Elsewhere:
Preparing leaves for tea can be applied to many other trees than just the tea tree. Others might not have theine or the exact same taste, but the oxidation process can bring similar fruity/floral aromas to your cup.
Ingredients
- 1 g
- Young leaves (raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, cherry, and others)
Instructions
- Pick young leaves that have reached their adult size but are still tender.
- Withering: The leaves are first spread out in a thin layer and left to dry for approximately 10 to 20 hours. The goal is to obtain wilted but still supple leaves. If they become brittle, they are too dry and no longer suitable for preparation.
- Disruption: Once withered, the leaves are kneaded by hand for about 2–3 minutes. This step involves crushing them to break down the plant cells. This process brings an enzyme (PPO) into contact with the polyphenols present in the plant. In the presence of oxygen, this causes natural oxidation, which is responsible for the blackening of the leaves. This phenomenon is similar to that observed in the production of black tea from Camellia sinensis or when an apple turns brown after being cut.
- Oxidation: The crushed leaves are then placed in a tightly wrapped cloth to retain moisture. The cloth can be lightly dampened on the outside to prevent drying out. The mixture is left at room temperature (ideally between 20 and 25 °C) for 6 to 24 hours. The longer the oxidation time, the more developed the flavor will be. It is essential that the leaves remain moist during this stage; otherwise, the process will stop.
- Drying: Stop the oxidation process by laying out the leaves in the sun. The leaves should be arranged in a single layer to dry evenly. Drying is complete when the leaves become brittle.
Adapted from this original recipe