6 ms·

Every time blueberries are mentioned in a US context, it's just as jarring! It's a rather simple/common thing, and yet it is not the same all over the world. O

by unwind 4y ago

Every time blueberries are mentioned in a US context, it's just as jarring! It's a rather simple/common thing, and yet it is not the same all over the world. Over here in northern Europe (Sweden), what we would call a blueberry is what you would call a bilberry [1], and what you would call a blueberry is referred to as an American blueberry (or maybe a cultivated blueberry). They're all awesome of course, and not having to bend the fsck down to pick the things is a nice feature of the American ones. Edit: weirdly enough the Wikipedia page for the bilberry doesn't even link to the Swedish page for the same berry [2]. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry [2]: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bl%C3%A5b%C3%A4r https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bl%C3%A5b%C3%A4r

perihelions 4y ago
It looks like that's because the en. version got fragmented into two articles, only the second of which is linked with the sv.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_myrtillus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_myrtillus fr. and it. are also split this way.
- thematrixturtle 4y ago
  That's because "bilberry" is somewhat ambiguous, there are other related but distinct berries like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_uliginosum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_uliginosum.
SemanticStrengh 4y ago
Bilberry is ~the only drug found to reduce myopia progression
- samstave 4y ago
  Where can I read more about this
  - SemanticStrengh 4y ago
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6296196/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6296196/
leto_ii 4y ago
> Over here in northern Europe (Sweden), what we would call a blueberry is what you would call a bilberry Thanks for pointing out the distinction. In my home country of Romania we also tend to think of bilberries when we're talking about this kind of berry. Traditionally they grow wild, mostly in mountainous areas - they are very flavorful and not so sweet. Until just now I actually assumed "supermarket" blueberries were just a crappier version of the real thing :)) Good to know they're two distinct plants altogether.
- 988747 4y ago
  >> crappier version of the real thing That's exactly what I think about American blueberries as well. Got used to "bilberries" in Poland.
Broken_Hippo 4y ago
The blueberry you know is much better: I moved to Norway, tried the berries growing in the forest, and now the fresh supermarket berries always disappoint me. Hopefully, I'll to pick enough to make a blueberry liqueur this summer.
- lb1lf 4y ago
  -Presumably you are familiar with the Finnish Mustikka liqueur already? Lovely with a little lime and ice, but I agree - making your own is something else!
  - Broken_Hippo 4y ago
    -Presumably you are familiar with the Finnish Mustikka liqueur already? Yes, I have some in the liquor globe right now, alongside some cloudberry! And you are correct - I find making liqueur quite fun. Right now, I have plum leftover from last year and want to make some spruce tip liqueur if I can catch the trees at the right time.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
thatcherc 4y ago
In the US these are usually considered wild blueberries, and the best ones of course come from Maine. The wild Maine blueberries[0] are a Vaccinium that grow on scrubby bushes low to the ground that can be hand-picked or harvested from blueberry barrens[1] with special rakes. Much better than the big supermarket blueberries in terms of flavor and pie-making ability. I'm curious to try some of the Swedish variety to see how they compare! [0] - https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/home/public-2/ https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/home/public-2/ [1] - example blueberry barren: https://downeast.com/images/blueberry-barrens-5/ https://downeast.com/images/blueberry-barrens-5/
- jessegrosjean 4y ago
  Two thumbs up for Maine blueberries! I made my summer money from 5 years old through college raking them. Piece work, around $2.50 per 5 gallon bucket.
weberer 4y ago
It should be noted that American wild blueberries (low bush blueberries) are a different species than bilberries. You can sometimes find people selling wild blueberry jam.
jhoechtl 4y ago
In Austria we call them Heidelbeeren. Some call them Blaubeeren which is a 1:1 translation to blueberry. TIL that the English name for them is bilberry. For those who only now blueberries, bilberries are more tasteful, smaller and are hard to grow in cultivation yet easily cover the forest floor when humidity and dabbled shade conditions are favorable.

by unwind 4y ago

perihelions 4y ago

It looks like that's because the en. version got fragmented into two articles, only the second of which is linked with the sv.: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilberry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_myrtillus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_myrtillus fr. and it. are also split this way.

thematrixturtle 4y ago
That's because "bilberry" is somewhat ambiguous, there are other related but distinct berries like https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_uliginosum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_uliginosum.

SemanticStrengh 4y ago

Bilberry is ~the only drug found to reduce myopia progression

samstave 4y ago
Where can I read more about this
- SemanticStrengh 4y ago
  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6296196/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6296196/

leto_ii 4y ago

> Over here in northern Europe (Sweden), what we would call a blueberry is what you would call a bilberry Thanks for pointing out the distinction. In my home country of Romania we also tend to think of bilberries when we're talking about this kind of berry. Traditionally they grow wild, mostly in mountainous areas - they are very flavorful and not so sweet. Until just now I actually assumed "supermarket" blueberries were just a crappier version of the real thing :)) Good to know they're two distinct plants altogether.

988747 4y ago
>> crappier version of the real thing That's exactly what I think about American blueberries as well. Got used to "bilberries" in Poland.

Broken_Hippo 4y ago

The blueberry you know is much better: I moved to Norway, tried the berries growing in the forest, and now the fresh supermarket berries always disappoint me. Hopefully, I'll to pick enough to make a blueberry liqueur this summer.

lb1lf 4y ago
-Presumably you are familiar with the Finnish Mustikka liqueur already? Lovely with a little lime and ice, but I agree - making your own is something else!
- Broken_Hippo 4y ago
  -Presumably you are familiar with the Finnish Mustikka liqueur already? Yes, I have some in the liquor globe right now, alongside some cloudberry! And you are correct - I find making liqueur quite fun. Right now, I have plum leftover from last year and want to make some spruce tip liqueur if I can catch the trees at the right time.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

thatcherc 4y ago

In the US these are usually considered wild blueberries, and the best ones of course come from Maine. The wild Maine blueberries[0] are a Vaccinium that grow on scrubby bushes low to the ground that can be hand-picked or harvested from blueberry barrens[1] with special rakes. Much better than the big supermarket blueberries in terms of flavor and pie-making ability. I'm curious to try some of the Swedish variety to see how they compare! [0] - https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/home/public-2/ https://extension.umaine.edu/blueberries/home/public-2/ [1] - example blueberry barren: https://downeast.com/images/blueberry-barrens-5/ https://downeast.com/images/blueberry-barrens-5/

jessegrosjean 4y ago
Two thumbs up for Maine blueberries! I made my summer money from 5 years old through college raking them. Piece work, around $2.50 per 5 gallon bucket.

weberer 4y ago

It should be noted that American wild blueberries (low bush blueberries) are a different species than bilberries. You can sometimes find people selling wild blueberry jam.

jhoechtl 4y ago

In Austria we call them Heidelbeeren. Some call them Blaubeeren which is a 1:1 translation to blueberry. TIL that the English name for them is bilberry. For those who only now blueberries, bilberries are more tasteful, smaller and are hard to grow in cultivation yet easily cover the forest floor when humidity and dabbled shade conditions are favorable.