KCNA sez, Less filling...tastes great.Pyongyang, June 9 (KCNA) — The Korean people have widely used pine needles and pollens in making foodstuffs and medicines.
Mmmmmmm...pine needles sprinkled with pollen.
According to the historical book "Tongguksesigi", there is half-moon-shaped rice cake (songphyon in Korean). Its size is varied from palm-size to egg-size. Songphyon, stuffed in it with boiled red bean, walnut and pulverized pine nut, cinnamon and ginger, is made by steaming it on a layer of pine needles in earthenware steamer, washing it with water and dressing it with sesame oil.
Tastes great washed down with a tall glass of mud puddle water.
The pine needle layer makes the cake preserve its original form and emit fragrant pine needle odour.
Mmmmm mmmmmm good!
The liquors made of pine needles or pine pollens are called songhwa-ju, songyop-ju, song-ju and other names from olden times which were used as medicinal liquor to prevent adynamia.
So raise your glasses in a toast to the Dear Leader. If you have the strength.
Pine sprouts have been used as raw material of tea called "samsongsun" and mushrooms growing on pine rootlets in granite-rich areas used for food for its good taste.
...or any taste at all.