Spruce Needle Tea
Winter aromatherapy
DENNY MURAWSKA
On the most bitter days of cold, I watch birds at my feeder and cannot help but feel pity for them. No warm beds to return home to, no respite from the numbing winds. They carry on with what appears to be total normalcy. I learned long ago that a number of grouse species thrive mostly on the needles of coniferous trees like spruce, pine, and fir. It seems a very poor item for nutrition, but a hugely successful adaptation for the north country. These hardy game birds are literally surrounded by food in our woods, which got me to wondering what their food tastes like, and spring is an ideal time to mimic the hardy grouse.
Which of us does not relish the woodsy scent of pines and spruce? It is fair to say that gathering the tips and needles is foraging, but one does not have to search for them at all. It is more like picking apples in an orchard. During the lingering cold snaps of spring, a cup of tea steeped from these needle-like leaves may bring a sense of comfort and therapy that brings one back to times spent in the forest.
Indigenous peoples have made such infusions going back to more primitive times. Sore throats and colds were soothed with a plant source rich in Vitamin C. On a timely note, some take it for flu. Conifer needles are high in shikimic acid, which is a compound used in the making of Tamiflu, an antiviral medication. Elderberry syrup is now the rage when it comes to natural treatment of colds and respiratory ailments. Perhaps conifer needles could be added to your list of home remedies. The most tender and tasty are the light green tips that emerge in spring. In fact, some eat the entire tip at this time, just like grouse. Mature needles can be used as well, and one author swears black spruce taste best. Even pine sap can be melted with beeswax and honey to make a pleasant gum. Seems like a lot of work, but scented chewing gums are actually sold to clear the breath of super cautious hunters. Who doesn’t want to smell like a green car freshener?
While it is simplicity itself to identify spruce and pine, one must still be careful of other evergreens. Yew shrubs, often grown as ornamentals in landscaping, are poisonous. Arborvitae trees are common up north, and so are junipers. Their leaves are very distinctive, but one should still make sure of your identification.
The preferred method of making tea from these needles is simply pouring boiling water over a container of them and letting the mix steep. This is called an infusion. Boiling them from the start is not recommended. Adding honey to sweeten is perfect for a raspy throat. For more adventurous adults, one can flavor vodka with needles and resins as well. Those who imbibe in gin know that it is flavored with juniper berries and other botanicals. Why not knock back a spruce needle gin and tonic? What a way to reminisce with friends during the numbing cold of our Wisconsin winters.
Denny Murawska columns have appeared in a variety of outdoor publications. Most are collected in a recent book “The Elk Pool.” Denny’s church is the pine cathedral gracing our unique Driftless Area he calls home, where he owns and operates Angler’s Art Fish Taxidermy. See his work and contact him at www.aa-taxidermy.com