Who's talking about what, and I'm talking about food again)). I have been studying the topic of Finnish national cuisine for a long time, reading, tasting, asking, cooking and eating.
The first cookbook in Finnish was published in 1849, i.e. The kitchen is quite young. For example, the first Russian cookbook was published almost a hundred years earlier, and in Europe generally in the 15th century.
Finnish recipes are somewhat similar to recipes from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In these northern countries they love fish, meat, various minced meat dishes, and porridge.
Finnish favorite food
The main national products, without which it is difficult to imagine a Finnish dish, are pearl barley, fish, mainly herring, rutabaga, butter, milk or cream. Methods of preparing national dishes include salting and soaking, and often both together, as well as stewing.
What do Finns love most?! Of course, fish, milk, potatoes, cereals and everything that can be prepared from this. Salted salmon, eel, herring in various forms, fish pastes, fish soup, barley or rye porridge, rye bread - this can be found on every Finnish table.
Honestly, until I started studying this issue, I thought that the entire Finnish national cuisine could be fit into a dozen dishes, but it turned out that there are many more. Karelian pies with potatoes, “black sausage”, licorice sweets, venison with lingonberry jam, mämmi, cloudberry liqueur, fish soup with cream, Kalakukko pie - this is just the very beginning, the tip of the Finnish national taste.
There are several other reasons why, in my opinion, it is worth coming to Finland and organizing something like a “gastronomic tour”:
- Traditional Finnish dishes can still only be tasted in Finland, since this cuisine has never become international,
- Seasonal cuisine is popular in Finland, i.e. There are certain dishes that you can only try during a certain month or on the eve of a holiday.
- The products used in cooking are environmentally friendly.
Unusual Finnish dishes
This is probably the most interesting part of the article. There are dishes in Finnish cuisine that not everyone dares to try, but I, especially for the article, conducted such an experiment on myself and can now tell you not only about the dishes themselves, but also about the sensations and taste.
Finnish national fish pie with lard, baked in rye dough. Outwardly it resembles a large loaf of rye bread. A very high-calorie, I would even say heavy dish. Can be eaten cold or hot. Several of our blogs on the site had recipes for its preparation: “Oh, this kalakukko” and “Finnish national fish pie”. Honestly, I liked it. The taste is pleasant, the combinations are unusual, I won’t say that it’s suitable for every day, but sometimes you can definitely eat it.
Leipäjuusto
Bread cheese. In fact, it has nothing to do with bread; it is cheese made from colostrum, with the possible addition of reindeer or even goat milk. It tastes rubbery and squeaks on the teeth, but in my opinion it is a very tasty product and goes well with lingonberry jam.
This is blood sausage in a natural casing. Prepared from pork blood and lard and rye seeds and flour. Honestly, I tried this “miracle” for the first time just for the article, I didn’t dare before. It's too greasy and unusual for me to try a second time, I didn't like it.
Rossypottu
Meat and blood sausage soup. Served in the Finnish army and sometimes at school. It really doesn't look appetizing, but it tastes quite edible. To be honest, I don’t want to try it a second time, but it will be useful to me as an interesting experience.
Mämmi
Traditional Finnish Easter dish. It is prepared from rye flour, water and sugar, and topped with cream. It looks like a viscous black substance, but I don’t like the taste of it at all.
Kalakeitto
Finnish fish soup. This is probably the most famous and most “internationalized” Finnish national dish. Usually prepared from fish with white, boneless fillet or salmon, with potatoes, onions, dill and milk or cream. Here is one of the recipes.
I really like this dish, I not only often eat it in cafes and restaurants, but also cook it at home.
Muikku
This is fried vendace. I liked it, delicious with potatoes and dill. You can try it at the street market.
Graavilohi
Traditional cold appetizer, raw fish in a spicy marinade. Literally translated as “salmon from the grave or from the pit.” Served with dill-mustard sauce on rye bread.
Glogi
Finland's national Christmas drink. In stores on Christmas Eve it is sold in all forms, at the same time in cafes and canteens in Finland, it replaces traditional milk. Glegi is made from fruits or berries (cranberries, lingonberries, black currants) with the addition of spices. This is a non-alcoholic version of the familiar mulled wine. Served in glass mugs with raisins and thinly sliced almonds. Glögi should be drunk hot.
About seasonal dishes in Finland on our website there was a wonderful article “Delicious calendar”, I don’t see the point in repeating myself, everything stated is correct and complete. Now the season of Runeberg cake Runebergin torttu is just beginning, I recommend trying this product.
In earlier times, the country's harsh climate meant that fresh fruit and vegetables were unavailable for nine months of the year, leading Finnish cuisine to rely heavily on root vegetables (originally turnips, later potatoes), dark rye bread, canned fish and meats, and fermented dairy products.
Internationalization led to the importation of goods. Pasta, pizza, kebabs and hamburgers have been integrated into the Finnish menu, and have replaced some traditional dishes. Since the 20th century, when most Finnish women went to work, many traditional dishes that require a long time to prepare are now remembered only during holidays.
Finnish cuisine is very similar to Swedish. The main difference between Finns and Swedes is the Finns' less passionate attitude towards sweets. For example, while traditional Swedish rye bread has a lot of syrup and spices, Finnish rye bread is unsweetened and even bitter. Finnish cuisine also has some similarities with German and Russian cuisines. Sausages and bread and butter, and jelly with pies are similar to their German and Russian counterparts.
Characteristic Products
Food of plant origin
Finnish forests contain an abundance of different types of mushrooms that are widely used throughout the country. Most mushroom recipes come from Russia, as the Finns used mushrooms in many applications including dyeing fabrics, but not as food. Nowadays, mushrooms are used in soups, sauces, stews, pie fillings, or they are simply fried in a frying pan with onions. Like berry picking, mushroom hunting is also popular among Finns.
Arctic wild berries from Finnish cuisine are distinguished by their strong aroma and high nutritional content. Traditionally, they were eaten fresh in the summer and dried for the winter. The tradition of picking berries has been preserved in Finland to this day. Wild raspberries, blueberries and lingonberries are found in almost every part of Finland, and cloudberries, lingonberries, Arctic blackberries and sea buckthorn grow in some areas. Today, the berries are no longer dried for winter consumption, but are usually frozen. They can be used as ingredients or eaten with porridge or sugar. Compotes and jams are common, especially among older people. While the berries are most often used for desserts, they are also served with meat, and the tart lingonberry filling is especially popular.
Meat and fish
The most popular meats in Finland are pork, beef, and poultry. About one third of all the meat Finns consume is eaten in the form of various sausages, such as makkara, which is made mainly from pork, but is often also mixed with other types of meat.
In addition to livestock meat, Finland has a long tradition of hunting and fishing. The main hunting targets are deer, elk, bear, hare, duck and hazel grouse. About 70,000-80,000 moose are shot annually, bringing a significant amount of meat to the Finnish market.
Fish is also very popular in Finland. Known for their affinity and love for the sea, Finns eat more seafood than most countries in the world. Salmon is a staple food, usually eaten more than twice a week. Salmon is especially popular in stews and on sandwiches that workers take with them every day.
Lakes in Finland provide many fishing opportunities. Numerous methods are used to prepare fish: the fish is fried, boiled, dried, pickled, salted, smoked, or simply cut up for consumption raw. In addition to fish, crayfish are popular. Crayfish are found in many lakes and streams in Finland, and in August, especially Swedish-speaking residents, there are often crayfish-eating and beer-drinking parties.
Dairy
Leipajuusto is a traditional Finnish, or rather Lapland, cheese. Behind characteristic creaking sound when chewing eIt is also called Finnish Squeaky Cheese. It has a golden brown crust as it is prepared by baking in the oven. It is usually eaten with rye bread and sweet cloudberry jam.
Spices
Traditional dishes
Bread
In Finland, bread is a very important element of cuisine and is served with almost every meal. The most popular is rye bread. The most common types of Finnish rye bread are not sweet and do not contain spices like caraway, unlike Swedish rye bread, for example. Coarse rye bread is resistant to spoilage and can be stored for months without molding.
One of the popular types of rye bread is called Limppu.
Reikäleipää is a traditional Western Finnish bread made from rye flour with a hole in the middle. Previously, racks were hung on the kitchen ceiling for storage.
Crispbreads or crisps are fermented rye breads that are dried into thin shavings. Sometimes they are made from sour dough. Crispbread is very common in all Scandinavian countries, and if stored correctly, it will not spoil for a long time.
Soups
Main courses
Salads and snacks
Graavilohi - a traditional Finnish salted fish snack
Dessert
Blueberry jelly and wild blueberry pie are traditional Finnish desserts. Blueberries are often used in Finnish cuisine as an ingredient and also served with sour cream or ice cream.
Mämmi is a traditional Finnish pudding made from rye flour with the addition of malt and water. It is usually served for Easter with milk or cream.
Runeberg torte is a traditional Finnish dessert made up of small cylinder-shaped cakes topped with sugar icing and raspberry jam. It is believed that the national Finnish poet Johan Runeberg loved them very much.
Beverages
Alcohol
Serving and etiquette
Recipes
Lapland cheese or Leipajuusto is a traditional Finnish cheese. It is also called Finnish Squeaky Cheese for its characteristic squeaking sound when chewed. Finns usually eat this cheese with a piece of rye bread or cracker and cloudberry jam. The texture of Lapland cheese is very interesting. The sweeter the jam, the...
Who's talking about what, and I'm talking about food again)). I have been studying the topic of Finnish national cuisine for a long time, reading, tasting, asking, cooking and eating.
The first cookbook in Finnish was published in 1849, i.e. The kitchen is quite young. For example, the first Russian cookbook was published almost a hundred years earlier, and in Europe generally in the 15th century.
Finnish recipes are somewhat similar to recipes from Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In these northern countries they love fish, meat, various minced meat dishes, and porridge.
Finnish favorite food
The main national products, without which it is difficult to imagine a Finnish dish, are pearl barley, fish, mainly herring, rutabaga, butter, milk or cream. Methods of preparing national dishes include salting and soaking, and often both together, as well as stewing.
What do Finns love most?! Of course, fish, milk, potatoes, cereals and everything that can be prepared from this. Salted salmon, eel, herring in various forms, fish pastes, fish soup, barley or rye porridge, rye bread - this can be found on every Finnish table.
Honestly, until I started studying this issue, I thought that the entire Finnish national cuisine could be fit into a dozen dishes, but it turned out that there are many more. Karelian pies with potatoes, “black sausage”, licorice sweets, venison with lingonberry jam, mämmi, cloudberry liqueur, fish soup with cream, Kalakukko pie - this is just the very beginning, the tip of the Finnish national taste.
There are several other reasons why, in my opinion, it is worth coming to Finland and organizing something like a “gastronomic tour”:
- Traditional Finnish dishes can still only be tasted in Finland, since this cuisine has never become international,
- Seasonal cuisine is popular in Finland, i.e. There are certain dishes that you can only try during a certain month or on the eve of a holiday.
- The products used in cooking are environmentally friendly.
Unusual Finnish dishes
This is probably the most interesting part of the article. There are dishes in Finnish cuisine that not everyone dares to try, but I, especially for the article, conducted such an experiment on myself and can now tell you not only about the dishes themselves, but also about the sensations and taste.
Finnish national fish pie with lard, baked in rye dough. Outwardly it resembles a large loaf of rye bread. A very high-calorie, I would even say heavy dish. Can be eaten cold or hot. Several of our blogs on the site had recipes for its preparation: “Oh, this kalakukko” and “Finnish national fish pie”. Honestly, I liked it. The taste is pleasant, the combinations are unusual, I won’t say that it’s suitable for every day, but sometimes you can definitely eat it.
Leipäjuusto
Bread cheese. In fact, it has nothing to do with bread; it is cheese made from colostrum, with the possible addition of reindeer or even goat milk. It tastes rubbery and squeaks on the teeth, but in my opinion it is a very tasty product and goes well with lingonberry jam.
This is blood sausage in a natural casing. Prepared from pork blood and lard and rye seeds and flour. Honestly, I tried this “miracle” for the first time just for the article, I didn’t dare before. It's too greasy and unusual for me to try a second time, I didn't like it.
Rossypottu
Meat and blood sausage soup. Served in the Finnish army and sometimes at school. It really doesn't look appetizing, but it tastes quite edible. To be honest, I don’t want to try it a second time, but it will be useful to me as an interesting experience.
Mämmi
Traditional Finnish Easter dish. It is prepared from rye flour, water and sugar, and topped with cream. It looks like a viscous black substance, but I don’t like the taste of it at all.
Kalakeitto
Finnish fish soup. This is probably the most famous and most “internationalized” Finnish national dish. Usually prepared from fish with white, boneless fillet or salmon, with potatoes, onions, dill and milk or cream. Here is one of the recipes.
I really like this dish, I not only often eat it in cafes and restaurants, but also cook it at home.
Muikku
This is fried vendace. I liked it, delicious with potatoes and dill. You can try it at the street market.
Graavilohi
Traditional cold appetizer, raw fish in a spicy marinade. Literally translated as “salmon from the grave or from the pit.” Served with dill-mustard sauce on rye bread.
Glogi
Finland's national Christmas drink. In stores on Christmas Eve it is sold in all forms, at the same time in cafes and canteens in Finland, it replaces traditional milk. Glegi is made from fruits or berries (cranberries, lingonberries, black currants) with the addition of spices. This is a non-alcoholic version of the familiar mulled wine. Served in glass mugs with raisins and thinly sliced almonds. Glögi should be drunk hot.
About seasonal dishes in Finland on our website there was a wonderful article “Delicious calendar”, I don’t see the point in repeating myself, everything stated is correct and complete. Now the season of Runeberg cake Runebergin torttu is just beginning, I recommend trying this product.
Finnish cuisine has a lot in common with its neighbors, the Karelians and other peoples of the Finno-Ugric group. Despite this, it can be noted that there is widespread fish dishes. These are mainly river and lake fish (salmon, trout) or sea fish (herring); they are prepared in different combinations and options. So one of the most famous dishes of Finnish cuisine, kalekukko - rye fish pie. In general, rye flour, along with potatoes, can also be classified as typical products of Finnish cuisine. For example, Server Karelia is the birthplace of Karelian patties. This is a thin crust of rye filled with rice, and its shape resembles... a moccasin, which is exactly how it was once described by a visiting tourist.
There are 39 recipes in the "Finnish Cuisine" section
Finnish cinnamon rolls
A recipe for airy soft cinnamon rolls, which are good on their own, but will be even tastier with tea or coffee. The dough is prepared on dough, so the preparation time will take at least 2 hours. But you can always delegate the kneading to a bread machine. You will be left...
Finnish fish soup with smoked fish and cream
Which Finn first came up with the idea of cooking fish soup with the addition of cream is a mystery to me, but I like this version of fish soup. Today I prepared a rich broth on the head and tail of salmon, and only then added salmon fillet to the broth, in addition to vegetables...
Finnish cuisine is truly unique, rich and original. Many also note that it is “endemic” - you will not find such dishes anywhere except Finland.
Market in Finland. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jan_mccharles/
In general, traditional Finnish dishes can be divided into several groups, depending on the products used. The most popular dishes in Finland are fish dishes, followed by dairy and meat dishes. Traditional Finnish pastries, desserts and, of course, drinks also deserve attention. But first things first.
What is unique about Finnish dishes? First of all, in the basic set of ingredients. Finns most often use fish (river or lake), pearl barley, barley flour, potatoes, herring, rutabaga, lard, butter, milk and cream.
The cooking method is also special. In Finland they don't fry anything. The most popular cooking methods are boiling and steaming. Finnish cuisine is also characterized by poaching, stewing, and soaking (usually in milk or cream) of products.
Slicing Finnish delicacies. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sifu_renka/
Another feature of Finnish cuisine is the incredible range of ingredients in one dish. Imagine, roasts in Finland are prepared from both meat and fish. And milk and butter are used in almost all dishes - Finns love dairy very much.
Fish dishes
Finland has more than 180,000 lakes, and in the south and west the state is washed by the Baltic Sea. It's no surprise that fish dominates Finnish cuisine. Nature itself ordered it this way.
River, lake (salmon, trout) and sea (herring) fish are used to prepare dishes. Finnish chefs know a lot about this. Therefore, being in Finland and not trying fish cooked in Finnish style is a crime.
Finnish dish - fried salmon. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62650637@N02/
Popular Finnish fish dishes: Graavi lohi (rainbow trout in its own juice), Rosolli (herring salad), Rapu (crayfish). By the way, they say that the most delicious crayfish are prepared in Finland. Apparently, the “hot Finnish” chefs know some secret.
Finnish crayfish. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotsi/
Pisces are the head of everything, and use it entirely - from head to tail. Naturally, caviar is also used. Mati is a national Finnish dish made from freshwater fish roe. The caviar is very tasty, small, yellow or orange. In stores it is usually sold already with chopped onions and sour cream - ready to serve.
Where there is fish, there is fish soup. In Finland, fish soups have a special place. The first dish should be on the table at least once a day - for lunch or dinner. The most popular among tourists and locals are Kalakeitto and Lohikeitto (salmon soup). Both dishes are prepared with milk, potatoes and onions.
Finnish fish soup - lohikeitto. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/terolehto/
A separate story is fish soup in Finnish. It has nothing in common with the fish soup (with millet and a glass of vodka) to which we are accustomed. In Finland, fish soup is not made from fish, but from caviar and milk, which are considered the most delicious morsels.
Dairy products in Finnish cuisine
It is difficult to guess how much milk is drunk in Finland per day. For many years, Finns have started their day with a glass of milk. And this is not the only way to use fermented milk products.
Finnish milk. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/owly/
Milk is used to prepare various dishes, and cream is used for soaking fish and meat, and also as a sauce.
But the most popular dairy product is butter. It is added to all dishes in large quantities. Finns are among those who believe that porridge cannot be spoiled with butter.
Meat - rare, but accurate
Meat dishes are quite rare in Finnish cuisine. But if meat is used, then a lot. The most popular meat dish in Finland is Karelian meat in a pot. To prepare it you need three types of meat - lamb, pork and beef.
In addition, in this northern country they eat venison and prepare it in a special way. Try Poronkaristys (thin slices of dried venison) or Poronpaisti (fried venison) - and you will understand what the “trick” is.
Finnish fried venison - Poronpaisti. Photo: http://www.mtv3.fi/makuja/
Baking and desserts
Rye flour is most often used for baking in Finland. Locals are very fond of bread, which is usually eaten with strongly salted caviar or regular butter. Guests are usually offered Karelian wickets, Vyborg pretzel and Khortu cookies.
Finnish dish - Karelian wickets (Karjalanpiirakat). Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robban_andersson/
If you find yourself in Finland on Easter, you will definitely be treated to a traditional Easter dish - kalakukko. This is a pie that looks similar to regular rye bread, but inside, instead of pulp, it is filled with fish and lard. Before serving, kalakukko is slightly heated and the top part is cut off. They eat it with spoons, first eating away the contents, and then the crispy crust is used. The most delicious kalakukko is prepared in the city of Kuopio, but you can find this pie in almost any Finnish restaurant.
Finnish Easter dish - Kalakukko. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62650637@N02/
In addition to fish pie, at Easter in Finland it is customary to serve sweet pudding - mämmi. It is very satisfying and is served with sugar and cream.
Finnish pudding - mämmi. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/staipale/
Finns' favorite drinks
Every Finn's morning begins with a hot cup of coffee. During the day they drink a variety of fruit drinks and compotes, which are made from northern berries (blueberries, blueberries, cloudberries, etc.).
Liqueurs are also prepared from the berries. Finnish liqueurs based on northern berries have an unusual taste and pleasant aroma. Mesimarja (Arctic blackberry), lakka, polar cranberry and many others are popular.
Finnish liqueur - Lakka. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/igb/
Finns also love beer. Especially ultra light lager. But still, low-alcoholic drinks are rarely drunk in this cold northern country. To stay warm, you need something hot. It should be noted that alcohol in Finland is expensive, but even the cheapest Finnish vodka is of high quality.
The traditions of Finnish cuisine were largely determined by nature - food should be nourishing, rich in protein, because even in summer the thermometer in this country does not rise above +20. Arriving in Finland, you will not encounter any culinary delights. Although you won’t go hungry – guests are fed in a simple, but very tasty way.
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