Evergreen Tea

Cup your hands around a warm, steaming mug. With slow, clear breaths you smell ever-green: a long life for you and for the trees. It smells like The Holidays. You feel so good, so kind, so open to the gifts this world has for you and generous with the gifts that you bring to this world. With a sip, you welcome the ever-green world into your world. The warmth flows down your throat and into your blood.

That is a little Yogi Tea-esc meditation for a tea made from any sort of Pine, Fir, Spruce, Douglas fir, Western or Mountain Hemlock (never to be confused with the completely different, ultra-poisonous Water Hemlocks!). These needles could even be harvested from your Christmas tree, wreath or swag. With respect to my Jewish friends, I do not recommend menorah tea. And even the most atheist among us can honor the scientific fact of the shortest day of the year with a little greenery and light.

My favorite Tannenbaum tea is of the Douglas Fir. It is aromatic, almost spicy, and tastes like your favorite Christmas memories. It will be like marinating your soul in Holiday good will. You will become one with the scent of Yuletide. It will ooze from your pores and you will sweat Holiday cheer.

Not quite so festive, but lovely just the same is the tea of the Blue Colorado Spruce.

I was sure Pine tea would taste like Pinesol, so I was surprised to find the Western White Pine tastes like dirt. The Sentinal Eastern White Pine tastes like spinach, the Mugo Pine of miso, and the Bristlecone Pine of butter (at least to Huckleberry). It seems that only the Scotch pine tastes like Pinesol. But the Australian Black Pine tastes pleasantly piney. I have heard that our native Ponderosa Pine makes the Best pine tea, however all of the Ponderosa's I've seen recently keep their needles 20 feet or more above my head.

For identification, I recommend The Manual of Oregon Trees and Shrubs published by Oregon State University.

According to Eat the Weeds, by Ben Charles Harris, scientists have found that the needles of pinus strobes (White Pine) contain high amounts of Vitamin A and five times the Vitamin C of lemons!

By now, you are no doubt asking yourself, "How do I make this Ultra Holiday Tea?" Carefully noting the species of plant, pick a handful of the youngest needles, clear of dirt, soot from cars, animal fur, etc. The best are the tender new needles of spring, but winter needles will do almost as well. Put them in your pot or mug and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. I drink mine straight. The needles are usually so large, there's no threat of swallowing them. I've never bothered to strain them out.

Of course not all ever-green needle-leafs should be used as tea. Again I trot out the specter of the dreadfully poisonous Yew tree, of dark green, flat needles which sometimes sport red berries. The Yew, among others, is not edible or potable as tea.

Additionally, I have read that the sap from Western White Pines is edible, tastes like sugar and should be added to teas, possibly even our Holiday Swag Tea. But, alas, I read this in a book from the East Coast, and I believe there may have been some identification mistake, because the pitch from the Western White Pines that I tried was putrid. It coated my teeth with a grainy concentration of Pinesol and made my tongue turn dry. Huck found the taste distantly pleasant, but then it made him sick to his stomach. This Cautionary Tale illustrates three Wild Edible points: 1) it’s a very good idea to learn the Latin names of things, which I have yet to do; 2) it's a very good idea to take everything you hear from East Coast Edible Experts with a grain of Pacific salt and 3) always make your husband try it first.

Merry Darkest Days of the Year!