Snow Tea

[Wook]

I've never had tea made from melted snow before, so tonight I fired up the Kelly Kettle and went out into the garden in a blizzard to make some.

I was a little concerned about burning through the inner wall of the chimney if I couldn't get it full fast enough, so I spent the first several minutes furiously ramming snowballs down the spout After a while I figured out small ones are better than big ones that need to melt their way in. I think using big ones that stuck out the spout for a while is where the slight smoky flavour came from.

Once it came to the boil I let it run for several minutes to ensure any nasties from the ground were dead. I'd also made a point of only using fresh untrodden snow.

I'd call it a reasonable success, although I mildly kippered the water. There is a slight smoky flavour to this tea.....

Any pointers for future reference?

 

[copper_head]

No experience with the Kelly kettle but its always a good idea to put a little water in your pot and get that hot then melt your snow into that. Nothing wrong with smoky tea

 

[ecky]

I have heard that if you put a match in the water it takes the smokiness away.
I am assuming that the match head has been removed.

 

[Wayland]

That's an interesting tip.. I'll have to try that one.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Be well carefull . Loads of people have melted sausepans and kettles through trying to melt snow in them.
Kelly kettles are worse as it's the quickest way I've ever been able to boil water

 

[Whittler Kev]

Be well careful . Loads of people have melted saucepans and kettles through trying to melt snow in them.
Kelly kettles are worse as it's the quickest way I've ever been able to boil water

 

[ged]

... I mildly kippered the water. There is a slight smoky flavour to this tea.....

A bit like Lapsang Souchong then. One of my old favourites.

Any pointers for future reference?

With these kettles I've found it's all about flame control.

My kettle is a Ghillie not a Kelly, and I don't know if your Kelly has a similar firebowl, but mine has a hole about 1.5" diameter in the firebowl that was supplied with it. If I use a tapered stick of about the same diameter as the hole to block or partially block the hole I can get the flame to be much less fierce than it wants to be if the hole is open completely. With a moderate flame I don't think you need to worry about burning through the aluminium. Although I almost always fill it right up I've had some pretty fierce flames in mine and the bowl has distorted a little, but that's all, even though it hasn't had the water jacket to cool it that the kettle itself has had.

I must admit though that I've often considered gettiing the stainless version.