Happy Seagulls

Finnish food is mostly to my liking since it's much like German food with more dairy, lots of fresh berries, rye bread and rudolph thrown in for cultural variety. However, the chopped egg or roe mixed with butter still make my lips curl when I watch people slather it onto stuff and eat it. I make an effort to try everything at least once but fish roe will never be on my shopping list. One thing very close to the Finnish palate is herring. I must admit that I wasn't very keen on the idea of trying this particular national dish but Jarkko got so excited at the Herring Festival being in town that I figured I'd go along. It has quite a long history [pdf] and is in its 261st year of offering herring to the locals. The herring is actually quite good once you stop thinking about it being herring although the texture takes a little getting used to. The mustard and the dill varieties are particularly good. There is also blood bread and lots of products containing tyrni, the Finnish buckthorn berry.

So the herring and I will have to take our relationship slowly and, perhaps, in a few years we'll be good friends. Until then, the seagulls sure are happy about the herring market :) Well, and Jarkko with a glimmer in his eye and a smile on his face as he considers making one more trip to the harbour for more herring before the festival is over.

10 Oct 2003 at 0:01, Helsinki