I dried herbs many times but I could not imagine that fermented herbs can have such a rich aroma. It is very difficult to find a good explanation about herb fermentation and moreover about consistency. Great video, thank you so much. Now I can make teas from different herbs.
Good video! I’m not sure this is fermenting though. It seems like it’s just advancing the cells of the plant breaking down in a moisture rich environment. Have you tried fermenting herbs like you would kimchi?
These are early stages of fermentation, but mainly we see oxidation, like in making black tea. Fermentation requires longer times, exclusion of oxygen, as much as possible, higher temperature (close to the body temperature). The result is still pleasant, but the medicinal properties of the herb could be greatly enhanced by deeper fermentation without loosing the taste.
I'm trying this with blackberry leaves. The guide I watched said to ferment them for six weeks, but after a few days they already smell delicious. I may have to pull a few leaves out, dehydrate them, and make tea with them before the six weeks are up.
How was your experiment? By fermenting your leaves for several weeks you greatly augment the medicinal properties of the plant. But in my experience (tried many herbs and leaves, blackberry included), you have to stick your nose into the process to evaluate the quality. There is a danger to go too far. Every herb and your fermentation set up will be different.
@@nataliasokolova420 Oh, they got moldy. Thanks for reminding me to try again this year. I think this time I'll just bruise them and dry them right away, or put them in a loose pile for no more than a couple days.
This is the year that I am learning about brewing teas from my garden herbs. I started with catnip for bedtime, and I now mix it with lemon balm, and a little bit of walnut sap syrup. Part of my nighttime routine is going out in the dark and gathering leaves to steep. Now I'm thinking that fermenting and drying bergamot is the next thing to try. Thank you for the great instructions.
Yeah, it makes a huge difference in taste. Fermenting peppermint is a bit more difficult, but aroma and intensity of the flavor of the fermented peppermint is so much stronger! From the time that we learned about fermenting, we always ferment our mints.
Hello Nikki, Thank you. No this isn't a herbal vine. It's a flowering vine called hoya carnosa. It doesn't really flower for us because it is growing in a shady spot, but if it was to grow along a southern window getting maximum amount of sunlight, it'll put out these beautiful highly aromatic flower clusters once a year. Flowers bloom for about 1 week, sometimes longer. Each flower creates a droplet of nectar that sometimes "rains" and creates a sticky spot on the floor when it dries up. Nectar is edible, tastes uniquely sweet and refreshing. The entire plant in itself is poisonous from what I've heard.
I ferment daikon leaves and radish leaves using salt. I put them into the fridge for a week or two before I eat them. I suppose you can ferment bee balm using salt too. I am planning to ferment pepper mint leaves using salt. I am planning to use fermented mint leaves for cooking, not for tea.
@@kiajennings4962 No water. Put salt to your daikon leaves evenly. Then put your mason jar inside the fridge. You can keep adding new leaves to the jar. Just keep adding more salt and stir it evenly. Some juice will come out of the leaves naturally. You can use the salty juice for seasoning too.
Golden rod. Hmm. That would probably make one potent tea! Usually we pick from our garden or far in the woods away from any pollution. This elevates a need to wash before fermenting the herb. I wouldn't recommend washing it through. It could add additional bacteria and moisture that might tamper with natural east that help with the fermentation process. As to the Goldenrod. I haven't tried it yet. Different plants ferment differently. Some plants are really difficult to ferment without them just rotting away on you. This Bee Balm (Monarda) is by far the easiest plant that we found which ferments really well and it's a great herb to start with. After Monarda the next one in the difficulty would be peppermint. Tea from fermented mint is 3X stronger for the same mint leave volume and darker, has a much richer taste.
@@YouCanToday А, наверное, просто учились в американской школе с детства, что говорите без акцента. Только когда своё имя произносите, то появляется русский акцент. А мелиссу таким же способом можно ферментировать для чая?
I wish that schools would teach classes to kids about foraging.
Yeah. So true.
Great tutorial about fermenting herbs. I'm very curious about the aroma of your tea.👍⚘️⚘️⚘️
Excellent information well presented Fermenting herbs is a new concept for me, and I appreciate your clear guidance, thank you
thanks for watching!
I dried herbs many times but I could not imagine that fermented herbs can have such a rich aroma. It is very difficult to find a good explanation about herb fermentation and moreover about consistency. Great video, thank you so much. Now I can make teas from different herbs.
Thanks :)
Wow very nice video big like God bless you
Thank you. I didn't know you can ferment herbs. My bee balm ( bergamot) bush is huge. Tomorrow I ferment.
New subscriber.
Awesome!!! Let know how it went.
Nice video,
Hunh. I got a ton of this in my front yard. Planted it for the bees, didn’t realize it was medicinal/culinary
Good video! I’m not sure this is fermenting though. It seems like it’s just advancing the cells of the plant breaking down in a moisture rich environment. Have you tried fermenting herbs like you would kimchi?
These are early stages of fermentation, but mainly we see oxidation, like in making black tea. Fermentation requires longer times, exclusion of oxygen, as much as possible, higher temperature (close to the body temperature). The result is still pleasant, but the medicinal properties of the herb could be greatly enhanced by deeper fermentation without loosing the taste.
ThankYou good instructional video we will try fermenting and dehydrating herbs.
I'm trying this with blackberry leaves. The guide I watched said to ferment them for six weeks, but after a few days they already smell delicious. I may have to pull a few leaves out, dehydrate them, and make tea with them before the six weeks are up.
wow! that is exciting!
How was your experiment? By fermenting your leaves for several weeks you greatly augment the medicinal properties of the plant. But in my experience (tried many herbs and leaves, blackberry included), you have to stick your nose into the process to evaluate the quality. There is a danger to go too far. Every herb and your fermentation set up will be different.
@@nataliasokolova420 Oh, they got moldy. Thanks for reminding me to try again this year. I think this time I'll just bruise them and dry them right away, or put them in a loose pile for no more than a couple days.
This is the year that I am learning about brewing teas from my garden herbs. I started with catnip for bedtime, and I now mix it with lemon balm, and a little bit of walnut sap syrup. Part of my nighttime routine is going out in the dark and gathering leaves to steep. Now I'm thinking that fermenting and drying bergamot is the next thing to try. Thank you for the great instructions.
That is wonderful!
Any particular reason for gathering leaves in the dark?
Because it's almost bedtime, and that's when I remember to get my herbs.
Why is it called bee balm and how is it medicinal. Thank you, great demonstration 😊
What a neat concept! I may have to try comparisons with several of the herbs I make teas with in a dried vs fermented then dried versions!
Yeah, it makes a huge difference in taste. Fermenting peppermint is a bit more difficult, but aroma and intensity of the flavor of the fermented peppermint is so much stronger! From the time that we learned about fermenting, we always ferment our mints.
You will most likely enjoy fermented herb tea better if you like black tea more than herbal tea. My favorite is young sweet potato leaf.
Excellent
Thanks Janine
Super cool! Any experience with Tulsi?
Haven't tried fermenting Tulsi. We do like dried Tulsi for tea
Your home looks so cozy ... Is that an herbal vine growing around that ploe
Hello Nikki,
Thank you. No this isn't a herbal vine. It's a flowering vine called hoya carnosa. It doesn't really flower for us because it is growing in a shady spot, but if it was to grow along a southern window getting maximum amount of sunlight, it'll put out these beautiful highly aromatic flower clusters once a year. Flowers bloom for about 1 week, sometimes longer. Each flower creates a droplet of nectar that sometimes "rains" and creates a sticky spot on the floor when it dries up. Nectar is edible, tastes uniquely sweet and refreshing. The entire plant in itself is poisonous from what I've heard.
I ferment daikon leaves and radish leaves using salt. I put them into the fridge for a week or two before I eat them. I suppose you can ferment bee balm using salt too. I am planning to ferment pepper mint leaves using salt. I am planning to use fermented mint leaves for cooking, not for tea.
Interesting.
What’s the water salt ratio you use?
@@kiajennings4962 No water. Put salt to your daikon leaves evenly. Then put your mason jar inside the fridge. You can keep adding new leaves to the jar. Just keep adding more salt and stir it evenly. Some juice will come out of the leaves naturally. You can use the salty juice for seasoning too.
Do you rinse the herbs with water and letting them dry before rubbing them? Could you do this with goldenrod?
Golden rod. Hmm. That would probably make one potent tea! Usually we pick from our garden or far in the woods away from any pollution. This elevates a need to wash before fermenting the herb. I wouldn't recommend washing it through. It could add additional bacteria and moisture that might tamper with natural east that help with the fermentation process.
As to the Goldenrod. I haven't tried it yet. Different plants ferment differently. Some plants are really difficult to ferment without them just rotting away on you. This Bee Balm (Monarda) is by far the easiest plant that we found which ferments really well and it's a great herb to start with. After Monarda the next one in the difficulty would be peppermint. Tea from fermented mint is 3X stronger for the same mint leave volume and darker, has a much richer taste.
Так можно ферментировать любые листья? Я, например, хочу заферментировать листья Surinam Cherry.
Это работает с бергамотом. Каждая трава ферментируется по разному, но принцип один и тотже.
@@YouCanToday Вы так хорошо говорите по-английски. Вы, наверное, лингвист по профессии?
@@rawsunnata829 Нет, не лингвист - массажист :)
@@YouCanToday А, наверное, просто учились в американской школе с детства, что говорите без акцента. Только когда своё имя произносите, то появляется русский акцент.
А мелиссу таким же способом можно ферментировать для чая?
@7:34 😂