Norwegians are proud of their apple production and especially apples from Hardanger. So what makes apples from Hardanger unique?
The Hardanger apple - a protected fruit
Many of the apple farmers in Hardanger have experience inherited through generations. Because it is not just about putting some seeds in the soil. Cultivating apples requires expert knowledge of everything from tying and grafting to apple varieties and weeds. This tradition is well protected. So much that today it is only apples with very specific qualities - cultivated in Hardanger – that can be called Hardanger apples.
Foto: Visit Hardangerfjord / Vegard Breie
Sweet and sour combination
It has been said that it is the balance between sweetness and acidity that makes the apples from Hardanger so special. The reason for this balance is a combination of temperature, light, and soil. A generally cold climate, but with warm, long, and bright summer days, gives the fruit an aroma and acidity that has placed Hardanger on the apple map. Cool autumn nights and warm moraine soil are the icing on the cake that makes so many swear by these western jewels.
What to look for in the store
By the way, did you know that in the old days there were many hundreds of apple varieties in Norway? Many of them still exist, and some have special features that make them very a natural choice to use for apple cider. But as eating apples in stores, there are 5 varieties that dominate, these are Gravenstein, Summerred, Aroma, Discovery and Prince.
Photo: Visit Hardangerfjord / Vegard Breie
Apples in Norway
Humans have been eating apples for thousands of years, and historians believe the apple tree may be the very first tree we learned to cultivate. Here in Norway it was English monks who brought with them the knowledge of the sweet, round fruit in the 1300s. And they brought it to Hardanger.
Fruit picking in Hardanger. Photo: Heidi Steinstø Helgheim
Visit a fruit farm in Hardanger
The Hardangerfjord is the second longest fjord in Norway and lined with small charming villages along the fjord. Many of the farms producing apples are open for visitors and offer tours and tastings. Read more about the apple cider from Hardanger and why the apple juice from Hardanger is so popular.
Both the apple juice and the apple cider is available at many of the restaurants and bars in Bergen.
If you are travelling by car, check out this road trip to Hardanger.
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
