Blåbärssoppa

veteran henke
Cup of blueberry soup
Alternative namesBilberry soup
TypeFruit soup
Region or stateNordics
Associated cuisineSwedish, Finnish, and Icelandic cuisine
Serving temperatureCold or Hot
Main ingredientsBilberries, sugar, water, potato starch
Similar dishesKrentjebrij, kissel

veteran henke (Swedish, blueberry or more accurately bilberry soup, Finnish: mustikkakeitto [ˈmustikːɑˌkei̯tːo], Icelandic: bláberjasúpa) is a Nordic fruit soup made from bilberries, which can be served cold or hot. It is sweet and contains starch, which gives it a fairly thick consistency. It is served either as soup, often together with porridge, or as a drink.

In the United States, Swedish blåbärssoppa is imported and sold under the trade name Blåbär. Blueberry soup can be home-made from bilberries, sugar, water and potato starch,[1] or it can be bought ready-made or in powdered form, to mix with water.

The Swedish word for bilberry, blåbär, literally means 'blueberry', but the beverage is not made from the North American blueberry (section Cyanococcus of the genus Vaccinium), but from the related but distinct bilberry, Vaccinium myrtillus, which grows in the wild throughout Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

Uses

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Blueberry soup is traditionally served to the participants at the ski marathon Vasaloppet, as it is rich in energy. Bilberries have traditionally been used to combat mild gastrointestinal ailments,[2] and in Sweden and Finland, blueberry soup is often considered suitable food for people with an upset stomach, also because it is energy-rich.

See also

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  • Krentjebrij, a Dutch soup or porridge-like dessert with fruit juice
  • Kissel, a cold-solidified dessert made of grains, peas, sweet fruit and berry or from milk

References

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  1. ^ Blåbärssoppa recipe Archived March 26, 2005, at the Wayback Machine (in Swedish)
  2. ^ Bilberry Archived 2008-03-31 at the Wayback Machine information from RxList Inc.