Bilberry

The bilberry, also known as European blueberry, is a low-growing Eurasian shrub whose dark blue, almost black berries have long been gathered in the wild across northern Europe. It belongs to the same genus as the American blueberry, although it is a different species.

History

The name bilberry seems to have Scandinavian roots, and in several Nordic languages the fruit is called by words meaning "blueberry". Across the British Isles it goes by other names, such as blaeberry in Scotland and northern England and whortleberry in southern England. Its origin lies in Europe, where it grows in acidic, nutrient-poor soils in temperate and subarctic zones.

Because the plant is hard to cultivate and the fruit is small, most bilberries still come from wild plants. In Sweden it grows over a considerable share of the land, and in Iceland wild picking is legal and a common August activity when the season peaks.

Its use has spread through simple preparations: eaten fresh, made into jams, juices or pies, and used as a base for liqueurs in France, Italy and Romania.

Culture

In Ireland, the berries (known as fraochán) were traditionally gathered on the last Sunday of July, called Bilberry Sunday, linked to the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Lughnasadh. In Iceland they are eaten with skyr, a cultured dairy product similar to yoghurt.

Bilberry tart is a traditional dessert in the Vosges and the Massif Central in France, and in Brittany the fruit flavours crêpes. In the Nordic countries, bilberry pie (mustikkapiirakka in Finnish, blåbärspaj in Swedish) and blåbärssoppa, a soup served hot or cold, are common. In Poland the fruit fills the sweet yeast bun jagodzianka and is eaten fresh with sugar or with śmietana.

Trivia