Tea from blackberry, raspberry and strawberry leaves – fermented too
A mild homemade tea can be made from the leaves of blackberry, raspberry and wild strawberry – fresh, dried or fermented like black tea. A warm drink does you good in the cold and makes boiled water tastier. Here you learn which leaves to take, when to harvest them, how to wilt, roll, ferment and dry them, and why cherry and plum leaves do not belong in the teapot.
- Picking 15 minutes; fermenting 1–3 days; drying a few days
Explicado de forma simples
You can make tea from the leaves of blackberries, raspberries and wild strawberries. It tastes mild and a bit like black tea if you ferment the leaves first.
Fermenting sounds complicated but is simple: let the leaves wilt, roll them between your hands until they darken, leave them in a jar somewhere warm for one to three days, and then dry them.
You never use cherry or plum leaves for tea, because poison can form in them when they wilt. And if something goes mouldy, you throw it away.
Como funciona
Every leaf contains enzymes that are normally kept apart from the substances they act on. Rolling damages the cells, enzymes and substances come together and react. Tannins are converted, the leaf turns brown and forms new aromas.
This is exactly how black tea is made from green tea leaves. With blackberry and strawberry leaves the result is milder, but clearly rounder than simply dried leaves.
Drying stops the enzymes and takes away the water that germs need to grow. That is why well-dried leaves keep a long time in a tight jar.
O que realmente importa
Young, healthy leaves from clean sites. The tender leaves at the shoot tips make the best tea. Leave spotted, chewed or fungus-infested leaves hanging.
When fermenting, pay attention to smell and appearance. A fruity scent reminiscent of tea is good. A musty smell or a coating means mould – throw everything away.
Dry thoroughly. Only when the leaves rustle and break do they go into the jar. Remaining moisture leads to mould.
Segurança: o que você precisa observar
Cherry, plum, sloe, peach and cherry laurel belong to the same large family as blackberry and raspberry, but their leaves contain substances from which hydrogen cyanide can form. They have no place in tea.
Only take leaves you have reliably recognised. It is easiest when flowers or berries hang on the same bush.
Leaf tea is a drink for enjoyment, not a medicine. For illnesses you go to a doctor.
Passo a passo
Choose the right leaves
Blackberry leaves consist of 3 to 5 toothed leaflets on prickly canes. Raspberry leaves have 3 to 7 leaflets with a whitish, felty underside. Wild strawberries have three toothed leaflets close to the ground. It is safest to harvest when flowers or berries can be seen on the same bush.
- 1
Choose the right leaves
Blackberry leaves consist of 3 to 5 toothed leaflets on prickly canes. Raspberry leaves have 3 to 7 leaflets with a whitish, felty underside. Wild strawberries have three toothed leaflets close to the ground. It is safest to harvest when flowers or berries can be seen on the same bush.
- 2
Harvest young leaves
In late spring and early summer pick young, light green, healthy leaves from the shoot tips on a dry morning. Leave older, spotted or chewed leaves hanging. Wear gloves – blackberries and raspberries prick.
- 3
Let them wilt
Spread the leaves on a cloth and let them wilt in the shade for a few hours to half a day until they are soft and pliable. If you want simple dried tea, skip the next steps and carry on drying.
- 4
Roll and ferment
Roll the wilted leaves between your palms until they darken and juice comes out. Press them firmly into a clean jar, cover it with a damp cloth and keep it warm for about one to three days. The leaves turn brown and smell fruity, similar to black tea.
If it smells musty or you see mould: throw it away.
- 5
Dry thoroughly
Pull the leaves apart and dry them loosely spread out in an airy, warm, shady place until they rustle and break. Store dry in a tight jar in the dark.
- 6
Brew
For one cup use about one teaspoon to one tablespoon of dried leaves, pour boiling water over them and let them steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Fermented tea tastes stronger and rounder, simply dried tea milder and greener. It can be mixed with rose hips, lime flowers or mint.
Erros comuns
- Taking cherry or plum leaves
- Using diseased or spotted leaves
- Storing them too damp
- Overlooking mould
- Picking along roads
Visão rápida
Materiais
Luvas de trabalho resistentes
Against prickles
Ao lidar com lama de enchente ou produtos químicos, use também luvas impermeáveis.
Saco de coleta ou cesto arejado
Colher cada espécie separadamente para que nada desconhecido se misture
Sem sacos plásticos por muito tempo – a verdura transpira e estraga
Pote ou pote de barro para fermentação
For fermenting
Use apenas recipientes próprios para alimentos, de vidro, cerâmica esmaltada segura para alimentos ou plástico próprio para alimentos – nada de recipientes de metal para alimentos ácidos.
Panela de metal (aço inoxidável, alumínio, titânio)
For brewing
Quente – risco de queimadura.
Indicado para
- May to July: young leaves
- A warm drink without bought tea
- Stores for winter
Não indicado para
- Wilted leaves of cherry, plum, sloe or peach
- Diseased, spotted or mouldy leaves
- Leaves from roadsides
Pré-requisitos
- Recognising blackberry, raspberry and wild strawberry reliably
- Clean sites away from roads
- Um local seco e arejado para secar
Segurança
- Only take leaves from plants you have reliably recognised – ideally when you see the berries on the same bush. Do not brew unknown leaves.
- Mould can form during fermenting and drying. If the leaves smell musty or you see a white, green or black coating, throw everything away.
Como funciona
Young leaves of the rose-family plants blackberry, raspberry and wild strawberry contain tannins and aroma substances that make a mild, slightly tart tea. During fermenting the cells are damaged by rolling, and the plant's own enzymes change the substances – the tea becomes darker, rounder and reminiscent of black tea. Drying stops the process and makes the leaves keep.
Vantagens
- Easily recognised, common plants
- Dura muito tempo guardada
- A warm drink without bought tea
- Tastier than boiled water
Desvantagens
- Quase nenhuma caloria
- Fermenting takes patience
- Prickles when picking
- Risk of mould when damp
Conhecimento aprofundado
Contexto técnico
In times when real tea was expensive or unavailable, people in Central Europe made "German tea" from native leaves. Fermented blackberry and strawberry leaves were considered the best substitute for black tea.
The most important rule is the same as for all wild plants: only use what you have reliably recognised. With tea there is a special rule as well: leaves of cherry, plum and their relatives have no place in the teapot.
Variações
- Fresh leaf tea
- Wash a handful of fresh young leaves, tear them roughly and pour boiling water over them. Tastes grassier than dried, but is ready at once.
- Wild herb blend
- Mix dried blackberry leaves as a base with dried lime flowers, rose hip shells or spruce needles. That makes your own house tea.
Erros comuns
- Taking cherry or plum leaves
- Using diseased or spotted leaves
- Storing them too damp
- Overlooking mould
- Picking along roads
Limites e riscos
- Sem promessas de cura
- No amounts for medicinal purposes
- Vale para a Europa Central
Alternativas de material
Derivado das propriedades dos materiais: um substituto precisa ter todas as propriedades relevantes. Observe as indicações sobre o substituto.
- Saco de coleta ou cesto arejado
- Panela de metal (aço inoxidável, alumínio, titânio) (Quente – risco de queimadura.), Garrafa de aço inoxidável de parede simples (Aqueça apenas garrafas de parede simples, sem pintura nem plástico; retire a tampa antes de aquecer.), Garrafa térmica de parede dupla (Nunca aqueça diretamente.), Garrafa PET (transparente, máx. 2 litros) (Não aqueça nem coloque no fogo.), Galão de ågua próprio para alimentos (Use apenas recipientes que nunca tenham contido produtos químicos ou combustível.), Recipiente hermético próprio para alimentos (Encha somente quando estiver limpo e completamente seco; nunca use recipientes que já tenham guardado produtos químicos.), Recipiente ou bolsa de água dobrável (Proteja de objetos pontiagudos.), Jarra medidora, Bolsa de água própria para alimentos (Use somente para água potável, nunca para produtos químicos ou combustível.), Pote ou pote de barro para fermentação (Use apenas recipientes próprios para alimentos, de vidro, cerâmica esmaltada segura para alimentos ou plástico próprio para alimentos – nada de recipientes de metal para alimentos ácidos.), Sacos de alimentos reutilizáveis com fecho (Use apenas sacos próprios para alimentos; não use com água fervente, a menos que o fabricante permita expressamente.), Recipiente de coleta rígido (pote, cesto ou caneca) (Uma espécie por recipiente – nunca misture algo desconhecido)
- Pote ou pote de barro para fermentação
- Garrafa de aço inoxidável de parede simples (Aqueça apenas garrafas de parede simples, sem pintura nem plástico; retire a tampa antes de aquecer.), Garrafa térmica de parede dupla (Nunca aqueça diretamente.), Garrafa PET (transparente, máx. 2 litros) (Não aqueça nem coloque no fogo.), Galão de ågua próprio para alimentos (Use apenas recipientes que nunca tenham contido produtos químicos ou combustível.), Recipiente hermético próprio para alimentos (Encha somente quando estiver limpo e completamente seco; nunca use recipientes que já tenham guardado produtos químicos.), Recipiente ou bolsa de água dobrável (Proteja de objetos pontiagudos.), Bolsa de água própria para alimentos (Use somente para água potável, nunca para produtos químicos ou combustível.), Sacos de alimentos reutilizáveis com fecho (Use apenas sacos próprios para alimentos; não use com água fervente, a menos que o fabricante permita expressamente.)
- Panela de metal (aço inoxidável, alumínio, titânio)
- Garrafa de aço inoxidável de parede simples (Aqueça apenas garrafas de parede simples, sem pintura nem plástico; retire a tampa antes de aquecer.)
Os resultados vêm exclusivamente de entradas estruturadas. Nenhuma instrução improvisada é gerada.
Fontes (3)
- Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) (2017): Risiko Pflanze – Einschätzung und Hinweise · Cherry laurel and other stone-fruit plants with cyanide-forming substances
- Ray Mears und Gordon Hillman, Hodder & Stoughton (2007): Wild Food · Blackberry, raspberry and wild strawberry as common wild plants
- Headquarters, Department of the Army (USA) (2002): FM 3-05.70 Survival · Tea from wild plants only from reliably identified plants