It's like a snowcone for adults! Spruce sorbet -- fresh from your nearby spruce tree! It's so good on a hot day! Here's how I make it.
Step 1. Pick 'Em!
When the spruce trees were putting out their new growth, I went and picked a bunch! For more on how to identify spruce trees and pick their new growth, see my post How to Eat a Spruce Tree.
Step 2. Soak 'Em!
Then I took 2 cups of that new spruce growth and put it in a quart jar filled with water. That spruce water is really tasty to drink, straight up by itself, after about 8 hours in the sun. But it keeps in the refrigerator for a few weeks, too.
Step 3. Mix 'Em!
To make the sorbet, there's just 2 other ingredients: 1/3 cup of honey and a lime. I start by draining the water from the spruce. I don't throw the spruce out -- I save it for some really great cookies, like these Spruce Tree and Pine Pollen Cookies. Then I add the honey. I thin the honey by heating it on the stove with about a cup of the spruce water. Then I add the juice from the lime. That's it!
Step 4. Freeze It!
To freeze into sorbet, I use a little half-pint manual ice cream maker. I think they still make them, but this one is from the 1980s. These manual ice cream makers are great because you don't need any salt or electricity to run. You just put their insert into the freezer the day before and then hand crank. Or, if you are like me, you start off hand cranking and then just put the insert back in the freezer for a half hour and then stir it all up with a spoon before it freezes solid. You could do this with a metal bowl or an ice cube tray, too.
Step 5: Eat It!
Spruce sorbet is so good! It may not be sweet enough for kids. But it is so refreshing! You can't buy spruce sorbet. But you can make all you want! Just get to know some spruce trees! Enjoy your sorbet!
I'll be posting more about making great tasting food with spruce trees, including shortbread and some prize-winning balsamic vinegar. In the meantime, if you want to see all this post put into action -- and hear a live-action taste review of this Spruce Sorbet, check out my video:
What Do You Think?
I hope you get a chance to make Spruce Tree Sorbet! If you do, I would really like to know about it! Put @haphazard-hstead in your post so I'll be notified and use the #foraging tag so all the Steemit foragers can find it!
- Have you ever eaten a spruce tree?
- Would you eat my spruce tree sorbet?
- Do you have any pine trees or spruce trees near you?
- Do you like all the gifs in this post or would you prefer to see only photos?
Thanks, @vegetarianbaker, for showing us all how to make gifs easily. I may have gone overboard! :D
I write about foraging because I believe that we can all have lives that are richer, more secure, more grounded, and more interesting by getting to know the plants and the land around us – in our yards, our parks, and our wilderness.
I would like Steemit to be the premier site for Foraging on the Internet! If you have any thoughts about foraging, or experiences to share, write a post and be sure to use the Foraging tag. And check out the @foraging-trail to see curated quality posts about foraging. Happy Foraging!
Plant List
Spruce trees: Genus Picea, Pine family (Pineaceae)
** Haphazard Homestead **
Oh YUM! I really want to try the sorbet and for some reason the spruce sun tea really intrigues me. It might be due to the fact that I drink loads of hot and iced tea of all kinds, but spruce is a type I have yet to ingest. Such an awesome post HH, and I loved the gifs, you didn't go overboard at all, lol!
Spruce sun tea has good flavor -- and Douglas-Fir soaked in water the same way, too. It's like drinking the forest! It's a revelation the first time you try it.
So much tree-eating!
Oh yes, I am a human giraffe! I eat needles, leaves, pollen, seeds, flowers, fruits and nuts. So maybe I am more goat that giraffe.....
It doesn't say in the rules that a giraffe can't play basketball.
haha -- You don't know how badly I play basketball. They made me be the manager for three years in high school, I was so dangerous out there on the floor. But at least I got out of school for traveling to other towns to play the away games!
Awesome post and video @haphazard-hstead!!!
Thanks, @cognoscere! I do like to eat conifers, lol. There are so many things to do with them! If you ever try this, I'd like to read a taste review. Here's to eating trees!
Oh wow, I had no idea you can do sorbet from trees spruce. Amazing wow RSD & UPV 🌸💖🌸
Thanks for the resteem, @lenasveganliving! Conifers have so many uses. This sorbet is refreshing. New spring growth from fir trees, like the Grand Fir, would be just as good, maybe even better!
I will keep that in mind 🌸💖🌸
It looks really yummy and refreshing! It's certainly good for kids and for me, as well! ;)
Thanks, @tangmo! I think you would like this. It's a very clean taste.
You're welcome! Yes, I would love it, for sure! So, I would have to visit your garden someday to taste it! ;)
There would be a lot of things to taste here, that's for sure! I think I would have a lot of new things to taste if I visited you, too! :D
Yes, that'll be great! You are welcome to visit me at any time! ;)
Thank you, @tangmo! I better get a lot more Steem Power built up, so I can get there! Who knows what we will be able to do in 5 years as Steemit grows!
You're welcome! With your great works here, I'm quite sure that you can get a lot of Steem Power shortly! ;)
I waaaant!!
It's great in the hot weather! I think anyone would like this, especially if you like a snowcone. And thanks for the resteem, too!
You're welcome! Its been a while since the last time i had a snowcone!
Everyone would be happier if we got more snowcones! :D
This reminds me of the pine tar gum my grandfather used to make us when we go camping ⭐️
I would like to read about that! How did you like it?
I know about chewing spruce gum, but not pine tar gum. There is so much to learn about what our wild plants have to offer! You grandfather knew something good!
All I remember is I think he would drop little balls into water, geez I wish I'd pay attention! It was good but it stuck to our teeth haha
He'd also make needle tea for us, he'd pour hot water over young pine needles Andrew them steep. Then he'd strain it and give it to us when we had colds🌲
Geez i miss him...
He sounds really neat. I'm glad you had a grandfather like that! It's amazing what he knew!
I was lucky to have had him in my life :)
Even when we ate rattlesnake eeeew lol
Happy weekend to you ⭐️
I wonder when you will write about all your food adventures with your grandfather. They would be interesting to read, I think!
I actually should! Possum, pigeons, snakes and foraged greens, I don't want to scare anyone away lol
Thank you for the idea! I promise soon ☺️
Wow, now this is a unique flavor combination!
Really great job on the tutorial. I think it's perfectly fine to have as many gifs as you need to show how to get the job done ;)
Thanks for the feedback about the gifs. Sometimes they make my head spin! This is such an easy treat to make. It shows that spruce trees have a lot more to offer than we think! I hope you get to try some sometime!
I live in the middle of Manhattan so the only way I'll get some spruce some time soon is if I find some in Central Park, lol!
Anyway, you do a great job on your tutorials. :)
Lol! : )
This is fabulous ! will see if I have some spruce in my neighborhoud ^_^ I take your receipe with me and please...go on with your gifs...that's just way too cool ;-)
Thanks for the resteem -- and I hope you do find some spruce near you! If you ever try this out, I'd sure like to read your review of how it turns out for you. And thanks for the feedback on the gifs. I gif-happy these days!
Such a great post! Love the videos! And of course, delish food as always ;)
Glad you enjoyed my spruce tree sorbet! And all those gifs. They were fun to make!
Are you serious? OMG! I really want to try this! Oh,my gosh, I have missed you and your amazing relationship with foraging. I had Italian godparents and nothing ever got thrown out. Boom. Ever. I love your gifs!! They add to your blog -they don't subtract. I can hardly wait to get out in the woods and try this out!
Resteemed!
I do hope you get to try the spruce tips in the spring, and this sorbet. Thanks for resteeming my post, too. Glad those gifs weren't too over-powering. I got pretty carried away, lol! If you try the spruce in the spring, I'd like to read about it. Just use the #foraging tag, so I'll see it for the @foraging-trail!
Whaaaat! I had no idea. My foodie partner @miyurufernando would want to try this, I'm sure. I'm interested in trying the spruce water.
There are so many good things to make from different conifers! Not every conifer, but so many of them are really good for one thing or another. If you do try the new spring growth, I'd appreciate your taste review! Happy foraging! :D
That sounds awesome! I want to try this. I have eaten fresh buds, needle tea, chewed plenty of sap, eaten pinecone nuts, but I have never tried this! Followed!
You know what's good out there with all the conifers! :D They are so underappreciated. I'm glad you've gotten to know them. If you write about any of that, be sure you add the Foraging tag, so it will be easier for me to find for the SteemTrail @foraging-trail. You can find out more here and here.
let me earn some steem, then i will go in the nature !!!.
Same like you slogan
But to flourish in Steem : click on my name and upvote me in my every post and I will upvote your every post,so mutually both will be benefitted and follow. This is the way of prosperity here. Thanks in advance.
Please don't make this sort of comment. This is not what Steemit is about. It may be helpful for you to read the helpful guides to Steemit put out by @sykochica. Here is one to read first: How Not to Gain Votes and Followers. Best of luck to you on Steemit.
looks delicious! im going to try! wish me luck! haha thanks for sharing the recipe! great post
Thanks!
I love this! Very cool...
Thanks!
Yum !!!
Yummm, indeed! LD
Bello!
Thanks!
@haphazard-hstead, thank you for supporting @steemitboard as a witness.
You can click on your award to jump to your Board of Honor
Once again, thanks for your support!
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