Cloud Berries
Cloud berries are called ‘molter’ in Norwegian. They are little puffs of fruity-flesh, similar to raspberries, with a sweet and sour tang. Usually eaten with just whipped cream, they can also be used with cakes, on bread, and as a jam.
Cloud berries are found in swamp areas in Northern Scandinavia. They are not farmed, so grow wild and need to be hand picked as their flesh is very delicate. In fact, you don’t wash cloud berries as their juice will wash away in the water.
When Moose was a child, the family used to travel to the swamp areas up in the mountains to pick cloud berries. Sometimes they would camp for days to gather enough berries for all the lovely cakes and creams Farmor would be making that year. It is hard work picking cloud berries – crouching over swampy marshes with buckets, delicately plucking the berries as not to squish them all the while swatting away the monster mosquitoes. The thing that makes cloud berries so good is all the hard work that goes into getting them.
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The Arctic Circle is an imaginary line.
The bunad is a traditional Norwegian costume worn by both men and women. It can either come from established rural traditions or have a more modern design inspired by historical patterns and cuts.
Nisse parties happen in many kindergartens, primary schools, church and community groups in Norway. They are a casual celebration of the julenisse (Christmas elf) tradition especially for children (but the big kids love them too).
Norway enters the Christmas season early.
This custom is based on a spiritual commitment.
I have cloudberry jam that I purchased at IKEA in Arizona. I love it!
I remember hearing that name molter though from my grandmother.
I love visiting you!
Debbie
moltebaer. Yum.
vi hadde moltebaer med krem til aa spise ofte hos farmor.
I don’t recall these berries being available when growing up on Tysnes, near Bergen. We did pick blueberries and ‘tyttebaer’ which grew wild. They were quite plentiful and my mother would make many jars of jam every year. I think that ‘tyttebaer’ is what we can buy in the U.S. as Lyngenberries, usually imported from the Scandinavian countries. Tastes somewhat like cranberries, popular at Thanksgiving and Christmas time.
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from L-Jay:
cloud berries mainly grow above the Arctic circle in Norway. They need a cloud climate, I guess because in the warmth the birds would gobble them up before they had a chance to grow…lol.
Oh yes, moltebaer!!!! I love these!!! I am planting golden raspberries this year in the hopes that they taste just a little bit like molter!
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from L-Jay:
Ah, never heard of golden raspberries before.
I guess I’ll be shopping at IKEA since I don’t know of any cloud berries in North Dakota.
oh interesting, I only knew cloudberries by the swedish name, Hjorton I believe.