News/Commentary

‘Think of it as rosemary’: Surprising number of ways to EAT your Christmas tree

January 3, 2023 | | Print Article

If you haven’t already, before you toss your Tannenbaum this year, nose to tail connoisseurs want to introduce you to a true farm-to-table experience with their recommendations on “How to Eat Your Christmas Tree.”

Just as some are eager to set out their decorations when the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, so too are there those un-decking the halls as soon as Christmas day is done. While the climate alarmists among us would rather see an outright end to holding trees “hostage in our houses” each holiday season, for those staying fast to tradition, a plea for so-called sustainability may leave those with adventurous appetites with needles in their teeth.

Julia Georgallis, author of “How to Eat Your Christmas Tree,” recently spoke to The Observer as the outlet announced, “Over the next week, millions of trees will be ejected from homes across the UK as Christmas festivities draw to a close.”

“But instead of sending their pine, fir and spruce trees for recycling or replanting,” they continued, “growing numbers of eco-conscious households are trying to make the most of them by eating various parts before throwing them out.”

“You can pretty much eat the whole thing,” Georgallis said. “You can use the needles as you would use rosemary or bay leaves, for flavor.”

The book released in September 2020, which decries the estimated 40 million trees cut down each year at Christmas without mention of those planted annually to keep the industry thriving, includes recipes for dishes like “Olive Oil, Lemon & White Pine Sorbet,” “Chirstmas-Cured Fish” and “Boozey Christmas Tree Shots.”

“I don’t know why in a climate crisis, when tress are our best armory, we’re cutting down thousands a year to keep hostage in our houses,” the author who started a supper club by the same name said, and added, “It’s made everyone a lot more aware of how they’re eating, what they’re eating, how they buy and grow stuff.”

Others who promoted such piney practices were less blatant with their virtue signaling as they stuck with festive motivations in their recipes.

Meanwhile, chef René Redzepi of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark echoed Georgallis’ sustainability message and method of use as he described, “Think of it as rosemary–you can use it in just about anything.”

With further recommendations like pine nut fudge brownie cited by the outlet, Redzepi told the Observer that he began using pine around 20 years ago.”We went to the forest and started picking pine shoots–they were incredible. We then discovered that the mature needles could add piney and citrusy notes.”

He cautioned against commercially grown trees as he stated, “We only go into the wild forest, as some pine farming can be quite toxic,” with reference to insecticides sprayed on the crop.

However, for those who understand there are other ways to be sustainable, rather than set your Christmas on the curb for garbage collection or on your dinner plate, there are farm animals that would be happy to make good use of expired holiday cheer.

 

Kevin Haggerty
Latest posts by Kevin Haggerty (see all)

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles