Bilberries are various berries, including wild cranberry, the small indigo, blue-black fruit of a plant similar to the American blueberry but found commonly in northern Europe. These have more flavour than blueberries and are smaller, but are otherwise very similar, with the same silvery bloom. They are good for pies and jams (US: jellies). They are known by many names in English including bilberry, blaeberry, whinberry and whortleberry. Don't wash any soft fruit until it is about to be used or it is likely to rot. European names for bilberries are often incorrectly translated as blueberries.
