This is the traditional way of making tea on the droving run, in Australia.
The water is usually taken from a local watercourse and rapid boiled over the campfire in the blackened billy, for at least ten minutes to assist in purifying the water of any bacteria.
in the Australian Outback.
The billy itself is a metal cooking pot with a lid and a bucket handle. It is kept clean inside, the blacked outer not only adds to the esthetic appearance but actually conducts heat better, it heats faster than a new pot.
Traditionally you would sit on your rolled up swag (bedding) and as you don't carry fresh milk in the outback you would have your billy tea black or with tinned sweetened condensed milk added.
The water is usually taken from a local watercourse and rapid boiled over the campfire in the blackened billy, for at least ten minutes to assist in purifying the water of any bacteria.
in the Australian Outback.
The billy itself is a metal cooking pot with a lid and a bucket handle. It is kept clean inside, the blacked outer not only adds to the esthetic appearance but actually conducts heat better, it heats faster than a new pot.
Traditionally you would sit on your rolled up swag (bedding) and as you don't carry fresh milk in the outback you would have your billy tea black or with tinned sweetened condensed milk added.
- Strong black tea.
- Billycan.
- Water (choose from a clean flowing water source.)
- Campfire, nestle the billy into the glowing coals at the edge of the fire.
- Tin or enamel mugs .
- Gum leaf branch.
- Milk, sugar or condensed milk, as available.
- Fill the billycan with water: at least 250 ml per person.
- Cover with lid and put on the fire to boil.
- When the water boils, take off the fire by lifting the handle with a stick and remove lid.
- Sprinkle tea on top of water: a handful for a family billy, several handfuls for a big one.
- Turn the handle furthest from the fire so it will cool.
- Briefly stir with the gum-leaf branch.
- NOT RECOMMENDED due to safety reasons, but this is how it once was done.: Swirl the billy three times over your head, keeping the hot tea in the billy with centrifugal action. The reason to do this was to settle all contaminants in the water along with the tea-leaves to the bottom of the billy. As travelers usually have a clean water source these days, the preferred method, and safe one I suggest is below.
- Wait. After about 5 minutes the tea leaves will suddenly drop to the bottom. Tapping the side of the billy with a stick may help (at least many people do it!).
- Pour carefully into tin mugs leaving tea leaves in the bottom of the billy.
- Flavour with milk, sugar or condensed milk if liked.
Put the bushfire out before you leave. Take only photos and happy memories and leave only footprints.
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