Finland is a treasure land for wild food enthusiasts

Finnish food is not exactly world-famous, so what can you expect when you visit?

Finland’s cuisine makes the most of the country’s strongest assets: the countless lakes with crystal-clear water full of fish, more than 1,000 km of coastline, abundant forests covering almost three quarters of the country, and hardy grains such a rye and barley.

The best of Finnish fish and seafood includes:

• Creamy salmon soup with potatoes and sometimes also carrots: the perfect thing to warm the soul on a chilly afternoon
• Herrings with dill and new potatoes: springtime on a plate
• Kalakukko: a traditional food from the Savo region of whitebait baked in rye bread
• Crayfish: typically enjoyed in the late summer with friends and schnapps

Typical meaty foods include:

• Sautéed reindeer, lingonberries and mashed potato: a Lapland classic
• Karelian stew: a hearty winter dish of stewed beef and pork
• Sausages: best cooked over a campfire or on a barbecue, and enjoyed after a sauna
• Meatballs made from pork and beef

Restaurants in Finland operate to a high standard, and establishments focusing on Finnish cuisine offer various interesting twists on traditional recipes. Finnish restaurants often pride themselves on their fresh, clean and locally-sourced ingredients and recipes passed down through the generations.

The bravest visitors may like to try some traditional Finnish salmiakki, a type of salty liquorice with a very strong flavour. It’s something of an acquired taste, but once you develop a taste for it, you will never go back. For something less intense but equally delicious, pick up a bar of Fazer chocolate – actually, make that two, because you won’t want to give your last bar away.