America meets Finland

This past weekend, I met up with Tiina, my Finnish friend!  After a relaxing visit to a local café and a nice walk around Joensuu, we decided to head over to the city market.  This is the first time I have been grocery shopping with a Finn since the night I arrived in Finland!  As you might suspect, the efficiency of shopping greatly increases when at least one shopper knows the language and is familiar with the products. J

Now, let me clarify that this was not just any visit to the grocery store.  We had a well-defined plan going into the store.  First, we had the important mission of determining whether or not peanut butter exists in Finland.  For those of you who aren't aware, peanut butter is a very American concept (and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a laughable matter in Europe).  Second, we needed to get viili.  I have been in Finland for four weeks now, and have not yet tried this infamous Finnish yogurt.  Tiina was curious to see my reaction to it. J  Third, for another cultural experience, we had to get some Panda licorice and Fazer salmiakki. Panda and Fazer are two big Finnish brands, and licorice and salmiakki are very common Finnish treats.  

Long story short, our trip was a success.  After checking both the honey and jam section of the store, we came across two brands of peanut butter (neither of which was Skippy).  The viili came in all sorts of flavors in the diary section—we picked mansikka banaani (strawberry banana).  And, the Finnish treats were readily available in the candy aisle.

Peanut butter meets viili.  America meets Suomi.

Tiina shows the "American" peanut butter, while I
hold the Finnish viili.  (American is in quotes because
the peanut butter is actually made in Finland, but the
concept of peanut butter is very American. J)

Having acquired all the items, it was now time for some taste tests.  I started with the viili.  While it is very similar to the yogurt you find in the States, subtle differences give it a whole new personality.  If you are at all familiar with oobleck, the consistency of viili resembles it.  As you scoop the viili with your spoon, it goo's over the edges forming long strings which are difficult to tame.  The description Wikipedia gives is fairly accurate: "[villi] has a ropy, gelatinous consistency [...with] a velvet-like surface."  While this description may not sound appealing, I still encourage you to try it when you come to Finland.  It's a delicious treat.

Wikipedia describes viili as having a "ropy, gelatinous
consistency."  Here you can see the "ropiness."

After enjoying the viili, Tiina encouraged me to try the Finnish licorice and salmiakki (salty licorice).  The licorice—pretty tasty.  The salmiakki—well, let's just say it may take a few more tries before I am able to tolerate its unique deliciousness.  Later that evening when we were walking home, a police car drove by.  Tiina informed me that they are tracking down all foreigners who dislike salmiakki.  Oh dear.

The Salmiakki Police

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon.  The weather was gorgeous.  The colors were abounding.  Culture was exchanged.  And laughs were shared.

P.S. With the bread and jelly back at home, it was difficult to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Tiina to try.  So, you will need to stay tuned for the peanut butter and jelly report.