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Heide Horeth's avatar

My mother grew up in a high mountain village (50 people) in Carinthia, Austria. She used to make us a cough syrup from the fir tips harvested in the springtime, then layered in a large glass jar with white sugar and set outside in the sunshine for weeks. So delicious!!! I have tried to make this. Sadly, with minimal success. Since The Pacific NW is similar in latitude to where my mother is from I am attributing my minimal syrup extraction due to our very mild winters here. Do you think the trees need a real "cold snap" to make them produce the syrup? I still have a bottle of my mother's cough syrup which must be 20 years old. It seems to taste the same. Who knew a tree could have such a magically delicious flavor? The elves and fairies? Ive always wanted to try it brushed on some cooked shrimp. I think it's time for me to relocate mother's elixir. In Austria you can find fir tea and liqueur as well. It's very popular. Thank you for the forrest flavor memory.

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Sam Cooper's avatar

You are most welcome, and thank you for sharing your memory of your mother's version of this. I'd say that perhaps you could try picking the tips a day after heavy rainfall or after a particularly cold winter. The sooner you can catch them the more sap they have. As they mature on the tree they turn more woody and dry. There's a fine balancing point.

Good luck!

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Heide Horeth's avatar

Let’s hope I can remember your good suggestion next spring. I’d like to try again. All the best!

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zizinia's avatar

very high quality article indeed, thank you.

pieces of the pine are very useful in fermentation. one tool is pine pollen which is a strong nutrient for wild yeasts (full of vitamins and minerals and yeast assimilable nitrogen) and therefore extremely useful in fermented drinks. simple as getting a paper bag and tying it over a branch in season and leaving it, the pollen will collect at the bottom of the bag.

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Sam Cooper's avatar

That's a great tip! At certain times of the year the pollen comes off pine in bright yellow clouds too, so it's possible to collect a huge amount.

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Rewilding Neurodiversity's avatar

My 8 year old has been fermenting cones this week. He’s basically made a “Champaign” a bit like elderflower. His motivation is creating explosions, and winding his mum up pretending to get drunk, but anyway I have been thinking about pine fermentation and our house is awash with their scent. He is also been printing the cones in clay and they make great patterns. Anyway- Thankyou for this proper recipe- I’d like to try it. Also as a massive fan of Susanne Simmard and Merlin Sheldrakes work, I’m pleased to find your beautiful descriptions of the mychorizal world - you’ve a way with words- thanks 🌿

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Sam Cooper's avatar

Thank you for sharing such a wonderful message. I can totally relate to your son’s creation of potions! I wonder how he’d react if you poured pine syrup on pancakes one day? Haha.

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Hopeful Reflections's avatar

Loving the content as always. Question, is this the same plant, just a dwarf variety?

https://www.ladybirdnursery.com.au/scots-pine-saxatilis-pinus-sylvestris/?srsltid=AfmBOop-q1jfOsAu9zOctJ7g_as9mYQx65zRVM1D0lDLIFUPC_7POq_x

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Sam Cooper's avatar

Thanks! Yes, that's the same plant, though I'm not sure why it says it only grows 1m tall. Perhaps they mean in the pot? Or perhaps it's on a root stock? Either way, that's the one!

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Paula & Martin's avatar

We love this Sam and wonder whether ‘Fermentation as an Ecology of Patience’ might be the title of your next book? Please sign us up for the Online sessions!

You probably saw our Lodgepole Pines Sam and it sounds like they’re not sensible to use so we’ll hunt through our woodland for Scots Pine!

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Sam Cooper's avatar

I wish sales and marketing would let me title a book something fun like that haha. But alas no. At least I get to have fun with my titles here on Substack.

I believe Lodgepole are toxic so best avoided, but there are other varieties outside of Scots Pine if you come across them. The tips are also delicious if you happen to miss the window for cones.

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Paula & Martin's avatar

If only DK would Sam but perhaps you could suggest that if ‘Zen and The Art of the Magic Roundabout’ can be a best seller then perhaps you should suggest your readers would love it!

Aside from the deciduous trees the woodland was (poorly) planted by a previous owner with whatever he could get his hands on so there’s a lot of Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock and Douglas Fir but I’ve feeling there could be a couple of Scots Pines by the gate. We’ll give you the guided tour next time! Thanks again for Tuesday 🌿

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Paula & Martin's avatar

p.s. Happy Birthday!

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Sam Cooper's avatar

Thank you Martin and Paula (and Flo).

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Leli Hoch's avatar

your combination of Pine Mugolio, Ana Mendieta, & Le Temps De L’amour is sublime, thank you!

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Sam Cooper's avatar

Thank you. The combination felt right the moment I started writing, but the further I delved, the more the layers complimented one another.

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Tom's avatar

Ohh wonderful as ever! And such a nice thing to put on as you read while in the garden with a cup of tea. A course about food photography would be amazing!

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Sam Cooper's avatar

You are most welcome! Thank you for your kind words. I love listening to audio books whilst I work in the garden so I get that completely! I’ll be sure to put something together for photography 😊

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Bee's avatar

Also : happy birthday !

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Bee's avatar

I'm not done yet, but just to let you know I'm reading your words out loud and it feels like (pine) candy on the tongue. I'm a French speaker so my English pronunciation is a bit random and I have to look up a few terms (what is "cartouche" in the pan, though!?).

Pine is for me : hot summer in the south of France, along with the thyme smell of the garrigue ; windy coast line in Bretagne ; "bonbons La Vosgienne" in my grandma's cupboard ; sticky fingers and clothes after a picnic in the woods ; the softness of the ground to take a nap listening to the woodpeckers... Thank you for your wisdom threated in poetry.

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