Today some rather funny news came out of Belgium. Apparently their government has warned people that the scandinavian tradition of eating your Christmas tree isn't a good idea. But this is not really a common tradition in Scandinavia, it is much more common to throw away or reuse your tree in other ways. Christmas trees are often treated with chemicals, and this makes the needles toxic to both humans and animals.
But today we are going to debunk this myth together, and also share a few pieces of advice about what you can actually do with your tree.
Scandinavians do not eat their Christmas trees
In Scandinavia, the most common thing people do with their Christmas tree after Christmas is to throw it out, either by driving it to a recycling center or getting it picked up by a service. And even though pine needles are technically edible, it is not the norm to eat it. You should avoid eating your Christmas trees needles if you don't know or are unsure about it's origins. Most of the Christmas trees we purchase, are treated with chemicals and pesticides, so eating the needles can be dangerous.
This myth may come from hearing that Swedish soldiers used to brew tea from pine needles and shoots, and this does actually work. It is a great source of vitamin C and tastes quite nice. Source: https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/RxakwO/at-och-drick-din-julgran
Or they may have read about spruce shoots, which are both nutritious and delicious. Spruce shoots can be used to brew tea, can be pickled or be used as seasoning for food or syrups.
But just eating raw Christmas tree needles is not recommended.
How can you use your Christmas tree?
One thing that is a bit more common to use Christmas tree wood for is adding it to the barbecue to give your meat a nice and smokey flavor. And the needles can be used for cooking, but you have to be 100% sure they are free from any chemicals, pesticides or other treatments. Basically, if you grew your tree yourself, and know that you haven't sprayed anything onto it, they are edible. Or if you purchase a tree that is guaranteed organic and free from any preservatives. You should still wash the needles before using them, to make sure they are clean.
But the best part of any spruce are the shoots. They are a lot less bitter than the needles, and therefore a lot tastier. Just remember to ask the land owner before picking spruce shoots and to never pick the top shoots.
Here are a few uses for spruce shoots:
Tea
Take a tablespoon of crushed spruce shoots and place it in a cup. Pour 2 dl of boiling water over it, and let it steep for about 5-10 minutes. Strain and then you have a nice cup of herby, nutritious and delicious Christmas tree tea. If you want to keep the shoots for later, you can always put young shoots in the freezer.
Bath
After a long, hard day, you might want a nice bath. And what could be better than a spruce shoot bath? Simply tap up a bath, make 2 l of spruce shoot tea, then pour into the bath. Wait a bit to let the bath cool down a little, then you have a nice, warm bath.
Syrup
Spruce syrup is really tasty, and goes great with ice cream!
Here's how to make it:
- Gather the shoots and let them rest for a week to soften.
- Soak them in water for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a saucepan and cover with fresh water.
- Bring the water to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes. Strain out the shoots.
- If desired, repeat the process with fresh shoots in the same water, boiling for another 15–20 minutes before straining again.
- Measure the liquid and add an equal weight of sugar. Boil the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a syrup-like consistency.
- Once done, pour into a nice jar or bottle and let cool.
This syrup can form crystals in the fridge, but in the freezer it will stay liquid for a long time. It not only tastes great, but is also really great against coughs.
Do you have any other tips for using pine needles or shoots in cooking, share below!
