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In the recent past, several nasty remarks about Finnish food have spilled out of the mouths of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio BERLUSCONI and French President Jacques CHIRAC.
According to press reports, Mr. Berlusconi remarked that Finnish food is terrible and Finns don't even know what prosciutto is. While President Chirac opined that besides English food, Finnish food is the worst he has ever tasted. These statements were made at the time when Finland was competing for positions in the EU's Food Ministry.
Was a bad Finnish meal served to either of these gentlemen on a visit to Finland? Or did they just decide to repeat gratuitously hearesay from undisclosed sources without bothering to look more deeply into this matter? Certainly the Finns were quite puzzeled. After all, at least two restaurants in Helsinki have each earned two Michelin stars.
Finnish food is indeed UNIQUE and its origins must be understood.
In the land of the Summer Solstice and Midnight Sun, where moose and reindeer roam freely, the untouched forest enviroment cultivates countless culinary treasures. Wild mushrooms, cepes, chanterelles and a cornucopia of wild berries end up on gastronomic tables.
Finland's sixty thousand lakes provide a treasure trove of fresh water fish like PERCH, WHITEFISH, PIKEPERCH, TROUT and BALTIC HEERING.
No where else on this planet can be found ARCTIC BRAMBLE ( Mesimarja in Finnish) or CLOUDBERRIES, all turned into confiture or liqueurs.
In January steamed BURBOT, a cousin to Monkfish, in aromatic stew appears in season to be accompanied with its fine creamy roe on toasted points. Four other kinds of fish roe can be found all year around that surpasses over-fishy-tasting caviar.
BALTIC HEERING, with at least SIXTY various preparations - salted, fresh, smoked, marinated, poached, fried - are included daily on most buffet and salad tables.
REINDEER stew - the everyday repast of Laplanders - is often cooked on open wood fires in irom casseroles. Lucky is the fisherman who catches a wild, noble Arctic SALMON, which abound in countless nothern rivers to spawn. He may grill his trophy on fire built on river rocks. All he needs is a little sea salt and sugar to marinate his catch for a delicious GRAVLAKS.
Russian BEARS frequently criss-cross the long border with Finland stuffing themselves with tasty BLUEBERRIES and LINGONBERRIES, along with the salmon. These berries also end up as preservatives in jars, in sweden, which takes credit for selling it in IKEA stores around the world.
Many native Finnish gourmet ingredients, like cepes and chanterelles, end up on menu's in FRENCH restaurants in France - which they would never admit.
Geneva's famous LAKE PERCH (perca Fluviatilis) was not always from Swiss lakes but were frequently imported from Finland in the 1980's.
While Monsieur le President Jacques CHIRAC's nation dumps baguettes - empy caloties - with confiture into its cafe au lait at breakfast, Finns warm up in the morning with wholesome, cholesterol-lowering, creamy OAT MEAL PORRIDGE, or a slice of pure RYE BREAD with native smoked salmon.
ORGANIC (Luomu in Finnish) FOOD is on every menu. Thus FINNISH FOOD is more than RUTABAGA casseroles and PIG SOUSE - which, incidentally, saved the nation from famine during the long Winter War and World War II.
This rich cornucopia of Finland's gastronomic treasures offers PURE FOOD.
It is understandable that adulterated taste buds, like one finds in CERTAIN national cuisines, that mask and camouflage food withsauces and excessive spices, have difficulty appreciating the FINESSES of PURE FLAVORS - that need only minimal additions with light cooking preparation techniques.
Of course if Monsieur Chirac loves his FOIE GRAS with TRUFFLES or Ex-Prime Minister Berlusconi savors his PARMA HAM, rather than exploring more deeply true Finnish gastronomy - which also has its oddities - it is their national and cultural privilege.
Some of us still prefer at anytime FINLANDIA vodka-marinated SALMON TARTAR or REINDEER FILET with sweet ROWANBERRIES.
Comparing Finnish food to English food is a sacrilege - an INSULT to the Nation and uncalled for put down of Finland's fine gastronomy which is recognized by TRUE connoisseurs of fine dining from around the world.
BIOGRAPHIC SKETCH OF THE AUTHOR
Seija Lampila Lassiter
- Native Finn from Helsinki and now a naturalized American citizen
- Author of memoir, LAULUINTUNEN, SIIPIRIKKO (Song Bird, Broken Wing) published in 1995 in Helsinki by WSOY
- Finnish popular singer in the 1950's and 1960's. Recorded and also performed live on radio, television and stage in Finland, Western Europe and Latin America
- Last recording, "Unforgettables", released on CD by Warner Music Finland in 1999
- Wife of retired American diplomat
- In 1995, organized a Finland Culinary Week in Atlanta
- Member International Association of Culinary Professionals
` Currently working on her culinary memoir..
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