The national cuisine of Finland is famous for its originality. It was formed in the harsh northern climate. Therefore, it is based on simple and satisfying dishes. Today's article presents an interesting selection of Finnish cuisine recipes.

Key Features

Unlike most peoples living in the northern regions, Finns prefer the so-called cold table. The basis of their menu consists of various sandwiches, snacks, cheeses, cottage cheese, ham, vegetables and boiled eggs.

At lunch, Finns always eat soups and main courses, and the rest of the time they make do with snacks. On certain holidays they prepare meat, cottage cheese or vegetable casseroles. Many Finnish national dishes contain berries and mushrooms that grow in local forests.

The indigenous population loves black bread and enjoy baking all kinds of products from rye flour. In some regions of the country, it is customary to serve Karelian wickets at the table. This is one of the varieties of bread, made according to a special recipe and playing the role of a kind of treat that guests always brought into the house.

As for drinks, coffee and beer are especially popular among locals. The latter is often brewed at home using water, sugar, maltose and yeast.

Rosolli salad

This interesting appetizer is very similar to Russian vinaigrette. But unlike the latter, it is prepared not from boiled, but from pickled beets. To create the salad that Finnish cuisine is famous for, you will need:

• 3 carrots;
• 4 beets;
• 5 medium potatoes;
• onion;
• a couple of sweet and sour apples;
• 2 pickled cucumbers;
• 2 large spoons of wine vinegar;
• salt and ground white pepper.

Since this recipe for Finnish national cuisine requires the presence of dressing, you will have to additionally add to the above list:

• 2 teaspoons beet juice;
• 200 milliliters of cream;
• ½ teaspoon sugar;
• salt and ground white pepper (to taste).

Washed vegetables are boiled individually until tender directly in their peels. Then they are cooled, peeled and cut into cubes. The beets are placed in a separate bowl, poured with wine vinegar and marinated for at least eight hours. Then it is combined with the rest of the boiled vegetables. Pieces of pickled cucumbers, apple slices and chopped onions are also added there. All this is salted, seasoned and mixed. The finished salad is served separately from the dressing, consisting of whipped cream, sugar, spices and a teaspoon of marinade left over from the beets.

Finnish mushroom salad

This easy-to-prepare appetizer will surely appeal to lovers of savory, moderately salty foods. To create it you will need:

• large onion;
• half a kilo of salted mushrooms.

Since this Finnish recipe requires the use of a special sauce, make sure that you have on hand at the right time:

• 2 large spoons of lemon juice;
• 200 grams of cream;
• ½ large spoon of sugar;
• ground white pepper.

Mushrooms are soaked in cold water, chopped and mixed with chopped onions. The finished salad is seasoned with a sauce consisting of lemon juice, cream, pepper and sugar. Mix everything well and serve.

Finnish with salmon

This very tasty and filling first dish is ideal for those who live in countries with cold climates. The main feature of this dish of national Finnish cuisine is not even the unusual combination of products, but the fact that the cooked soup is served on the table a day after preparation. To create it you will need:

• 350 grams of salmon fillet and its whole head;
• 2 liters of water;
• carrot;
• 60 grams of butter;
• bulb;
• 3 medium potatoes;
• leek;
• 200 milliliters of heavy cream;
• 6 peas of allspice;
• salt, a little flour and dill.

The washed and cleaned fish head is poured with water and sent to the fire. As soon as the liquid in the pan boils, carefully remove the resulting foam from it and immerse the whole onion, potatoes and peas in it. After twenty minutes, filter the broth and return to the stove. Then boiled mashed potatoes and fried vegetables (carrots and leeks) are added to it. Immediately after this, the two remaining tubers of root vegetables and a dressing made from flour, cream and half a glass of hot broth are placed in the future soup. Shortly before turning off the heat, add the chopped salmon fillet to a common pan. The finished dish is infused for 24 hours, heated, poured into plates and sprinkled with fresh dill.

Finnish meat soup

This hearty first course is served hot. It contains a wide range of vegetables, so it is not just tasty, but also quite healthy. This soup, related to Finnish cuisine, is prepared from simple ingredients. This:

• kilo of beef;
• 2.5 liters of water;
• a pair of onions;
• 2 carrots;
• ½ celery root;
• ¼ rutabaga;
• ½ parsnip;
• 6 potatoes;
• a dozen black peppercorns, salt and parsley.

This Finnish dish, a photo of which can be seen in today’s article, is cooked very simply. The washed and dried meat is poured with water and sent to the fire. As soon as the liquid begins to boil, the foam is removed from it. Add pepper, salt and onion to the broth being prepared. Once the meat is soft enough, it is removed from the pan, chopped and returned. Rutabaga, carrots, celery, parsnips and potatoes are also loaded there. All this is boiled until all the ingredients are completely cooked, and then poured into plates and decorated with parsley.

Pork in apple sauce

We draw your attention to another interesting recipe for Finnish cuisine (photos of similar dishes can be found by reading this publication). Meat prepared in this way has an unusual taste and pleasant aroma. It goes well with almost any side dish and is ideal for a family dinner. To create it you will need:

• 300 grams of pork pulp;
• 3 apples (preferably green);
• small onion;
• spoon curry;
• 2 cups chicken broth;
• 1.5 tbsp. spoons of butter;
• salt, sugar and ground pepper (to taste).

The washed and dried meat is cut into not too small pieces. Then it is seasoned with spices, added salt and sent to a heated frying pan. Add chopped apples, onions, curry, chicken broth and sugar to the fried pork. Bring all this to a boil and remove from the burner.

Finnish meatballs

This hearty meat dish goes well with pickled cucumbers, lingonberry puree, grated carrots or boiled potatoes. It turns out to be quite nutritious, which means it can be a good option for a family lunch. To make the kind of meatballs that Finnish cuisine is famous for, you will need:

• half a kilo of minced meat;
• 10 grams of bread crumbs;
• egg;
• one yellow and one red pepper;
• 10 milliliters of cream;
• a pair of onions;
• salt and ground pepper.

Pour into a small bowl, pour in cream and leave for half an hour. Then they are combined with ground meat, fried onions, eggs, salt and spices. Small balls are formed from the resulting mass and placed in a heated frying pan. Add pieces of pepper and the required amount of water to the fried meatballs. All this is simmered over low heat and then served to the dinner table.

Finnish blueberry pie

Fragrant sweet pastries made in accordance with the technology described below will be a wonderful addition to a cup of hot herbal tea. It turns out very tender and juicy. To prepare this dessert, which has become a real symbol of Finnish cuisine, you will need:

• ¾ stick of butter;
• a pair of eggs;
• 200 grams each of baking flour and powdered sugar;
• a teaspoon of baking powder;
• 400 grams of blueberries;
• 250 milliliters of sour cream;
• a teaspoon of vanilla essence.

The butter is ground with an egg and 150 grams of powdered sugar. The resulting mass is mixed with flour and baking powder, and then distributed over the bottom of the mold and baked at 200 degrees for ten minutes. A filling made from whipped sour cream, vanilla essence, remaining powdered sugar, one egg and washed blueberries is placed on the browned crust. The future dessert is returned to the hot oven and baked for another half hour.

Finnish fruit pie

This delicious and very aromatic pastry is prepared so simply that even a beginner can easily cope with such a task. To make the dessert you will need:

• 250 grams of raisins;
• 3 eggs;
• 200 grams of prunes and sugar;
• a couple of large spoons of dark honey;
• 100 grams of almonds;
• a couple of large spoons of strong alcohol;
• 125 grams of butter;
• ¼ teaspoon salt;
• 250 grams of baking flour;
• a teaspoon of baking powder;
• zest of one lemon.

The butter is thoroughly ground with sugar, and then combined with honey and eggs. Flour, salt, baking powder, grated citrus zest, chopped nuts and pieces of fruit, previously sprinkled with alcohol, are added to the resulting mass. The finished dough is placed in an oiled heat-resistant form, the bottom of which is sprinkled with breadcrumbs, and placed in a warm oven. Finnish fruit pie is baked at one hundred and fifty degrees for about an hour and a half. The degree of readiness of the product can be easily checked using a regular toothpick. The completely baked dessert is removed from the oven, cooled slightly and served with tea, having previously been cut into portions.

As soon as we cross the border and enter another country, our taste preferences immediately change. Russian tourists are no exception. Coming to Finland, they are keenly interested in local dishes and Finnish national cuisine.

Food for every day

Photo: Juho Kuva / Visit Finland

What is the most important thing for a Russian person in lunch? Of course, soup. Lunch begins with it, followed by salad, main course and dessert. In Finnish culture, lunch consists of one thing: either soup or a second course, which in Finnish is called a “main meal.” And usually most Finns take their main meal once a day: for lunch or dinner, and everything else

For Finns, eating is also a task, once finished, you can move on to the next one. Therefore, Russian long-term gatherings at a set table, where food often serves as a reason for communication, look somewhat strange and cause bewilderment for Finns.

Meat balls-cutlets and red fish soup are traditionally considered the national Finnish food. A distinctive feature of the latter is the cream or milk added to it.

Festive table

Naturally, many things, like the already mentioned cutlets and ukha, are consumed all year round. But it is unusual for a Russian person that food in Finland is seasonal, i.e. They have their own dishes dedicated to major holidays. Now we will see this by going through the calendar. Of course, many things, like the already mentioned cutlets and fish soup, are consumed all year round.

Christmas

Photo: Taru Rantala / Visit Finland

So, Christmas dishes: ham and my favorite carrot and rutabaga casseroles. The technology for making the latter is very labor-intensive - it must be simmered in the oven for about 9 hours. At the same time, rutabaga changes its color to dark brown, becomes delicious in taste, sweet and satisfying at the same time, losing bitterness and astringency. To my deep regret, after the closing of the Christmas season - the Epiphany holiday, these casseroles disappear from sale.

The same can be said about the Christmas drink glegi ( glogi), which is made from grape juice with the addition of various spices: cloves, cinnamon, cardamom. It is served hot with raisins and almonds, as a bite with “piparkas” ( piparkakut) – gingerbread cookies. Glegy is truly a winter drink; it warms well, especially its alcoholic version with red wine or vodka. “Piparki” is also considered a traditional Christmas food, which, however, can be bought throughout the year.

Runeberg Day

Photo: Comma / Visit Helsinki

Apparently, in the old days it was different, and gingerbread cookies were sold only during Christmas and New Year. This idea was brought to me by a recipe for Runeberg cakes, compiled by Fredrika Runeberg, the wife of the Finnish national poet, although he wrote in Swedish, Johan Ludwig Runeberg. Frederica, apparently, was an economical and practical woman, and in order not to waste the pieparks left over from Christmas, she came up with the idea of ​​making cakes out of them for her husband’s birthday on February 5th.

According to legend Yu.L. Runeberg was very fond of sweets and constantly asked his wife to prepare some delicacies. One day Frederica didn’t have anything ready, she decided to bake cakes from the ingredients that were in the house.

Nowadays there are many recipes for these cakes, but Frederica's original version included crushed pieparks, almonds, rum and raspberry jam. Runeberg Day is a Finnish national holiday, celebrated annually on February 5th. These cakes are sold once a year for two weeks before the holiday.

Maslenitsa

A few weeks before Maslenitsa, round Maslenitsa buns begin to be sold. They are baked from wheat flour, cut and filled with marzipan, whipped cream or jam. After Maslenitsa, buns disappear from sale.

Another traditional Maslenitsa dish is Finnish pancakes. Unlike Russian pancakes, Finnish ones are more like pancakes - small and thick (the dough rises with yeast). The pancakes are served with caviar, rich sour cream and a bunch of green onions, and a dollop of butter is placed on top.

Lent and Easter

Photo: Soili Jussila / Visit Finland

In the old days in Finland during Lent, one of the Lenten dishes was “mämmi” ( mämmi) is a very unique food in appearance, color and taste, which Russian tourists sometimes decide to try. However, the dish has an interesting taste. “Mammi” is made by simmering rye flour in the oven for many hours, which is why it acquires an almost black color and a sweetish taste. Ground orange seeds and salt are added to it.

Orthodox Russians enjoy eating this hearty and healthy dish with oat or soy milk during Lent. Among modern Finns, mämmi is considered an Easter food and is sold from Maslenitsa to Easter. In large supermarkets you can buy it frozen all year round. It is served on the table with sugar, milk or cream.

Sweet Summer

I associate Midsummer's Day, which is celebrated on the last Sunday in June, with lollipops and licorice candies. “Stick” buns taste like brushwood, and children love to cook them. Parents make a long cord from the dough, and children wrap it on a stick and bake it over a fire.

Liquorice candies are very specific and difficult to fall in love with at first sight. They are an unsightly black color and come in a wide variety of shapes. I didn’t fall in love with them right away. This was the case with my Russian friends. It was difficult for me to get them to try this Finnish delicacy, but now I take kilograms of them to Russia - someone asks all the time.

They say that licorice candies are much healthier than regular ones; they have an anti-caries and pain-relieving effect. This is due to the fact that they contain licorice - the herb and root of licorice, a medicinal plant that has a sweetish taste. Therefore, they are naturally sweetened and do not require added sugar, which is very beneficial for children's teeth.

Candies with salmiak are very similar in color and taste to licorice. However, they should not be confused. Liquorice is a natural product, and salmiak is obtained chemically - it is a compound of ammonia with hydrochloric acid (from the distorted Latin sal ammoniacalis - ammonia). Finns are big fans of it, and in stores you can find salmiak of different tastes, strengths and compositions.

In addition to Finland, candies made from ammonium chloride are popular in other Nordic countries and Holland. Salmiak lovers even have their own organization, which annually awards the best salmiak candies with the title “Salmiak-Finland”.

Another feature

I want to end with an ode to resin or tar. Although this is not exactly food, it is a Finnish panacea - a folk remedy for many ills. There is a Finnish proverb: “Before starting any business, everything must be tarred.” This is probably how they did it in the old days. Resin (or tar) has antimicrobial, wound-healing, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory effects. It is collected mainly in Lapland during the summer polar day. It is saturated with the energy of the sun and the nature of the Lapland land.

For external use, the resin is added to creams, shampoos, soaps, oils, and honey for the sauna. Mustard and schnapps are known products with resin. All this is sold all year round. Despite the fact that tar schnapps is good to drink on long autumn and winter nights to prevent flu and depression, you should not abuse it. He will help you approach Christmas with a good mood, with his Christmas dishes and glegs.

Text: Olga Svanberg; updated August 2015

A characteristic feature of traditional Finnish cuisine is the active use of freshwater fish, barley, barley flour, potatoes, herring, rutabaga, lard, butter, and cream in the daily diet. The first place in popularity among the preferences of local residents is occupied by fish dishes, the second by milk, then by meat. Bakery products and desserts do not leave Finns indifferent. Experts highlight the following features of the national cuisine, characteristic of a Nordic country and extremely rare in the preparation of dishes of other peoples of the world:

1. A combination of different types of meat in one recipe: beef, pork and lamb. For example, in karjalanpaisti.
2. Simultaneous use of meat and fish ingredients in the kalakukko dish.
3. A combination of dairy products and fish that is uncharacteristic for Russian dishes. A striking example is kalakeitto (kalakeitto).
4. Finnish cuisine features an abundance of casseroles, the main ingredients of which are cabbage, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, pasta and liver. Traditionally, their preparation is timed to coincide with certain celebrations in Finland.
5. Finns prefer black bread and any baked goods made from rye flour. Classic examples are the mämmi and sultsina.
6. The use of dairy products in the preparation of almost all Finnish dishes. Local residents consume milk in large quantities, both in its pure form and add it as main and additional ingredients to various dishes; Cream is used by chefs in the form of marinades for fish and meat, as well as in the form of a special sauce designed to emphasize the taste of prepared dishes. Butter is considered the most popular dairy product in Finland. In almost all cooking recipes, Finns use this product in huge quantities.
7. No matter what Finns eat for breakfast, they drink hot coffee. Local residents use fruit and berry fruit drinks, as well as compotes, as the main drinks for traditional dishes. The main ingredient in them are berries that grow in great abundance in the northern forests. We are talking about blueberries, blueberries and cloudberries.
8. Eating various types of mushrooms, both in their pure form, such as chanterelles and strings, and as the main ingredients in korvasienimuhennos stew.
9. In a Nordic country, fried foods are not understood or eaten, the preparation of which is a rare exception. Professional chefs and local residents prefer boiled or steamed dishes. For Finnish cuisine, poaching and stewing are acceptable.

The preference of the inhabitants of the north for fish dishes is explained by the physical and geographical position of the Nordic country. In the southern and western parts, the state has access to the Baltic Sea, and there are also more than 100,000 shallow and deep-water lakes on its territory. Of the typical fish species for this area, the most popular are salmon and trout, and among sea fish, herring. The traditional fish menu includes:

• Graavilohi – trout cooked in its own juice without additional ingredients or spices;
• Rosolli - a classic Finnish salad based on herring;
• Rapu – crayfish caught from the river and prepared according to a special recipe;
• Mati is a national dish of the inhabitants of a Nordic country made from fish roe that lives in freshwater. The caviar is small in diameter; its characteristic feature is its bright yellow color, turning into a rich orange color. It is not necessary to cut the fish yourself; any supermarket in Finland sells ready-made canned food Mati, which includes finely chopped onions and sour cream. The dish in this form is ready to eat.
• Local residents pay special attention to first courses, in particular fish. Their presence is mandatory on the table at least once a day: during lunch or during the evening meal. Vacationers and locals prefer salmon soups Kalakeitto and Lohikeitto. In addition to fish, the main ingredients in them are milk, potatoes and onions.
• Finnish fish soup is a special dish in a Nordic country, which has nothing in common with the dish we are used to. Local residents of the northern state prepare fish soup from caviar and milk, which they consider the most delicious parts of the fish product.

The meat menu of traditional Finnish cuisine was formed mainly under the influence of Swedish dishes. There are only a small number of classic meat recipes invented by the Finns. Basically, these are dishes from deer and various types of wild animals, for example, elk and bear meat. Karelian-style meat in a pot, prepared from a combination of pork, beef and lamb, has become widespread among residents of Scandinavia. Traditional dishes, the main components of which are venison, are:

• Poronkaristys – dried venison meat, cut into thin slices;
• Poronpaisti is venison lightly fried in butter and served in a special local sauce.

Before buying plane tickets, you should take care of obtaining a visa to Finland.

Finnish baked goods are baked from rye flour. Local residents usually eat bread spread with well-salted caviar or a large amount of butter. Vacationers from other countries of the world are offered Karelian wickets, Vyborg pretzel, and “horta” cookies as traditional baked goods. Tourists staying in the country during Easter week will be offered the following in local cafes and restaurants:

• Kalakukko. In appearance, the pastry resembles a loaf of ordinary rye bread, but inside, instead of flour dough, the filling is made of fish fillet and lard. Before serving the “pie” on the table, warm it up a little and remove the top layer. They eat kalakukko not with their hands, but with a spoon. The first step is to taste its internal contents, and only then move on to the crispy crust.

Food and nutrition in Finland! Finnish features, video:

• Mämmi is a favorite Finnish dish that is also prepared during Easter week. It is a sweet pudding, which is served on the festive table with sugar and cream.

The national cuisine of Finland can surprise even the most discriminating gourmets. Due to the fact that this country is close to the sea, fish dishes are very popular on the Finnish table. Finnish cuisine combines simplicity of preparation and exquisite taste of delicacies.

Finns are very fond of rye bread and sea buckthorn. Sea buckthorn is used to prepare many dishes. It is even added to cocktails and served grated as a separate dish.

Let's look at the most popular national dishes of this northern country:

1. Smoked arctic char and salmon.
2. Lapland homemade cheese.
3. Reindeer meat.
4. "Mustamakkara" - blood sausage.
5. Karelian stew – several types of meat and vegetables.
6. “Forshmak” – minced meat in sauce.
7. Baking "Pula".
8. “Kalakukko” is a pie with fish and meat.
9. Cream soup "Valkosipuli" - garlic soup.
10. “Lohikeitto” – soup with salmon and cream.

On a note! We can’t help but mention Finnish vodka and beer. Some meat dishes are never served without strong drinks - this is a tradition. Finns, despite their conservatism, love to set rich tables.

Kalakukko is the most popular and beloved dish among Finns. It contains a combination of fish and meat products. The fish is selected according to the taste preferences of all family members. The pie is not difficult to prepare, but it turns out tasty and juicy. The baking process is original, which allows you to put fish with a bone, and you don’t even feel it when eating the dish. This is homemade food and is rarely found in cafes and restaurants.

Main components:

1. Water – 3 glasses.
2. Flour - 4 cups.
3. Olive oil – 3 tablespoons.
4. Perch fillet – 1 kg.
5. Bacon or ham – 200 g.
6. Rice – 2 tablespoons.
7. Spices to taste.

Cooking algorithm:

• Perch fillet and bacon are cut into small pieces and mixed with rice and spices.
• The dough is mixed with flour and water.
• The dough is divided into two parts and rolled out. One part is placed in the mold, and the filling is placed on top. Cover the filling with a second layer of dough.
• Cook at 200 degrees for 50 minutes.
• Serve with Finnish vodka.

On a note! The dish can be prepared “in reserve”; it does not spoil for a long time. Finnish ancestors prepared this product when they went hiking. The appetizing crust combined with a delicate meat and fish filling will not leave you indifferent.

Cereal sausages

Many people attribute these homemade sausages to Lithuanian cuisine, but the recipe was created in Finland. This is a traditional delicacy that is present on Finnish tables every weekend and holidays. These sausages are eaten both hot and cold.

They are ideal in the favorite drink of all Finns - beer. They are called vederai and the recipe is simple.

Main components:

1. Barley groats – 300 g.
2. Lard – 300 g.
3. Milk – 500 ml.
4. Beef liver – 250 g.
5. Chicken heart – 250 g.
6. Spices to taste.

Cooking algorithm:

• Pour the washed cereal with milk in a saucepan and put the oven on. There the porridge simmers until completely cooked at a temperature of 180 degrees.
• The onion and lard are finely chopped and fried in a frying pan.
• We twist the liver and heart through a meat grinder and add fried lard and onions and porridge from the oven.
• To form the sausages we use a “natural sleeve”, which is sold in grocery stores, and with the help of this film we form the sausages.
• Fry in a frying pan or on the grill.

On a note! It is difficult to find sausages in the store that can be called a natural product. Finnish advice is: cook them yourself. Fry in a frying pan, grill or open fire.

Stew is a very common dish that every nation has. The Finns also have Karelian stew in their arsenal. This delicacy is notable for the fact that it is prepared from several types of meat.

This dish is an everyday staple in Finland and is very easy to prepare. Finns also serve it with baked potatoes or rice.

Main components:

1. Beef – 250 g.
2. Pork – 250 g.
3. Poultry – 250 g.
4. Carrots - 1 sh.
5. Onion – 1 pc.
6. Bay leaf.
7. Spices to taste.

Cooking algorithm:

• All types of meat are washed and cut into small pieces - 1 layer (bottom).
• The carrots are cut into cubes, the onions into half rings and placed on top of the meat.
• 3 meats are used, so there will be 3 layers, each alternated with carrots and onions and sprinkled with spices. Bay leaves are placed at the rate of 1 piece per 1 layer.
• The oven should be preheated to 200 degrees.
• The stacked products are filled with 100 g of water and sent to the oven.
• The dish is baked for 45 minutes.

On a note! The ingredients are laid out in layers in a special baking dish and placed in the oven. Some cooks sprinkle the stew with grated cheese and herbs 5 minutes before the end of cooking to add some piquancy.

Interesting video: features of Finnish cuisine

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.