The finnish

Finland is a small country in northern Europe. The modern name of the state comes from the Swedish word Finland, which literally translates as "land of the Finns. "

The indigenous population of the Finnish land Finns or Finno-Ugric peoples call their homeland nothing more than Suomi, which means "scales. " Perhaps from the name it becomes much clear about the life of the northern people, for whom the fish became both food and material (scales), from which they sewed their own clothes.

Fish dishes of Finnish cuisine still make up 90% of the diet of the local population. Initially, the Finns ate only lake species of fish. Over time, fishermen improved both their skill and auxiliary fishing tools.

Now fishing vessels could go to sea and extract sea fish there - salmon, trout and herring. Sea herring is the most popular fish in all of Finland. A traditional and distinctive dish of Finnish Kalakeito ear cuisine.

Finns fry, cook, dry, marinate, add to salads, smoke and even simmer in milk. Much later, the famous barbarians of the Vikings and the first Swedish tribes of the Konunga traders, who ruled the Baltic region for a long time, landed on Finnish lands. It can be said that until the beginning of the 19th century, the culture of Finland was part of the universal Scandinavian tradition.

Some old Finnish recipes were borrowed from Swedes and Norwegians. The Russian Empire seized power over Finland in 1807 and until the February Revolution of 191

7. The Russian period was not in vain and the Finnish culinary tradition was replenished with some dishes from Russian cuisine. Finnish cuisine recipes were based on foods that the population could afford.

Mainly in the dishes of Finnish cuisine used fish and seafood, which were mined in the Baltic Sea. However, there was also a place for meat dishes. Usually northerners hunted deer or elk, whose meat was actively used in cooking.

What is noteworthy in modern times, the season of hunting elk and bears is annually opened in Finnish forests. To regulate the population, hunters are issued a special license to shoot the beast. It is worth noting that Sweden had a great influence on the meat recipes of Finnish cuisine, whose meatballs successfully migrated to Finnish cooking in the form of meatballs.

In Finland, there are enough forests in which people have long collected berries and mushrooms. Finnish cuisine is distinguished by the use of lingonberries or cranberries in sauces served to meat dishes. Finnish famous dish and delicacy cereal sausages, which are made from rice or pearl barley with the obligatory addition of watered lingonberries.

A special place in Finnish cuisine was occupied by bread and bakery products. Moreover, due to difficult weather conditions, the Finns began to cultivate not wheat, but barley, which was the main cereal for Finnish cuisine. Famous for the whole world are special Finnish fish pies Kalakukko. For Christmas, it is customary to bake a pie called "Fish Rooster, " cake dough is made from rye flour, and the filling is made from fish and lard.

Potatoes are considered the favorite side dish in Finnish cuisine, they are prepared with delicious mashed potatoes on fatty cream or simply boiled and served with herbs and butter. Often porridge is served on the side dish or as an independent second course in Finland. For example, Caalivelli or cabbage porridge with pearl barley, peas, carrots, rutabaga and milk.

Soups in Finnish cuisine traditionally refer to festive dishes. Usually Finns cook first courses at Christmas or on special occasions. All Scandinavians prefer a "cold table, " i. e. without the first hot dishes. In conclusion, I would like to name three features of Finnish cuisine that are inherent only in Finland. It is customary to combine fish and meat in Finnish dishes. Finnish chefs often mix several types of meat in one recipe, as well as prepare fish dishes with milk.