- Karjalanpiirakka –
These are pastries that originated in the eastern province of Karelia which is the mythical birthplace of Kalevala, the 19th-century poem that is now a significant part of the Finnish national identity. These Karelian pies are a perfect fit in your palm and melt in your mouth with a burst of flavors. Traditionally, the crust was made using rye flour which is then filled with potatoes, carrots or rice. They are also delicious to pair with an egg butter spread.
- Kalakukko –
This dish is similar to the karjalanpiirakka, but a whole lot bigger in size than the latter and is also made with fish. These are mostly filled in with muikku which is a small herring-like fish that is found in the Lake District of East Finland.
- Grillimakkara –
This dish is made up of fat and juicy sausages that are grilled and paired along with some mustard and a beer. This is an all-time Finnish favorite and an almost a daily special. Most kids around the region grow up eating this as a snack usually during the summers and sometimes also in winters around a campfire.
- Uisleipa –
This is a rye bread that is made from sourdough and is a Finnish staple diet. There are many variations, but the most popular of the lot is the reikäleipa, meaning the bread with a hole. The name was derived from the practice of people hanging their bread on poles from the rafters. The bread is dense, flat and extremely heavy. This is a dish that is consumed at breakfast along with cheese, butter, cheese, and other spreads, with soups at lunch or sometimes even as an evening snack.
- Korvapuusti–
Korvapuustis is positively one of the best cinnamon buns across the globe. These buns are usually eaten with a cup of coffee and are extraordinarily tempting and hooking on once you bite into one.
- Poronkaristys–
This dish is a major reindeer meat delicacy famously founded in Finland’s northern province of Lapland. Reindeer meat is proven as one of the healthiest foods one can consume as it is incredibly high in B-12, omega-3, lean and omega-6. This dish is mostly served with mashed potatoes and is a favorite in every season.
- Eipajuusto –
The English call this the “Finnish Squeaky Cheese” or “cheese bread.” This is a mild cheese that is most often made from cow’s milk and sometimes even using reindeer or goat’s milk. To begin with, the milk is curdled and then baked or fried into a pie tin. Following this, the pie is cut into wedges and served with cloudberry jam. These items are easily found in a majority of the local stores across Finland, but the best way to try it is at a Finnish household.