Glossary C
Cowberry refers to a wild tart member of the cranberry family which is found in northern climes. It is a fruit of a small creeping plant (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) of the heath family, related to the blueberry and cranberry
Cowberries is also known as lingonberries (and foxberry, mountain cranberry, rock cranberry, lowbush cranberry, and partridgeberry). Cowberries can be made mainly as jam or compote accompanying meat dishes, especially game meats. They have a tart taste so they are perfect with meat. Likewise, cowberries are used for jelly and juice by northern Europeans and by Scandinavians in the United States.
In old times, when people did not have a freezer, cowberry was used as a natural preservative because of their high content of benzoic acid. It was mixed with other berries, like cloudberry, to make the berries edible throughout the winter.
Cowberry is an important source for vitamin C, A and some B vitamins.
Cowberries made into a jam or Cowberry Jam is usually served as accompaniment to Kaalikääryleet or Finnish cabbage rolls.