"Raw" Sausage

[wattypiper]

Bought some uncooked sausage - Wilhelm - which has been much advertised.

Edible - but nothing compared to Wurst Fennica - and frankly would never buy it again. Why waste the occasion? The Wilhelm has an 'after taste' as if you had left some meat in the refrigerator too long (it was well before 'best before' etc)

Had also tried their (Atria's) Bratwurst - which was ready-cooked - that had NOTHING to do with Bratwurst as it is known in the civilized world

I really wonder why these people bother - oh, sorry - i forgot - wanna make money and will sell until someone discovers the farce - by actually tasting the 'good stuff' - that's the problem in Finland - the isolation means there are few and far between who 'know' quality

[sammy]

that's the problem in Finland - the isolation means there are few and far between who 'know' quality

Life must be hard for ya, janiheis/rxonbladholm/wattypiper...

[wattypiper]

?????

Anyhow Wurst Fennica is good stuff. Just hope it doesn't get bought up.

[onkko]

Im sorry that we in this uncivilized word dont have taste what satisfies your highness.

[sammy]

?????

What do you mean "????" Come off it. Your style and tone are quite unmistakable. Besides, that reminds me, you've already discussed Wurst Fennica under another alias, jounip, not so very long ago. Maybe you were once called alexiskivi, too.

If I'm wrong, and you're 6+ separate persons, do fix a meeting IRL with each other - I'm sure you'd have a hell of a time together

[Hank W.]

[wattypiper]

"What do you mean "????" Come off it. Your style and tone are quite unmistakable. Besides, that reminds me, you've already discussed Wurst Fennica under another alias, jounip, not so very long ago. Maybe you were once called alexiskivi, too."

Are you nuts or what? Wurst Fennica surely has more than one customer. And as far as Finnish possibilities are, please note it is Wurst FENNICA!! Have a look at their web-page and you will understand how they are making a real effort. If HK Sininen is your idea of civilization, good luck!

[sammy]

Are you nuts or what? Wurst Fennica surely has more than one customer.

Certainly, but while that 'certainly' can be freely applied to both parts of your question, it is UNLIKELY that they would all write in the same style - and carry on whining about the SAME sort of things after SO many YEARS in Finland - quite unlikely in fact - no reason to get too EXCITED over what I'd just say is an educated GUESS (and I did make a friendly suggestion for you all to meet, should I be wrong - which I don't think I am, since not once have these people been seen in the same thread together )

Any which way, civilisation to me is something quite different than what would be determined by the kind of foodstuffs people may or may not personally like. Just for your information, I rarely if ever buy HKn sininen but that's just because I happen not to like it that much myself (I don't have any problem eating it if someone offers me some though)... however, I wouldn't claim to have somehow superior culinary taste, or the ability to classify people as uncivilised because of what I personally happen to like or prefer.

If you get my drift.

[wattypiper]

Still don't get your 'gang of six' stuff

But food culture is very much a part of a 'civilization.' French, Italian and Chinese cuisines are VERY much cornerstones of those societies and I believe some simple research into a bit of social anthropology will tell you how important it is.

And it IS a pity that HK Sininen IS so much a part of Finnish 'gastronomical' life.

[sammy]

Still don't get your 'gang of six' stuff

I'm not surprised... but as you like it

[sinikala]

Continuing from the OP's mentioning about there being few here who "know" quality, I'm not sure if that is true, but there is certainly the issue that even if they know quality, they are not prepared to part with their money for it. It continues to frustrate me that the emphasis here with food is always on price not quality, the lower the better. But the same people are willing to pour far more €s down their throats in the form of beer or spirits.

OK, I'm a bit of a food snob, I prefer Stockmann to Lidl, I admit that, but the continuous downward spiral of quality and price is hard to believe.

A couple of examples ....

- on Saturday we walked past one of the 3 Chinese restaurants here, when they opened they advertised meals from €6, then it was meals from €5, now they are advertising meals from €4. When it was €6 for a meal the standard was bad enough, God knows how they manage to break even on a €4 meal or what kind of ingredients they are using.

- The best restaurant that used to be here, coincidentally also the most expensive, closed a little under 2 years ago as it wasn't breaking even, no great surprise as it was almost always empty. The owners ditched the restaurant and expanded the pub / nightclub into it.

- The Pizza Hut here closed about 5 years ago, and then the passable Koti Pizza went, put out of business by the bargain basement http://www.buffa.fi/

I would be willing to eat out here more often, if only there were places to eat out. Thank God for work trips and holidays!

[wattypiper]

"Continuing from the OP's mentioning about there being few here who "know" quality, I'm not sure if that is true, but there is certainly the issue that even if they know quality,"

It was something of an exaggeration to say few and far between re quality. But it is significantly less than places which are crossroads of various cultures. as there will always be some bunch 'to find them out.' So what happens is that various labels or types of food get brought in: pizza, Chinese, Indian etc. But very few will know if it's the right stuff. And most of the time it won't be as the 'wrong' stuff can be made cheaper and easier.

A phony Chinese place probably won't last too long in London (although another not-so-good one may take its place). You may not get top drawer stuff in all places, but you surely won't get the crud that is gotten away with here.

On the other hand a lot of the traditional Finnish food arts have gone away. I mention Wurst Fennica as an exception these days. In actual fact there were many small meat processors in Finland in the 70's. You could go to a Kauppahalli and get some really wonderful metwurst, a great Finnish version of Parma ham, some delicious patés (one was a pinkish spread that was kind of puréed raw ham, nicely spiced). Then HK bought them all up, shut them down and centralized production into a family tree of HK Sininen, or that's what it's seemed.

[Rob A.]

Still don't get your 'gang of six' stuff

But food culture is very much a part of a 'civilization.' French, Italian and Chinese cuisines are VERY much cornerstones of those societies and I believe some simple research into a bit of social anthropology will tell you how important it is.

And it IS a pity that HK Sininen IS so much a part of Finnish 'gastronomical' life.

Janiheis!!!...I agree.... That has to be you, jani!!...Welcome back!!! The subject matter, the "turn of phrase"... Yes!!!....

But, naw, you're wrong about cuisines being the "cornerstones" of "civilization"....

Here's the "cornerstone" of western civilization:




....all "cuisines" lead to is this:

[wattypiper]

Don't know about your 'welcomes' but I wrote the 'PLURAL of cornerstone: cornerstones - ie one of them.' I realize your drawing is meant to be sardonic, etc. but truly the 'Culture of Food' is a VERY important part of any society. You have to know it is a key part of any anthropological studies, etc.

Eating is an absolute requisite of survival and the total economical and social organization of a group must be very much oriented towards food supply and the various ramifications thereof. So it is nonsense to just pooh-pooh it - and anyhow the title of this FORUM is Culture and Cuisine - so if it is irrelevant to those commenting here WHY in hell are they even clicking this topic?? Why not go straight to 'the fun of chewing gum with mouth open' etc?

[Hank W.]