What I learned from eating in Finland

Food and eating habits in Finland are quite different from what I used to have in Brazil. I don't miss Brazilian food (except for picanha and pão de queijo - and my grandmother's feijoada), but my dietary habits changed a lot since I moved here. Food is my passion, so I could go on this subject for a long time, but I also love lists, so here are 10 things I learned from food in Finland.

1 Fish & Potatoes: it's all about simplicity 

I must admit that I thought I would be eating way more salmon after I moved to Finland. I do eat at least once a week, but it's not much cheaper than it is in Brazil. Prices increased in recent years when emerging countries started to consume more salmon. However, fish and potatoes is still an iconic meal for Finnish families. It's so simple and delicious.

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2 Forest delicacies 

Mushrooms and berries. That's it. I wish we had those in Brazil. I love tropical fruits, but there's something about those red/blue/purple berries that are so appealing to me. These edible gemstones taste so good. The perfect balance of sour and sweet. Picking berries in the forest was a magical experience for me. I also fell in love with fresh mushrooms here. They would make me consider becoming vegetarian. Maybe not that extreme, but I can easily have some meat free days if I have mushrooms. They are very nutritious and can be used in numerous dishes. Just love them!

3 The pleasure of comfort food 

Finland is a very cold country. Temperature is low most part of the year and during the colder months people spend most of their time indoors. That's the perfect scenario for comfort food. Finnish cuisine is full of comfort foods that make the dark cold days more enjoyable. Mulled wine, teas and different kinds of pastries and soups. It’s my favorite part of the (long) Finnish winter.

4 Early dinner 

Normal dinner time here is no later than 6pm. I’m used to that now and I’m always hungry when I get home after work. But in Brazil I was used to eat 8pm, sometimes 9pm. Not an issue for me, but I have Mexican friend that had a hard time to adapt to the 11.30am lunch break. That was almost breakfast for him.

5 Salty porridge 

That was a shock. First time my boyfriend made an oatmeal porridge for breakfast. I already knew that Finns are not fond of very sweet flavors, so I didn’t expect an overly sweet porridge, as we use to make in Brazil. But a salted one? That was too much for me.

6 Ugly dessert 

This title goes for mämmi, the typical Finnish Easter dessert. It’s a black pudding made of rye flour with a strong taste. In spite of my initial suspicion, I ended up liking it. But I still think it’s one of the ugliest desserts I’ve ever seen. 

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(Actually, it looks like brigadeiro)

7 Water with every meal 

In Brazil I was used to have fresh juice with every meal. I loved that and it was very hard to get used to drink only water with every meals. I miss the juices and sometimes the soft drinks that we use to drink on the weekends, but it’s a good change in my eating habits, so I try to focus on the good side.

8 The price you pay 

Food in Finland is expensive. With my average income, it’s impossible to eat out every week as I used to do back home. Even the average places are not cheap. And if you prefer to cook at home, you still pay a lot for most items, especially meats and imported vegetables.

9 Best chocolate in the world 

Obviously I haven’t tried every chocolate available, but I can say that Finnish chocolate is my favorite so far. Everyone should have a chance to try Fazer famous blue chocolate. It’s heavenly! Milky, soft, sweet, creamy… Words cannot describe it. 

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10 Standard 
One thing that bothered me in Brazil is that there is no consistency. It’s almost impossible to find the same pão de queijo (or any other product) in different stores or even in the same store. You never know what you’re going to get. Here in Finland is the opposite. If you order a cinnamon bun, they are the same everywhere. Of course, native Finns can tell the difference easily, and even find the “best in town” of everything. But for me, they look and taste all the same. As if they all came from the same factory, even if they were handmade in some small local coffee shop. That was my dream come true. Nowadays it bothers me. I miss the singularity. There should be something in the middle. Not the chaos from Brazil, where it feels like they use a different recipe every time. Not the rigid Finnish standardization. 

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(Try to find one korvapuusti that doesn't look like this)