Strawberry leaves for winter

It is not difficult to prepare strawberry leaves for tea. The main thing is not to miss the right time to collect raw materials, namely the period from August to September. This time is considered the most favorable.

Of course, the easiest way is to collect the leaves and just dry them outdoors or on the windowsill. But this is not the best option. At this time, the leaves will lose their unique aroma, which will make the taste of tea not as rich as we would like.

To avoid the loss of vitamins and flavor, the raw materials should be fermented. This process is complicated. At home, it can be simplified a little, but you should not miss it.

1. So, the collected raw materials are placed in a cardboard box and left for two hours in the shade. This is necessary in order for the leaves to wither a little. Such leaves are softer, do not crunch, unlike freshly harvested ones.

2. We knead the leaves slightly with our hands, you can rub them. This destroys the structure of the leaf itself, triggering the fermentation process.

3. We transfer the prepared strawberry leaves to any container, the main condition is that the container should not be metal. Cover with a damp linen napkin. You can also use a cotton piece of fabric.

4. We leave it in this position for 6-8 hours. Periodically moisten the napkin to prevent complete drying. When the smell of the leaves increases, it will become more pronounced - this is a signal that it's time to move on to drying.

5. It is recommended to dry strawberry leaves in the oven. We transfer the raw materials to a baking sheet, place it in the oven. We set the temperature to 100 degrees, dry for an hour and a half.

6. After the specified time, we lower the temperature to 50-60 degrees, dry until ready. During the drying process, periodically stir the leaves with a wooden spatula.

The harvested raw materials should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated room.

Have a delicious tea and good health!