Koporsky tea is a traditional Russian drink

Mention of ivan-tea takes place in the chronicles of the 12th century. Already at that time he was called "koporsky tea" in connection with the area where he grew up in large quantities. Tea was highly valued for the unique properties that he possessed. They successfully treated headaches and inflammations of various origin. The dried leaves were added to the flour from which the bread was baked. Of the young leaves made a salad.

How to collect kopor tea

The raw material for tea is the kapristi angustifolia. Usually, the tops of the plant are used. Leaves break easily, if hand to lead down, and flowers, on the contrary, up. When collecting, you should carefully consider the quality of the leaves. If they began to dry up or are hit by something, it's better not to tear them. The first grade is obtained only from young plants. They are especially numerous in May. Koporsky tea is collected with the growing moon, when there is no dew. During this period, it contains the largest amount of useful substances.

Processing of raw materials

In this case, this process is called fermentation. Initially, the collected leaves are dried. To do this, they lay out an even layer, about five centimeters thick. It is very important not to let the sun hit. After a few hours, the leaves are rubbed and twisted into sausages, with leaves and flowers giving juice. This is a very important point, since it is the juice that creates a unique taste and aroma.

The resulting mass is poured into enameled or plastic dishes and put under oppression. In this condition, the future tea spends about 12 hours. In this case, you will get a rich green tea. If you want to get black, then you need to keep it longer.

The end of fermentation can be judged by the smell. In the beginning, the Koporic tea smells of freshly mown grass. Then the fragrance changes to floral. Feeling it, you can start drying.

How to Dry Kopor Tea

At the final stage, the raw materials must be dried. In the hot season it can be done under a canopy, but not in the sun. The rest of the time the tea is perfectly dried in the oven at a temperature of 100 degrees. To ensure that it does not burn out, you must regularly roll, and also provide ventilation.

Willingness to check is easy. In this case, the leaves and flowers will break, but do not crumble. The smell should be pleasant. Time to calculate is quite difficult. It depends on humidity, layer thickness, temperature and so on. If the layer is about four centimeters, and the temperature is 100 degrees, then two hours are enough for drying. Please note that at the bottom in the oven must be a divider, otherwise the lower layer will overheat.

How to store

After drying, the tea is transferred to non-metallic dishes. Avoid exposure to sunlight. If you store in glass jars, then they should be put in dark places or opaque bags. The best properties and taste qualities are manifested in tea about a month later. In this regard, do not rush to taste it.

Tea from the store

Koporsky tea is easy to buy, for example in specialized stores. However, when buying, you should be careful: fraud is often offered or substandard fees are collected.