusion of tea is even tastier and more fragrant than the first . After another 15 minutes, remove the infusion bottle or pour the tea into cups - you don’t want it to rest. And don’t brew the same tea a second time the next day! Even if you filled it only once, it won’t work out well after a break. If you like sweet tea, add 2 times less sugar than in black tea, otherwise it will become semi-sweet.

And the last piece of advice - when you try unfamiliar tea for the first time, do not immediately try to compare its taste with something already known to you, do not try to understand what it is like - it is not like anything else, it has its own taste, its own and unique. Enjoy this taste.

Ivan-tea at low prices by mail from 1 kg http://ivan-chay.su

I think soaking tea leaves in milk is not cheating. This process improves the quality of the tea. In China there are such teas - Oolongs...

Thank you, it’s very interesting, especially that it lowers blood pressure, we’ll treat it!

Friends, please tell me the collection time Ivan-tea? I read your miracle recipe and am already eager to try it.

They collect it during flowering; in the Moscow region it hasn’t bloomed yet, in about a week or two, most likely. Many people start collecting earlier (and collect later), but in general it’s still blooming.

Thank you very much for so many useful articles. Today I prepared it like this: We collect fireweed leaves without washing them, so I tried to keep them clean and closer to the forest or in clean clearings, let them lie in the shade for 1.5 hours, then forcefully break the leaves and twist them. I was on the board, rolling up 15 pieces of paper with both hands and rubbing it. We put everything in enamel dishes, cover with a lid and keep warm (greenhouse). Leave for at least 3 hours, maximum 16-18-20, it may ferment. It will ferment from the heat. The longer it sits to warm up, the darker it will be. Then through a meat grinder and dried, depending on how you choose. But, I want to preserve the vitamins at 50 degrees. I sent this recipe to a friend. The dryer itself turned out to be green granules. For the night now, I sent twisted currant leaves to the boiler room. Tomorrow I'll see what happened. I want brown ones too. I will try your methods.

Tell me... If I understand correctly, do you need to first dry it through a meat grinder, and then ferment it and then dry it?

No, why then go through a meat grinder? A meat grinder replaces hand twisting! If you have twisted everything by hand and already fermented it, then just dry it. To make it black, ferment it longer and dry it at a high temperature, 100 degrees and even a little higher. Otherwise it will be green. Drying gives "blackness".

a long time ago I came across a book about medicinal plants Russia. Ivan tea was listed there as a herb not studied by science. But from folk knowledge, it was first of all indicated that this is the strongest natural antibiotic, but only kills harmful microbes. Moreover, finely chopped leaves have
40 times more potent than whole leaves. This is what I remember. Since then, at least a little, but I dry it for the winter, I drink it when I suspect a cold. During epidemics, she was one of the few in the team who did not get sick. I fermented it for the first time last year and really liked it. There was no oven at hand, so I dried it in a frying pan. With flowers the taste is more aromatic and tender.

Thanks guys!! You are cool!!!

This is the second year I’ve been preparing this tea. Everyone really likes it. I'll tell you how I do it. I pour the leaves onto a sheet spread on the floor and sort out the bad leaves, all sorts of blades of grass and insects. I leave it overnight, closing the window to prevent it from drying out. In the morning, I put it in a large plastic basin with high sides and begin to knead it with my hands, as if I were washing it on a washboard. I like this technique, my hands don't get tired. Cover with a wet towel and leave until evening. And in the evening and almost all night I dry it in the slightly open oven gas stove over low heat, stirring occasionally with your hands. One baking sheet takes a little over an hour. The tea turns out black, aromatic, and sour. For the second year, I also ferment wild raspberry leaves, although I take it with unripe stalks and berries.
Taking this opportunity, I want to talk about black currants. My husband and eldest son suffered from allergies to various May flowers. In 2007, one old woman healer, may God bless her, gave me a whole bag of dried currant branches with leaves and green berries, collected on Trinity Sunday (!) and recommended drinking it as tea. Since 2008 I now prepare my own food. And what’s interesting is that I can’t even remember since when my men themselves forgot about that allergy.
Right now I have raspberries drying, there is an aroma in the apartment, and next in line is fireweed. Yesterday I was in the forest for only an hour, and a tick latched onto me. They gave me immunoglobulin and today I submitted it for testing. We'll find out tomorrow evening.