Thank you for your video and web site about mugolio!! I recently had a 30 foot section of a tree come crashing down from a wet snow and there is a reason and purpose for everything! I am now processing a pound of young cones into a better tasting experience.
Thank you so much for making this video it meant a lot to me! I'm so excited about this! I started my first batch with a handful of cones in a small mason jar about 10 days ago. and just tonight I finished with six huge jars (old pickle jars, bulk olive jars, etc) with several pounds of cones that I collected over an hour and a half in our Spruce Grove. I am eager to experience how this is going to taste. I've never tried it before. so glad I came across this video in time to harvest them.
This is excellent stuff, and I like it on Waffles! Put some Pine Essential Oil in your diffuser, and play one of my wintery vids on Christmas. Makes everything so cozy and warm! All I need now is a woodstove. 🔥
I have a batch of this going right now with weeping Norwegian pine (long green cones) the sugar after a couple of weeks has begun to liquify making room at the top of the jar for more sugar so I have added more sugar (currently 2 lbs of sugar) I am anxious to finish to process and taste it. Thanks for posting this video on how to make it, now I am going to have to try some other species of pine just for the fun of it.
I'm in coastal, SE Virginia. I'm fascinated with the pine! Apparently, developers have planted several that weren't indigenous, because they grow faster. 🤷 I have several that line our backyard on all 3 sides, and they are glorious! When it storms, I collect what falls. Every stage & part of the tree is so interesting to me. I decorate my flowerbeds with it. The lizards & other critters love it! 🤩 Anyway, I find the green parts, even the cones, dry out so fast. I JUST found you!!! How long is too long to wait to use them? I'm talking days, perhaps a bit of color change, not months old & woody. 🤣 Thank you so much for this great video & the cool link! You are a fantabulous resource! I'm 4yrs cancer free from Stage IV Grade 3 cancer, and just lost my mom to the DisEase. Therefore, I have a renewed interest in keeping The Beast at bay. The medicinal benefits of nature are all around and fascinate me as well. I hope to pass it on to my kiddos and grandbabies too. They're definitely keeping me here & young at heart. 💞
Here's a plant you might find interesting, Stacey, known for curing cancer, the turkey tail fungus. Lewis describes the plant in this video and he talks about microbiologist, Paul Stamets, and how he used the fungus to cure his mum's cancer. Lewis has also put a link in his video description to the Paul Stamets 'Ted Talk' where he talks about what happened to his mum.
I heard about this about 1-2 weeks ago on Instagram and decided I want to try it. I went out this afternoon and was able to find some good sized green pine cones, so in a month we shall see. I'm super excited. I wasn't 100% sure how much brown sugar to use, so as is the case with many of these things I just eyeballed it. I'm not sure I would use this for something like pancakes or fancy cheese, BUT one of my favourite drinks is "spruce beer" which is only available in Quebec. It's basically just a spruce/pine flavoured soft drink, but I imagine I can use some mugolio syrup to flavour some sparking water for a very similar effect.
The ratio is easy and makes a big effect on the finished product. Volume ratio is 1 cup sugar to 1 cup pine cones. Weight ratio is 2:1 sugar to pine cones.
I love how this Universe works! I just picked up some green pine cones from my yard and thought...wonder what I can make out of this? I was thinking medicine but this is great! I'm trying this one out now 😁
Knowing things can change reality, and your perspectives of it. Only when we get curious enough, and ask/ponder the right questions; do we receive amazing, revolutionary answers.
You can use white sugar too, or raw sugar. I've had the same level of success with brown sugar and raw white sugar. If made with fir cones like balsam fir, you get a bright purple or pink syrup.
@@heyyou8248 hey that’s great. If you second you should copy and paste your comment/review on the blog post on my site. Really helps out. I’m here if you have more questions too.
@@foragerchef4141 will do! I have tried so many of your recipes and they make me feel a bit more like a chef myself since they taste so good AND impress others. lol
This is super interesting! What do you mean, turn it upside down? Are you saying put the lid on and set it on a shelf upsurge upsurge upsidedown until it cold and the lid is sealed? Thank you!
@@foragerchef4141 I have not seen anything specifically Israeli, but I would imagine it could have been brought there by Eastern European Jews who relocated there and brought their recipes. Russia has a jam, for example. Of course, there are lots of versions of this so it may not have just been European.
The internet says that pinecones dont even grow in israel, and nothing on the internet says this has ever been done in israel, i think your the only Israelite that does this
I thought I added a comment but I'm not seeing it. My question is How often do I need to burp or stir the jars? It has been 3 weeks for the first batch and there's no sign of bubbles, fermentation, or anything but a crust forming on the top. Thanks, Mr. Bergo!
I've started a batch with Eastern White Pine, and another with Pitch or Yellow Pine (should have paid more attention to them when I foraged them haha). Do you know if this is possible with Bald Cypress cones? I've looked all over the internet, and I can't find a real conclusive answer.
@@foragerchef4141 Thanks! I'm going to give the Bald Cypress a try! I read some forums, and a lot of people say AZ Cypress was dry, but Bald Cypress is known to grow specifically in wetland areas, so I'm hoping the cones correspond. I'll let you know how it goes, if you like!
hi! first, thank you for this and other videos, i really enjoy and appreciate them! :3 attempting to make this syrup, i just picked my cones before today. I have a few questions tho: 1. do i wash the cones b4 I make syrup? 2. after mixing with sugar, do i place it on a sunny spot? (like with spruce tips syrup) 3. how do i avoid moulding? also, do i do something in those 30 days of syrup making? (i saw in another comment that u open the lid every now and then) 4. how come you let them sit first and then cook? I see a lot of people do it the other way around.. 5. do you also use leftover caramelised cones? how do i store them Thank you a lot if you will answer all of my questions, i know it's a lot :D If it's too many, please just answer to some :D x
@@mamoutalebanni No. The syrup doesn’t melt unless it’s heated. You’d just have crunchy sugar slush unless you just filtered off the syrup from the top which would be about 1/2-1/3 of the typical yield. You also need to heat the syrup to stop the fermentation.
Hey Jim, no, it's not junk. Variable temperatures and other things, especially the amount of air left in the jar after the volume decreases can contribute to that. Here's what you do. Pick off any moldy cones and discard, then stir, and put the jar in the sun all day-I do it outside on my porch. The heat of the sun should "cook" it gently and ward off mold. You can also transfer it to a jar where there will be less air. For example, if your quart jar has 2 cups of sugar and cones of it, transfer it to a very clean pint jar. If you still keep getting mold (it can be resilient if it gets a foot hold in your jar) just cook it to finish, which is a kill step and will eliminate the problem. You'll still get a good flavor in the mugolio from 20 days of aging. Let me know if that helps.
Question. I normally make my own brown sugar using raw sugar and organic molasses. That way I can adjust the flavor. Does that work in this 🤔 case? Thank you.
Need advice! I've replicated this recipe from the website, probably on two weeks now; the foam from the fermentation mentioned happened within a couple days but I opened and mixed it around a couple times and it has never foamed like that again. Is that to be expected? Part of the reason I did this was because all of the sugar had sunk to the bottom beneath everything and seened to be pretty solid, so I scraped and mixed it all up and it seems to be mostly mixed now but it seems very watery; not in color, it's dark brown but it's thinner than I would have thought, rather than a thicker slow moving syrup. I had the opposite problem when I attempted the Classic Spruce Tip Syrup recipe, where basically it turned hard. Is it supposed to be of such watery consistency? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I think you’re conflating bubbles from fermentation with foam. The foam only happens with larger amounts (2qts-1 gal or more of syrup) made from cones. Re thin liquid, if you look at the pictures in my post closely you’ll see that the sugar will settle on the bottom as the mixture ferments. Spruce syrup will never ferment as they don’t contain as much natural water as cones. Basically everything is fine, carry on and follow the recipe as directed.
The instructions in the link says to rince/wash the cones in warm water but the video doesn't state or show that. So do we rince/wash them in water or just add the sugar to them without doing so? For a completely different recipe I cut up some white pine, I did not rince them I just looked them over and then poured raw honey on them once I had them in a jar.
Thanks that needed some clarification. Some people new to foraging are very worried about if their food is clean. If they’re visibly dirty, wash them. That said, I don’t usually do it as there’s extra wild yeast on them. Either way will work.
I have a downed white pine tree due to heavy winds. I was able to pick about 50 small pine cones but they weren’t green, they were completely brown but have sap on them. Can I use these for this recipe or must the be green. Thanks in advance.
Dobrý den. Mám stejnou starost jako vy. Ze spalých stromů malé, ale již hnědé šišky. Zjistil jste, zda se mohou použít? Přeji hodně zdraví a hezký den. 🌹
I'm reading your blog and see that you've used juniper berries in a similar fashion. I've got juniper berries coming out of my ears. Can you tell me about that process? I'm excited about the mugolio.
Same process. They can be drier than pine cones though so you might need to add a little water. You also want fresh cones straight from the tree, preferably young and green.
Adding alcohol is not traditional and will make the syrup ferment into alcohol as whiskey will act as an inoculant, in a way. When I want to speed up a process of making vinegar I I add alcohol. Definitely not recommended.
Accidentally came across your page when looking for another recipe (a ? below). A bit of curiosity: 1:08 - 'syrup which tastes like pine syrup' - what do u mean by that? it's like a sweet syrup w/pine aroma? hopefully, it's not something which tastes like... um... pine sap? :) Now, mayb u know the 'other' recipe I was looking for. I was told that the 'flowering stage' cones (not even sure how they r called @ that time) can b made into succade. Have you ever heard about that? My ? is for u since u said something like 'almost all kinds of unopened cones' might b used. And I have the long leaf pine in my backyard and wanted 2 figure out if its 'flowering' (green stalk) cones can be made into succade (mostly concerned about them being non-toxic). But u intrigued me so much w/this recipe that I might actually try to make some for us. My family likes maple syrup but the commercial stuff is kind of expensive and mayb we can use this 1 instead. :)
Yes. The ones I know should work would anything in the hickory/pecan family. Shellbark, pignut, black hickory etc. It might be cool to try one with birch. Haven’t done it myself.
I have made this a few times but the last batch was super powdery, runnier than others and a weird taste. What could explain this? Could it be the different sugar or longer fermentation time?
The first thing to look at is if you used cones from the same tree. I also don’t really know what powdery means here. Runnier means the cones had more natural water in them. The sugar makes a difference too depending on if it contains molasses, which adds moisture.
Thanks!@@foragerchef4141 the tree was in a different spot, although I believe the same species. Powdery I mean it leaves a different after-taste on the tongue. That appears to be less after it has settled for a few days though. I might have been hasty in my judgement.😂
If you don’t cook it the sugar at the bottom won’t dissolve. If you are looking “health benefits” of consuming a living ferment I would suggest eating sauerkraut or curtido.
Yes they should. The only one I've heard of that makes a syrup someone didn't like was Sub-alpine fir, but oddly enough, balsam fir makes my favorite version.
@@foragerchef4141 Thanks for your speedy reply! (Just trying to make sure I am not going to poison the family.) Thinking about Juniper berries too, since I have a tree nearby...
I just finished a batch, but it crystallized upon cooling. Is there a specific temperature that this syrup needs to be at to keep it from crystallizing?
I KEEP HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE! Sometimes it stays liquid UNTIL opened and then the crystals start. I heard if you even have one grain of undissolved sugar, it will eventually lead to the formation of larger crystals. So frustrating.
Two questions: are those pinecones edible after the maceration like in the pine cone jam? Also, have you attempted to distill the mungolio syrup into a liqueur???
@@foragerchef4141 thanks!! I made pine cone jam two days ago. It was mind blowing!!!! I picked up more pine cones today for mungolio and experiment in other stuff like pickle them, a brine for meat, caramelized pine cones,pralinè etc
@@foragerchef4141thank you! I missed the reply. I just did this and it seemed to recrystallize after jarring..so I need to cook down some more and I'm guessing add that water👍🏻 thank you!!
Hi there, I'm trying to do this with large cedar cones and have noticed a bit of what looks like white mold build up where the cones are not covered. Not sure if I should add more sugar in to cover it up. Do you have any tips?
Yes. Keep them covered with syrup or they will mold, just like any other food. If there’s not enough liquid to cover them add a splash of water and a little more sugar.
@@foragerchef4141 ahh! That's where I went wrong. Read somewhere (probably incorrectly) to keep them in the sun to aid the fermentation process! Thank you!
@@MrEndlessNoodles you can also keep adding the same proportion of cones and sugar to keep it packed down. If your cones are long or large, cut them into smaller pieces and more liquid will escape, quicker.
@@foragerchef4141 oddly? There aren’t many pines close to where I live. It’s mostly deciduous trees. When I was growing up, my uncle had a business selling Christmas trees. I use to HATE spruce because they are so sharp and they actually hurt you. I have a feeling I would like them this way. It’s kind of a poetic revenge actually 😂
Just a question! I picked two bags of spruce and pine cones. They are medium size, scales tightly closed. Can I still make the syrup since they're not green? Thanks
The cones must be young and tender enough to cut with a knife. Without knowing your general location I can’t say for sure, but it’s likely too late this year.
@@mistergekiga2455 I’m pretty sure theyll work but they don’t grow near me so I don’t want to lead you astray. I just can’t dig into the comment section for every single question. There’s over 1000 articles on my site and I’m only one person 😅.
Leave the jar in a sunny place. Shake it occasionally to coat the cones with the fermenting syrup. I wish people would Actually visit my articles I write that are linked in the video description. There’s a reason there’s over 400 comments on this one and I covered everything in the post. Only so much you can pack into a video.
@@foragerchef4141 okay. From what I've read it has to be cooked because if all the sugar isn't dissolved then the whole mix will crystalize? Is there any other reason? I'm wondering if the sugar can be melted before it's added to the pine cones. I do make other kinds of ferments, so this is especially interesting to me.
@@jeanmc4213 the cooking process melts the sugar, correct. If you add the cones to it after making a syrup it will still ferment, but it will be more watery and loose than the typical syrup as you will have added the natural water of the pine cones that’s usually reduced during the final cooking stage.
White and blue spruce are great. But, spruce and conifer tips have a lower water content, so they won’t ferment. That method is a little more temperamental than this one but the flavor’s just as good. Search my channel for the spruce tip syrup and it should come up.
If you make this with white sugar it may not liquify and ferment, although the water contain and age of the specific pine cones you use will contribute to that as well.
Cones are very clean as they’re high up off the ground. I’ve never had them be Sandy or dirty, so no I don’t. For the traditional syrup they’re also not washed. Good to remember that the syrup is cooked before bottling, which is a kill step for bacteria. Washing the cones also removes natural yeast on the outside of the cones that helps speed up fermentation.
I made some syrup recently took it out but one jar we made turned bubbly and tasted like alcohol. We’re both interested and a little scared it’s bad. All the other jars we filled at the same time were fine. Has anyone had this happen? Is it safe to consume?
If you store a jar of finished syrup at room temperature and forget about it and the jar doesn’t have a proper hermetic seal it can definitely turn into alcohol, and then vinegar after time. It isn’t harmful but it’s not what you wanted to make.
No, it’s lacto fermented. The fermentation lowers the pH making it safer than maple syrup. Just stir or shake the jar to continually coat the cones in the syrup while it ferments.
@@foragerchef4141 also, when you bring it to a boil, you kill most of the bacteria, so you're sterilizing it. If you're putting it in a steril jar, you're perfectly fine. Sugar syrups are not a good place for mold
@@TheGeekyChef1190 it’s still acidic if it’s been sterilized or not. I’ve made gallons upon gallons of this using lots of different methods. It’s perfectly safe.
@@foragerchef4141 that's what I was saying, just in a different way I guess lol. It's pure sugar, and also acidic. It won't get bacterial growth. Although, I'm pretty sure you don't HAVE to boil it, because it's lacto fermented. So if you do, it would be for flavor.
Here’s a tip. Maybe don’t collect pinecones during your lunch break at work. I am very sticky now. 😂
😂
Hot water and soap
Alcohol removes the sap. Some people use isopropyl as it works really really well, but I just use vodka.
Bit of vegetable oil will disolve it- then hot water and soap
WD-40 removes the stickiness instantly
Never heard of this before. This is a great little gem of a channel. You got a new subscriber.
Thanks.
Thank you for your video and web site about mugolio!! I recently had a 30 foot section of a tree come crashing down from a wet snow and there is a reason and purpose for everything! I am now processing a pound of young cones into a better tasting experience.
Thank you Chef! I have 6 jars started:) now waiting for the magic.
Thank you so much for making this video it meant a lot to me! I'm so excited about this! I started my first batch with a handful of cones in a small mason jar about 10 days ago. and just tonight I finished with six huge jars (old pickle jars, bulk olive jars, etc) with several pounds of cones that I collected over an hour and a half in our Spruce Grove.
I am eager to experience how this is going to taste. I've never tried it before. so glad I came across this video in time to harvest them.
How did yours turn out?
I've had your blog post saved since the winter. My first jar was started today. Thanks!
I started mine on 10/5/22 with Jerusalem Pine cones. My jar is huge so I will check them over the holiday weekend
This is excellent stuff, and I like it on Waffles! Put some Pine Essential Oil in your diffuser, and play one of my wintery vids on Christmas. Makes everything so cozy and warm! All I need now is a woodstove. 🔥
foragerchef.com/mugolio-pine-cone-syrup/
I have a batch of this going right now with weeping Norwegian pine (long green cones) the sugar after a couple of weeks has begun to liquify making room at the top of the jar for more sugar so I have added more sugar (currently 2 lbs of sugar) I am anxious to finish to process and taste it. Thanks for posting this video on how to make it, now I am going to have to try some other species of pine just for the fun of it.
I totally fall in love with your channel. Thank you sharing your wisdom and good taste!
Excellent ideas. Thanks for sharing.
I'm in coastal, SE Virginia. I'm fascinated with the pine! Apparently, developers have planted several that weren't indigenous, because they grow faster. 🤷 I have several that line our backyard on all 3 sides, and they are glorious!
When it storms, I collect what falls. Every stage & part of the tree is so interesting to me. I decorate my flowerbeds with it. The lizards & other critters love it! 🤩
Anyway, I find the green parts, even the cones, dry out so fast. I JUST found you!!! How long is too long to wait to use them? I'm talking days, perhaps a bit of color change, not months old & woody. 🤣 Thank you so much for this great video & the cool link! You are a fantabulous resource!
I'm 4yrs cancer free from Stage IV Grade 3 cancer, and just lost my mom to the DisEase. Therefore, I have a renewed interest in keeping The Beast at bay. The medicinal benefits of nature are all around and fascinate me as well. I hope to pass it on to my kiddos and grandbabies too. They're definitely keeping me here & young at heart. 💞
Thats good to know... i noticed if i kept mine tied up in bags or soaking in water that they stayed hydrated!
Here's a plant you might find interesting, Stacey, known for curing cancer, the turkey tail fungus. Lewis describes the plant in this video and he talks about microbiologist, Paul Stamets, and how he used the fungus to cure his mum's cancer. Lewis has also put a link in his video description to the Paul Stamets 'Ted Talk' where he talks about what happened to his mum.
Look into bitter apricot kernels.
I heard about this about 1-2 weeks ago on Instagram and decided I want to try it. I went out this afternoon and was able to find some good sized green pine cones, so in a month we shall see. I'm super excited. I wasn't 100% sure how much brown sugar to use, so as is the case with many of these things I just eyeballed it. I'm not sure I would use this for something like pancakes or fancy cheese, BUT one of my favourite drinks is "spruce beer" which is only available in Quebec. It's basically just a spruce/pine flavoured soft drink, but I imagine I can use some mugolio syrup to flavour some sparking water for a very similar effect.
The ratio is easy and makes a big effect on the finished product. Volume ratio is 1 cup sugar to 1 cup pine cones. Weight ratio is 2:1 sugar to pine cones.
Love it, where I'm from we do it with birch but I'll have to try spruce
I love how this Universe works! I just picked up some green pine cones from my yard and thought...wonder what I can make out of this? I was thinking medicine but this is great! I'm trying this one out now 😁
Knowing things can change reality, and your perspectives of it. Only when we get curious enough, and ask/ponder the right questions; do we receive amazing, revolutionary answers.
You can use white sugar too, or raw sugar. I've had the same level of success with brown sugar and raw white sugar. If made with fir cones like balsam fir, you get a bright purple or pink syrup.
Balsam is one of my favorites
@@foragerchef4141Chef...can you use bald/pond cypress cones for the Mugolio? Thank you!!
I will be trying this. Thank you❤
Just made the mugolio.... OMG it's the best stuff ever. Next year I'm really going on a major hunt for more pinecones since I only made about 3 cups.
@@heyyou8248 hey that’s great. If you second you should copy and paste your comment/review on the blog post on my site. Really helps out. I’m here if you have more questions too.
@@foragerchef4141 will do! I have tried so many of your recipes and they make me feel a bit more like a chef myself since they taste so good AND impress others. lol
This is super interesting! What do you mean, turn it upside down? Are you saying put the lid on and set it on a shelf upsurge upsurge upsidedown until it cold and the lid is sealed? Thank you!
Your website is soooo in depth and I thoroughly enjoy reading/learning from you. Thank you for sharing the videos and your website. 💡🌲🙂
Wonderful!!
Excited to try…
💙✨
This is incredible! Thank you. In Israel, we do this all the time!
That's great to know, is there a traditional name for it there?
I'm Israeli and I've never heard of it until today.
@@foragerchef4141 I have not seen anything specifically Israeli, but I would imagine it could have been brought there by Eastern European Jews who relocated there and brought their recipes. Russia has a jam, for example. Of course, there are lots of versions of this so it may not have just been European.
The internet says that pinecones dont even grow in israel, and nothing on the internet says this has ever been done in israel, i think your the only Israelite that does this
@@Itchyboy_ I actually live in Israel, and my upstairs neighbor made me a jar. Pine trees are all over the country!
I thought I added a comment but I'm not seeing it. My question is How often do I need to burp or stir the jars? It has been 3 weeks for the first batch and there's no sign of bubbles, fermentation, or anything but a crust forming on the top. Thanks, Mr. Bergo!
Hello, thank you for this. Is there a reason you haven’t boil it once it’s fermented?
and the terps are very good for us
,my grandmother use to give it to me,when I had a soar throat
@@aladrasullivan9018 that’s a real gma
❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you so much for sharing❤
Siiick. Thanks for sharing
Hi can I use the redwood cone too ?
I love your content. I was just wondering for the mugolio you mentioned do use equal parts by weight or volume?
Volume.
CEUX QUI SAVENT PAS RESPIREZ INCROYABLE MIRACULEUX
I've started a batch with Eastern White Pine, and another with Pitch or Yellow Pine (should have paid more attention to them when I foraged them haha). Do you know if this is possible with Bald Cypress cones? I've looked all over the internet, and I can't find a real conclusive answer.
I’ve used Az cypress. Had to add a little water as they were kinda dry.
@@foragerchef4141 Thanks! I'm going to give the Bald Cypress a try! I read some forums, and a lot of people say AZ Cypress was dry, but Bald Cypress is known to grow specifically in wetland areas, so I'm hoping the cones correspond. I'll let you know how it goes, if you like!
@@ianpaine5380 Nice keep me posted I’m in AZ every Spring
hi! first, thank you for this and other videos, i really enjoy and appreciate them! :3 attempting to make this syrup, i just picked my cones before today. I have a few questions tho:
1. do i wash the cones b4 I make syrup?
2. after mixing with sugar, do i place it on a sunny spot? (like with spruce tips syrup)
3. how do i avoid moulding? also, do i do something in those 30 days of syrup making? (i saw in another comment that u open the lid every now and then)
4. how come you let them sit first and then cook? I see a lot of people do it the other way around..
5. do you also use leftover caramelised cones? how do i store them
Thank you a lot if you will answer all of my questions, i know it's a lot :D If it's too many, please just answer to some :D x
Don't wash them..the wild yeast that lived on the pinecones will help the process
Did you end up leaving them in the sun? I’m on my first day of letting some cedar cones sit in a few jars and really don’t wanna mess it up.
Love this
Thanks for the detailed video. Is it possible to skip the boiling part and filter the sirop after 30 days in the jar ?
@@mamoutalebanni No. The syrup doesn’t melt unless it’s heated. You’d just have crunchy sugar slush unless you just filtered off the syrup from the top which would be about 1/2-1/3 of the typical yield. You also need to heat the syrup to stop the fermentation.
@@foragerchef4141 Thanks for the help!
Nhummy! ❤ can I use any type of pine tree please?
Likely.
I’m growing a small mold colony on top of mine. Is it junk? I’m around 15-20 days into my ferment.
Hey Jim, no, it's not junk. Variable temperatures and other things, especially the amount of air left in the jar after the volume decreases can contribute to that. Here's what you do. Pick off any moldy cones and discard, then stir, and put the jar in the sun all day-I do it outside on my porch. The heat of the sun should "cook" it gently and ward off mold. You can also transfer it to a jar where there will be less air. For example, if your quart jar has 2 cups of sugar and cones of it, transfer it to a very clean pint jar. If you still keep getting mold (it can be resilient if it gets a foot hold in your jar) just cook it to finish, which is a kill step and will eliminate the problem. You'll still get a good flavor in the mugolio from 20 days of aging. Let me know if that helps.
@@foragerchef4141 Thank you for the help! I’m doing this with my 9 year old and having a fun time watching it develop!
Question. I normally make my own brown sugar using raw sugar and organic molasses. That way I can adjust the flavor. Does that work in this 🤔 case? Thank you.
Yes this is fine, and pretty cool too.
@@foragerchef4141 I have not bought brown sugar for years. I am glad you like the idea!
Are there any conifers to AVOID the cones on?
Don’t eat yew. But it’s a shrub not a tree and has red berries, not cones.
Need advice! I've replicated this recipe from the website, probably on two weeks now; the foam from the fermentation mentioned happened within a couple days but I opened and mixed it around a couple times and it has never foamed like that again. Is that to be expected? Part of the reason I did this was because all of the sugar had sunk to the bottom beneath everything and seened to be pretty solid, so I scraped and mixed it all up and it seems to be mostly mixed now but it seems very watery; not in color, it's dark brown but it's thinner than I would have thought, rather than a thicker slow moving syrup. I had the opposite problem when I attempted the Classic Spruce Tip Syrup recipe, where basically it turned hard. Is it supposed to be of such watery consistency? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I think you’re conflating bubbles from fermentation with foam. The foam only happens with larger amounts (2qts-1 gal or more of syrup) made from cones. Re thin liquid, if you look at the pictures in my post closely you’ll see that the sugar will settle on the bottom as the mixture ferments. Spruce syrup will never ferment as they don’t contain as much natural water as cones. Basically everything is fine, carry on and follow the recipe as directed.
@@foragerchef4141 okay good to know, thanks for the response!
Is it safe this Pine ocne?
The instructions in the link says to rince/wash the cones in warm water but the video doesn't state or show that. So do we rince/wash them in water or just add the sugar to them without doing so? For a completely different recipe I cut up some white pine, I did not rince them I just looked them over and then poured raw honey on them once I had them in a jar.
Thanks that needed some clarification. Some people new to foraging are very worried about if their food is clean. If they’re visibly dirty, wash them. That said, I don’t usually do it as there’s extra wild yeast on them. Either way will work.
Love it, thanks for sharing 🥰😍😋👍
I have a downed white pine tree due to heavy winds. I was able to pick about 50 small pine cones but they weren’t green, they were completely brown but have sap on them. Can I use these for this recipe or must the be green. Thanks in advance.
Dobrý den. Mám stejnou starost jako vy. Ze spalých stromů malé, ale již hnědé šišky. Zjistil jste, zda se mohou použít?
Přeji hodně zdraví a hezký den. 🌹
I'm reading your blog and see that you've used juniper berries in a similar fashion. I've got juniper berries coming out of my ears. Can you tell me about that process? I'm excited about the mugolio.
Same process. They can be drier than pine cones though so you might need to add a little water. You also want fresh cones straight from the tree, preferably young and green.
What if you add whiskey? Will it still ferment? Or will it be more of an extract?
Adding alcohol is not traditional and will make the syrup ferment into alcohol as whiskey will act as an inoculant, in a way. When I want to speed up a process of making vinegar I I add alcohol. Definitely not recommended.
Wow. First time I have hurd of this and had to google .
I'm allergic to pines and other conifers so I can never have this but oh boy do I want to
Do you screw the lid on tight during the fermentation process?
Yes and you’ll need to open it and stir it once in a while to remove carbon dioxide. I’ve never had a jar explode though, just gentle carbonation.
Can you use Norfolk or Wollemi pine or any Aussie pines?
@@carmeldebreuil6204 I’d probably try them.
Accidentally came across your page when looking for another recipe (a ? below).
A bit of curiosity: 1:08 - 'syrup which tastes like pine syrup' - what do u mean by that? it's like a sweet syrup w/pine aroma? hopefully, it's not something which tastes like... um... pine sap? :)
Now, mayb u know the 'other' recipe I was looking for. I was told that the 'flowering stage' cones (not even sure how they r called @ that time) can b made into succade. Have you ever heard about that?
My ? is for u since u said something like 'almost all kinds of unopened cones' might b used.
And I have the long leaf pine in my backyard and wanted 2 figure out if its 'flowering' (green stalk) cones can be made into succade (mostly concerned about them being non-toxic).
But u intrigued me so much w/this recipe that I might actually try to make some for us.
My family likes maple syrup but the commercial stuff is kind of expensive and mayb we can use this 1 instead. :)
Thanks for stopping. I haven't made succade with the male cones.
@@foragerchef4141 oh... do u mean I have 2 use the female cones?
Hey chef, was wondering, i just saw this aling your hickory bark syrup. Are there any other barks that you could turn into syrup?
Yes. The ones I know should work would anything in the hickory/pecan family. Shellbark, pignut, black hickory etc. It might be cool to try one with birch. Haven’t done it myself.
I have made this a few times but the last batch was super powdery, runnier than others and a weird taste. What could explain this? Could it be the different sugar or longer fermentation time?
The first thing to look at is if you used cones from the same tree. I also don’t really know what powdery means here. Runnier means the cones had more natural water in them. The sugar makes a difference too depending on if it contains molasses, which adds moisture.
Thanks!@@foragerchef4141 the tree was in a different spot, although I believe the same species. Powdery I mean it leaves a different after-taste on the tongue. That appears to be less after it has settled for a few days though. I might have been hasty in my judgement.😂
How much brown sugar can you use ?
Recipe’s linked at the top of the video description. Easy to scale for your needs.
Does it need to be boiled? Or can it just be used while the fermentation is still active?
If you don’t cook it the sugar at the bottom won’t dissolve. If you are looking “health benefits” of consuming a living ferment I would suggest eating sauerkraut or curtido.
I've got a bath in that's just over a week old. Will all of the sugar dissolve? Or will some of it stay settled
Some will stay settled at the bottom. It will dissolve when you heat it.
Loving all the new content sir! Would Ponderosa pine, Doug-fir or larch work?
Yes they should. The only one I've heard of that makes a syrup someone didn't like was Sub-alpine fir, but oddly enough, balsam fir makes my favorite version.
@@foragerchef4141 How about Eastern hemlock?
@@kayyano7656 Others have used hemlock. I haven’t personally.
@@foragerchef4141 Thanks for your speedy reply! (Just trying to make sure I am not going to poison the family.) Thinking about Juniper berries too, since I have a tree nearby...
Some people say ponderosa is not good because it can be toxic. I don’t know in what amount so just check into that first.
What time of year are the cones at the right level of maturity?
Changes a bit depending on the year. In the Midwest typically May-June.
I just finished a batch, but it crystallized upon cooling. Is there a specific temperature that this syrup needs to be at to keep it from crystallizing?
I KEEP HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE! Sometimes it stays liquid UNTIL opened and then the crystals start. I heard if you even have one grain of undissolved sugar, it will eventually lead to the formation of larger crystals. So frustrating.
Two questions: are those pinecones edible after the maceration like in the pine cone jam? Also, have you attempted to distill the mungolio syrup into a liqueur???
Yes, but I haven’t eaten them, and no I haven’t but others have.
@@foragerchef4141 thanks!! I made pine cone jam two days ago. It was mind blowing!!!! I picked up more pine cones today for mungolio and experiment in other stuff like pickle them, a brine for meat, caramelized pine cones,pralinè etc
I am trying to make this. My batches are 12 days old and two of them have begun to grow mold. Can I salvage this?
Remove molded portions and continue. Its important to continue to shake so everything is covered in sugar which prevents mold growth
Is there anything that can be done with pinecones on the ground?
Not unless you’re making craft projects.
@@foragerchef4141 thank you
Does anyone know if you can use bald cypress or pond cypress cones?
Yes it's likely but you may need to add a little water as cypress can be dry.
@@foragerchef4141thank you! I missed the reply.
I just did this and it seemed to recrystallize after jarring..so I need to cook down some more and I'm guessing add that water👍🏻 thank you!!
Hi there, I'm trying to do this with large cedar cones and have noticed a bit of what looks like white mold build up where the cones are not covered. Not sure if I should add more sugar in to cover it up. Do you have any tips?
Yes. Keep them covered with syrup or they will mold, just like any other food. If there’s not enough liquid to cover them add a splash of water and a little more sugar.
@@foragerchef4141 ahh! That's where I went wrong. Read somewhere (probably incorrectly) to keep them in the sun to aid the fermentation process! Thank you!
@@MrEndlessNoodles You read what I wrote correctly, you just need to keep the cones covered.
@@foragerchef4141 got it! :) I think next time, I'll need a narrow jar or more cones to reduce the amount of air!
@@MrEndlessNoodles you can also keep adding the same proportion of cones and sugar to keep it packed down. If your cones are long or large, cut them into smaller pieces and more liquid will escape, quicker.
Is it ok if the liquid doesn’t cover the cones after a couple of weeks?
Yes. Stir it occasionally to coat the cones with the fermenting syrup
@@foragerchef4141 thanks!
And now I want to go plant a bunch of pine trees 😂
Or just go to a local park.
@@foragerchef4141 oddly? There aren’t many pines close to where I live. It’s mostly deciduous trees. When I was growing up, my uncle had a business selling Christmas trees. I use to HATE spruce because they are so sharp and they actually hurt you. I have a feeling I would like them this way. It’s kind of a poetic revenge actually 😂
Do you know if I can make this syrup with stone pine cones?
Yes that should work. They should be one of the traditional pine species used besides Pinus mugo.
@@foragerchef4141 thanks a lot for your answer!
Just a question!
I picked two bags of spruce and pine cones. They are medium size, scales tightly closed. Can I still make the syrup since they're not green?
Thanks
The cones must be young and tender enough to cut with a knife. Without knowing your general location I can’t say for sure, but it’s likely too late this year.
@@foragerchef4141 thanks!!! I'll test with a knife. The summers come late in Finland.
@@simisanoo5382 Ok, yeah it’s possible it could work as you’re up north. I’ll be in Finland in a couple weeks for a project. 😁
@@foragerchef4141 wow! Welcome to Finland and I hope you have a super lovely time when you arrive. Will your project be on RUclips later?
@@simisanoo5382 it will be released in summer 2023. Can’t talk about it yet😁
Will this recipe work with Ponderosa Pine as well? Or is Ponderosa just an unforgeable tree all around?
Pretty sure that’s been covered on my site in the comment section. There’s very few species people haven’t been pleased with, maybe 1 or 2 total.
@@foragerchef4141 sorry guy. I've never personally been to your site so it's why I'm asking. I'll check it out now.
@@mistergekiga2455 I’m pretty sure theyll work but they don’t grow near me so I don’t want to lead you astray. I just can’t dig into the comment section for every single question. There’s over 1000 articles on my site and I’m only one person 😅.
Is it a one to one on cones and sugar? Your recipe is written as 2cups (8oz) pinecone, 2cups (16 oz) sugar. Can you clarify? Thanks!
One to one by volume. By weight it’s 2 lbs sugar to 1 lb cones.
Can I use pinus halepensis?
I would assume so
How do I prevent mold from forming?
Leave the jar in a sunny place. Shake it occasionally to coat the cones with the fermenting syrup. I wish people would Actually visit my articles I write that are linked in the video description. There’s a reason there’s over 400 comments on this one and I covered everything in the post. Only so much you can pack into a video.
What's the sugar to pine cones ratio?
Recipe’s linked at the top of the video description
Cooking the mix kills all the probiotics. Isn't there a way to get the sugar melted without killing everything good in the syrup?
If you want to eat a living ferment, you should eat sauerkraut or other ferments that are good uncooked. This must be cooked.
@@foragerchef4141 okay. From what I've read it has to be cooked because if all the sugar isn't dissolved then the whole mix will crystalize? Is there any other reason? I'm wondering if the sugar can be melted before it's added to the pine cones. I do make other kinds of ferments, so this is especially interesting to me.
@@jeanmc4213 the cooking process melts the sugar, correct. If you add the cones to it after making a syrup it will still ferment, but it will be more watery and loose than the typical syrup as you will have added the natural water of the pine cones that’s usually reduced during the final cooking stage.
Can you use the small cones of a cypress tree for this?
I made cypress baby pinecone syrup and it's delicious.
Can you use deodar cedar pine cones?
I have done this and it works.
Would Blue spruce tips work?
White and blue spruce are great. But, spruce and conifer tips have a lower water content, so they won’t ferment. That method is a little more temperamental than this one but the flavor’s just as good. Search my channel for the spruce tip syrup and it should come up.
@@foragerchef4141 thanks! Will do
How'd the book taste ?
I don’t know what that means.
Is it possible to use honey instead of brown sugar?
Yes I’ve done it and it works fine. Proportions for it are in the post.
@@foragerchef4141 Thank you for your answer and for your video! I've managed to find some green cones and I'll try it tonight!
Do you do anything with the left over pinecones?
No
@@foragerchef4141 cool thanks for replying
I have eaten the pinecones. No ill effects. Stronger flavor than the syrup.
White sugar doesnt have enough water in it? Do you care to explain?
If you make this with white sugar it may not liquify and ferment, although the water contain and age of the specific pine cones you use will contribute to that as well.
@@foragerchef4141 but isnt that like a really small difference?
Are you not supposed to wash the cones?
Cones are very clean as they’re high up off the ground. I’ve never had them be Sandy or dirty, so no I don’t. For the traditional syrup they’re also not washed. Good to remember that the syrup is cooked before bottling, which is a kill step for bacteria. Washing the cones also removes natural yeast on the outside of the cones that helps speed up fermentation.
I just made a gallon of this then I realized I used Douglas fir cones and that wasn't on the list, or any list I can find.😧
Don’t worry If it’s not on the list. The list is only what I’ve personally used and Doug firs don’t grow near me.
Is it true it makes ivermec-tin
I would say no.
I made some syrup recently took it out but one jar we made turned bubbly and tasted like alcohol. We’re both interested and a little scared it’s bad. All the other jars we filled at the same time were fine. Has anyone had this happen? Is it safe to consume?
If you store a jar of finished syrup at room temperature and forget about it and the jar doesn’t have a proper hermetic seal it can definitely turn into alcohol, and then vinegar after time. It isn’t harmful but it’s not what you wanted to make.
❤️
Wouldn't this mold? I'm just a little worried because this seems to be the perfect place for mold to grow.
No, it’s lacto fermented. The fermentation lowers the pH making it safer than maple syrup. Just stir or shake the jar to continually coat the cones in the syrup while it ferments.
@@foragerchef4141 also, when you bring it to a boil, you kill most of the bacteria, so you're sterilizing it. If you're putting it in a steril jar, you're perfectly fine. Sugar syrups are not a good place for mold
@@TheGeekyChef1190 it’s still acidic if it’s been sterilized or not. I’ve made gallons upon gallons of this using lots of different methods. It’s perfectly safe.
@@foragerchef4141 that's what I was saying, just in a different way I guess lol. It's pure sugar, and also acidic. It won't get bacterial growth. Although, I'm pretty sure you don't HAVE to boil it, because it's lacto fermented. So if you do, it would be for flavor.
So awesome! Is there a way to find the nutritional value for your recipes?
Weed bud syrup...just imagine.
Lol. If you used fresh flower off the plant it would work 100%
As a alternative to cones can the new budding branch tips be used?
What the heck is a book tasting
People came to have me sign books, then they taste a few things.
@Forager Chef ahh I see, I was just picturing people eating books. Do you recommend specifically not waterbathing would it cause any harm?
@@josephchick3100 no problem with canning it at all. Hot packing is just what I do as it’s similar to maple syrup and that isn’t water bathed.
Well done brother, your herbal physics alchemy is 💪 strong. Thank you so much.⚗️🧪🧉🪔🌿⚙️🍵🫖🔭🔬💉🗝️❤️Brad
I appreciate that
Is the yellow pollen on the cones ok to have in the syrup before you boil it?
Yes the pollen is edible.