Additionally, crayfish from the waterways is an essential seasonal delicacy for Finns in the summer. Enjoying them with a glass of local vodka and complemented by sandwiches with fish roe creates a heavenly feast for seafood enthusiasts.
Potatoes play a crucial role in everyday Finnish cuisine, often accompanied by various fish or meat dishes. Finland is also the homeland of dark rye, with bread and porridge made from it being common fare on dining tables.
Known as the “Land of a Thousand Lakes,” Finland boasts an extensive coastline, offering abundant supplies of fish. Salmon, Baltic herring, trout, and freshwater cod are all delectable, making it a paradise for fish lovers. These fish can be prepared using various methods such as smoking, grilling, steaming, and baking.
Finns enjoy incorporating ingredients from the forests into their dishes, with berries and wild mushrooms being the most common choices. Especially in late summer and early autumn, these wild ingredients blanket the countryside, becoming the main components of seasonal dishes.
Homemade bread baking is widespread in Finland, with bread made from dark rye being particularly popular. It serves as a staple in households and military camps, and Finns proudly claim to be the “kingdom of dark bread.” This circular bread, with its distinctive lactic fermentation aroma, is known for its thin crispiness. Traditionally, people would hang this thin and flat bread from a stick in the middle, suspended from the beams of farmhouses, allowing it to be stored for long periods.
The uniquely fragrant dark bread rings with their special lactic fermentation aroma are highly sought after as export goods. Residents of the southwestern coastal archipelago popularize a deep brown malt bread with a sweet and sour taste and a hint of alcohol, which becomes increasingly fragrant with each bite, known as the famous “island bread.”
Whole-grain bread is also greatly favored by Finns as a healthy food option. With a wide variety of bread made entirely from corn, oats, and other cereals, the shapes and flavors are constantly evolving, often introducing many new varieties.
Finns firmly believe that dark rye bread and whole-grain bread are the “best foods for maintaining health and intelligence.” The ancient traditions, rural craftsmanship, and locally grown grains have formed the characteristic of Finnish bread culture, which has been passed down to this day.
