With a blackberry-like appearance, juicy amber color, and flavors so fresh and perfect with pockets of natural sweetness, cloudberries are one of the rarest berries you’ll ever taste.
Have you ever heard of cloudberries?
Cloudberries, often referred to as the “gold of the Arctic”, are highly prized for their features.
A ripe cloudberry is soft, juicy, and oozing with sweetness packing a tarty punch.
Where to find cloudberries in Norway?
Cloudberries are only grown in the wilderness of Arctic regions; marshlands and boreal forests.
Due to the demanding conditions, this makes it hard to farm them in large quantities. Therefore, the best options are either to go handpicking or buy them from someone who grows them.
Their rarity in Norway makes them precious and therefore highly priced. You may pay up to EUR 20 per kg – the price surpassing all other berries in the market.
They are available for a short period of time, their picking season lasting between July to August.
As with every berry, cloudberry picking operates under Norway’s Everyman law.
Finnmark is the most known location for picking cloudberries. Only 5% of the land is privately owned, leaving 95% for anyone who wants to pick cloudberries – but they must be eaten on site.
Non-residents of Finnmark need a permit to take cloudberries home after collecting them.
Tip: During picking season it’s important that you are careful when gathering the berries. They are very delicate. Do not wash them either, otherwise, you risk the berries turning mushy.
Benefits of Norwegian cloudberries
Cloudberries are considered very good for your health. They contain four times as much vitamin C as an orange. Other elements you’ll find are zinc, calcium, iron, magnesium, beta carotene, omega 3, and fatty acids.
Some health benefits of cloudberries may include protection against internal diseases like liver, gallbladder, and kidney disease.
Cloudberries also have skin nurturing benefits.
They are a rich source of vitamin C, E, and A – which all help in different ways when it comes to skincare.
Vitamin C helps with brightening skin, E helps with shielding skin from harmful radicals, and A is for firming skin.
How to eat and cook cloudberries?
Cloudberries are often made into jams. They are also used for confections like cloudberry cakes and tarts.
You may find cloudberry desserts in restaurant menus during cloudberry season, so be sure to check it out.
In Northern Norway, cloudberry cream – multekrem – is a traditional Norwegian dessert.
It is made by mixing cloudberries, whipped cream, and sugar.
This dessert is a Christmas staple for Norwegians and is usually served with krumkake or kransekake.
Source: Norway Today
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