SC - A new project....

[Sue Clemenger]

Your bilberries sound similar to what we in Montana refer to as
"huckleberries."  They are very tart and flavorful, compared to those boring old
blueberries, and one of the best things ever grown on the face of the earth,
AFAIC.  As far as I know, they still grow only in the wild, and increasing
commercialization is putting some stress on the annual "crop," which is also a
main food for our resident bears.
- --Maire, who admits to being partial....<g>

Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir wrote:
<snippage>

> >Could you comment on the flavour and appearance of bilberries and
> >crowberries? Ever picked them wild? What type of ground and climate do
> >they prefer?
>
> Have I picked them wild? Every other day during late August/early September
> in my childhood, even more after we moved to a fishing village built
> practically in the middle of a berryfield. Here in Reykjavík, you´ve got to
> drive for 10-15 minutes to find crowberries and bog bilberries; true
> bilberries mostly grow in the West and North.
>
> They prefer cool climates; crowberries are rare south of
> (Northern)Scandinavia but I understand they grow abundantly in Alaska and
> Canada. They are small, pitch black and shiny, slightly tart and probably do
> not taste wonderful to people used to a wide variety of berries and fruit.
> Bilberries are dark blue, sometimes almost black, somewhat smaller than
> American blueberries, and not very dissimilar in flavor (some will tell you
> they are inferior to blueberries, others, including me, hold a different
> opinion). They grow in Northern Europe, in Scotland and Ireland, and in New
> England and perhaps other northerly regions as well; they are often called
> whortleberries in America. The bog bilberry is fairly similar to the
> bilberry but has the color of a blueberry. The difference in taste is
> reflected in the Icelandic names; bog bilberry is bláber (blueberry),
> bilberry is aðalbláber (main blueberry).
>
> Nanna
>
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