Kicker: Culinary recycling

EUELL GIBBONS: I’ve spent years learning about natural foods. Ever eat a pine tree? Many parts are edible.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Those of a certain age may remember Euell Gibbons on TV promoting Grape Nuts cereal.

GIBBONS: It’s naturally sweet taste reminds me of wild hickory nuts.

Well, some folks worried about food safety are warning people not to eat your Christmas tree.

We’re all about public service over here!

Here’s the backstory: the city of Ghent in Belgium posted tips on its website on how to recycle that tree right onto your dinner plate. It said you can strip the needles, blanch them and make flavored butter, as one example.

But the Belgian food agency released a statement saying: “Christmas trees are not destined to enter the food chain.” Evidently they’re worried about pesticides or flame retardants sprayed on trees.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: So just for Christmas, not for dinner.

REICHARD: Methinks Euell Gibbons would not be pleased.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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