Helsinki

The Finnish fashion for foodtrucks

Helsinki, Restaurants + Cafes

My most magical food truck experience happened in Los Angeles c. Spring 2003. Two friends and I were spoiled by all-you-can-eat fresh, Californian college food plans that appeared magically as part of our exorbitant tuition. We barely remembered how to feed ourselves, cook, or use cash to buy food. It was only because of impending war that we were in town out of term time to protest the impending war. It was rainy and cold– at least from our perspective. We were hungry and broke, and in the middle of nowhere LA in the wake of the protest march. A taco truck appeared out of the mist. I remember it zooming to a halt right in front of us, like a knight on a rearing white stead come to save us. We had to be able to speak Spanish to get our fish tacos, which were delicious and cheap.

Fast forward to Helsinki c. 2014. Suddenly, street food and food trucks have become a must-have for aspiring hipster cities. I can’t help but feel this is a bit derivative of and yet a strangely establishment version of, i.e., the PDX food truck trend, missing the shoestring origins of ye olde moveable restaurant enterprise. . . you know what I mean?

Maybe this is just another artisanal toast phenomenon.

Anyway, I went to the event, fought through crowds to meet my friend, was groped by a late middle aged/old well-dressed Finnish man in the midst of the crush, which was worse than New Year’s Eve at Senate Square, waited in line a looooong time for a beef sandwich from the Street Gastro food truck… which WAS GREAT. At 5 EUR, also a wonderful price. But… Come on! Oh well.

That being said, I am a big fan of Ravintola Päivää.

Best of Ravintola Päivää February 2014

A transcendent lamb “Vorshmack Burger” with fish roe from Tehtaankadun Marsalkka during February 2014 Restaurant Day. This was amazing. And unique. This beauty was lowered down by rope to the street level. I had to go back to get my man a second one– they were that good. The talented kids behind it are definitely ones to watch.

Steel-cut oats in Helsinki

Helsinki, Home Eats, Organic + Local, Vegan, Where to find...?
Organic, Finnish oats from S-Market

Organic, Finnish oats from S-Market

These are what I have been using in our morning porridge lately. It is the closest I have found to steal-cut oats in Helsinki.

My father has favored steel-cut oats for many years, but they have become increasingly lauded by celebrities and doctors alike. I am sure you’ve heard about this, but if you need convincing:

+ By Dr. Robert Lustig, a prominent anti-sugar campaigner and Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health Program at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. Interviewed here by the fabulous Leonard Lopate of the radio station WNYC in New York:

http://www.wnyc.org/story/cut-sugar-and-processed-food-and-cut-obesity-and-disease/

+ By Bobby Brown, no less, the beauty magnate, from her book On Beauty: “ I love slow-cooked Irish Oatmeal (you can make it the night before and reheat it the following morning). I load up on calcium with plain Greek yogurt flavored with cinnamon and slivers of roasted almonds.”

And many others. The trend does not seem to have infiltrated Helsinki yet. I don’t quite believe that the health benefits can be so dramatic as to make consumption of rolled oats out of the question. Personally, my strong preference is due to the better texture. The flavor seems richer, the oats are more toothsome and chewy. And–really–not that much trouble.

In Helsinki, I have so far found one relatively affordable source. The oats pictured above, local and organic to boot, are available at the Bulevardi S-Market, which as a surprising number of treasures.

Organic Finnish Oats

Organic Finnish Oats