Jouluruokia / Finnish Christmas food
Tämä viesti on osa vuoden 2008 adventtikalenteria.
This post is part of the 2008 advent calendar.
- Annan nimipäivä. Ennen vuotta 1708 sitä on vietetty 15.12
- Perinteiden mukaisesti Annan päivänä on aloitettu suurimmat jouluvalmistelut kuten suursiivous, leipomimen, jouluoluen pano sekä lipeäkalan valmistus. Tästä on irronnut muutamia sanontojakin: “Annana oluet pannaan, juhlana joukolla juodaan” ja “Anna leipoo lassuttaa“. (Hauhon Murreyhdistys)
- Tänään (Wikipedia)
Lipeäkala
Kuivattuja turskia pidettiin ensin pari päivää vedessä ja sitten lipeässä niin kauan että pehmenivät. Sen jälkeen ne pantiin taas veteen ja muutettiin joka päivä vettä, että lipeän maku hävisi. Lipeäkala keitettiin vedessä, syötiin pippurin,suolan ja soosin kanssa. Soosi tehtiin maidosta ja vehnäjauhosta. Perunoita ei ennen syöty lipeäkalan kanssa eikä syödä vieläkään. (Hauhon murreyhdistys)
Joululeivät
Ennen joululeivät leivottiin Annan päivän (9.12.) yönä. Yhteen leipään oli tapana panna koristeeksi joulusilmät tai ihmisen kasvojen muoto ja se syötiin joulupäivän aamuna. Vanhan uskomuksen mukaan joululeipä oli siunattua. Ensimmäiset jauhot varattiin jo syyskesällä jouluna leivottavaa touko- eli kylvöleipää varten. Tätä toukoleipää ei jouluna syöty, mutta se asetettiin pöytään kunniapaikalle. Joulupöydästä se siirrettiin jyvälaariin odottamaan kevätkylvöjen alkamista, jolloin se syötiin. Näin siirtyi leivän siunaus tulevan sadon onneksi. Nykyinen joululeipä on imelletty, siirapilla tummaksi sivelty limppu. (Santaclausplaza.fi)
- Anna’s Day. Recognizes everyone named Anna, and traditionally marks the day to start the preparation process of the lutefisk (stockfish) to be consumed on Christmas Eve. (WP). Traditionally also other preparation for Christmas begins: Cleaning the house, baking the Christmas bread and so on.
- I like stockfish :)
- Today (WP)
Stockfish (lutefisk, lipeäkala)
Lutefisk is made from air-dried or salted/dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling is also used), prepared with lye, in a sequence of particular treatments. The watering steps of these treatments differ slightly for salted/dried whitefish because of its high salt content. The first treatment is to soak the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish will swell during this soaking, attaining an even larger size than in its original (undried) state, while its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent, producing its famous jelly-like consistency. When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) has a pH value of 11–12, and is therefore caustic. To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked. (Wikipedia)
“Lutefisk is not food, it is a weapon of mass destruction. It is currently the only exception for the man who ate everything. Otherwise, I am fairly liberal, I gladly eat worms and insects, but I draw the line on lutefisk.
Of all food, lutefisk is the only one that I don’t take any stand on. I simply cannot decide whether it is nice or disgusting, if the taste is interesting or commonplace. The only thing I know, is that I like bacon, mustard and lefse. Lutefisk is an example of food that almost doesn’t taste anything, but is so full of emotions that the taste buds get knocked out.”
Jeffrey Steingarten, author of The Man Who Ate Everything, from Wikipedia
Stockfish was a common Christmas delicacy, when custom required fasting before Christmas. During the depression and the war years, it was a frequently seen main course that replaced the ham. Although times and habits change, a lot of people could not dispense with stockfish at Christmas; nowadays it’s even easy to prepare – it just requires purchasing and cooking. (Santaclausplaza.fi)
Well dang, how many Anna’s are there? Is there a day for Marie’s and Risto’s too? Why does Anna get a whole day for herself? I wish there was a Brittany Day; that would be awesome!
Hi Brittany! There are 111872 Anna’s in Finland at the moment and yes, there is a day for Maria (357396, the date is 2nd of July) and Risto (30622, 15th of March) as well :) Yes, we have a ‘Name day’ for all usual Finnish names, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Name_day#Finland for more information.
But sorry, no Brittany day here although there are 6 of you registered in Finland :) Check http://192.49.222.187/Nimipalvelu/default.asp?L=1 (use the upper text box to search a name)