The farm is exceptionally lush after a heavy rain. What once was a sparse and navigable terrain has turned into something of a throbbing Norwegian jungle. Complete with honey bees and energetic insects. And this is only the beginning. The next weeks will lead into summer and this will bring more and more life back into the surroundings. And lucky for us, this means more wild edibles.

There is something deeply romantic about eating what nature provides, especially when you have never given them such a thought before. It’s the whole idea that when we take the time to look a bit closer, we discover. What once might have seemed like an obtrusive bed of weeds, actually becomes a array of edibles, varying in tastes and textures. Beds of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. A welcome relief after a long winter.

This is nothing new, of course. Living off the land throughout the seasons or, at the very least, dabbling in some of the more popular and known edibles. It’s something that took me time to discover and the more I do, the more enthusiasm I have toward what is growing around me. The more I want to create and the more I want to learn.

I recently discovered sorrel, engsyre, surgræs, surblad. Apparently, which most, if not all,  Norwegians have nibbled on while taking a walk  or have dipped a blade or two in sugar when they were young. And when I started to look out for it, I noticed we had it growing around the farm. Everywhere around the farm, actually. It has a crispy and tart taste, almost like a green apple. Easy to throw in a salad, whip into a sauce, cook into a soup or pair with meats and fish.

Sorrel contains a lot of Vitamin C, and has oxalic acid which gives it that citric taste (same as rhubarb). It is important not to indulge in too much sorrel at any given time, because of the high amount of oxalic acid. But a few leaves here and there really do turn a dish into something special!

With a fresh loaf in hand, I knew I wanted to make a light lunch using the sorrel. With its tangy taste, I added some blue cheese (like I would in a salad with fresh apple slices) and some walnuts for texture. Topped with a good drizzle of honey, the saltiness of the cheese and sharpness of the sorrel balanced out. An easy and quick way to indulge in these flavorful blades. Check your yard and then your local farmer’s market to get your hands on some!

Sorrel & Blue Cheese Smørbrød (Engsyresmørbrød med Blåmuggost)

• Medium-dark, hearty bread
• A handful of sorrel leaves, rinsed
• Firm blue cheese
• Handful of walnuts, roughly chopped
• Runny Honey
• Butter, for spreading

Slice the bread. Spread each slice with butter, then top with a couple of sorrel leaves, some blue cheese, a couple of walnuts and then drizzle the top with a good honey.  You can also serve these as appetizers.

Interested in more edible ‘weeds’? Then check out my Nettle and Honey Cake.