Blueberries - something new

There's just something lost in translation in the title “Blueberry Soup.”

But in Finland, where I was born, the word mustikkakeitto is a household name. And despite translating to “Blueberry Soup" in English, it's not exactly soup as we might imagine it. Blueberry soup can be served hot or cold, on its own or accompanying dessert or breakfast oats. My favourite way is served cold in a drinking glass and downed on the spot at breakfast. It's smooth, but it's not a smoothie. It's packed with flavour, but it's not too sweet. In fact, given its versatility, healthiness, and flavour, it's perplexing as to why to appears to have been banished to Northern Europe.

Personally, I think it's time blueberry soup makes the trip to Newfoundland. And if you’ve got frozen blueberries sitting in the freezer, this is a fantastic way to use them - especially if you’re looking for an alternative to the traditional pie and muffin defaults.

Let’s see if I can convert you to blueberry soup. I’ve put a recipe up here. You can also read the full post about Blueberry Soup by clicking the "Read More" icon.

Blueberry Soup Juicebox! (And yes, that's my Finnish mother in the background.)

Every time I visit Finland in the summer, I look forward to opening my mother’s fridge and seeing the familiar blue carton inscribed "Mustikkakeitto.” But don’t be fooled: even though it’s called “Blueberry Soup,” it’s rarely served warm. It’s typically served chilled in a normal drinking glass and most commonly consumed at the breakfast table as a companion to a bowl of oats or muesli. You can even pour it into your bowl of oats or muesli. Maybe sprinkle a little talkkuna on top (a mixture of toasted barley, rye, and oat flour), and now you've got yourself a breakfast that would make any Scandinavian mother jump up and down with glee.

The thing is, blueberries are exceptionally healthy. So why is it that blueberries are most commonly enjoyed in recipes that call for half a pat of butter and a cup of sugar? (Think of your pies, scones, muffins, and tarts.) The nice thing about blueberry soup is that it’s delicious and preserves all the healthy qualities of the blueberry. ​

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​What’s also great about blueberry soup is its versatility. Thickened slightly using potato flour, it is transformed into a wonderful kiisseli ("kissel" in English) which can be used as a topping for desserts. For my sister’s birthday a couple weeks ago, we baked a cheesecake and coated it with blueberry kissel, fresh blueberries, and mint leaves (see photo). You might be pardoned for thinking the cake was healthy with toppings like that. Blueberry kissel even works on its own, served in a bowl by itself or on top of yogurt and granola. ​

​In Finland you can buy blueberry soup at any grocery store. Unfortunately, that’s not the case in Newfoundland (where, incidentally, the blueberries are arguably the best in the world), but don’t worry: blueberry soup is incredible easy to make at home. The recipe for blueberry soup and the related dessert kissel are found here. Enjoy!