Discovering Finnish Food: my favorites, my plans, and my surprises

Vol,28, Issue 03, 26 September 2025 

What I Have Tried:

Since I arrived in Finland, I have tasted many new foods. My biggest favorite is the cinnamon roll (korvapuusti). You can find them everywhere: in bakeries, they are soft and sweet, and in supermarkets, they are cheaper but still very good. I love them so much, I wish I could eat one every day! I also tried reindeer stew (poronkäristys). It is a traditional dish from the north, with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. It is warm and perfect for cold days.

At the university cafeteria, I discovered Finnish rye bread. Although I had tried rye bread in France, here its flavor is much deeper and richer. This discovery quickly turned it into a staple of my daily lunches. The famous salmiakki — a salty licorice candy — was another memorable tasting experience. Because licorice isn’t really my thing, the flavor felt a bit too strong, but it was still worth trying.

What I Want to Try:

There are still many things I want to taste! For example, I have not tried karjalanpiirakka yet. It is a small rye pie with rice, and I want to eat it before I go home. I also want to try leipäjuusto (Finnish squeaky cheese), usually served warm with cloudberry jam. It looks very special! I am curious about mämmi, a dark dessert made for Easter. It looks strange, but I want to try it at least once. I would also like to taste more local fish, like smoked salmon, Baltic herring, and maybe even muikku (small fried fish). Finally, I want to try mustikkapiirakka (blueberry pie), because I heard Finnish berries are amazing.

What Surprised Me:

Many things about Finnish food surprised me. There is almost always a salad buffet in restaurants and at the cafeteria, which is great for eating healthy. Rye bread is everywhere, but there is no white bread or baguette like in France. I was surprised that people drink so much coffee, even more than in France! Finally, I noticed that food waste is taken seriously here, and there are many options to buy food close to the expiration date for a lower price.

Every meal here is a new adventure, and I love discovering all these differences!