Upcycling Christmas trees: Year 3

For the third year in a row, we are recycling Kuressaare city Christmas tree into EstonicSoda tonic water.

The recycling tradition started in early 2019 when Lahhentagge turned Kuressaare tree into tonic water which won several awards over 2019, among them the most prominent Estonian food industry award and is on sale in five countries.

In 2020 Helsinki and Loviisa of Finland became the first foreign towns to recycle their Christmas trees into tonic soda after their short stints on the main squares of the cities.

All You Need To Know About Tonic Water

The origin of tonic water is a fantastic tale; the drink was created out of necessity rather than curiosity; as it is with a lot of inventions.

Tonic water was first made by British soldiers. In the 19th century, British Soldiers sought a way to consume the extremely bitter malaria antidote, quinine. They mixed quinine with water and soda to make it taste better. It, however, was still too better to consume, and they found a solution to this by adding gin. Going by this, the British army invented the tonic water.

In following years, 1858 in particular Erasmus Bond carried out the first commercial production of tonic water. In 1878, 20 years after that, Jacob Schweppe began production of Schweppes Indian Tonic.

Quinine

Quinine is a well-known medication used to treat malaria. It is, however, no longer recommended as a result of its numerous side effects. Quinine was gotten for the first time from the bark of a Peruvian Cinchona tree around 1630. The Cinchona tree is native to South and Central America, and can also be found in West Africa and the Caribbeans. Back then, it was used to treat fever before its potency for malaria was discovered.

Quinine played a massive role during the second world war, as it was used in treating many soldiers. The last American plane which was taken over by the Japanese after flying out of Philippines was said to have carried about four million quinine seeds.

An interesting take on the importance of quinine to soldiers can be taken from Sir Winston Churchill's statement:

''Gin and tonic have saved more Englishmen's lives and minds than all the doctors in the empire''.

Medicinal Benefits Of Quinine

The primary use of quinine is for malaria treatment, although as a result of its numerous side effects, this was discontinued. It is still used in small quantities alongside newly discovered malaria antidotes.

Quinine also acts as a food additive, giving tonic water its bitter and unique taste.

Reports have also claimed that it is used to treat cramps.

Uses Of Tonic Water

• Mixer: Tonic water is one of the most common mixers around the world. It forms the classy gin and tonic duo, and can also be mixed with vodka. It is also used for mixing cocktails.

• Cramps: Some have claimed that tonic water treats restless legs and cramps. This will, however, require the consumption of a high volume of tonic, as its quinine content is around 83mg per litre. The recommended daily consumption between 500mg and 1000mg per litre.

• Other Uses: According to research, tonic can be used to water plants and remove cloth stains as well.

Tonic water has a long and rich history remaining widely relevant since the 19th century. Gin and tonic is a standard fixture in bars and clubs, as well as cocktails at dinners and parties.

Toonik.ee -- meie oma toonikupood!

Suvi on tagasi! Ja kui te vajate suvekuuma lahjendamiseks midagi erlist, siis meie toonikutel on nüüd oma pood! Aadressi meeles pidamine on imelihtne, selleks on lihtsalt: toonik, toonik.ee.

Meie toonikud on Tallinnas ja Saaremaal müügil päris paljudes kohtades, ja ka mujalt Eestis on neid leida RIMI ja Selveri riiulitest, aga kõige lihtsam on nüüd toonikud kasti kaupa oma kodu lähedal olevasse pakiautomaati tellida.

Kuressaare Kuusk: The Video

Do you know what will happen to your Christmas tree after the holidays?
We do.
We are continuing to innovate the Christmas tree business in Estonia.
Since 1441. 

The Vitamin Tree of Vikings

Old Tjikko, whose name could well belong to an ancient Viking Warrior, is a small tree in Western Sweden. At a mere 4 metres, it’s tiny compared to most trees in the Nordic forests.

However, Old Tjikko hides a big story in its small body. It was born soon after the ice melted in Scandinavia, at the end of last Ice Age. It’s the oldest spruce tree, with roots that are almost 10,000 years old. And Tjikko is not a lone warrior from the prehistoric age – in these same mountains, there are 20 trees over 8,000 years old.

No wonder that in Nordic cultures the spruce is a symbol of life and strength. Needles of spruce have been used by shamans to make the magic potions throughout the centuries.

The spruce had a key role in celebrating the winter solstice, long before the first ever decorated spruce tree was put up to celebrate Christmas in 1441. And yes, of course, that happened in Estonia. 

Looking out at the world from this island and village of famous captains, it’s worth mentioning that Captain Cook, who founded Australia, was the first captain to save all of his crew from scurvy by using alcoholic sugar-based spruce beer.

The tips from the needles are quite commonly used in Nordic kitchens to make spruce syrup, and even survival tips suggest that spruce needles can be directly ingested or boiled into a tea to replace large amounts of vitamin C.

The needles of spruce absorb vast amounts of sunshine and, importantly for the Nordic region, not only sunshine but light in general, making the tree stand out in many ways.

It carries dozens of times more Vitamin C than citrus fruits, 40-100 times more chlorophyll than any other plant, and it is more vitamin- and mineral-rich than noni fruits, which have been tagged as the Elixir of Life.

Yet Vitamin C is just one key ingredient in spruce needles: fresh needles carry also Vitamins E and K, carotene, manganese, copper, zink, cobalt.

Throughout history, the spruce has been used to treat a vast array of health problems related to heart, liver, lungs, kidneys, stomach, bladder, breathing, eyes and ears. It is antibacterial, and improves metabolism and blood circulation.

Chlorophyll is important for plants, but what about for humans? One may ask.

It has been found to be an important factor offering protection against cancer. Chlorophyll also helps your body cleanse elimination systems, such as the bowel, liver and blood, and improving the transport of oxygen throughout your body, among other things.