Let's Talk About Finland

This tastes nothing like I remember, I thought as I sipped a Hartwell Long Drink and gazed out to the mirror-like river reflecting the sun hovering high in the sky.

It’s 10pm and I’m floating under the midnight sun in Finnish Lapland, familiarizing myself with the local mixed drink of choice—a Spritely-esque blend of gin and grapefruit soda that the captain tells me his friends like to spike with… more gin. The canned beverage was originally concocted for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics as it offered a quick pour for the influx of crowds (the bartenders were indebted) and a taste of Finland with the use of premium local gin (tourists felt cultured).

Up until this point, I’d only tasted the Americanized Long Drink popularized by Miles Teller, Ricky Fowler and Kygo. I’m not sure if it’s like my Chianti in Tuscany theory of it tastes better at its origin or the trio’s version is a lesser version but… that’s a different story.

I’m on a hybrid boat—part sundeck, part floating sauna and alas there’s no extra gin. Yet, the boozy, citrusy RTD is more than I expected for a night of apparent wellness. At that moment: My host runs out, skin blushing and sweat dripping to grab another can of bubbly gin before darting back into the wood-burning sauna.

It’s all very improbable but I try not to think too hard about it (Wood burning on a wooden boat? Drinking alcohol while detox sweating? Should I have another?). So, I succumb to the peace of bobbing along a river with new friends and the banter the small sauna fuels.

While Hartwell’s OriGINal Long Drink was one of my favorite sips, along with a rhubarb syrup-based Spritz at Roka Bistro, I really want to share a few of the best bites I grazed in Finnish Lapland as many of them surprised me (in the best way!).

I visited Finland in June, so it was the height of berry season and a treat to taste lingonberries fresh as well as preserved (how they’re served in winter for an acidic pop with rich, comfort foods).

On my first night, I met lingonberries as an ice cream during dessert. The next day, tart, tangy lingonberry juice greeted me at breakfast and crushed lingonberries accompanied sautéed reindeer at lunch. Come evening, lingonberry liqueur replaced vermouth in my negroni. I was obsessed! I didn’t mind the repetition of eating, much less seeing, this ruby superfruit at every meal because it always added a unique layer of flavor, not to mention a burst of Vitamin C and antioxidants.

Out of all the weird things I eat and come to try on my travels, I’m a tad embarrassed to admit that I’m not a fan of anchovies (or sardines). So when a whole fish resembling the aforementioned’s silvery sheen arrived on a smorgasbord, I avoided it for a few minutes as I picked my way around the salted salmon mousse, pickled fennel and toasted Archipelago (sweet rye) bread. When it came time to finally give the mini fish a try, I was pleasantly surprised by the milder taste (I’m later told because it’s a freshwater species) and tender texture from the smoked preparation. I actually ate the whole fish and later came to learn of its high protein content for its size—do I have to force myself to like sardines now?

Given the stateside stigma of certain foreign foods, I feel like I need to preface this meal with an important disclaimer. In Lapland, every reindeer is privately owned; the respect between herder and reindeer is almost spiritual so that when slaughter season dawns, one herder described it to me as “the worst time of the year.” However, reindeer herders and cooperatives face maximum capacity pastures, which deems “the worst” part of the circle of life here.

The respect for the animal doesn’t end when its slaughtered, though, as every part of the reindeer is used, including every edible part for food, from heart to tongue, bones for broth, antlers for traditional handicrafts and hides for thermal clothing or home insulation.

Poronkäristys, or sautéed reindeer is a popular comfort dish—frozen reindeer that’s sliced thin before it can thaw, then slow cooked for five hours and served with mashed potatoes, pickles and unsweetened lingonberry jam. It tastes like a hearty Sunday sauce that warmed me from the soul; I’ve tried reindeer in other forms and find it can be quite game-y but this low-and-slow method settles those rich flavors.

King crabs of up to 20 pounds are native to the icy waters of the northern Lapland coast (about 300 miles of Finnish Lapland’s capital, Rovaniemi). I never expected so much crab on this trip, from poached canapés with jalapeño emulsion and roe to a meaty chunks in a citrusy-cream entrée with peas and arctic char.

Crusted like a pie, crumbly like a muffin, spongy like a cake, this local sweet treat screamed at me every morning at breakfast but I couldn’t bring myself to indulge in a slice that resembled a cheesecake. One afternoon, it was served as dessert and my predictions were right; this ooey, gooey, awfully delicious pastry wasn’t really a tart after all, but rather crack on a plate. Finns take their coffee seriously, and Mustikkapiirakka is one of the famed confections served with it; I probably shouldn’t look up a recipe for this…

This handheld iron is like a hair straightener for your clothes—doubling as a steamer and presser.

I don’t always bring it with me due to the size and my preference for carry-on luggage only (it is lightweight, though!) but it is the most effective wrinkle-release tool I’ve used for stubborn creases. So either make room for it or pack a checked bag.

Kill switches at hotels? I’m into it.

Travel to Tuscany for gin? It’s a must at this famed resort.

Is farm-to-table coming for your drinks? You bet.

XO,