Forest tea
By cat on Nov 18, 2021 09:19 pm
Lovely folks,
the days have been passing so quickly, with so many projects keeping me busy - from the final garden harvests to sowing seeds for winter, from harvesting baskets after baskets of mushrooms to drying them in the wood stove for the months to come. Olive picking, acorn picking and processing into flour (shall I do a post on that?), wood chopping and morning walks (and the occasional run), and the last finishing touches on my book. Late Autumn is nothing short of boring around here, and I was missing this little online space.
I almost forgot to share something that may not be new for those of you on instagram, but even if you’ve already seen it, here it is again as a reminder that if you haven’t brewed a batch of this, you truly have to try it 🫖🌲
This is my contribution to Herbal Academy’s 10 Wintertime Tea Recipes Ebook, which I’m so proud to be part of along many other inspiring herbalists!
The forest and hill that I call home inspire me endlessly. As the seasons change throughout the year, there are different herbs and scents keeping me company and, as a folk herbalist, most of my herbal adventures are informed by what grows around me and how the people of this region have found support in our plant allies. These people include my paternal grandmother, who dwelled in these hills.
Taking notice of what grew around her, too, every winter she brewed her family cups of pine needle tea to help ward off colds and respiratory infections. Even though she couldn’t read or write, firsthand experience and passed-down knowledge told her she was doing something right. In fact, pine needles are high in vitamin C and count expectorant and decongestant properties among their actions.
This tea recipe is deeply inspired by her, with a couple of herbal additions for a warming and aromatic blend.
Note: If you’re foraging for pine needles, always make sure to properly identify trees. Most pine trees (Pinus spp.) are safe to use, but there are exceptions, such as the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Remember that not all conifers are pines, which are distinguished from other conifers by their needles. Pine needles are bundled in clusters of 1-6, most commonly 2-5. Many pines have long needles, but there are some varieties with short needles too.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons fresh pine (Pinus spp.) needle, gently crushed (I use Pinus pinaster, which is native to my region)
1 fresh orange (Citrus spp.) peel
1 cinnamon (Cinnamomum spp.) stick
Local honey (optional)
Directions
This recipe is best to make fresh with zingy pine needles and still-juicy citrus peels. It makes one teapot’s worth of tea, but feel free to double (or triple!) the recipe to make a large batch, which will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Add all of the ingredients to a teapot.
Fill your teapot with just-boiled water, then cover and steep for 15 to 20 minutes before straining.
Sweeten with local honey, if desired, and enjoy!
I hope you all have an inspiring season of short and cold days, surrounded by your favorite herbal allies and warmth ✨