Photo: 9, Black birch [Betula lenta]
Black birch trunk. Take a twig and chew it. It tastes like wintergreen. The twigs are good for infant teething. It makes a delicious wintergreen tea. Mix with sparkling water to make birch beer. Adjust proportions to taste. It makes a culinary seasoning, which Wildman simmers in non-dairy milk and other ingredients and makes a pudding. At the end remove the twigs with a tongs. The oil contains methyl salicylate, which contains salicylate. A low dose aspirin. In season all year.
Source: Prospect Park, Dec 2, 2023
