Introduction: How to Make "Sprite" With Pine Needles! (Uses White Pine)
NOTE: Do not mistake these for pine needles! ONLY use White Pine!
- Yew Plum Pine or fern pine (Podocarpus macrophylla)
- Norfolk Pine or Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
- Cypress (Cupressus) (More on issues of edibility here.)
- Yew (Taxus)
Article adapted from https://msshiandmrhe.com/pine-needle-soda/
Supplies
- 2 cup pine needles
- 2½ cup water (use bottled or filtered water)
- 4 tbsp sugar
Step 1: 1
Collect pine needles from white pine trees. Remove woody ends from the pine needles. Put pine needles in a large bowl, immerse them with cold water, wash and drain for 3 times.
Step 2: 2
Spread washed pine needles on a wire rack, let dry on your countertop for about 1 hour.
Step 3: 3
Place pine needles and sugar into a flip top glass bottle.
Step 4: 4
Fill the bottle with filtered or bottled water.
Step 5: 5
Close the lid and give the bottle a good shake, so that the sugar is distributed evenly.
Step 6: 6
In cold weather, you can put the bottle by a window so that the water is under the sunlight. In hot weather, keep the bottle in a bright room but avoid direct sunlight.
Step 7: 7
3 days later, fill a cup with ice cubes and a few slices of lemon. Open the bottle and pour the pine needle soda over the ice cubes. Stir and enjoy.
