Finland, a Nordic nation that borders Sweden, Russia, and Norway, is the country of the week here at Food Freeway, and I’m excited to share its exciting, delicious cuisine with you! It’s often described as a “fresh” cuisine, read on to find out why!
Finnish dishes are influenced by a variety of factors: climate, landscape, history, and neighboring countries all play a part. As the country is located quite far north, the weather can be quite harsh in the winter months. Because of this, the growing seasons are pretty short, and local produce can be somewhat limited. Mushrooms and berries (a wide assortment: think strawberries, cranberries, lingonberries, and currants) are two of the most popular ingredients in Finnish cooking, while other fruits and vegetables like apples, rhubarb, potatoes, beets, cauliflower, onions, are also available. Much of the locally grown produce is preserved, either in the form of dried fruit, jam, or pickles. In addition to the relatively inhospitable climate, nearly 90% of the land is covered in forest, and there are seemingly endless lakes; this means that there is not all that much room for agriculture – and where there is space, the soil, for the most part, is not arable.
Don’t let the lack of fresh produce discourage you from trying Finnish food – what they do have an abundance of is fish and meat. Fresh water fish and seafood such as salmon, perch, herring, pikeperch, and crayfish are delicious additions to meals, while reindeer, elk, lamb, pork, and wild fowl are also popular choices.
As expected, Finland’s cuisine is influenced by its neighbors. Sweden and Russia also play a big part, as the country was under the rule of both countries in the past (see Finland’s history here). In recent years, the influence has spread from other countries throughout the world, creating a sort of continental-fusion cuisine.
So, what sort of meals could you expect in Finland? Here’s a short list of typical Finnish dishes: kaalikääryleet (cabbage rolls), lihapullat (meatballs – similar to Swedish meatballs), poronkäristys (sautéed reindeer), svartbröd (black bread – a heavy dark rye bread), suppilovahverokeitto (funnel chanterelle soup), lohikeitto (salmon soup), karjalanpaisti (hot pot), marinoidut hedelmät (marinated fruit), raparperikiisseli (rhubarb pudding), piimäkakku (buttermilk cake), mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie), and kaneliässät (cinnamon cookies).
What do you think? Is Finnish cuisine something that you’d be interested in eating, or is it not your cup of tea? I think it sounds great, but could use a lesson or two on pronounciation! On Wednesday I’ll have a recipe for you to try out so you can bring a typical dish of Finland into your home, so stay tuned!
Photo Credits: Boats and Buildings in Finland – dustbin, Icy Water in Finland – MiikaS, and Vegetable Pie – JForth.