Post #62

“Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.”

Thus spoke Euell Gibbons (1911 –1975) in the 1970s Post Grape Nuts cereal commercials.

Well, only some parts are edible. I have occasionally added white pine needles to my green smoothies for vitamin C.

But within the jungles of Argentina lives the world’s only edible tree species, the Yacaratia. This tall tree is part of the papaya family and the wood has no cellulose. The Guarani “wood” remove the outer bark and slowly cook the innards. (https://colombiaone.com/2025/06/21/argentina-edible-tree-yacaratia-you-can-eat/)

You can see images of it prepared to eat here: http://www.molecularrecipes.com/molecular-gastronomy/edible-wood-modern-delicacy-rustic-flair/

“Rooting” around, I got a jar of it, “branching out” to try something new. It was packed in syrup and delicious. Sort of like a chestnut, and very chewy. It made a wonderful snack, though the syrup was a bit much for me. And too heavy to pack into my “trunk” to take home.