{"id":5737,"date":"2020-12-14T13:18:43","date_gmt":"2020-12-14T13:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/?p=5737"},"modified":"2020-12-14T13:21:33","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T13:21:33","slug":"adventbotany-2020-day-14","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/","title":{"rendered":"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage"},"content":{"rendered":"

By James Dinsley<\/a><\/h2>\n

Childhood trips to IKEA<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Every year as I was growing up my family would embark on a quest (in what seemed like a Christmas tradition in itself) to visit IKEA, in the hopes of finding the best new and exciting decorations for turning our living room into a Winter wonderland. Whilst it is safe to say that furniture shopping is rarely the highlight of any child\u2019s day, one thing that always stood out to me was the delicious food on offer at the end of the trip: fresh hot dogs, Swedish meatballs and luxury chocolates to name a few. In addition to these meats and confectionaries however, a far less familiar yet iconic drink also caught my attention \u2013 lingonberry juice. Whilst the taste was sharp, this ruby-coloured beverage became a favourite of my time at IKEA, and it was rare that I would ever come across lingonberries again in the outside world. I\u2019m sure that my younger self would be bewildered at the prospect that I may one day write an article about these mysterious \u201clingonberries\u201d, or to find out that they were not as rare or peculiar as he na\u00efvely once believed.<\/p>\n

Abisko Expedition<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It was when I was 22 years old on an undergraduate expedition to the Abisko National Park in Northern Sweden, situated within the Arctic Circle, that I would discover the true source of this juice in the wild for myself. Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em> (\u201clingonberry\u201d, or \u201ccowberry\u201d) is a small, evergreen shrub native to colder habitats within the Northern Hemisphere such as Scandinavia, Scotland, Russia, North America and Canada. The Vaccinium<\/em> genus encompasses over 400 species, including other low-lying evergreen shrubs such as Vaccinium myrtillus<\/em> (bilberry or European blueberry), Vaccinium uliginosum<\/em> (bog bilberry) and Vaccinium oxycoccos<\/em><\/a> (bog cranberry). This prostrate shrub forms broad, oval leaves that grow in an alternating pattern and possess a small notch at the tip (Figure 1). These leaves are preserved throughout the Winter, supported by the insulating effect produced by a light blanket of snow cover.<\/p>\n

\"Botanical
Figure 1. Botanical illustration of Vaccinium vitis-idaea <\/em>(lingonberry or cowberry), showing the leaf notches and red fruiting bodies necessary for morphological identification. From Trait\u00e9 des Arbres et Arbustes que l\u2019on cultive en France en pleine terre<\/em> (1801\u20131819) by <\/strong>Pierre-Joseph Redout\u00e9<\/strong><\/a>. Original from New York Public Library. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel (CC BY 2.0).<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As part of this Arctic expedition, my colleagues and I would study the ecological and climatic controls that influence the biodiversity and dominance of the Vaccinium<\/em> shrubs at different field sites across the boreal forests, tundra and swamps of the Abisko National Park. To do this, we used one of the most famous, classic tools in a botanist\u2019s arsenal \u2013 the mighty quadrat! As flowering and fruiting had yet to occur, identification between the Vaccinium<\/em> species for a junior botanist was difficult, especially under the repeated attack of the local arctic mosquitoes (Aedes nigripes<\/em>) and horseflies (Tabantus<\/em> sp<\/em>.; Figure 2). However the experience was phenomenal and gave me the opportunity to discover more about the origins of these delicious berries.<\/p>\n

\"very
Figure 2. 1m x 1m quadrat situated at an Arctic tundra site in the Abisko National Park, Sweden, in July 2018. Multiple small arctic shrub species, including Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em> (red box), can be observed. By J. Dinsley.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Egtved girl<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As a result of the Swedish customary law of Allemansr\u00e4tten, translating to \u201ceveryman\u2019s right\u201d in English, the ability to forage and pick wild berries such as those of the Vaccinium<\/em> species is permitted. This practice has existed for centuries and is common throughout Scandinavia and Northern Europe. The earliest reporting of lingonberry usage by ancient humans was in the discovery of lingonberry traces in ceremonial beer remnants buried within the grave of the iconic Egtved girl. The Egtved girl was a young woman buried in 1370 BC in present-day Denmark, who lived during the Nordic Bronze Age (1700 \u2013 1100 BC) and was believed to be a merchant traveller, indicating that lingonberries were consumed during this period.<\/p>\n

\"hollowed
Figure 3. The Egtved girl\u2019s grave within an oak coffin, illustrating her tunic, skirt and bronze belt plate containing spiral engravings. The bark bucket on the bottom left contained the ceremonial drink, possessing traces of Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em>.\u00a0 From \u201cThe Egtved Girl\u201d by the National Museum of Denmark: <\/strong>https:\/\/en.natmus.dk\/historical-knowledge\/denmark\/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad\/the-bronze-age\/the-egtved-girl\/<\/strong><\/a> (fair use)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Furthermore, in the 13th<\/sup> century, an Icelandic law was forged to restrict the consumption of lingonberries (and other berry plants) to what could be eaten on the spot, preventing over-consumption and sustaining the population\u2019s food supplies.<\/p>\n

Lingonberries come in to cultivation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

By the 1600s, lingonberries were grown for decorative purposes by larger, wealthier households under the guidance of respected gardening books such as Le Jardin de Plaisir<\/em> by the French gardener, Andr\u00e9 Mollet, in 1651 and Hortikultura<\/em> written by the Norwegian Christian Gartner, in 1694. This ornamental cultivation practice continued for centuries after, as has been recorded previously with the planting of Vaccinium vitis-idaea fructu albo<\/em> (white lingonberry) at the Swedish Baldersn\u00e4s Herrg\u00e5rd manor house in 1845. Since the 18th<\/sup> century, lingonberries are recorded to have been prevalent in delicacies such as wines, jams and jellies and were accessible to both the richer and poorer members of society. The most destitute members of society at the time had the ability to forage for wild berries via the Allemansr\u00e4tten, providing a vital and accessible food source to ensure survival even through-out cold winters.<\/p>\n

\"White
Figure 4. Aerial photograph of the Baldersn<\/strong>\u00e4<\/strong>s Herrg<\/strong>\u00e5<\/strong>rd Dals L<\/strong>\u00e5<\/strong>nged (CC BY-SA 4.0): <\/strong>https:\/\/digitaltmuseum.org\/021015611282\/baldersnas-herrgard-dals-langed\/<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In modern times, global Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em> demand is predominantly met through exports of wild harvested berries from Scandinavia, with some agricultural cultivation and export from the USA. Despite the cultural imprint that lingonberries have had in Northern and Eastern Europe for centuries, the feasibility for the commercial cultivation of lingonberries in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Poland and Russia was only first tested in the 1960s. It is possible that the localised cultivation of Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em> (relative to more widespread, mass-produced fruit such as apples and oranges) is owing to a greater awareness and wider adoption of a close member of the Vaccinium<\/em> genus, cranberries (Vaccinium oxycoccos<\/em>, or the North American Vaccinium macrocarpon<\/em><\/a>), by countries such as the UK, USA and Canada<\/p>\n

Mustamakkara and other treats<\/h3>\n

For Christmas, lingonberries are a fantastic accompaniment for many traditional and tasty delicacies. Lingonberry gravy or jam is a common preparation in Scandinavia to partner with meatballs, reindeer, elk and moose steak, alongside a favoured addition for the Finnish specialities of maksalaatikko<\/em> (liver casserole) and mustamakkara<\/em>, a porcine blood sausage that is similar to the UK\u2019s black pudding.<\/p>\n

\"blood
Figure 5. Mustamakkara, Finnish pig blood sausage delicacy, served with lingonberry jam (By Hugo V.K., CC BY-NC-SA 2.0).<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As for sweet treats, lingonberries also play a prominent role in another Scandinavian Christmas favourite, Lingonp\u00e4ron<\/em>, which uses baked or poached pears preserved in lingonberry juice to produce a sweet and simple dessert.\u00a0 The Norwegian \u201cTrollkrem<\/em>\u201d, which is a light, creamy mousse whipped up from a combination of egg whites, sugar and lingonberries, also provides a healthy source of sugar for over the holidays. The use of watered lingonberries was particularly valuable many centuries ago, when access to sugar was limited and expensive, as a cheap method of preserving food to last through-out the winter.<\/p>\n

\"Glass
Figure 6. Trollkrem med vaniliesaus (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) by Tore Berntsen.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em>, with its simple leaves and bright red berries, has had culinary, medicinal and ornamental value within the Northern Hemisphere for centuries. Through uncovering the history of this special plant, which once looked so unassuming in my Arctic quadrats, I now discover the origins of the mysterious lingonberry juice that I tried as a child many years ago one Christmas in IKEA.<\/p>\n

References<\/h3>\n

Felding, L. (2015). The Egtved Girl: Travel, Trade & Alliances in the Bronze Age. Adoranten<\/em>. Pp. 5-20.<\/p>\n

Hjalmarsson, I. and Ortiz, R. (2001). Lingonberry Botany and Horticulture. Horticultural Reviews<\/em>. 27<\/strong>, 79-92.<\/p>\n

National Museum of Denmark (n.d.). The Egtved Girl<\/em>. <\/strong>https:\/\/en.natmus.dk\/historical-knowledge\/denmark\/prehistoric-period-until-1050-ad\/the-bronze-age\/the-egtved-girl\/<\/a> (accessed 10th<\/sup> December 2020).<\/p>\n

Staub, J. (2007). 75 Remarkable Fruits for Your Garden<\/em>. Utah: Gibbs Smith. Pp. 128-129.<\/p>\n

V\u00e4nersborgs Museum (2014). Baldersn<\/em>\u00e4<\/em>s Herrg<\/em>\u00e5<\/em>rd Dals L<\/em>\u00e5<\/em>nged<\/em>. https:\/\/digitaltmuseum.org\/021015611282\/baldersnas-herrgard-dals-langed<\/a> \u00a0(accessed 10th<\/sup> December 2020).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For more #AdventBotany see our 2020 index page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By James Dinsley Childhood trips to IKEA Every year as I was growing up my family would embark on a quest (in what seemed like a Christmas tradition in itself)…Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[52,28,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent","category-advent-botany","category-science-communication"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By James Dinsley Childhood trips to IKEA Every year as I was growing up my family would embark on a quest (in what seemed like a Christmas tradition in itself)...Read More >\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Herbarium RNG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlantDiversity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-14T13:18:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-12-14T13:21:33+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2020\/12\/lingonberry.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Alastair Culham\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@RNGherb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@RNGherb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Alastair Culham\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/\",\"name\":\"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2020-12-14T13:18:43+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-12-14T13:21:33+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/773479130137793cfd19c5afee34a6c2\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/\",\"name\":\"Herbarium RNG\",\"description\":\"Excellence in plant science since 1897\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/773479130137793cfd19c5afee34a6c2\",\"name\":\"Alastair Culham\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b62061ee61f0c9332a3c756afc1eca11558ede4ac9e671e4411947ae4875c06b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b62061ee61f0c9332a3c756afc1eca11558ede4ac9e671e4411947ae4875c06b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Alastair Culham\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/author\/a-culhamreading-ac-uk\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG","og_description":"By James Dinsley Childhood trips to IKEA Every year as I was growing up my family would embark on a quest (in what seemed like a Christmas tradition in itself)...Read More >","og_url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/","og_site_name":"Herbarium RNG","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PlantDiversity\/","article_published_time":"2020-12-14T13:18:43+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-12-14T13:21:33+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/42\/2020\/12\/lingonberry.png"}],"author":"Alastair Culham","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@RNGherb","twitter_site":"@RNGherb","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Alastair Culham","Estimated reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/","url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/","name":"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage - Herbarium RNG","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#website"},"datePublished":"2020-12-14T13:18:43+00:00","dateModified":"2020-12-14T13:21:33+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/773479130137793cfd19c5afee34a6c2"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/2020\/12\/14\/adventbotany-2020-day-14\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"#AdventBotany 2020 Day 14, Early days in IKEA, the lingonberry and a blood sausage"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#website","url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/","name":"Herbarium RNG","description":"Excellence in plant science since 1897","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/773479130137793cfd19c5afee34a6c2","name":"Alastair Culham","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b62061ee61f0c9332a3c756afc1eca11558ede4ac9e671e4411947ae4875c06b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b62061ee61f0c9332a3c756afc1eca11558ede4ac9e671e4411947ae4875c06b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Alastair Culham"},"url":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/author\/a-culhamreading-ac-uk\/"}]}},"cc_featured_image_caption":{"caption_text":false,"source_text":false,"source_url":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5737","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5737"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5794,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5737\/revisions\/5794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/herbarium\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}