 “Ever come across mämmi?” The traditional Finnish-foreigner question is particularly pertinent at Easter. A dish with a very ‘special’ appearance, Finns not only consume the stuff but use it for fun – to test foreigners, for example. Nearly every innocent exchange student is made to try it, followed by an article or two in Kaleva chronicling their reactions.
I first asked the question –“great Finnish uplands, what is this” – of myself as an exchange student seven years ago. The sudden Easter loads of yellow paper boxes with little chicks depicted on them in the coolers of the nearby supermarket perplexed me, and the packages looked like they were made of birch bark. Through a small window: a brownish, unidentifiable mush I was unable to identify, not speaking Finnish at the time.
Other exchange students had noticed the strangeness also. "Is it chocolate? Something for feeding those little chicks?" An American, Jenny, a Belgian, Grit, and myself – the German – decided to try it,opening the package after sauna that evening. Jenny was the first to taste the dark brown, sticky contents. Her expression wasn’t enthusiastic. Then I tried: it was like sweet bread with malt in it. Not really a dessert, though.
Later, I learned that mämmi is actually meant for humans – and that it is quite tasty when eating it the right way: you put vanilla sauce on it, or milk or cream. The ‘truth’ behind mämmi Mämmi consists of rye, malt, water and sugar mixed and baked in the oven for about three hours at a mild heat, 150 degrees Celsius, which gives it its colour and taste. Best when two to three days old, it is stored in the fridge and eaten cold. Mämmi appeared in southwest Finland by the 12th century and was first mentioned in 17th century literature as a special regional dish, connected with Lent when it was forbidden to eat eggs, milk or meat. Since mämmi stays well for days when being kept in the cold and it is quite nourishing, it became a traditional dish for Good Friday, eaten untreated or on rye bread. And, because of a slight laxative effect, it may help to clean the body. Nowadays mämmi is eaten during other times of the year. Most people do not make it themselves but buy it ready made in supermarkets. Each year, about two million kilos of mämmi are sold. There is some export to Sweden; otherwise, consumption of mämmi outside Finland is minimal. Finnish Mämmi Association The Mämmi Association of Finland promotes its namesake not only in Finland but around the world. Even more interesting is that the founder is not a “perussuomalainen” but a Tuneasian-born who has lived in Finland for about 30 years now. He has collected all kinds of recipes around mämmi, proving you can do much more things with Easter pudding than just put milk onto it: mämmi cookies, mämmi bread, mämmi truffles and even mämmi marmalade! There: now you see where integration can get you. Links
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