As we go into late summer many of the wildflowers on the tundra turn into berries. All kinds of berries. They become so plentyful that you cannot take a step on the spongy moss and lichen encrusted tundra without stepping on them.
The berries start in late July with the cloudberry, known locally as salmonberries. They are nice and sweet and full of juice. Buckets are picked and frozen in the freezer for winter use.
Then comes the lowbush blueberry that grows into plump little blue tart berries, perfect for jams and in pancakes or just in a bowl with a little cream and sugar.
After that comes the black or crow berry. It's thicker skinned than a blue, but is sweet and full of juice. It makes for a flavorful jam that stains your toungue and teeth dark blue for a short time.
And then there is the lowbush cranberry. It's tart flaver is at its peak after the first frost. We use it to go with a wild goose dinner or as a jam.
And of course all these berries are combined and mixed with flaked fish, suger, and whipped shortning to make 'agutuk' or Eskimo ice cream. It's quite good. It's a favorite of the locals here and eaten anytime for desert, but especially on holidays and special occassions.
And of course all these berries are combined and mixed with flaked fish, suger, and whipped shortning to make 'agutuk' or Eskimo ice cream. It's quite good. It's a favorite of the locals here and eaten anytime for desert, but especially on holidays and special occassions.
The berries were and still are a main food staple here. Since quality fresh fruit is hard to come by, the berries are stored. They are savored for their sweet taste and more importantly they are rich in important vitimins. It is said that a small serving of salmonberries have 300% of our daily need of vitimin C. We can't get that from an apple.