Every holiday season, millions of Christmas trees are set up in homes and later discarded. However, with a bit of creativity, your holiday evergreen can be repurposed into unique and flavorful drinks that harness the tree’s natural aroma, piney essence, and health benefits. From infusions to syrups, teas, and more, here’s how you can get the most out of your Christmas tree before saying goodbye to it for the season.
1. Pine Needle Tea:
A simple and soothing tea made from the fresh needles of your Christmas tree can be a great way to enjoy the tree long after the decorations are packed away.
- Ingredients: Fresh pine needles (make sure they’re from a non-toxic tree like a fir or pine), water, honey (optional), lemon (optional)
- Instructions:
- Rinse the pine needles thoroughly to remove any dust or sap.
- Place a handful of clean pine needles in a saucepan with 4 cups of water.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Strain the tea, and add honey or lemon to taste if desired.
- Enjoy a refreshing, earthy tea with potential anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties.
2. Pine Syrup:
Transform the fresh needles into a sweet, herbal syrup perfect for cocktails, mocktails, or as a topping for desserts.
- Ingredients: Fresh pine needles, water, sugar or maple syrup
- Instructions:
- Rinse and chop a handful of fresh pine needles.
- In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water and the chopped pine needles to a simmer.
- Let this steep for about 15-20 minutes to extract the flavor.
- Strain the needles, then add 1 cup of sugar or maple syrup to the infused water.
- Stir until dissolved and let cool.
- Store in a glass jar, and use this pine syrup to flavor cocktails, teas, or baked goods.