Swedes love berries. According to Bärfrämjandet, the organization promoting berries, 85 percent of Swedes think that berries are good for you and make you feel more alert. The recent increased interest in food, and healthy food in particular, has brought berries to even more people’s plates – half of Swedish households now pick berries every year, and more than 60 per cent always have some in their freezer.

Strawberries are the Swedes’ favourite berries, followed in close competition by raspberries and blueberries. But with the strawberry season now over, the cheapest – if not the easiest – way to get your hands on some berries is to head to the nearest forest and pick some blueberries. Back home, freeze a few litres to give your immune system a boost in the winter and eat the rest with milk, one of the simplest and most delicious ways of enjoying these little vitamin bombs. Or, why not try this simple dessert recipe from Jenny Åkerström’s classic cookbook Prinsessornas Kokbok from 1941.

Blueberry Compote

1,5 litres blueberries
1 litre water
1dl potato flour
sugar

Cook the berries and the water in a pan on low heat until the juices start flowing. Pour the mix through a colander, pour the juice back in the pan and add sugar to taste. Mix the potato flour with a small amount of water and pour into the pan, stirring. Keep cooking, stirring slowly, until the compote thickens.

Serve lukewarm or cold with ice cream or milk.