When nature was the grocery store

What did people in Northern Norway eat before store shelves were full of fruit and vegetables year-round? How did they find food through long winters, and what knowledge of nature made it possible to survive?

In connection with the launch of the book "Wild Plants in the North", we invite you to The Jekt Trade Museum to a very special pop-up café on June 25th, in collaboration with author and collector Bente Rød Larsen.

Through her work on the book, Bente has explored how nature has been a vital resource for generations before us – knowledge of the landscape, plants and seasons. Based on this knowledge, the kitchen at The Jekt Trade Museum in collaboration with Bente, created a menu where wild plants play the main role.

Bente gathers the ingredients, and The Jekt Trade Museum transforming them into modern dishes.

We are putting aside the regular menu for the day, and welcome the pop-up menu “Wild Plants in the North”. From 12:00, Bente will be here to talk about the book and answer questions. The book “Wild Plants in the North” will also be available for sale.

Welcome to a tasting experience that connects the past and present!

Menu for “Wild plants in the north”

Served only on June 25th between 11:00-17:00.

• Waffle with grilled chicken and nettle pesto

• Creamy Skvallerkål soup with beach medlar and truffle seaweed butter and bread

• Barley risotto with truffle seaweed and Coppa ham from Lundal

• Rhubarb and angelica pie

• Spilled ice cream with chocolate and caramel

• Meadowsweet juice

All dishes are sold separately.

The book “Wild Plants in the North” by Bente Rød Larsen

Wild Plants in the North is an introduction to nature's pantry in Northern Norway. Bente Rød Larsen shares her knowledge of herbs, mushrooms, seaweed and kelp - plants that have been important resources for people in the north for generations.

The book provides insight into how wild plants have been used for food, medicine and other purposes, and shows how the knowledge is still relevant today. The reader also receives practical advice on safe collection, species knowledge and sustainable harvesting.

In a time when interest in self-rescue and preparedness is increasing, the book is both a source of inspiration and a practical guide to the edibles that can be found right outside your door. With recipes and concrete tips, Wild Plants in the North invites you to discover new flavors and take part in a rich tradition of using nature's own resources.

Photo by Bente Rød Larsen @ Marianne Sørås Normann