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Finnish cuisine is notable for generally combining traditional country fare andhaute cuisine with contemporary continental-style cooking.Fish andmeat (usually pork, beef or reindeer) play a prominent role in traditionalFinnish dishes in some parts of the country, while the dishes elsewhere have traditionally included variousvegetables andmushrooms.Evacuees from Karelia contributed to foods in other parts of Finland in the aftermath of theContinuation War.[1]
Finnish foods often usewholemeal products (rye,barley,oats) and berries (such asbilberries,lingonberries,cloudberries, andsea buckthorn).Milk and its derivatives likebuttermilk are commonly used as food, drink or in various recipes. Variousturnips were common in traditional cooking, but were replaced with thepotato after its introduction in the 18th century.
The way of life and culture ofFinns was mainly based on agriculture already at prehistoric times. However, in the harsh and cold environment, agriculture was neither a very effective nor secure way of life, so getting food from nature has often been an important secondary livelihood. When crops failed, it might have been the only way to survive. Also, while farms mainly produced crops like turnips, and often families had only some farm animals to get milk products and meat, hunting and especially fishing were important ways to get more protein. Large-scale meat production and therefore meat as a daily food started to emerge only at the beginning of the 20th century, after periods of malnutrition in the 19th century caused by failed crops.[citation needed]
In former times, the country's harsh climate meant that fresh fruit and vegetables were largely unavailable for at least nine months of the year, leading to a heavy reliance on staple tubers (initially turnip, later potato), darkrye bread and fermented dairy products, occasionally enlivened with preserved fish and meat. Traditionally, very few spices other than salt were available, and fresh herbs likedill andchives were limited to the summer months. Many Finnish traditional dishes are prepared by stewing them for a long time in an oven, which produces hearty but bland fare. Forests and lakes were historically a major source of food, and produce from forests currently accounts for the distinctive traits in Finnish cuisine. The simplicity of traditional Finnish food has been turned into an advantage by shifting the emphasis to freshness. Modern Finnish restaurateurs now blend high-quality Finnish products with continental cooking techniques. This approach helped Helsinki'sChez Dominique to receive twoMichelin stars in 2003.[2] The restaurant closed in 2013.
Internationalization brought imported goods. As pasta, pizza, kebab, and hamburgers were integrated into Finnish menus, they displaced some traditional everyday dishes likekaalilaatikko (cabbage casserole), and herring fillets, which some consider inferior. As of the 20th century, when the majority of Finnish women entered the workforce, many traditional dishes that require long preparation time are reserved for holidays.
Even with modern agriculture and transportation, food remains expensive in Finland relative to other European countries. This is notwithstanding the effect of accession to the European Union in 1995. The consequent elimination of trade barriers led prices of products like grains, meat, and milk to drop as much as 50%.[3] Before that, heavy taxes and outright bans on imports that competed with local produce severely limited the availability of foreign or unseasonal food. Nowadays Finnish supermarkets and restaurants provide a variety of food from all over the world.
Finnish cuisine is very similar toSwedish cuisine. Swedish dishes likeJanssons frestelse (janssoninkiusaus),pyttipannu, andgravlax (graavilohi) are common in Finland. The overarching difference is the Finns' preference for unsweetened foods. For example, while traditional Swedish rye bread includes plenty of syrup and spices, Finnish rye bread is unsweetened, even bitter. Finnish cuisine also bears some resemblance toGerman andRussian cuisines.[4] Sausages and buttered bread (likeButterbrot), andkiisseli (kissel) andlihapiirakka (cf.pirozhki) are similar to their respective German and Russian counterparts. Finnish recipes, however, tend to favour fresh ingredients over canned or pickled foods, as fresh vegetables, fish, and meat are available throughout the year.[5]
The most popular meats in Finland arepork (33.5 kg/year/person in 2005),beef (18.6 kg), andchicken (13.3 kg).[6] Approximately one third of this is eaten assausage (makkara), which is mostly made from pork but often mixes in other meats as well.[7]Horse meat, lamb andreindeer make up a small portion of the total meat consumption, but they are widely available.[8]
In addition to domesticated animals, there are long traditions ofhunting andfishing in Finland. The hunters focus ondeer,moose andbear, but small game such ashare,duck andgrouse are popular. Approximately 70,000–80,000 moose are culled yearly, producing significant amounts of meat. Due to very strict food hygiene regulations, moose meat is mainly consumed within households and is rarely obtainable in restaurants.
Arctic wild berries are distinctively featured in Finnish cuisine with their strong flavor and high nutrient content. Traditionally, they were eaten fresh in summer and dried at other times of year. It is still quite common to go picking berries straight from the forests – in fact, wild berries are free to pick in any forest, state or private, except in close proximity to dwellings (seefreedom to roam). Wildraspberries (vadelma),bilberries (mustikka) andlingonberries (puolukka) are found in almost every part of Finland, whilecloudberries (lakka),cranberries (karpalo),arctic brambles (mesimarja) andsea buckthorns (tyrni) grow in more limited areas. The intensely flavoredwild strawberry (metsämansikka) is a seasonal delicacy decorating cakes, served alone, with cream, or with ice cream. Farmedstrawberry (mansikka) is also very common.
Today, berries are no longer dried for winter consumption but usually frozen. They may be used as ingredients, or eaten on their own, for example, with porridge and sugar.Kiisseli (a sweet soup of berry juice and berries thickened with potato starch) is a common dessert. Homemade berry juices and jams are common, especially among older people. While berries are most often used for desserts, they are also served with meat, especially the sour lingonberry relish.
Bilberrykissel|kiisseli (mustikkakiisseli) andpie (mustikkapiirakka), made from wild bilberries (Vaccinium myrtillus), are traditional Finnish desserts. Bilberries are frequently used in Finnish cuisine, both as an ingredient, such as bilberry pie, and also served with cream or ice cream. They are often used on top ofviili and other yogurt-type dishes.
Lakes and rivers in Finland and the Baltic Sea provide many opportunities for fishing and fish has always been an important protein source. Numerous methods of preparing fish are used, including frying, boiling, drying, salting, fermenting,cold smoking or simply slicing sea fish and eating it raw. Salmon is a popular choice, both askylmäsavustettu lohi:cold smoked salmon, lox, or served raw with lemon juice asgraavilohi (gravlax in Swedish). The soup calledlohikeitto is also one of the most popular salmon dishes in Finland.[9] It is common tosmoke any type of fish, likesalmon,zander,pike,perch and Balticherring. A popular dish among theSwedish-speaking population issmoked herring (Finnish:savusilakka,Swedish:böckling). There are many styles ofpickled herring which is a common appetizer and also served aroundMidsummer accompanied by small potatoes calleduusiperuna (nypotatis in Swedish) which means 'new potato', usually the first harvests of potato.Whitefish andvendaceroe are Finnish specialties served on top of a toast or withblinis.Crayfish can be found in many lakes and streams in Finland and, in August especially, the Swedish-speaking population often arrangesparties centered around eating crayfish and drinking.
Various species of mushrooms grow in abundance in Finnish forests andfalse morels start the season in spring and are used in creamy dishes.Chanterelles andceps pop up after Midsummer and are popular in the whole country, while in eastern Finland almost all edible fungi are consumed, includingmilkcaps andrussulas. Most of the mushroom recipes originate from Russia, since Finns used mushrooms in coloring fabrics rather than as food. Mushrooms are used in soups, sauces, stews, pie fillings, or simply fried in a pan with onions as a side dish. They are preserved for the winter by pickling or drying. Chanterelles are frequently featured in Finnishhaute cuisine with their relatives,winter chanterelles, which often end the season. Just like berry picking, mushroom hunting is also a popular outdoor activity among Finns.[10]
Dark and fiber-richruisleipä, rye bread, is a staple of the Finnish diet. Breads are made from grains likebarley,oat,rye andwheat, or by mixing different grits and flours. For example,sihtileipä is made of a combination of rye and wheat. There is also a variety of flat breads calledrieska, likemaitorieska (milkflatbread),ryynirieska with barley grits fromSavonia,läskirieska (lard flatbread) a somewhat flat barley bread with pieces of lard from Western coast, andperunarieska (potato flatbread). InKainuu, North Finland, the flatbreads are very flat and baked on naked flame.Näkkileipä, crisp rye bread, is also common. Famines caused by crop failures in the 19th century caused Finns to improvisepettuleipä orbark bread,[11] bread made from rye flour and the softphloem layer ofpine bark, which was nutritious, but rock-hard and anything but tasty. It was eaten also during the Second World War, and the tradition of making this bread has had a minor come-back with claims of health benefits.[citation needed]
The Finnish breakfast traditionally includes a substantial portion ofporridge. Rolled oats, rye or multi-grain porridge are most common. However, there are other options such as the milk-basedmannapuuro (semolina-milk porridge) andhelmipuuro (starch grain-milk porridge). Porridges are often eaten with milk, sugar, butter or berrykiisseli. The Christmas season introduces milk-basedrice porridge (riisipuuro), sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and often topped with prunekiisseli (luumukiisseli). There is also a semolina-based porridge flavored with fresh or frozen lingonberries calledvispipuuro ("beaten porridge").
Water andcoffee are the most common drinks in Finland, but during mealsmilk andsour milk (piimä, afermented milk) are popular too, even among adults. Coffee is often drunk several times a day and Finland has the highest per capita consumption of coffee in the world.[12]Tea is also available in most homes. There are several types of home-brewed alcoholic beverages, such assima (mead) andsahti (traditionalbeer). Spirits brands includeKoskenkorva (vodka-like clear spirit) and asalmiakki flavored shotSalmiakkikossu,Jaloviina (cut brandy),Finlandia vodka, andMarskin ryyppy (Marshal Mannerheim's shot). Around Christmas time a type ofmulled wine calledglögi is served, also often as a non-alcoholic version. Many berries are used to season liqueurs, such ascloudberry liqueur, andfruit wines are produced from red and black currants. A national specialty would be multiple brands of flavored hard ciders (as in Sweden) and long drink mixes with the pet namelonkero, which was originally a gin and grapefruit soda long drink.
TheFinnish beer scene is dominated by pale lagers. Local brands with the highest market share includeKoff,Lapin Kulta,Karjala,Olvi andKarhu and their taste is rather similar to the Danish counterparts likeCarlsberg andTuborg.[citation needed] Non-alcoholic beer has also become a popular alternative during recent years.Kotikalja (similar to Slavickvass) is the traditional small beer. Kotikalja is a malty, sugar-containing sweet beer fermented only for carbonation, thus its alcohol content is low enough (<1.2%) to be served as a soft drink. Hops are often absent. Fresh kotikalja is unfiltered, cloudy and cannot be stored. A Finnish beer specialty issahti, a traditional ale flavoured with juniper berries.
The termperinneruoka ("traditional dish") is often applied to specialties that are rarely eaten on a daily basis. These are often regional, associated with the older generations or specific holidays—for example,mämmi on Easter—and most people eat these dishes rarely, or not at all. In contrast, withperinneruoka, the termkotiruoka ("home-made food") is applied to daily staple dishes. Meatballs, pea soup and rye bread are examples of such staples.
The following list is a sample of typical dishes traditionally consumed in Finland.
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Due to the location on the west coast, the cuisine has some local specialities.
Common meals are breakfast (aamupala), lunch (lounas), dinner (päivällinen) and supper (iltapala). Sometimes there is also an afternoon snack (välipala) or a coffee break where a light snack is served. In all primary and secondary schools, includinghigh school, a hot free lunch is served as part of Finland'swelfare state system. Lunch, eaten around noon, is usually a warm meal, although some people may select a lighter meal such as asandwich or a salad. Taking alunchbox is not as common as elsewhere in Europe.[14] Universities also provide lunch for students, but contrary to primary and secondary schools, lunch in universities is not free of charge but subsidized.[15]
Lunch typically consists of a single course with optional side salad, bread and dessert. Many workplaces have a lunch restaurant, and if not, employers often give lunch vouchers. Restaurants often have a separate lunch menu for this purpose. In the evening, the dinner is usually a hot meal, again with side dishes. Meals are usually single-course, commonly consisting of meat of some sort (pork, lamb, chicken, beef) and potatoes, rice or pasta with the meat. Soups, such as pea soup or fish soup, are not considered appetizers only, but may be served as lunch or dinner, and they are correspondingly heavier and come in larger portions.
Dinner is typically the most substantial meal of the day. However, it is served rather early at 5 pm,[16] so that there is often a separate supper at 8-9 pm. This supper (iltapala) is a light snack.
Breakfast is seen as a substantial meal and usually consists ofopen sandwiches. The sandwich is often buttered, with savoury toppings such as hard cheese orcold cuts. Sour milk products such asyoghurt orviili are also common breakfast foods, usually served in a bowl withcereals such ascorn flakes,muesli, and sometimes with sugar, fruit or jam. A third food that is commonly eaten at breakfast isporridge (puuro), often made of rolled oats, and eaten with a pat of butter (voisilmä, lit. 'butter eye') or with milk, or fruit or jam, especially the sort made of raspberries or strawberries (sometimes lingonberries). Drinks are milk, juice, tea, or coffee.
Pannukakku, a type of baked oven pancake, is considered a dessert in Finland, but is often eaten for breakfast in theFinnish diaspora in the United States and Canada.[17]
Finland has the highest coffee consumption per capita in the world, averaging 12 kilograms (26 lb) of coffee per person annually.[18] It is typical for a Finn to drink coffee continuously throughout the day, often accompanied by a sweet bun or a sandwich.[citation needed] Most workplaces allocate time for coffee breaks, and serving coffee is very likely to happen to a visitor to a private home. Finns consider this a small courtesy.
In 2005, Finnish cuisine came under heavy fire from two leaders of countries renowned for their cuisine. TheItalianprime ministerSilvio Berlusconi claimed, "I've been to Finland and I had to endure the Finnish diet so I am in a position to make a comparison." Berlusconi started his anti-Finnish food campaign in 2001. He went on: "The Finns don't even know whatprosciutto is." This followed the initial decision by theEuropean Commission to establish theEuropean Food Safety Authority inHelsinki. On 4 July 2005FrenchPresidentJacques Chirac claimed that "After Finland, [Britain is] the country with the worst food."[19][20]
After Chirac's and Berlusconi's critiques, some international food reporters answered:
"Chirac and Berlusconi are wrong! Finnish cuisine is much more international than I expected. I have eaten very good food in wonderful restaurants, visited market places and enjoyed in good cafeterias. Cheese is very good in Finland. I also love Finnishcloudberry and smoked fish." (Ute Junker,Australian Financial Review Magazine,Sydney,Australia)
"Food in Finnish restaurants is extremely good. Especially I love Finnish salmon, mushroom soup and desserts. I have also got very good Finnish wines. The worldwide reputation of Finnish cuisine isn't very good – but it should be!" (Liliane Delwasse,Le Figaro, Paris, France)
"I have eaten only good food in Finland. Food in Finland is very fresh. Bread, berries, mushrooms and desserts are very delicious. Finnish berries (especiallycloudberry), salmon, cheeses and reindeer should be available in London, too." (April Hutchinson,Abta Magazine,London, England).
Finnish pizza chainKotipizza won the 2008 America's Plate International pizza contest in New York, while Italian-American pizza came in second. They named their award-winning smoked reindeer pizzaBerlusconi as symbolic payback for the critique Finnish cuisine had received from the Italian prime minister earlier.[21]
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Media related toFinnish cuisine at Wikimedia Commons
Finnish cuisine travel guide from Wikivoyage
