Return to Transcripts main page

CNN World Report

A Finnish Toast to Health and Tradition

Aired July 22, 2001 - 14:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: And now to Finland for the ancient tradition to allow people to enjoy a rare treat in the short spring season, a drink 100 percent natural and healthy and made from birch sap.

The abundance of birch trees in Finland allows willing farmers to profit from bottling and selling the sap.

This is the refreshing story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKA MAKELAINEN, YLE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tapping a birch tree used to be a common springtime practice. It has revived this age-old tradition. The tube is inserted into the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tree to extract the sap. The season is short, so you have to know the life cycle of the birch.

REINO KOIVUSAARI, BIRCH SAP COLLECTOR: The sap season begins when nighttime temperatures rise above freezing point and there is not much frost in the ground. That is when the sap begins to flow upward, to the top of the tree, and the sap collection period begins.

MAKELAINEN: During the summer, the birch tree combines water and carbon dioxide into sugars. In the autumn, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) spring the sap begins to flow back into the tree. The same tree can produce up to 300 liters of this sweet solution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): There would be enough sap for all Finns to drink, only if it was collected more, there would be no shortage. But it is still a rather mild drink and tapping a tree is tough work. Unlike drinking from a tap or faucet.

MAKELAINEN: The sap is said to alleviate a number of illnesses. Traditionally used as a health drink, it is bottled commercially and used also to make liquor.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The problem with natural sap is its poor preservability, but when you add alcohol as the preservative, the sap and all of the good qualities remain in tact. Otherwise, if you would want to use plain sap, it would have to be frozen.

MAKELAINEN: This farm in Southern Finland has found a growing demand for sap liquor. Elsewhere, sap and sap products are marketed worldwide on the Internet.

Farmers hope that the sap production will contribute to creating some extra income in the countryside. This should not be difficult, because among Finns, it has a very positive image; it is associated with the good old days and a natural lifestyle. A toast to health and tradition.

Mika Makelainen for Finnish Television for CNN WORLD REPORT.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com