You haven’t been to Norway until you’ve had a Norwegian strawberry. Strawberry season here is late July and very short so you better be quick if you want a taste of paradise in the Arctic.

You can buy Norwegian strawberries from grocery stores however street stalls are nearly on every corner in the cities during peak season (and they usually offer a cheaper deal too). Just look out for the sign ‘Jordbær’ which means ‘earth berry’ to pick up a punnet. Stalls may also sell cherries and raspberries, if you’re lucky.

It is common for city-goers in Oslo to grab a punnet for lunch or to snack on at the wharf on lazy Sunday afternoons and watch the world go by. In the country most Norwegians grow strawberries in their yard. Our family farm in Alta harvests enough strawberries to last a whole year. With what the whole family can’t eat, Farmor makes home-made jam, dried fruit and then freezes the rest for cakes and desserts (as strawberries are often used to decorate or flavour traditional Norwegian cream cakes).

Norwegians are very proud of their strawberries. They always pick them over any import. Whenever Moose sees a ‘jordbær’ sign he gasps ‘We have to get some!’ He tells me that north Norwegian strawberries are especially sweet and juicy because strawberries thrive with cool temperatures and lots of light (and there is plenty of both in the Arctic summer). Well, I can’t argue with him there – Norwegian strawberries are the best I’ve ever tasted. And I think our little Norwegian agrees.