This is an ancient herbal drink from the most northerly parts of the planet.

It’s refreshing and healthy and there’s something wholesome and satisfying about pulling it all together.

This post isn’t martini-related at all, but if you’re going to enjoy the odd silver bullet, it’s worth trying to be healthy at other times.

The Dark Times

The winter months can be harsh and ancient humans had to eke a living from the frozen land in the most challenging of conditions.

Before shipping, modern farming and refrigeration, Vitamin C was particularly hard to come by during the darker time of year, but in places like Lapland, Siberia and Alaska people would concoct this drink to help them get through to the Spring.

Here’s how to do it

Responsibly find yourself some pine needles.

Wash them in the same way you would wash rice: rinse them in cold water two or three times, then leave them to soak for an hour.

Drain, then use a pair of scissors to roughly cut them up and add them to a heat-proof jug.

Bring a kettle of water to the boil, wait for about five minutes, then add it to the jug.

Give the needles a stir and let it sit for about 15 minutes. They will lose their green vibrancy, which is a shame, but don’t worry, the goodness is seeping into the water.

You can serve it hot and enjoy it there, or you can let it cool down and infuse overnight. The taste develops over this time so it becomes stronger, with a more bitter, tannin but nonetheless refreshing tang.

Enjoy your winter!