Pine needle tea


Pine needle tea or pine leaf tea is a herbal tea made from pine needles, or the leaves of pine trees. In Korea, the tea made from the leaves of Korean red pine or Manchurian red pine is known as sollip-cha, while the tea made from the leaves of Korean pine is known as jannip-cha or baegyeop-da. In North America, pine needle tea may be made from the leaves of Eastern white pine.

Preparation

''Sollip-cha''

Sollip-cha is a herbal tea made mostly from the leaves and needles of Korean red pine or Manchurian red pine. Pine needles are usually harvested around December; preferably before midday; from 10 to 20 year-old trees located mid-mountain and facing southeast, that have grown in sunny places. Two types of sollip-cha can be made:
The first method uses fresh or dried pine needles. The harvested leaves are soaked in water for a day and then cleaned, rinsed, trimmed of the sharp tips, and halved or cut into three pieces. They can be used right away or dried in a shaded area before being used. For of water, of dried pine needles or of fresh pine needles are infused over low heat. As the tea has the properties of an astringent, honey or sugar is added to improve taste.
The second method consists of using fermented pine needles. The harvested leaves are trimmed of their sharp tips and washed, then placed in a sugar solution made with water and of sugar, which is then fermented in a sunny place for a week or more. Well-fermented sollip-cha is filtered with cloth and consumed as cold tea.

''Jannip-cha''

The leaves that grows eastward are harvested for making the tea. of fresh pine needles are washed, drained, and boiled in water. When it comes to a boil, it is brewed on a low heat, and enjoyed without the leaves.