PINE NEEDLE TEA

Pine needle tea is an idea I came across while reading about winter foraging. While most of the greens have died away in the cold, and other foragables are hidden underneath the snow, conifer leaves may be found everywhere in Iowa woods, even in the bitter cold. I love the idea of making a winter tea that looks and smells like Christmas.

Nutrition: The incredibly compelling part of tea from steeped pine needles is the huge amount of Vitamin C it provides-- a cup of pine needles packs a punch five times that of a lemon! Pine needles also have a large dose of Vitamin A, making this cozy drink even more appealing for your body.

Harvesting and cooking: I love any foods that can be foraged because they are guaranteed to be great for their environment (found thriving naturally!), are free, and give me a good excuse to go on a walk and feel connected to nature. Harvesting for the tea doesn't get much more simple. Just go out into the woods and pick out the most beautiful, fresh green needles you can find. Just beware-- there are a few types of conifers you should try to avoid, as they have toxins our bodies don't like, and a few known to lead to abortion in pregnant mammals. Most are safe for your tea experiments, but stay away from the Yew, Norfolk Island Pine, and the Ponderosa Pine. Just consult your plant ID book (or for those less nerdy, Google) to double-check the safety of your pine needles before consumption.

Steep your rinsed handful of needles (after removing any brown spots and bruising all the leaves-- a rolling pin works well) in 2 cups of boiling water. Just leave your needles in the bottom of the cup and pour the just-boiling water overtop, or chop up the leaves and put in your favorite steeping device. Pine needles can use quite a bit of time to steep, you may even leave them overnight, with no fear of the drink turning bitter. Once it has been steeped to taste, just strain the leaves and add some spices and sweeteners to your liking. Drink up and enjoy!