2_6_ScanMag_72_Feb_2014_Text_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 04/02/2015 10:57 Page 61
Scan Magazine | Special Theme | A Taste of Norway
The finest juice from supreme apples When asked about what makes her apple juice the very best there is, Elisabeth Grønvik is humble but direct. “I’m a fruit farmer,” she says. “By ensuring high-quality fruit you get high-quality juice.” It would seem the most fruitful (quite literally) way of ensuring a good product, is to take good care of it from the very beginning. By Julie Lindén
In her lush, green garden Grønvik grows apples that become beloved and prized products. Her extensive knowledge of the fruit, spanning its various types, sizes, quality and ideal times of harvesting, makes the juice what it is – helped by the remarkably good growing conditions in Ryfylke, where the farm is situated. “The natural conditions of this location don’t change: the fresh air, the fertile soil, the sun – they’re all part of making the juice taste wonderfully sweet. Also, there are no additives whatsoever in the finished juice, so you can be sure of exactly what you are tasting.”
today;” she says, “you never know what goes into the food you eat or the drinks you consume. By offering a completely ‘clean’ product, I feel like I’m true to my clientele – true and honest.” And what could be more telling of honesty than the prizes Grønvik has earned for her bottles of sweetness? 2013 saw the farm win the award for ‘Best Organic Apple Juice of the Year’, while 2014 granted the make a very honourable second place.
Photo: Grønvik Gård
“Our apples are good,” Grønvik adds with a smile. We have no doubt – and every intention of trying them out.
Photo: Elin Engelsvoll
Pesticides are not a part of Grønvik’s farm, and for good reason. “It’s difficult being a consumer
For more information, please visit: gronvikgard.no
The sweetest Arctic cloudberries In the gaping sea between Hammerfest and North Cape, at Norway’s most extreme north, lies a small island called Rolvsøy, situated in Måsøy municipality. This is where Siss Heidi Hansen gathers nature’s best produce and creates organic and tasty condiments with a lot of love and care. By Julie Lindén | Photos: Molta
Focusing her production on the archetypically Nordic cloudberries, also dipping into production of quality honey (Hansen started out as the world’s northernmost beekeeper) and herb purees, Hansen says she has been astounded by the attention her small-scale company has received. “We have won several awards, and we’re the only cloudberry producer in Norway who has won the prestigious specialty award ‘Unik Smak’ from Matmerk Norge. Our location makes the food very special in taste – from the über-sweet, deep orange honey to our cloudberry jam,” she says. Exceptionally good soil and a long maturing process makes Hansen’s primary produce, the cloudberries, her company’s best asset. Add the fresh air nearly free from pollution, and the environment manifests itself in the berries’
great taste. Furthermore, the contrasts imbedded in the Arctic nature – led by harsh winters and sneaker waves as well as summer’s serene waters and midnight sun – make the fruit as long-lasting as it is versatile. The demand for the Arctic sweetness has rocketed in the past years, Hansen explains. “We’re experiencing an unparalleled demand for cloudberries. Acres and acres up north are covered in them.” Promoting local, clean and tasty food is Hansen’s undoubtable passion – so much so that she is looking into opportunities of expanding her business in Rolvsøy, potentially entailing that fans of the brand can taste its quality-awarded products on location. “It would be nice to welcome people to Rolvsøy and show them our beautiful nature with its peace and quiet,” concludes Hansen.
At Norway’s most extreme north, Molta makes the most of the nature’s sweet cloudberries.
For more information, please visit: www.molta.no
Issue 73 | February 2015 | 61