Harvesting is Berry Good, Part 1

One of my (Jenny) dreams in moving to Norway, was to taste and make delicious things out of whatever delights I could forage locally. The availability of fresh fruits growing in the surrounding mountains and forests has been abundant! So I will take this time, for those who want to participate in my gratitude, to share with you what I have discovered, learned and cooked!  

First, our berry picking tools. It’s not complicated. We strap on some sturdy shoes and layers appropriate for the ever-changing weather. Many berries can be gathered by hand, but for several types of berries, we can arm ourselves with this handy berry picking tool and some trusty buckets. Maybe you’ve seen this before, but I had never and find it very helpful! Just slide the metal teeth under the berries on the bush and the fruit falls into the tool’s handle box. Fill the box, empty into the bucket and the picking becomes quite efficient. The Norwegians are so innovative!

After we pick the berries, we use a simple screen to separate the berries from the twigs and leaves that our harvesting tools sometimes collect along with the berries.

Now, onto the berries!

Strawberries: (norsk: jordbær, [yor-bair])
Bright red, small and very sweet

We noticed early on in July that the strawberries in the groceries were beautiful; the kind I remember from growing up in Washington State. When I was a kid, strawberry season came with anticipation of strawberry shortcakes and freezer jams. When you bite into a fresh Washington strawberry, there is no white in the middle – just juicy red all the way through, picked in prime ripeness and demanded to be enjoyed quickly, lest they spoil – it’s the taste of summer.

This childhood memory came flooding back, when we picked up a small container at the local Kiwi (grocery store). It was so much the same: perfectly sweet and delicious with no water taste. Pure, unadulterated strawberry goodness. It was after first seeing the jordbær in the grocery that we found many people grow them in their gardens, which is always the best! A man brought them out for a snack when we were working his field, and another couple brought them to a church gathering.

It is also very common to find wild jordbær along paths and streams, just like hiking in Montana. A welcome treat!

Raspberry: (norsk: bringebær, [bring-eh-bair])
Red and pink, sweet and seedy

It was a tad dry this early summer in Hallingdal Valley, so according to the locals, the bringebær were puny. Tiny or not, we were still able to collect enough of these familiar berries around our new home to make something appetizing. We mixed them with the blåbær for a very tasty jam of which we have been enjoying on pancakes, toast and even in our yogurt!

Bog Bilberry: (norsk: blokkebær, [blok-keh-bair])
Pale blue, mild and sweet

Come late July, while hunting for local blueberries we discovered the Bog Bilberry. My trusty plant app and my taste buds helped me identify this berry as edible and I wanted to try to do something with it! So we brought home a couple small buckets and I turned it into a yummy jam thanks to this recipe: Bilberry Jam Recipe

From the information I’ve gathered, not many people bother with this berry, as they prefer the blueberry (blåbær), but we all thought it just find for our liking!

Read part 2 of this blog series to learn all about blåbær.