For Nicole

This is for my friend Nicole who asked to know more about food and culture in Finland.

I will start with food. The Finns eat a lot of meat (mostly beef, pork and game), a lot of fish (salmon, halibut, cod, herring), potatoes, rye bread, sausages, and sweet salads. Meatballs are very common here and they can be made out of any meat. Everything typically comes served with some sort of sauce and I find that most times it tastes like either curry or bernaise sauce. Pulla, sweet cinnamon-roll type sweets, are a must after a meal with a cup of coffee. Tea is for wimps! Salted herring is common and unfortunately it is by the far the worst tasting thing I have had in Finland!! Salads normally consist of very finely chopped lettuce, carrots, cucumber, and tomatoe and most Finns add some sort of fruit (usually orange slices, grapes, pineapple, etc.). I have been told that it is because Finnish people don't like salad so they look for an alternative way of eating something they don't like. I opt to leave the fruit out because the dressings are also sweet...salad should not be as sweet as candy!! Cheese is a treat out here because most cheeses come in a lactose-free alternative. They taste quite yummy!! Breakfast is typically rye bread, cheese, cucumber slices, and tomatoe slices made into an open sandwich along with yogurt, muslix, and coffee. I stay away from the sandwiches and stick to my usual Canadian breakfast of cereal, flax seed, milk, and a banana. I know I am boring but eating cucumber so early in the morning seems wrong!! Lunch and dinner is usually a salad, meat/fish, and potatoes. Obviously followed by coffee and pulla.

Restaurants. Well, if you want to stay out of debt then you stay away from restaurants in Finland!! Average cost of a good meal is about 30 Euro...approximately $40 to $45 Canadian. However, in the spirit of trying new things I ventured into a Viking restaurant called Harold. It was quite good and there were lots of wild meat dishes. Some food comes served on a metal shield or slate rock. I haven't gone to any other restaurants due to time and money but I hope to visit some in Helsinki and Turku (the home of Mikka). Kebab and piazza (yes, that is pizza) places are super common but they scare me as most of the food looks very unhealthy. There is Hesburger...the Finnish version of McDonald's and I have been told it's okay. And there are obviously other restuarants such as Italian, Spanish, German, etc. Although they claim to be, for example, Italian, there is always a Finnish twist such as adding extra sauces that the Italians would never use!!

Music. Sadly, the lack of access to the internet has prevented me from learning too much about Finnish music. However, there are many local bands that I hope to check out, that is once I know when and where they will be playing. To my disappointment a lot of American music is heard here...yup, Rianna (I don't know how you spell her name but she sings that stupid umbrella, ella, ella, song) has invaded.

Clothing. I have been told that the reason why I am disappointed in the style out here is because Tampere is considered rural. That means that it is not as fashionable. Helsinki, according to most Finns I have spoken with, is the place to shop. The 80's are still making a comeback with slouchy boots and tights with long sweaters. Mens shoes are pretty incredible out here...I wish I were a man just for this!! I think the real difference between North American style and Finnish style is the way people accessorize. Women always have a scarf of some sort, earrings, sunglasses, etc.

What else?? There is some interesting furniture out here but sadly it would cost too much to ship. I am hoping to buy a few things for our house such as wall hangings and glassware.

Okay, that is my cultural update for now. Must go meet my supervisor.

Much love!!
M