Spruce tips

가문비나무 새순

Light green new shoots that sprout at the ends of spruce branches in spring. Taste one and it's surprisingly fresh and lemony. Chefs, bartenders and brewers look for them every spring.

Flavor and aroma

They have a bright citrus freshness with a resinous forest aroma.
Depending on the tree, they can also have fruity or earthy notes or bitterness.
Some say the aroma is similar to the hops used in beer.

Fun facts

They're clusters of still-soft "baby needles," so they can be eaten raw.
Indigenous peoples in Canada have long used these shoots, which are rich in vitamin C.

In the kitchen

Raw

Add them to salads or use them to garnish spring dishes.

Syrup

Steep the tips in sugar water and use it in cocktails, desserts, ice cream and sorbet, or as a glaze for game and fish.

Vinegar

Pour hot apple cider vinegar over the tips and let it sit for a few weeks. Use it in vinaigrette and hollandaise, or on grilled fish and shellfish.

Salt and sugar

Mix chopped tips into salt or sugar to flavor them.

Other ideas

Make pesto, jelly, pickles or liqueur, or a galette or compote with rhubarb.

Goes well with

ChickenPorkSeafoodCashew, pistachio, macadamiaFava beans, asparagus, peasCherryBlueberryCitrusRhubarbCream

Tips

The season is short, so making syrup lets you enjoy them longer. Pick only a few from each tree so it can keep growing.

Season

We're still checking the season. We'll add it once we find a source.

Details

Korean name: 가문비나무 새순
English names: spruce tips
Family: Pinaceae
Genus: Picea
New shoots of several species in the spruce genus (Picea)

Cautions

They can be confused with poisonous yew (Taxus). Don't forage them yourself; buy them from a trusted source.

Show sources for this page

References for this herb

Specialty Produce
Adamant Kitchen
Kitchen Frau
Edible New Mexico
PBS Food

Photo

The original uploader was MPF at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)