The herring fishers are in town

It is the time of the year again where Vanha Satama at Kauppatori turns into a floating market. At the Silakka Markinat small and big boats from Åland come to Helsinki to sell their fresh fish, delicious Saaristoleipä bread and much much more. It is a century old tradition that started in the 1700s.

With the beginning of October the boats come to the Finnish capital and stay for a week. And it's worth to drop by. Step onto one of the big sailing ships for a warm salmon soup or get a little fish snack from one of the many small merchant boats and enjoy the fresh sea breeze.

The market is still on until Saturday. And the weather looks quite promising as well. So go and check it out!

Herring and more from Åland

The boats from Åland are in Helsinki again. As every October farmers and fishermen from the Archipelago between Finland and Sweden come to Helsinki to sell their fresh products straight from the boat. The so called Silakkamarkkinat (Herring Market) is held already for the 272nd time this year and is the oldest traditional event in Helsinki.

And despite the name you can get much more than just herring here. Also other delicacies from
Åland like pickled fish, handicraft from the island and of course the traditional archipelago bread can be found here.

The market is still on until Saturday. Don't miss it!

Herrings at the bridge

The herrings are back at the coast of Helsinki. They come here to mate each year around this time. And this is also the perfect opportunity to catch some of those small delicious fish yourself.

And it's fairly easy. Just get a fishing rod or even just some fishing line, attach a few hooks and throw them into the water. Yes, you don't even need any bait. If you move the rod a little bit you will have your first catch in no time.

One of the best places to go in Helsinki is the bridge between Lauttasaari and Salmisaari. For fishing here in the open sea you don't need a license.

Good luck!

Brunch at the sea

What about a nice big brunch this Sunday? And should it maybe be something a bit more traditional this time? Then try Mestaritalli.

They have a big Saaristo brunch with lots of nice salads, fish, dark bread, warm dishes like Vorschmack, bacon and sausages. And at this time of the year also blinis are included that can be topped with sour cream, pickled cucumber, fish roe and more. And also leave some space for the delicious cakes, fruits and cookies from the desert table.

Mestaritalli also have a really nice location at the sea shore at Seurasaarenselkä. Brunch is served Sundays from 12 till 16.00. To be save call in advance and make a reservation.

Enjoy the weekend!

The herrings are back

It’s time for fishing again. Every year in May the herrings come to the shore for a few weeks to mate. At this time it’s fairly easy to catch some yourself with just a fishing rod and a few hooks. You can find a more detailed explanation in this post.

Good fishing and tight lines!

Fresh from the boat

Todays weather is beautiful and ideal for a walk through the center. And what about getting some fresh fish for dinner tonight since you are there already?

Sounds like a good idea? Then walk down Esplanadi to Kauppatori and visit the Silakkamarkkinat (Herring Market). Boats from the Archipelago area once per year visit Helsinki with their boats. They bring wool clothing, the famous black Archipelago bread and of course tons of fish. The products are sold straight from the boats.

It is the oldest traditional event in Helsinki and dates back to 1743. The market is open daily from 7.00 till 19.00 and will be in Helsinki till the 13^th. Don’t miss it!

the Finnish Fish and Chips

Some of you might have tried it already last weekend at Juhannus dinners. Silli and potatoes are one of the most traditional Finnish dishes. 

Silli is nothing else then pickled herring. But here you get it in thousands of different versions. To get an idea go to one of the big supermarkets and head for the fish shelf. Of course you can also catch your own fish and pickle it yourself. But you still should make use of the big variety stores in Finland offer.

With the silli you serve boiled potatoes. And that’s already it. You can of course widen your meal with some smoked salmon, mätitahna (caviar cream – more on that some other time), tzatziki and butter.

It sounds quite basic but believe me, it’s great food for a warm summer day when you don’t want to spend too much time with cooking and just want to have a light dish.

Try it!

By the way, silli with potatoes is also a traditional Christmas dish in Finland.

Small delicious fish snack

One of the many Finnish delicacies are the small muikku fish. When you see them for the first time you might be a bit surprised. Since those fish are so small they are prepared and also eaten in one piece – head, bones and skin included. Normally they are deep-fried and can be bought as a snack with some sauce on markets or food stands. But you will also find them in restaurants e.g. in combination with lingonberry and mashed potatoes. Even though they might not look like it those small fish are a real treat. Be brave enough and try them! You won’t regret it!

 

Unfortunately they are quite expensive. At Kauppatori you won’t find a portion for less than 7 Euros. Should you be interested in cooking your own muikku dish you can find them already prepared and ready to just be warmed up at Stockmann’s food department.

Enjoy!