Fight the Winter Cold(s): Sumac and Pine Tea

January 10, 2020

When I was first thinking about this post, I was picturing snow covering the ground, and ruminating on the beautiful idea that even in winter, there are foods to forage. Well, we never had winter this year, and the spring shoots are poking up, so I better get this winter post posted!

By now, you know that I strongly believe in the idea that eating wild edible foods can fortify the immune system. Here are two immune-supporting tasty teas you can make from ingredients you can forage in January: Sumac berries and Pine needles.

Staghorn Sumac

A pretty ubiquitous shrub along highways, Sumac's bright red leaves are spectacular in the fall. The tall cluster/spikes of furry red fruits that arise in Autumn will hang on almost to spring. You can continue harvesting them into January/February, which is good to know, in case you didn’t put away enough Vitamin-C rich ingredients to see you through the winter. (UPDATE: While the Sumac shrubs are pretty bare here in MA, they are still plentiful in Maine, in mid-March.)

Sumac bushes and berry clusters, Mt. Agamenticus, ME

I picked mine in December, kept them around the house for a while, then made Sumac Tea (Sumac-Ade) in January. It’s easy: strip the berries off the branches, picking out as many small stems as possible without too much effort. Cover the berries (I used a half-cup) with cold water and let sit in the fridge overnight or for a few days. Pour through a coffee filter to screen out the fine hairs. Voila! You end up with a lovely, lemony, pinkish tea that can be sweetened with honey, sugar, stevia, or maple syrup (I chose the maple syrup) to yield a very mild substitute for lemonade—or perhaps a lovely basis for cocktails. Many people –including Steven—like it better than lemonade.

*(Hang in for a funny story below)

Pine: Another Option for Vitamin C in the Winter

Had early sailors known about Pine as a source of vitamin C, they could have packed it in barrels along with salt cod and pork, and been protected from scurvy on long sea voyages.

Above--Pitch Pine. Right: Eastern White Pine.

All Pines that are native to New England are edible, including the Eastern White Pine, Red Pine, and Pitch Pine. Two non-native Pines to avoid are the Norfolk Island Pine (an exotic from the South Pacific, which some people buy in grocery stores/nurseries at Christmastime). The Ponderosa Pine, which grows in the Western U.S., should not be consumed by pregnant women. You won't find either of these growing in Eastern forests. If you're feeling short on Vitamin C while hiking, just reach out and grab a few needles to munch on. The younger needles, especially, may taste more lemony than pine-y. You also can bring several clumps of needles home, chop them up a bit, and soak in cold or hot water overnight or for several days. The resulting beverage is subtle and tasty.

Spruce tea, left, White Pine tea, right

Another edible conifer is the Spruce (below), which has needle-shaped leaf structures like the Pine. It makes a fine tea, but many people think the Spruce tips (new needles) that arrive in spring are true delicacies. Other uses of Pine: Pine Nuts really do come from pine cones, though generally from the bigger cones out West (here in the Northeast, squirrels get them first). Pine pollen, which otherwise just creates an annoying yellow film on our car windshields, can be used as a flour substitute. In a few months, I'll be trying out Spruce tips and Pine pollen flour, and I'll let you know what I think!

Not all evergreens are pines! One of the things I love about writing this blog is that it forces me to research and learn more. Pines and Spruces have “needles” (like those pictured above.) Other evergreens, such as cedars and yews (which may be poisonous), have flattened leaf structures (pictured below).

Researching this post also taught me the difference between White and Red Pines, which at first glance look pretty much the same. Old wisdom is that you can tell the difference between the two species by the number of needles per bundle: the Red Pine having two to three; the White Pine having five (the same number of letters as in the word “white”). But it turns out the best way to distinguish White from Red Pines is by the bark. White Pines have thick bark that cracks and furrows vertically. The bark of Red Pines looks more scaly, and—well—often, red. The Pitch Pine (pictured above) looks different from the White or Red Pine, with longer, heavier needles, and squat, sturdy cones that hang on through the winter.

*Funny Story

While there are few plants that could actually kill you, it’s important to establish a 100% certain identification. Even so, some people’s systems are sensitive to some plants, as they may be to any food. It’s important to take things slow, in case you have any unusual sensitivity.

As a kid in middle school, I came up with a project of using natural materials to dye cloth. (Yes, I was always a Nature Nerd!) Sumac berries were supposed to yield a pale reddish dye. So I boiled a potful, leaning over frequently to enjoy the sweet fruity smell.

The next day, I woke up with a face about the size and texture of a soccer ball!!

There’s a plant called Poison Sumac (most common in the South) whose white berries hang down, as opposed to Staghorn Sumac’s fuzzy red berry clusters, which stand upright. The plant I had used was definitely not Poison Sumac, but clearly, I had some kind of sensitivity. Steven believes he got a rash from Sumac when he was a child (though I’m betting he actually brushed up against Poison Ivy).

Nonetheless—in sampling the Sumac-Ade, we were very careful. First, I rubbed the berries on my lips. After several hours with no reaction, I (and Steven) sampled a tablespoon of the Sumac-Ade. No reaction. The next day I drank about ¼ cup; still no reaction (Steven, same). So then we drank it with abandon, to no ill effect.

The point being: Don’t be afraid of foraged foods. But don’t be stupid, either.