The rustle of birches planted in a whole grove. And it’s a tradition in the spring to walk here and collect the sap of these trees. The process is interesting, and I will never forget the taste of plant nectar. Like sweet spring water with sourness.
And it’s one thing to pick up a can of drink and drink it right at the family table. And another if you decide to stock up on it. After all, tree nectar is a storehouse of vitamins that strengthen the immune system and give health.
There are many ways to preserve a valuable drink. It’s not a sin to enjoy it at least for a whole year, without waiting for a cheerful spring. You can roll the drink into cans without additional components. If you like variety, you can add citric acid, raisins, lemon or honey to your drink. The drink will make excellent kvass, and for children, prepare nectar with candies. And even birch champagne can be stored in your cellar until better times.
Intrigued? So, let's go on a delicious journey. You will gain interesting and valuable knowledge about preparing the healthiest wood drink.
Birch sap canned at home
How good is plant nectar in a simple canning option? Without various additives. Just a little sugar. A classic drink in its purest form. When cooked, it will retain its beneficial properties in full.
The simplest method. Remember.
Ingredients (proportions can be increased):
- 1 l. birch sap;
- 3 tbsp. l. Sahara.
Preparation:
1. First of all, take out the drink cans and lids for them. This can be any glass container with any volume. Wash them thoroughly and leave them aside for now. We will sterilize them soon.
2. Next, clean the plant nectar from small debris. Take the gauze and fold it 8 times. Place a cloth over a deep saucepan and filter all the drink through it.
3. Now we take the required amount of sugar and send it to the tree nectar. Mix everything well. Your drink will acquire a rich, sweet taste.
4. Then put the container with the drink on medium heat.
Do not bring the liquid to a boil under any circumstances. As soon as the first bubbles appear, immediately turn off the heat. This way you will retain all the valuable elements in the juice.
5. While preparing the drink on the stove, also sterilize the cans. To do this, pour water into a separate saucepan. Place jar lids in the dishes. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Place a glass container over the steam. This way the dishes will become germ-free.
6. Then pour the delicious drink into jars and seal them with lids. Without wasting time, put them in a secluded place and wrap them in a blanket. As soon as the drink becomes cold, put it in a cool and dark room.
For many, birch drink has the taste of childhood. Now it is rolled up in jars. If you have kids, let them remember this taste for the rest of their lives. And for you for many years to come.
Beneficial features
As noted above, birch sap is a product with high biological activity. It is recommended for use by people of all ages, since this drink has a wide range of beneficial properties:
- It is very useful for the gastrointestinal tract. The product stimulates the digestion process, as well as the secretion of enzymes and gastric juice, which are necessary for food to be properly digested. In addition, since it does not irritate the mucous membrane, this juice can be taken in moderation for gastritis and peptic ulcers. It is useful for “lazy” intestines and a tendency to constipation.
- The product is endowed with the ability to bind and remove toxins and poisonous substances. It also effectively helps dissolve sand and stones from the kidneys and bladder. Thanks to its pronounced diuretic effect, it helps to avoid the appearance of edema.
- Nectar increases the body’s overall resistance and helps resist various infections, and therefore it is recommended to drink it during the traditional “cold season.”
- The product is useful for sore throats, flu and ARVI, accompanied by high fever, as it helps to avoid dehydration.
- “Birch tears” help reduce the intensity of pain associated with arthritis, radiculitis and rheumatism. The drink is also very good for joints.
- It is recommended to use this product during intellectual overload, since the glucose and fructose in its composition stimulate cognitive abilities.
- Birch sap is a product that helps to “accelerate” metabolism, thereby promoting weight loss.
How to preserve juice with citric acid (recipe for a 3 liter jar)
Do you want to diversify your woody drink with something fresh and at the same time not spend a lot of resources on it? Citric acid will solve this issue.
It cooks quickly. And its taste will be richer and fresher. Save the recipe.
Ingredients:
- 3 l. birch sap;
- 210 gr. Sahara;
- 15 gr. citric acid.
Preparation:
1. First of all, prepare a clean lid and a 3 liter jar into which you will roll the nectar.
2. Then strain the collected wood liquid using gauze. Pour it through the cloth into the pan.
3. Add sugar and citric acid to the drink and stir. Place the container with it on the fire. After the first bubbles appear in the liquid, turn off the burner.
4. When preparing the drink, boil water in a kettle or a separate pan. Pour boiling water over the lids and jars where it will be poured.
5. Pass the finished liquid through a sieve. Then put it in a jar and preserve it. Wrap the container with thick cloth and wait for the wood nectar to cool. Then put it in a closet or cellar.
It’s so nice to have something prepared for later, to leave a little for now. Literally revel in the results. In addition, 3 liters of the divine drink is enough for a whole large family or even a couple of days, and there will be a lot of emotions! Good ones. Rest assured.
How to properly store the product
With all its undeniable advantages, birch sap has one very important drawback: it spoils very quickly. This drink will “live” in the refrigerator for no more than three days. After this, although the taste may remain the same, the beneficial properties will decline.
Therefore, if you want to preserve the product for a longer period, you can preserve it. However, it should be borne in mind that the composition of useful substances in this case will decrease somewhat as a result of heat treatment.
Another way to preserve birch sap is to freeze it. In this case, the concentration of useful substances will not change, and the shelf life of such ice preparation will be a year. You can store it in the freezer and use it as needed, defrosting the juice immediately before use.
Recipe for preparing birch sap for the winter with candies
How lucky the children are to have you. I know for sure. After all, you can stock up on this interesting plant nectar for them... with candies. Then the drink will sparkle with shades of pear, mint or barberry flavor.
Involve the kids themselves in the process. You'll have fun with them while preparing a special drink.
Ingredients:
- 3 l. juice;
- 2 lollipops (duchess, mint or barberry);
- 2/3 tsp. citric acid;
- 200 gr. Sahara.
Cooking technology:
1. First, strain the wood nectar through a sieve into an enamel bowl, ridding it of small debris.
Next, add sugar, candy and citric acid to the drink. Let's mix everything vigorously.
2. Then put the mixture on medium heat. As soon as the liquid gets ready to boil, quickly turn off the burner.
3. After placing the drink on the stove, boil the water in a separate bowl. Sterilize lids and glass containers for your tree nectar in it.
4. Pour the drink into jars and roll up. Cover them with a thick cloth and wait until they cool. Hide it in a cool place.
Have you thoroughly enjoyed the process of producing a healthy and original drink? A bonus will be the memories of preparing tree nectar with sweet candies. If children ask for candy, offer them a glass of tasty juice. They won't refuse.
Benefits for the child's body
A child's immunity is weaker than that of an adult, so children are more likely to get viral and infectious diseases. Birch sap helps counteract this problem by increasing the body's protective properties. It fills cells with substances and microelements necessary for healthy growth and development.
It is important! Birch drink is given to children gradually, mixed with water in a 1:1 ratio. In the absence of negative reactions, the daily volume of the drink can be increased to 70-110 ml and given undiluted.
Delicious birch sap with lemon
Lemon. First of all, we take it when a cold sets in. In a duet with a tonic wood drink, you get a double effective remedy for viral scourges.
Be sure to prepare it and you won’t get sick!
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. l. sugar (for 1 jar);
- 3 l. birch nectar;
- 1 lemon.
Preparation
1. First, prepare clean jars and lids. Then wash the lemon, take a knife and a cutting board. Cut the citrus into round pieces. Soon you will need all this.
2. Next, strain the wood nectar through several layers of gauze into an enamel bowl. Place it on medium heat. As soon as the drink is about to boil, turn it off.
3. When preparing juice on the stove, sterilize jars with lids in boiling water. Then place a piece of lemon and 1 tablespoon of sugar on their bottom.
4. Now pour the healthy nectar into jars and roll them up. Cover the drink with a cloth. Once it has cooled, put the jars in a cool place.
All you have to do is wait until autumn and remember your miracle drink. But why wait? Enjoy it anytime. The immune system will be happy. Do not be ill!
Harm and contraindications
Compared to other juices, the list of contraindications for birch sap is very limited. It is approved for use by pregnant women, and you should refuse to use it only in case of individual intolerance, as well as in case of an allergic reaction to birch pollen. In addition, nutritionists recommend caution when using birch sap for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.
It is necessary, however, to take into account one more important fact. Birch, like a sponge, absorbs all toxins from the environment. Therefore, sap should be collected only from trees located in environmentally friendly places, away from highways. Otherwise, this drink will not only not bring any benefit, but may even be hazardous to health, since it will contain heavy metals that have entered it from exhaust gases.
Video on how to roll birch sap with orange and cranberries into jars
In addition to the preparation with lemon, you can make a similar preparation with orange. Everything is done exactly the same, without any changes, if you want to exchange one citrus for another.
However, to add variety, I offer you this wonderful option, where the benefits of forest gifts are doubled. After all, here, in addition to exotic citrus fruits, there are also cranberries, rich in vitamins and all sorts of other benefits.
Please tell me, who doesn’t love cranberry juice?! So here three favorite tastes will come together at once. And the drink will become not only tastier, richer and brighter, but also healthier.
This is how beautiful and delicious the end result is. It is best to store this in a cool temperature and dark place.
Use in cosmetology
Birch sap has found wide application in cosmetology. It is used as a topical treatment for a range of cosmetic problems and also helps restore healthy hair and skin.
For skin beauty
First of all, it should be noted that birch sap is effective in combating various skin imperfections. To get rid of unsightly “blackheads”, peeling and irritation, wipe your face with cotton swabs soaked in juice in the morning and evening.
A mask of 30 g of birch sap, 15 g of sour cream and 10 g of honey will help moisturize dry skin. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and apply the mask to the skin. A quarter of an hour later, wash your face with water at room temperature.
A lotion prepared as follows will also help soften dry skin: bring a glass of birch sap to a boil over low heat, then add a teaspoon of liquid honey to it. Stir gently, cool and wipe your face with it three times a day.
If you notice that the skin has lost its tone and new small wrinkles have appeared, pour 10 g of dry yeast into 100 ml of warm milk. Add the pre-beaten egg, add 60 g of rice flour, 30 g of oatmeal and pour in 12 g of corn oil. Wrap the mixture and let it brew for an hour. After this, add 100 ml of slightly warmed birch sap and two tablespoons of crushed birch buds. Apply the paste to problem areas, and after half an hour, rinse with lukewarm water.
To whiten your skin and give it a truly aristocratic look, mix white and blue clay in a 1:1 ratio. Dilute the mixture with juice until it acquires the consistency of a cream. Apply the mixture to your face for twenty minutes, then rinse with birch sap. Please note that after this procedure you should not go out into the sun for two hours.
A universal mask is useful for both dry and oily skin. To prepare it, mix a tablespoon of cottage cheese with half a tablespoon of honey, beat a raw egg into the mixture and add two tablespoons of birch nectar. The mass should be homogeneous. Apply it to previously cleansed facial skin, and after twenty minutes, rinse with water at room temperature.
An express method for restoring a fresh look to your skin: a compress of birch sap. Prepare gauze folded in half. Soak it in fresh birch sap and place it on your face. The duration of the procedure is twenty minutes. In addition, the juice of the “white-skinned” beauty makes excellent cosmetic ice, which can then be used for rubbing.
In order to refresh the skin, you can prepare a scrub from two tablespoons of celandine herb, three tablespoons of liquid honey and a tablespoon of wheat cereal. Dilute this mixture with birch sap until it acquires the consistency of a fairly thick cream. Moving along the massage lines, carefully apply the scrub and massage a little.
For hair beauty
To ensure beauty and healthy shine to your curls, rinse your hair with birch sap after each wash for fourteen days.
In order to restore freshness to oily hair, prepare a mixture of two tablespoons of birch sap, a tablespoon of honey and a teaspoon of salt. Pour 250 ml of vodka into this mixture, and then pour it into a dark glass container, close tightly and shake thoroughly. The product should be infused in a dark place for ten days. After this, before each wash, rub the lotion into the skin, wrap your hair in a terry towel and keep this mask on for an hour and a half. After this, wash your hair using your regular shampoo. After just a few procedures, your hair will look fresher and more well-groomed.
A mask of two tablespoons of burdock oil and six tablespoons of birch sap will help stimulate hair growth. Apply it to your hair for half an hour, during which the head should be wrapped in film and a terry towel. After this, wash off the mask using regular shampoo.
Birch nectar with raisins in bottles
Juicy and sweet raisins enjoy great fame in cooking. And where would we be without it in our drink? The berries will give their special taste and vitamins to the drink. It will become richer and more useful.
You will not regret that you decided on such an alliance. Let's start putting it into practice.
Ingredients:
- 3 l. birch sap;
- 30 pcs. raisins
Preparation:
1. First of all, prepare the raisins. Place it in a bowl and rinse under hot water. Leave it aside. We'll get back to him soon.
2. Then strain the woody drink into a saucepan through cheesecloth or other loose fabric. Place the dishes over medium heat. Bring it to a hot state, add raisins to the drink. As soon as the nectar begins to boil, turn off the burner.
If desired, you can add orange zest and sugar to the drink according to your eye.
3. Now take the lid and cover the pan with it. Let the drink cool completely.
4. Sterilize the bottles and pour cool juice into them. Roll them up and put them in a cellar or other cool place. After 2 weeks, the juice will be ripe and ready to drink.
Be patient a little. Very soon you will be treating your family to a wonderful woody drink. But it is an excellent alternative to compotes. Let this nectar be a good company for your holiday feasts.
Blank
Birch sap is collected in the spring, when sap flow along the roots and trunks of trees just begins.
As a rule, this process begins with the melting of snow and most actively continues until the buds swell.
In order to determine whether it is time to prepare this drink, a puncture is made in the birch trunk with an awl, and if droplets of liquid appear, then the time is right.
The extraction of birch sap is completed when the leaves bloom.
Like any living organism, birch has its own biorhythms and the most active movement of sap occurs during the daytime. For this reason, it is collected from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Not every birch tree is suitable for extracting sap. Firstly, the location where the tree grows is important. Despite the fact that birch has a tap root system and receives the bulk of its liquid from the deep layers of the soil, some of the surface roots can absorb toxins dissolved in water from the top layer of soil.
Therefore, to collect the drink, it is worth choosing plants that are far from roads, industries and residential areas.
Secondly, the birch tree must be mature so that the holes made and the nutrient fluid taken from it do not cause significant harm to its health. The diameter of the tree trunk must exceed 20 cm.
To extract birch sap you will need:
- knife, axe, awl or gimlet;
- straws (can be used for cocktails);
- containers made of plastic or glass and a rope for tying them to the trunk.
Some collectors use grooves, pieces of rope or wood chips instead of tubes to drain birch sap, and plastic bottles or plastic bags instead of jars.
The list of devices for collecting birch sap depends on your ingenuity and capabilities. In Soviet times, special kits were produced, but today everyone must assemble it with their own hands.
Birch sap is collected according to the following rules:
- holes in the tree are made 2-3 cm deep at a height of 40-50 cm from the ground surface.
- it is better to make the slots on the north side of the trunk, since here the movement of fluid is more active;
- a wide tube or gutter is inserted into the hole made;
- a container is attached to the outer edge of the tube, placing it directly on the ground or tying it to the trunk;
- if the trunk diameter is 20-25 cm, then 1 hole is made in the tree; if it is 26-35 cm, then the trunk is pierced twice; and if more than 35 cm, then three times;
- from one tree you can get on average about 2-3 liters of birch sap;
- Upon completion of the workpiece, the holes must be sealed with wax, soap or moss so that fungi do not get inside the trunk and its rotting does not begin.
By following these simple rules, you can get the maximum amount of juice with minimal damage to the plant.
How to roll natural birch sap into jars without sugar
It happens that sugar is contraindicated. Or you don’t consume it out of principle.
The wood drink contains natural sugar – fructose. There is not much of it in nectar and there is no harm from it.
And here there is a way to roll up plant nectar in jars without sugar. According to the recipe, it is canned very quickly. And very soon you will be enjoying a drink with your favorite lunch or dinner.
And here's what we need to prepare it.
Ingredients:
- Birch juice.
Preparation:
1. Strain the drink into an enamel container through cheesecloth. Place the dishes over medium heat. Without bringing the drink to a boil, turn off the burner.
2. While the nectar is preparing, boil water and sterilize the jars and lids with it. Pour a hot drink into them and quickly roll them up.
3. Cover the container, for example, with a blanket and leave it to cool. After time has passed, put the healthy drink in the closet.
Here's how to easily preserve a healthy drink without various additives. This way it will not lose its taste and its natural properties. Enjoy your use!
What diseases does it treat?
Birch sap is so rich in useful substances that there is no disease that it does not fight. The content of potassium and magnesium improves myocardial function, iron is useful for anemia. These same elements eliminate chronic fatigue and improve sleep.
Enzymes help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Drinking juice also helps the respiratory system. Diuretic properties, removal of harmful substances, removal of edema - all this is subject to a natural drink.
Incredible benefits for pregnant and lactating women, as well as for women in menopause and for relieving cramps during menstruation.
Biological stimulants in the juice strengthen the immune system, and fruit sugar nourishes the brain. In addition, it relieves headaches.
Healing of wounds, depression and vitamin deficiency, inflammation, skin and colds - this is not a complete list of diseases that the gift of birch helps to cope with.
Kvass from birch sap and dried fruits
Birch is one of the main symbols of our country. Nowhere does it grow as much as here. And we are very lucky with this. How much nectar the miracle tree can give us! And you can make kvass from it, among other things.
Combined with spicy dried fruits you get an amazing drink.
Ingredients:
- 2.5 l. birch sap;
- 150 gr. dried fruits
Preparation:
1. Take dried fruits and place them in a bowl. Rinse the components in warm water.
Now filter the fresh birch sap into a separate bowl through a loose cloth.
Use dried fruits such as prunes, dried apricots, apples or pears.
2. Then prepare a clean 3-liter glass jar and gauze. Place the dried fruits in a container and pour the strained drink on top. Cover the jar with gauze and put it away for 2 weeks in a cool and secluded place.
3. As time passes, prepare smaller bottles and sterilize them. Take the finished kvass and pour it into glass containers and seal. Place it in the refrigerator if you decide to drink it right away. Or back to a dark place for further storage.
Imagine it’s winter outside. You come out after a bathhouse or a bath with a shower... And here aromatic, sweet kvass awaits you on the table. It has appetizing notes of fruit and sweetness. No one will have such extraordinary kvass. The pride for your efforts will be rewarded to the brim of the glass. Enjoy.
general characteristics
In fact, birch sap is an amazing substance with high biological activity. This is the name given to the liquid that flows out of cuts specially made on the trunk or branches of a birch tree under the influence of root pressure.
Content:
- general characteristics
- Calorie content and chemical composition
- Beneficial features
- Traditional medicine recipes
- Use in cosmetology
- Harm and contraindications
- How to properly collect birch sap
- How to properly store the product
- Use in cooking
Nectar collection begins in early spring, in early March, and ends in mid-April, when leaves appear on the trees. On average, one tree brings 2-3 liters of healing liquid.
The natural product has a sweetish taste and a rather pleasant, very specific aroma. It is consumed both in its “natural” form and various drinks are prepared from it, and can also be preserved.
Drink made from birch sap with honey and raisins for preservation
Another one of the most useful components that our nature has come up with. Honey. It will sweetly intertwine with plant nectar. And it will become even brighter and tastier. And during the cold season it will be an excellent helper.
Honey, like a woody drink, is a storehouse of vitamins and valuable microelements.
Ingredients (the number of components can be reduced or increased by changing their ratio):
- 10 liters of birch sap;
- 2 tbsp. honey;
- for each can 30 pcs. raisins
Preparation:
1. First, place the raisins in a plate and rinse them. And leave the berries aside for now.
2. Filter the wood liquid into a saucepan. Place it on medium heat. Do not bring to a boil, but only to a hot state, turn off the burner. Take honey and add it to the drink. Stir everything vigorously until it is completely dissolved.
3. While heating the drink, sterilize the jars and lids. Place raisins at the bottom of a glass container, and pour wood nectar on top of them. Roll up the glass container.
4. Cover the dishes with a thick cloth. Once the drink has cooled, put it in a cool place.
You will not regret the presence of a honey drink in your bins. Perhaps you will need it at the most necessary moment. Although the right time is always now. You will definitely find time to enjoy the aromatic and healthy nectar.
Calorie content and chemical composition
In terms of its chemical composition, birch sap is a substance with high biological activity. At the same time, its energy value is very low; 100 g of liquid contains only 22 kcal. The composition of nutrients in the drink is as follows: 0.1 g of protein, 5.8 g of carbohydrates, no fat.
The product contains phytoncides - natural plant antibiotics, substances with a powerful antibacterial effect. It is also rich in organic acids, tannins and essential oils.
If we talk about vitamins, the nectar of the “white-skinned” tree is a storehouse of vitamin C, known for its ability to increase the body’s resistance to viruses and bacteria, as well as accelerate the process of tissue regeneration. In addition, vitamin C is an active participant in the synthesis of the important protein collagen, which is necessary to maintain healthy hair and skin, and also has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the pancreas. In addition, the drink contains vitamins B6 and B12. The first is an active participant in the synthesis of nucleic acids, which prevent aging, help prevent skin diseases, and strengthen the nervous system. Vitamin B12, in turn, is essential for maintaining normal cell division. It takes part in energy metabolism, helps to endure mental and physical stress more easily, and prevents the development of anemia.
The mineral composition of the product is quite impressive. First of all, it contains potassium (27.3 mg), which is necessary for normalizing heart rate, helping to equalize the water balance in the body, which helps reduce the load on the kidneys and helps avoid edema. In addition, potassium improves the oxygen supply to brain tissue.
Sodium (1.6 mg) is involved in the production of gastric juice and helps normalize the functioning of the digestive system. It also has a vasodilating effect, improving blood flow.
Calcium (1.3 mg) is necessary to maintain healthy dental and bone tissue, has antihistamine properties, reducing the intensity of allergy symptoms. In addition, it has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Magnesium (0.6 mg) is involved in energy metabolism, is necessary to prevent the formation of stones in the gall bladder and kidneys, helps eliminate toxins from the body, including even heavy metals, and normalizes the activity of the endocrine system.
Manganese (0.1 mg) stimulates the production of ascorbic acid, helps to significantly reduce blood glucose levels, and stimulates cognitive activity. This element also helps normalize the functioning of the pancreas and cholesterol synthesis. In addition, it is a hepatoprotector that prevents fatty degeneration of the liver.
Iron (25 mcg) is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, the main element of the blood formula. It also has bactericidal properties and is an active participant in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. In addition, it is necessary for the normal absorption of B vitamins that enter the body with food.
Copper (2 mcg) is essential for maintaining healthy skin and hair. In addition, this element helps prevent emotional and intellectual overload and is a preventive measure that prevents the development of anemia.
Finally, nickel (1 mcg) helps normalize blood sugar levels, has the ability to reduce blood pressure to an acceptable level, and also enhances the effect of insulin.
Thick birch syrup for home storage for the winter
In addition to drinks, you can make a thick syrup from plant nectar. Sweet, chewy and aromatic. In addition to playing with tea, it can be used in your favorite dishes, cereals and confectionery dishes. A universal product.
Hurry up, collect valuable nectar and prepare a delicious syrup.
Ingredients:
- 3 l. birch sap;
- 3 cups sugar.
Preparation:
1. Strain the fresh wood drink through cheesecloth into a saucepan.
Place it over high heat and bring the liquid to a boil. Now turn the burner down to low.
2. Boil the drink for another 1 hour. Foam will form on its surface. Be sure to take it off every time you appear.
3. Next, add sugar to the liquid.
For 1 liter of drink there should be 1 glass of sugar.
Nectar also contains natural sugars. However, when white sand is included in the juice, it will reach a syrupy consistency faster.
4. The longer the syrup cooks, the thicker it will be. It should turn yellow to light brown. Dip the spoon into the syrup and pull it up. If the mixture flows like honey, you can finish cooking it. He's ready.
5. 10 minutes before preparing the syrup, take out small jars with lids and sterilize them in boiling water. Roll some syrup into them. Cover the container with a thick cloth and leave to cool. Then put them in a cool, dark place.
Seductive like caramel. And the syrup is stored for a very long time. How beautifully it shimmers in jars like flower honey. You can enjoy it right now or leave it for later.
Parks and nature reserves will not be suitable
According to the law, birch sap cannot be collected in city parks and forest parks, in places of public recreation, in dendrological parks and botanical gardens. And also in historical and cultural reserves, memorial parks, in habitats of wild animals and wild plants included in the Red Book. These restrictions also apply to the areas of sanatoriums, holiday homes and healthcare institutions. So if you have set your sights on a pleasant forest surrounding a suburban department of a hospital, then be prepared to pay a fine.
Sparkling champagne (wine) made from birch sap
Sparkling, sweet. It will give you a unique taste and even surprise. Birch champagne. So he was nicknamed for his effervescent character. There is no shame in serving this drink on a holiday or quietly celebrating a valuable event with it. You must repeat the recipe for this light wine.
You won't be sorry for the time it takes to create wonderful champagne. And for this you will need:
- 12 l. birch nectar (can be fresh or canned);
- 2 kg sugar + 120 gr. for the wine itself (including 10 grams of sugar per 1 liter of wine);
- 5 gr. citric acid;
- 50 gr. dark honey (for example, buckwheat or chicory).
For sourdough:
- 100 gr. black raisins;
- 30 g sugar;
- 200 ml spring water or birch sap.
Preparation:
1. 3-4 days before making the champagne itself, you need to make raisin starter. So, take the dried grapes and put them in a bowl.
The berries cannot be washed: on their surface there is valuable wild yeast necessary for fermenting the sourdough.
Add sugar and spring water or tree nectar to the raisins. Mix everything well. The dishes should only be filled to 2/3 of its space. Cover it with gauze and place in a dark place at room temperature. And let the sourdough ripen for 3-4 days.
As time passes, foam should form on the surface of the starter, there should be a sour smell and the mixture should sizzle.
2. Now pour birch sap into a deep saucepan, add citric acid and 2 kg of sugar. Mix everything well
Citric acid will create ideal conditions for fermenting the wort.
3. Then put the dishes on low heat and bring the wort to a boil. Let it boil until the volume of the mass decreases by 25%. This procedure is called inversion: due to it, the wine will ferment faster. And the sugar will decompose into fructose and sucrose - the champagne will become more aromatic and richer in taste.
4. Then turn off the burner. Let the mixture cool completely. Then add raisin starter along with berries and aromatic honey. Mix everything vigorously. Under no circumstances should you put your starter into hot wort. So its beneficial microorganisms will die.
Honey will leave a pleasant sweetish aftertaste in the wine and give it a mesmerizing golden color.
5. Now pour the mixture into a container or canister made of food-grade plastic. You can also put it in a glass jar. Be sure to take into account that there is 30% empty space in the container of the total volume of the dishes.
6. Next, attach a rubber glove to the container. It is needed to limit the flow of oxygen so that harmful microorganisms do not settle in the bottle. Then take a thin needle and make a tiny hole on one of the fingers of the glove. This is necessary to remove carbon dioxide so that the container does not inflate.
7. Place the bottle in a warm, dark place. The room temperature should be 18-25 °C. In such conditions, the wort will ripen correctly. On average, it ferments for 20-40 days.
Signs that the wort is ready: the glove should fall off, the foam will disappear from the surface of the cleared liquid, and a thick sediment will appear at its bottom.
8. Now the wine needs to be filled with carbon dioxide. To do this, take plastic bottles of any size and sterilize them in boiling water.
Only water bottles are suitable here, not flavored drinks with odors.
Separate the wine from the sediment using a hose. Place a jar under the container with the drink. Dip one end of the tube 3 cm into the wine, and take the other end into your mouth and “suck” the wine. And immediately release the tip of the hose into the container.
Once the container is filled with wine, pour it into bottles, leaving a distance of 7-9 cm from the surface of the drink to the opening of the vessel. Add 10 grams to each container. sugar per 1 liter of wine.
9. Tightly screw the wine cylinders and place them in a dark place for 7-10 days. The room temperature should be 21-24 °C. After about 48 hours the bottles will turn to stone. Sugar will again start the fermentation of the wine and it will be filled with carbon dioxide, characteristic of champagne.
Be sure to check the bottles every day. Due to the accumulated gas, they may burst.
If the vessels with wine are too inflated, release the gas from them by slightly opening the lid. Or put the containers in the refrigerator.
Vegetable champagne should be consumed within the next 6 months. And store in a cool place at a temperature of 4-11 °C. The drink will have sediment at the bottom of the bottle. It is called tartar and it will only tell you about the naturalness of your drink.
All that remains is to wait for the champagne to arrive. Uncork the bottle on your precious day. You and your guests will be delighted!
As you have seen, the gift of birch can take many different forms, only becoming healthier and tastier. It will be a good alternative to compotes and fruit drinks. And for your friends it will be an amazing gift.
Due to the long winter, beneficial substances accumulate in tree sap.
And we just need to collect them and feed ourselves for the whole next year.
Cooking methods
It is most beneficial to consume fresh birch sap. It has a pleasant sweetish taste with a slight woody tint and barely noticeable sourness. In this form, the drink contains a full range of useful substances (vitamins, minerals, tanning agents, phytoncides, essential oils and much more). But the opportunity to enjoy fresh nectar is provided for a limited time - no more than 5 days. Therefore, its fans prepare various drinks from it that can be stored longer.
The traditional way to extend the shelf life of birch sap is sterilization and pasteurization. During the procedure, the liquid and dishes are subjected to heat or heat treatment.
Some housewives advise boiling birch sap to extend its shelf life. But even after a short boil, most of the beneficial components in it are destroyed. It is enough to warm the nectar at 70 – 80°C for some time. This will destroy most harmful microorganisms (yeast, bacteria). However, their spores remain, so pasteurization will have to be repeated after 12 - 24 hours (when new microbes have formed).
Note: Birch sap is resistant to boiling. After short heat treatment, it retains its taste, aroma and color.
Pasteurization is carried out according to the following plan:
- The nectar is brought to a boil, removed from the stove, and poured into jars or bottles. Clean containers and lids are sterilized in advance in water, which is heated to 90°C for 15 minutes. The hot juice is poured slowly; you can put a spoon inside the jar in advance, along which a trickle will run.
- Containers with juice are closed with a canning key.
- Heat water in a large saucepan, preferably to the temperature of the juice (70 - 80°C).
- A wooden grate is installed at its bottom, and containers with birch sap are placed on top. The water should be at the level of the neck of the jars. Between them you can lay strands of straw or branches to prevent the containers from breaking.
- The water is brought to a temperature of about 95°C, and it continues to boil for 10 - 20 minutes.
- Remove from the stove and allow the containers to cool.
With the use of preservatives (lemon juice/acid, sugar, etc.), the nectar does not need to be boiled, just bring it to a temperature of 95°C and remove. This is a popular method that allows you to preserve more of the benefits of the drink. It is used with various additives: dried/fresh fruits, berries, herbs, spices, etc.
Birch sap can be prepared by fermentation. To start the fermentation process, yeast (regular or wild), bread, barley and other active ingredients are used. In a similar way, beer, sparkling wine (champagne), and mead are prepared from nectar.
Birch sap syrup
You can make syrup from a large amount of fresh juice. You don’t need sugar for this; what’s already in the natural drink is enough. It is boiled for a long time, adding liquid as it evaporates, and stirring constantly.
Cook syrup from birch nectar according to the following rules:
- Regularly add juice to the cooking container.
- Quick removal of foam.
- Preventing liquid from burning.
- Support of a certain thermal regime.
You can determine the end of cooking by the amber color, large bubbles on the surface, and flakes when the syrup drains from the ladle.
On average, cooking syrup takes 2 – 4 hours.
The delicious syrup is poured over porridges, casseroles, pancakes, ice cream, etc.
Birch sap can also be frozen. But without a good freezer this is unlikely to be possible.
Find a tree with a thick trunk
Anti-aging pill
Sensational development by NASA
The romantic thin birch trees that artists love to draw are not suitable for our purposes. Collecting sap will only be safe for trees with a trunk thickness of more than 20 cm in diameter. Choose a strong, mature tree with a developed crown. This indicates that its root system is quite deep and branched, which means that the tree takes moisture not from the surface, where the roots feed contaminated meltwater, but from clean subsoil.
To determine whether you have chosen the right tree, make a shallow puncture in the bark - just a centimeter and a half. If transparent drops quickly appear on it, you can drill a hole and tie up a container to collect the juice.
