Unique Characteristics of Finnish Dishes

Finnish cuisine is known for its liberal use of wholemeal products such as rye, barley, or oats. Milk and its derivatives are also used as food, drink, or ingredient in traditional recipes. Because of the presence of numerous pastures and lakes, meat and fish are often prominent ingredients in many Finnish dishes, especially in the western part of the country. On the other hand, recipes from Eastern Finland often include lots of vegetables and mushrooms.

Meals, which are eaten three times a day, are usually single courses consisting of meat and starch products such as potatoes and grains. Soups are taken as lunch or dinner, not just appetisers, because they are usually served in larger portions. When you are visiting Finland, you may find the meals a bit on the heavy side. Thus, you may want to spread a bit of homemade lingonberry or cloudberry jam on your food. In addition, you can finish your meal with blueberry soup or blueberry pie, the traditional desserts of Finland. You can also try out their cakes that are topped with wild strawberry.