Food?...why not

So I think its time I write about the thing that almost everyone enquires about when they find out someone they know is moving abroad. Questions such as "what food do they eat there?" "Do they have a certain type of food?" "Wont you miss our food?" are often asked so I'll try answer what I can now.

Lets start with Staples. Coming from South Africa our staple food is "pap" (made from maize meal), the Chinese have rice, Italians have Pasta, and guess what the Finns have... Potatoes. One would think that in a country like Finland with such climate vegetation wouldnt thrive (except for the berries here of course). However even though the weather is icy during winter and wet in the summer food actually does grow here. So me being a potato fanatic seems I landed in the right country. I mean who doesnt like potatoes  like a popular meme says "potatoes are the back bone  of food the real MVP". Well here in Finland potatoes are the backbone of food. Finnish cuisine is never ready without an addition of that plant we sometimes dont know to call a vegetable or Starch.

Finnish people have different food they eat at different occasions. For example during Christmas time Rice porridge is the order of the Day. It is made from Rice however the Rice is similar to Rice crispy treats, its eaten with cinnamon and sometimes milk. For Easter they have Mämmi, which in simple terms is rye porridge. Finnish people do however not like it enough because they douse it in everything they can find like vanilla cream, honey, milk and sugar. Well I really happened to like Mämmi as I just ate it with Vanilla Cream. Not sure if I would eat it again or if I was just feeling Super adventurous that day. And for Vappu Päivä ( Workers day/ Labour Day) on the 1st of May the traditional food is munkki. Which basically is a fried donut sprinkled with sugar and a drink called Siima (I have no idea of explaining that). And also not forgetting that a Finnish party would be incomplete without some salmon.

The normal Finnish food would be Karjalan Piirakka. A type of pie originating from the Karjala area which now belongs on the Russian Side of the border (Surprise Surprise😐) it is Rice stuffed in rye bread dough (Finnish people have a strong like for rye as Rye bread is always present in a Finns house) baked then eaten with egg butter or cheese or whatever you feel like. Pulla whoch is a go to choice to have with coffee when you have guests over(not forgetting that Finland has the highest amount of coffee consumption in the world) is a type of bun baked and sometimes eaten with Cream and Jam. Liquorice is a great Finnish favourite but they take it a step further by eating salmiakki, which is salty liquorice. Salmiakki isnt for everyone and is not for the faint hearted. It is however an acquired taste, because Finns have salmiakki flavoured chips, chocolate, soda and even vodka ( again Surprise Surprise😐). And a great Finnish favourite is sausage or as South Africans would call it 'Russian', this is often eaten as a Snack or even a meal with just a salad on the Side. Musta Makkara is a Black blood sausage coming from the Tampere area. I havent had the privillege of eating Musta makkara but it sure  is on my list for soon to eat treats.

And as we South Africans have the Kota, Italians have the pizza, and America has chilli dogs Finland has Kebab. Which in a nice sense is a Giant schwarma. Like honestly that thing is really long approximately 20 cm or above. That is made out of special lamb meat. Not sure what to call it. And as the Kota the price depends on whats in it. Its a great taste and sure can give you the itis immediately.

Hopefully some Questions have been answered now.

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