Lingonberries - Nordic Kitchen stories (2024)

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What is an interesting fact about lingonberries? ›

It grows 12 to 18 inch high. It is an evergreen shrub that is native to the northern regions of North America and Europe. Plants spread by underground rhizomes, thus making lingonberry a very good candidate as a ground cover or continuous border. It is also known as cowberry or foxberry.

Lingonberries go with anything

Just like ketchup and mustard, Swedes use lingonberry jam to accompany a variety of Swedish food, from meatballs and pancakes to porridge and black pudding (blodpudding).

Lingonberries are a creeping shrub with tart and tangy, red berries closely related to highbush blueberries and cranberries.

We would eat lingonberries smeared on bread or as a condiment with reindeer or meatballs and gravy, the most typical of all Norwegian dishes. Yes, it is Sweden's national dish, but is also a beloved dish in Norway and Denmark.

Many countries know the legend of the Siberian lingonberry. Dating back to ancient times, it was meant to explain the great nutritional value of this small berry growing in the poor northern soil. The tale itself follows the adventures of a swallow that carried living water in its beak.

A member of the heath family and cousin to the blueberry, lingonberry has a host of other names: mountain cranberry, foxberry and cowberry are a few. The many names of the lingonberry are no doubt a product of its widespread range throughout the northern hemisphere.

This 'not feeding the neighbor kids' weirdness Is about maintaining peace in the community." From reading replies from Swedes, it appears this practice is common, but not necessarily universal. It also appears to be primarily about guests who are not planned for in advance, not a blanket "we don't do hospitality" norm.

Vaccinium vitis-idaea, the lingonberry, partridgeberry, mountain cranberry or cowberry, is a small evergreen shrub in the heath family Ericaceae. It is native to boreal forest and Arctic tundra throughout the Northern Hemisphere, including Eurasia and North America.

Lingonberries have a tart, acidic, and slightly sweet flavor. Some people think they taste similar to cranberries but less tart. Lingonberries are also slightly bitter, so people rarely eat them raw. People often cook and sweeten lingonberries to make them more palatable.

Lingonberries are best grown in Scandinavian countries like Sweden and the upper reaches of North America in Canada. In the United States, they can be found in the Pacific Northwest extending up to Alaska, as well as Massachusetts and Maine.

Are huckleberries and lingonberries the same? ›

Lingonberry can appear similar to evergreen huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum). The latter usually has sharply-toothed and pointed leaves that lack black dots on the underside. Leaf arrangement along the stem also differs between the two species.

Lingonberries are especially high in the antioxidant "anthocyanins," which is known to prevent oxidation of blood cholesterol and aid in keeping blood vessels healthy. Researchers believe these potent antioxidants may be able help reduce the risk of heart disease and even some cancers.

Norway does not have a national fruit. There are popular fruits depending on the season such as apples, raspberries and strawberries.

Long, bright days, relatively low temperatures, and a mostly unpolluted climate make ideal conditions for fruit and berries to develop over time. "Due to the longer ripening period, Norwegian fruit and berries tend to have more acid, taste and concentration", says the award-winning pastry chef Sverre Sætre.

The common raven, ring-necked pheasant, rock ptarmigan, sea gulls, geese, grouse, partridges, and many species of songbirds, such as the scarlet tanager, eastern bluebird, and thrushes, readily consume lingonberry fruit [38,42,88].

The name 'lingonberry' originates from the Swedish name lingon ([ˈlɪŋɔn]) for the species deriving from Old Norse lyngr, a cognate (thus also a doublet) to 'ling'. The genus name Vaccinium is a classical Latin name for a plant, possibly the bilberry or hyacinth, and may be derived from the Latin bacca, 'berry'.

Lingonberries are especially high in the antioxidant "anthocyanins," which is known to prevent oxidation of blood cholesterol and aid in keeping blood vessels healthy. Researchers believe these potent antioxidants may be able help reduce the risk of heart disease and even some cancers.

Lingonberry – This small evergreen shrub native to boreal forests is a Scandinavian delicacy. Contrary to its harsh growing conditions, this plant has a gentle, sweet berry scent.