When you walk through the forest and smell the pine needles, you think of hot tea rather than marmalade. And at the same time, you can conjure up a sweetness that many would envy from ordinary cones. Forest marmalade, as it is often nicknamed, has a slightly resinous taste, smells wonderfully of pine and hides health inside.
When you think of marmalade, most of us think of strawberries, apricots or currants. But what if we told you that you can bring back from an autumn walk in the forest which few have tasted? We are talking about cones, fragrant, resinous and surprisingly healthy. In some countries, for example in Russia or the Caucasus, syrup or marmalade has been made from young pine or spruce cones for generations. It has a slightly resinous taste, smells wonderfully of the forest and can literally be an elixir of health in winter.
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“In Eastern Europe and Russia, sweet preserves made from pine cones are sold in shops and markets. The taste of these marmalades is sweet and sour, with a bubblegum-like texture,” says food stylist Marie Viljoen.
Forest sweetness that heals
Cone marmalade is not just a curiosity for daring gourmets. Thanks to the content has significant strengthening effects on immunity. In folk medicine, it is used for colds, sore throats and fatigue. The taste resembles a combination of honey, herbs and caramel, only with a subtle touch of forest. And what is the most beautiful? You can collect the basic raw material yourself, just find a clean forest away from roads and industry.
How to recognize the right donuts
Young, still soft and closed cones are used for jam. Those from spring or summer are ideal, but even in autumn you can often find the remains of young shoots. Pine trees tend to be sweeter, spruce trees have a more pronounced resinous taste. Before use, wash the collected cones, cut them in half and let them soak briefly in cold water to wash away the excess resin.
Recipe for donut marmalade
Raw materials:
- 1 kg of young pine cones
- 1 kg of granulated sugar
- 1 l water
Procedure:
Wash the cones thoroughly and put them in the pot. Pour in a liter of water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 30 minutes until the water turns golden brown and starts to smell like the woods. Then strain the mixture, discard the cones and add sugar to the broth. Cook slowly until the mixture turns into a thick syrup, which is about 45 to 60 minutes. Pour the finished marmalade into sterilized jars, close and let cool upside down.
Editor’s tip
You can use pine cone marmalade as a sweetener for tea, topping for pancakes or as a medicinal syrup for colds. If you present it in a small glass with a jute lid, it will also please you as an original autumn gift from the heart.
This forest delicacy may sound unusual, but once you taste it, you’ll understand why generations of mountain people have treasured it so much. It’s the taste of the forest in a jar, fragrant, medicinal and surprisingly delicious.
