Summer under the northern sun: berries, shrimp and the flavours of the Norwegian holiday season

Summer in Norway is short but bright: mountain slopes are covered with flowers, markets are filled with baskets of strawberries, and wooden piers become huge tables where townspeople peel pink northern shrimp. The long, light nights allow you to eat, walk and pick berries almost non-stop, turning the warm season into a real gastronomic marathon. Let's find out which foods reign supreme under the midnight sun, where to find them and how to spend a delicious summer holiday.

How does the Norwegian climate make summer foods so delicious?

The polar day gives plants up to 20 hours of light: photosynthesis continues non-stop, and the cool night air preserves the acids. As a result, strawberries, blueberries and cloudberries accumulate more sugars and aromatic oils than their southern counterparts. Fish and shrimp grow in cold, oxygen-rich water, which makes their meat dense and sweet. This "cold" terroir is the secret to the bright flavour of summer delicacies, which are eagerly awaited all year round and instantly sold out at farmers' markets.

Why is berry picking considered a national hobby and where can tourists do it?

Norwegian law, known as "allemannsretten," allows people to freely walk and pick wild plants on any unfenced land. In July and August, entire families head to the mountains and forests to pick blueberries, lingonberries and, if they are lucky, rare cloudberries (58). The best places are the forests around Oslo-Marka, the hills of Hardanger and the marshes of Finnmark. In the south, farms offer "plukk selv": you pay for a bucket and pick strawberries straight from the patch. This is not only economical, but also provides a unique slow travel experience in summer.

What are "shrimps on the pier" and why should you try them?

Northern shrimp, or reker, are a hallmark of the warm season (56). In summer, fishermen moor their boats right at the city piers: the catch goes straight from the sea into paper bags, and city dwellers peel the shrimp right there on the benches, washing them down with cold beer or cider. The best places are the piers in Oslo (Aker Brygge), Bergen and Tromsø. The ritual is important: remove the heads with your hands, sprinkle with dill, place the shrimp on a fresh baguette with butter and eat while admiring the fjord. The taste is crisp with the salty wind and the flapping of flags.

What food festivals are worth visiting in summer?

June: Gladmat in Stavanger brings together seafood street food and master classes from New Nordic chefs. July: Trøndersk Matfestival in Trondheim is a fair featuring farm bread, cheese and berry desserts. August: The Nordic Ice Cream Festival in Lillehammer showcases over 100 varieties of ice cream, including cloudberry and sour cream flavours. Almost every festival has a plukk & smak area where you can pick your own berries or herbs and have them made into a smoothie by a barista.

What drinks and sweets refresh Norwegians during the warmest season?

Non-alcoholic berry fruit drinks and sodas made from blueberries, lingonberries and rhubarb are popular (80). In the south, they drink cider made from Hardanger apples — light, sparkling, with notes of honey. The main dessert is ice cream: vanilla with cloudberry sauce, strawberry sorbet and brown cheese plombir. Street kiosks offer waffles folded in half and filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream — the perfect accompaniment to filter coffee, even on a hot day.

How to plan a summer farm-to-table food tour?

Start in Oslo at the Mathallen market, then travel along the fjords by car or train. Stop at cider farms in Hardanger, at Fisketorget in Bergen for shrimp, then on to Lofoten for the midnight sun and fresh gravlax. Book a sample menu at restaurants where 80% of the ingredients come from within a 100 km radius: in summer, these include berries, young vegetables and crab. Finish your trip with a night in a farmhouse, where you will be given a basket for picking blueberries in the morning and a recipe for homemade jam.

Summer in Norway means sweet fingers after eating shrimp on the pier, ruby blueberries on your lips, and the smell of freshly cut hay mixed with sea salt. Under the endless daylight, flavours become more intense: berries seem to soak up the sun's rays, while seafood absorbs the icy freshness of the fjords. Grab a bucket, a picnic blanket and an appetite for discovery, and let your gastronomic journey take you from the dwarf birch trees of the north to the apple orchards of Hardanger in the south. The Norwegian summer is short, but every day is like a spoonful of thick berry jam: sweet, rich and memorable.