Last week i was in Finland, to attend the final meeting of a project that the uni was involved in. I went as the project person from Iceland is pregnant and not able to travel. The project involves food, outdoor recreational food to be exact. Like many such European projects it sometimes goes a little of the track, but for those involved - it comes as a bonus, not only did we eat food that you enjoy on recreational activities outdoors, we also enjoyed a myriad of foods that one can enjoy in the great indoors, indoors in some rather nice restaurants. The location of the final meeting was Kajaani in the mid north of Finland. I unfortunately did not see to much of the place, one - it was raining, two- when we did have a break - I really needed to sleep off the last meal.
The above is my little exhibition from Iceland, a bit naff, but hey I had no idea what I was doing there in the first place. The meeting was held in a vocational college and students from Finland and Scotland were there doing a "cook off". What I liked about it was that they mixed the teams, two from Scotland and two from Finland in each team, which meant that there was a good flow of ideas between the two, regarding ingredients and cooking methods and other things. I think that the students had a really good time.
Here are the Finns (in black) and the Scots looking at some of the results, as a total amateur I found it all extremely good.
I was told that the above soup had split - I didn´t notice - it was yum nevertheless - a cream of mushroom variant.
The above is reindeer - totally melt in the mouth, on garlic potatoe mash and red wine sauce - so yum.. (I need to find another adjective). Here the Scots advised the Finns not to over cook the meat and I think that they were extremely surprised as to how good it was.
this is taken during another meal - we had at least 6 three course meals over the three days - it was not a diet tour. this was a pancake wrapping berry cream and now my mouth is watering again.
This was at the hotel we stayed for the last two nights. Rather extreme - a pool in the centre - restaurants above and surrounding it. ´twas rather lush. I bowled for the first time in twenty years... which was fun.
Lunch on the last day. Salmon cooked at the side of a roaring fire inside a Lapp hut. So amazing. We also did axe throwing, reindeer lassooing (however that is spelt). there was a smoke sauna there and also ofcourse a meeting room (after all we were there to hold meetings!)
This was the little pond and jakuzzi area that was next to the Lapp hut.. very nice.
All in all it was a really nice week, and although it seems like it was a bit of a junket I think that it was actually a good venue for the exchange of ideas and information. Sometimes you wonder whether all this european money is being put to good use, and I must admit that I am not convinced that this was really justifiable, however, being a recipient I feel that justification is sometimes in the intangibles, the networks and friendships that are formed. I made some good friends that hopefully will come to Iceland, and I will visit in Finland and Scotland, I also dropped a few euros in local shops so I did my bit for the local economy - got some great boots! Which ofcourse totally made the trip worth while!
OK so advent is not until next weekend... it came early here today, having done the obligatory clean I decided to use the excuse of darkness to brighten up the house.
