Finnish cuisine is influenced by Russia in the east and Sweden in the west. There are a variety of dishes depending on the region. So, I think there are some differences in Christmas cuisine depending on the region.
My partner is from Oulu. Here I would like to introduce some of the Christmas dishes I have experienced in Northern Finland. I will add more as I go along, so don’t miss it!
A common dish in all regions is a casserole called a box dish. This appetizer is slowly baked in a box = laatikko. It is made with molasses, which gives it a slightly sweet taste, and the aroma of spices makes this dish remind you of Christmas. Famous items are potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, and liver.
Christmas ham = Joulukinkku, which is synonymous with Christmas. From around October, large Christmas hams are sold in the frozen section of supermarkets. It is customary to buy a frozen one and bake it slowly at home. They are served with mustard = sinappi.
Milk Porridge & Fruit Soup
This is another Finnish classic. Milk porridge is served with sweet sticky fruit soup. The fruit soup is usually made with four kinds of dried fruits: plums, apricots, apples and pears. It is also delicious with figs.
Finland has a wide variety of bakery products. Even a single Christmas cake can be very different. There are spice cakes made with gingerbread spices, cakes made with plums, a popular Christmas fruit, and cakes made with glögi.
Christmas tarts = Joulutorttu are another classic Christmas dish. It is a simple pastry that can be made by cutting and shaping a store-bought pie crust, putting jam on it, and baking it. Plums are also the standard for this jam. Apricots and apples are also used.
Gingerbread = Piparikakku is another must-have dessert for Christmas in Finland. It is delicious on its own, or as a canapé with persimmons and blue cheese.
comment