The Healing Power Of The Forest: Recipes With Conifer Shoots

Forest baths are healthy. Strolling leisurely through the trees, meditatively and breathing fully, makes the regenerative forces of the body work at full capacity. The effects are multiplied if after the walk you “drink the forest”. Young shoots of conifers contain essential oils, resins, tannins that stimulate immunity. Here you will find the best recipes with fir and spruce shoots.

Harvesting conifer shoots

There is a short window of time of a few weeks, from the end of April to the end of May, to harvest the shoots.

In principle, both spruce and fir shoots can be used for the following recipes. This little saying helps laymen to differentiate them: spruce is flat, fir is not.

The confusions between fir and spruce are not dramatic. The only truly toxic conifer is yew, which can cause serious disorders. Therefore, only use tree shoots that you know well.

Make sure to pick only a few shoots from the same tree so as not to damage it and choose those that grow inward, where the density of branches is greatest.

It is best to collect the sprouts in the mountains, away from areas of traffic and possible contamination.

Recipe for “fir honey”

Fir bud honey is a vegan honey substitute. Strictly speaking, it is a syrup that can be used, for example, as a spread and to prepare aromatic drinks.

To prepare a small amount of fir bud honey, all you need are the collected buds, water, and sugar or xylitol.

Elaboration:

1. Wash the fir shoots with clean water and remove the damaged parts of the plant.
2. Place the sprouts in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and put a plate on top so they remain submerged.
3. Put the container in a cool place for 10-12 hours.
4. After the time, put the mixture in a saucepan and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes at medium temperature.
5. Cover the saucepan and let it sit for 6 hours.
6. Strain the infusion, weigh the liquid and mix it over low heat, stirring constantly, with the same amount of sugar / xylitol and a little lemon juice until it has a syrupy consistency.
7. Boiling may take a little longer depending on the amount. Let some of the water evaporate. When thick bubbles appear and the dough becomes viscous like honey, it is done.
8. Store the fir honey in sterilized jars. Fir honey can be kept for months.

Fir infusion

Dried fir shoots can be used to prepare an aromatic and healing infusion. For a large mug, simply take a sprout or two and pour boiling water over them. The infusion time is approximately ten minutes.

Fir syrup against cough

To retain as many healthy active ingredients as possible, you can make a no-boil cough syrup. For this you will need:

Ingredients:

• 300 g fir or spruce shoots
• 600 g of organic brown sugar or xylitol
• 1 large glass jar with screw lid
• Small jars or bottles with screw caps
• 1 linen cloth or a fine strainer

Elaboration:

1. Layer the sprouts and sugar / xylitol in the jar. The sprout layers should ideally be almost twice as high as the sugar layers.
2. The last layer should be sugar / xylitol and can be a bit thicker.
3. Close the jar and leave it on a sunny windowsill for about two weeks. If you do it with xylitol you may need less time
4. When the sprouts are brownish and the syrup has set, filter the mixture through a cloth or strainer and fill the jars or bottles with it.
5. It’s best to store the finished syrup in a cool, dark place to last until winter.

Fir jelly

An aromatic jelly with fir sprouts is also very easy to make. The following ingredients are required for approximately 400 g:

Ingredients:

• 300 g fir shoots
• 400 ml of water
• Special sugar for jams and jelly according to the amount indicated by the manufacturer (there is also a xylitol-based gelling agent)
• A little lemon juice

Elaboration:

1. Wash the fir shoots and cook covered with water, for about 15 minutes.
2. Let the mixture cool and rest overnight.
3. Filter the infusion so that about 300 ml of liquid remains. If necessary, fill it with a little water.
4. Add the sugar for jams and lemon juice and bring to a boil.
5. Once the desired consistency is achieved, pour the jelly into sterilized jars and close them tightly.
6. Homemade spruce jelly gets a personal touch with a fresh spruce tip placed inside each jar.