Newsgroup: it.politica
Titolo: Cribbio i finlandesi ancora mi odiano, li invitero' tutti alla mia osteria.

Best topic of the summer: Finnish food
COLUMN
By Erkki Pennanen
      The most refreshing topic of debate this summer has been, in my 
opinion, that of Finnish food and food culture. It is unlikely that such a 
debate would have occurred without external inspiration.
      In their uncouth national self-righteousness Silvio Berlusconi and 
Jaques Chirac did a great favour to us Finns. Their negative comments on 
Finnish food sparked an unusual, but nevertheless quite necessary and 
beneficial debate about our food culture.
The smug self-importance of Berlusconi and Chirac, and their dismissals of 
Finnish food culture, were naturally based on pure prejudices and mental 
impressions, and not on any personal experience.
      While Berlusconi looks askance at Finnish smoked herring, the ordinary 
Finn is unlikely to choose cow's stomach (tripe) from an Italian menu. There 
is no point in taking offence on either side. Every country has its own 
delicacies, which outsiders are often unable to appreciate at first glance. 
There are quite a few specialities in the Finnish kitchen that a foreigner 
will find strange.
      It would be a Finnish kind of conceit to assume unequivocally that 
Finnish food will hold up against all international comparisons. I also like 
to think that this is the case when the question involves food served to 
presidents and other important guests. However, Berlusconi and Chirac would 
seem to be right if their assessments of Finnish food culture were 
understood in a broader sense.
Naturally food culture in Italy and France has a completely different 
background and position from the case in Finland. If we have to say what it 
means in practice, it can be reduced to the recognition that the Italians 
and French eat better than the Finns. Food and eating mean much more to them 
than a rapid filling of the fuel tanks of the body, as eating is often 
experienced here in Finland.
      I happen to be one for whom lunch at the cafeteria at work often lasts 
no more than a quarter of an hour. On weekdays it is also the main meal of 
the day, because a heavy meal in the evening is not compatible with, for 
instance, an evening jog.
A typical Finnish meal at work is quite basic. It is regulated by the price 
of a luncheon voucher, which imposes tough conditions on whoever prepares 
the food. Planning of school lunch menus involves even tighter economic 
constraints, even though Finland is a forerunner in the field of free school 
lunches.
      Paulo Pellei, an Italian living in Finland, gave a good description of 
the cultural differences in a letter to the editor (Helsingin Sanomat 8.8.). 
He said that Finns do not put as much of an emphasis on eating as they do 
for many other needs, such as technical development. On the other hand, in 
Italy and the other countries of the Mediterranean, eating and everything 
linked with it is a "synthesis of many needs", and people are ready to spend 
a greater proportion of their income for the purpose.
But why should eating be given a higher priority on the Finnish wish list? 
Kati Launis asked this question (Helsingin Sanomat 15.8.), making a correct 
reference to both the short history of the Finnish food culture, and to the 
different set of values of Finnish society.
      The question is a rhetorical one, because nobody is even calling for 
any changes. What is significant is to recognise that there are truly great 
differences in the food cultures of different countries, and that these 
differences have various implications.
      It should not be difficult to admit that it is clear that a long and 
carefully nurtured food culture is also reflected in the ability to cook 
and, for instance, in the average quality of home-cooked meals and 
restaurant food.
      Discussion about Finnish food culture is so new that some are already 
dismissing it an elitist affectation.
http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi/english/article/1101980703755

Ralph Barker wrote:
[CUT]
E chi se ne frega se odiano, tranto sono solo gente strana che mangia male.
La mia osteria solo per chi paga.