Lingonberry Tuesday: Martin's love letter

Ever since I was a kid I've loved lingonberries. Maybe it's because my roots are in the north where the red golden berries thrives. As far as I am concerned this berry runs deep into Swedish cultural heritage – you feel the pine wood, the moss and the colors of the forest, dark green and dark brown, when you eat them. These berries have a majestic quality as well. The idea that if I would walk from here to the polar circle through forest, 1400 km, I would almost never lose lingonberries from my sight, makes one realize the impact these berries have had on this region.

So when I put them down in my morning cereals, pour them over my veggie balls or any kind of food (we do that here, put jam on all sorts of food) I feel thankful to this majestic Taiga. So for me this berry is far more than a tart berry that I was taught to love from young years, it's a symbol of the old times, it makes me think of my grandfathers father, a baker, in Hälsingland, his fathers friends and neighbors – hard workers, timber men, miners and so on. They were probably looking forward to a time when picking berries, catching fish and hunting in harsh climate wasn't a necessity for feeding the family and through their militant struggle for living wages their kids didn't have to continue doing so. But for me picking this wild berry and making this jam is still an small homage to these working class people and their struggle. And to that part of our Swedish heritage.

Martin loves the forest.

Lingonberry Tuesday: Balls and potatoes

One of the most classic Swedish foods might be meatballs, potatoes, sauce and lingonberries. So of course I had to make it for Lingonberry Tuesday! I decided to make the Black Eyed Pea and Tempeh Beanballs from Appetite for Reduction. They had a great taste but because of a misunderstanding between the two chefs of this kitchen they came out very dry and crumbly. But they were good crumbled into the sauce were they became hydrated once more!

I served the balls with boiled potatoes, a simple gravy with onions, some ice berg lettuce and of course, the lingonberry jam!

Lingonberry Tuesday: raggmunk

Now that you've learned how to make your own lingonberry jam, it's time to use it! Store bought versions are fine too of course, you can find it at the big Swedish furniture store...

Today I had raggmunk for lunch. It's a simple potato pancake with finely grated potatoes in it. And it's eaten with lingonberry jam, always! I used a recipe from here..It's super quick, you need almost no ingredients and it's tasty!

 

Lingonberry jam

Lingonberries, the red gold of the Swedish forests. A tart firm berry that is easily cooked down to a jam that can be eaten with a wide variety of foods, sweet or savory doesn't matter. Myself, I prefer it with savory foods such as potatoes. Martin on the other hand, eats if with his morning cereal every morning.

Lingonberry jam
Ridicolously easy, this jam will gel easily since lingonberries contains so much pectin. Use sugar to your liking, more sugar, the more the jam will set. I use about 3 part berries to 2 parts sugar, but I like it kind of sweet. You could easily cut down to 1 part sugar or even less.

what you'll need
fresh or frozen lingonberries
granulated sugar
water

How to
Add the lingonberries to a heavy bottomed pot and add a little bit of water. Add sugar and heat on medium heat, stirring frequently until the berries has released their water and mixed with the sugar. Turn heat up and bring to a heavy boil, then turn off the heat and take the pot away. Stir and can.

Raw lingonberry jam
Another way to enjoy these berries is to stir fresh (or thawed frozen) berries with sugar according to taste, until the berries have softened and the sugar has dissolved. Brings out the flavour in an almost unreal way.

Recipes on the blog that goes great with lingonberry jam:
- Vegan Swedish Christmassy Meatballs
- Fishy wheat germ patties
- Creamy chantarelle sauce
- Autumn stew with juniper berries
- Pitepalt

And be sure, there will be a lot of suggestions for how to use this glorious jam during this month and onwards!

Have you ever eaten lingonberries in some form?