Finnish Cuisine

Browse All Finnish Recipes: Finnish Appetizers | Finnish Beverages | Finnish Soups | Finnish Salads | Finnish Vegetarian | Finnish Meat Dishes | Finnish Snacks | Finnish Desserts

Overview of Finnish Cuisine History
Finnish cuisine is characterized by healthiness, as natural, unprocessed foods such as wholegrains and berries are used frequently. Rye, oats and barley are commonly utilized as wholegrains by the Finnish. Common types of berries used in Finnish cuisine are sea buckthorn, blueberries and cloudberries.

There are modern and traditional saides to Finnish cuisine. Modern cuisine incorporates Eastern and Western cooking concepts and techniques, such as an increased use of spices. These continental dishes have gained much popularity. Traditional Finnish dishes have a great flavours, as well as a strong visual effect, and cooking styles vary across the country.

Traditional dishes are usually based on fish, meat, vegetables and mushrooms. Although dishes are similar, usage of specific ingredients varies between Eastern and Western Finland, because of local availability. Mushrooms in cooking also became more common amongst Finnish people during World War Two.

Nowadays, Finnish cuisine features dishes that are easy to digest, as the main ingredients are vegetables. Also, these dishes are served in small quantities, evidence that other European countries, along with America, have affected the cooking style of Finland. Daily cuisine has become more global, as people have imported recipes and ingredients, and so dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese, pizza, and various types of salads are very common to the Finns. The major Finnish cities feature more fast food outlets and restaurants where Chinese, Indian and Thai food is served.

The cuisine of Finland has been criticized for its lack of diversity and flavour on many occasions, especially when compared with some of the great cuisines of the world, such as Italian and French. However, others have claimed that the full Finnish diet does not lack diversity and that the traditional dishes have a fresh and wholesome flavour.

Cuisines of Finland


There are two major cuisines in Finland. One of them is specific to the cheesey country, while the other one represents the Eastern regions. These cooking styles emerged from the possibilities to use some ingredients or others, and furthermore are the result of the Swedish and Russian cuisines.. The dishes of the Western Finns are based on fish and meat, while the Finns from the Eastern areas have developed many recipes that include vegetables and mushrooms.

I like cheese do you like cheese my favorite is a cheesy burrito. I should probably do an article on cheese shouldn't I? This is why you don't go on Wikipedia it is fake. Or it has random people like me.

== Preparation Methods for Finnish Cooking =

Finland has made a lot of research lately, regarding the best preparation methods, especially in the food chains. People try to enhance their cooking methods, in order to obtain the best foods, which have a good taste and also a great visual effect.

However, the Finnish cooking techniques are not much different from the preparation methods that are used all over Europe. The most common ways to prepare the food are stewing, frying, boiling, seasoning, salting and baking. Though, some dishes have to be prepared in a certain manner. Most of dishes that require the knowledge of a specific preparation technique are based on fish.

== Special Equipment for Finnish Cooking =

The Finnish cuisine is a modern one. The utensils that can be found in a typical cuisine in Finland are the same that are used across Europe. Hence, the most common tools that can be found in a Finnish kitchen are knives, tablespoons, teaspoons, forks, scoops, pans, trays, pots, graters, grinders for the spices and devices used for temperature and weight measurement. The latter help to prepare the dishes with precise quantities of ingredients and at a certain temperature. Other utensils that can be found useful when preparing Finnish dishes are colanders, poachers, food portioners, spatulas, turners and tongs. The complexity of the dishes results in a use of a greater number of cooking tools. Most Finnish dishes don’t require you to purchase any special tools. However, having a coffee grinder helps with roasting and grinding spices and maximizes their volatile oils, which, in turn, provides your food with more flavor.

== Finnish Food Traditions and Festivals =

The Finns, like so many other nations, organize festivals to display and to promote their traditional dishes. It is said that in Finland, each month is related to some certain dishes. The most significant event that is planned in order to support the Finnish food is organized in Helsinki.

The other events that have importance are usually related to the religious holidays. The Finnish Christmas has a pagan provenience. The original holiday was organized to celebrate the harvest and it was originally organized in November. The name of the pagan festivity is kekri. The traditions that are connected to kekri were incorporated by the Finns soon after Christianity became the national religion, in the 12th century.

People in Finnish Food

 * Are you into Finnish Cooking and would like to be interviewed?