Pine Cone Jam: A Surprising Foraged Treat
Photography by Marie Viljoen
A tongue-scraping oxymoron or a soothing and familiar treat? In Italy that syrup (created by cooking immature pine cones) is called after , the tree whose cones are typically used, there.
I did know that I wanted to experiment with the bud-like cones I could see forming at the tips of the same branches.
Young female pine cones on a Japanese black pine.
Immature Himalayan pine cones fermenting in syrup. But could the cones themselves be made to taste good?
Tiny immature Japanese black pine cones on new shoots. The ever-inspiring Classic Russian Cooking by Elena Molokhovets, published in the nineteenth century, was silent on the subject.
Toast with Greek yogurt and pine cone honey. Pine cone honey is good drizzled sparingly on toast.
Pine cone jam and pollen cookies, with a fir garnish.