Finnish cuisine
Photo: JIP, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The cuisine of Finland is heavily influenced by its neighbours (see Nordic cuisine and Russian cuisine), the main staples being potatoes and bread with various fish and meat dishes on the side. Dairy products are also important, with a wide variety of cheeses, and milk a common beverage even for adults. Due to the harsh climate, spices in Finland were historically largely limited to salt and pepper, with lashings of dill in the summer. While traditional Finnish food is famously bland, there was a culinary revolution in the 1990s, with a boom in classy restaurants experimenting with local ingredients, often with excellent results. Contemporary Finnish cuisine includes tastes and influences from all over the world, and the dining scene in larger cities has become quite cosmopolitan.
UnderstandWhile the cold climate limits what can be produced, many agricultural products benefit from the nearly eternal sunlight in season. Off season, many ingredients need to be imported or grown with little natural light.
Places to eatIn proper hotels, the included breakfast is extensive. In other lodgings, if breakfast is included, it is usually sufficient to keep you going until a late lunch.
Ingredients and dishesWith tens of thousands of lakes and a long coastline, fish is a Finnish staple, and there's a lot more on that menu than just salmon (lohi/lax).
DrinkWater is served to most meals. Thanks to its thousands of lakes, Finland has plenty of water supplies and tap water is always potable – except on trains and the like, where this is clearly indicated.
Seasonal specialitiesThe Runeberg torte (Runebergintorttu, Runebergstårta) is a cylindrical pastry with a patch of jam surrounded by a ring of sugar paste on top.L. Runeberg's Day.
Regional specialitiesThere are also regional specialities, including:
DessertsFor dessert or just as a snack, Finnish pastries abound and are often taken with coffee (see Drink) after a meal. Look for cardamom coffee bread (pulla/bulla), a wide variety of tarts (torttu), and donuts.
Dietary restrictionsRestaurant staff are trained to consider allergies, diabetes, coeliac disease and similar issues, so if you know what foodstuff to avoid, you should be able to get appropriate information, and if you have been…
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Finnish cuisine" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: JIP, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons