Tenu - Finnish pop-up restaurant in London

I've been longing for a Finnish restaurant in London and even though Tenu was just a pop-up open for one month in December 2014, it was such a pleasure to see Brits being introduced to the delicacies of my home country. On the night we went, there were a lot of fellow Finns there too, and we spotted at least one famous chef sampling the Nordic fare.

The Englishman and I thoroughly enjoyed the Tenu house cocktail 

Antto Melasniemi, together with the artist Klaus Haapaniemi (who is most famous for his designs for Iittala ceramics), created a bit of Finland in Soho, in an intimate room near Leicester Square, a space that was previously occupied by an outpost of St John's Bread and Wine. 

I took my family, and we'd all been looking forward to having reindeer, but seeing the menu on the night, couldn't decide what to have. The Englishman suggested the 7 course tasting menu, and that was an excellent choice. I made one provision, however. I'd heard through the Finnish London Ex-pat grapevine that the sweetened potato bake (imelletty perunalaatikko) was to die for, so I wanted some of that on our menu. Son asked for reindeer, and when the friendly waitress promised us both we sat back and enjoying out Tenu gin cocktails with lingonberries, waited for our tastebuds to be taken back to Finland.

Tenu Gin Cocktail

And my goodness that - and more - is what happened. For me, the potato bake was the star of the show, and I had to stop myself from licking the dish clean. (I particularly loved the slightly burnt bits round the top of the dish). It took me right back to my childhood in Tampere. 

The salmon fish chowder with salmon roe was also excellent, as was the lingonberry granita for dessert. There were also two more fish courses, and some very tasty chicken liver with those beautifully fresh tasting lingonberries, in between.

Salmon fish chowder.

Reindeer with beetroot.

Sweet potato bake.

Lingonberry granita and liquorice brûlée.  

The whole experience of the meal was improved by the beautiful table coverings, china and decorations by Haapaniemi, who now has a shop in London on Redchurch Street, just a hop and a skip from Shoreditch House.

After our meal I decided to have a quick chat with the chef, Antto Melasniemi. I'd been watching him do the cooking in the open kitchen at the back of the restaurant, and wanted to thank him for the wonderful experience. When I told him my only wish was that Tenu would be permanent, and leant over the counter, I noticed that while chatting to me Antto was also caramelising a couple of liquorice creme brûlées with a blow torch. 'Oh,' I said and moved away, 'I'd better leave you to it!' In a typically understated Finnish way, Antto took a swig out of a martini glass with his free hand (it was nearly the end of the service and the pop-up) and said, 'No, it's fine.' (When a Finn says it's fine, he means that it is no problem at all - really - unlike a Brit who'd mean exactly the opposite...). I'm sure Antto's laid-back attitude to life is what made the pop-up such a relaxed, happy place.

Me with Antto Melasniemi

Please, please, please, Antto, make Tenu a permanent feature in London!           

Finnish Christmas and Heirloom restaurant, and the Savoy...

I rashly promised someone over on Facebook that I'd blog the recipes for my Finnish Christmas vegetable bakes... sadly I never got round to it this year, but perhaps in 2015? I see from my archives that I have blogged several times about my Finnish food traditions (with pictures), so until next year, this will have to do.

As usual, Christmas was a busy time for the Halme family. On the 24th, together with Son and Daughter, we had our fill of gravad lax, marinated herring, schnapps, as well as home-cooked ham and Finnish swede and carrot bakes.

Rosolli (beetroot salad) 

Gravad lax with schnapps

The terrier waiting for his presents

On Christmas Day, after presents and a couple of glasses of bubbly, we all headed out to the country to visit the Englishman's mother who turned 94 on the day. It was a lovely family gathering with 12 of us around a long table, chatting and laughing - and eating too much.

The main event: turkey!

On Boxing Day we drove back again through the frosty landscape in the bright sunshine, which in the evening turned into driving rain (sadly no snow in North London), but by that stage we were safely tucked up in our flat, preparing another Finnish food-fest. For some reason, all of it tasted far better second time around - perhaps it's the contrast between the traditional turkey and trimmings which makes Finnish food taste so delicious.

Day after Boxing Day was Daughter's birthday, and we were drinking champagne again in the morning, and in the evening we had invited a few of her friends and Son to a local eatery here in North London, Heirloom. It's a bit of a tradition to go out on Daughter's birthday, either for brunch, lunch or dinner. Usually I keep the venue a closely guarded secret, but this year, I gave her the choice of restaurant and she liked the idea of keeping it local.

Daughter opening her presents at Heirloom

We'd been to Heirloom a few times now, and we've never been disappointed with the food. It's fresh, traditional British fare with a modern vibe - all the vegetables are grown on a farm in Buckinghamshire and the food therefore is truly seasonal. I had Cornish Squid with Fennel and Datterino Tomatoes to start, Cornish Place with Ratte Potatoes and Seaweed Butter for mains. Both dishes were cooked to perfection. Other people around the table seemed pleased with their choices too. I tasted Daughter's Yellow Chanterelle Barley Risotto with black pudding to die for. It was all so tasty that the place reminded me a little of Fäviken in Sweden. Heirloom is obviously not in the same league vis-a-vis the theatre of the experience there, or the ingredients (or price bracket), but the cooking is definitely superb, and really quite handy for us, as it is just a short walking distance from home.

Yesterday I was invited by friends to lunch to Kaspar's at The Savoy (as one does!), and again my tastebuds were taken to another level. The Savoy looks so festive, especially at Christmas time, and inside its luxurious cocoon, you feel as if you'd stepped into another, more elegant, era.

Today, I came down to earth with a bump as the alarm went off at 6.30 am and I had to make my way to work. Luckily the Englishman drove me into Camden, so at least I didn't have to brave the London public transport quite yet....

Although, there is still one huge treat in store for me this Christmas: we are going to the Finnish pop-up restaurant, Tenu, tonight. But more about that later!

Did you have a quiet or a busy Christmas?

Christmas preparations...

Michael Bubbles Christmas CD on; Daughter making mince pies, ginger bread biscuits and Finnish christmas star pastries; a full glass of some rather excellent M&S mulled wine on table in front of me...Christmas must be getting close.

Micheal Buble - isn't he just lovely?

As always, at this stage, Third Advent, I'm not at all ready - I have several presents to get, and the tree isn't purchased yet, in spite of a rather wrought attempt by daughter and me earlier today. (Long story, but basically we had a publicly conducted dispute about whether the chosen spruce would fit a base which I just know we have in storage somewhere - and whether we in fact should buy a new one for the stately sum of £20. We ended walking away from the quite openly bemused Christmas tree seller...we'll be going up to the larger store in Highgate again then this year, getting a pick of the leftover trees days before the big day. Oh well..)

But I'm beginning to feel Christmassy; the Finnish carol concert at Southwark Cathedral yesterday ensured that. Traditional as well a new Christmas songs were performed by Vuokko Hovatta, Zarkus Poussa, Jarmo Julkunen, Jani Pesola, David Gordon and the excellent Merenkurkut choir from Finnish Church in London. I was glad that we at Finn-Guild could support the church with sponsoring the concert via our travel bureau, Guild Travel. The Cathedral was full to bursting and many an Ex-pat eye teared up with the beautiful singing. (We Finns like to have good cry at Christmas....But any Finn will tell you this is 'good crying' - just another little thing you guys from different nations around the world find difficult to understand).

The Merenkurkut choir singing Finnish carols

But as I sit here, writing this blog, listening to Daughter singing along to Mr Bubbles, I feel incredibly thankful that, as well as being able to fit the Finnish traditions into our Christmas again this year, Daughter is going to do most of the cooking. She spent last Christmas being quite ill with a nasty bug, and couldn't really eat any of the many Finnish dishes she prepared for the first time then. Now she looks like a seasoned pro, adapting recipes, juggling several dishes...soon I won't be needed at all for the Finnish food preparations.

Perhaps this time next year I'll be a little more ready for Christmas? Fat chance...

Are you ready for Christmas?

Finnish Pop-Up Shop in Camden, London

If you happen to be in London at the end of November, why not visit Finn-Guild's exclusively Finnish Pop-up shop in Camden for Christmas gifts with a difference?

What is it?

A sale of books, new titles (in both Finnish and English), Finnish goodies, such as famously moorish Fazer chocolate, rye crisp bread and ginger biscuits.  The café will also be open, serving coffee and home made cinnamon buns. (These will be made by a Nordic master baker, who blogs here.)

I'm interested, when and where is it?

The pop-up shop opens its doors at 11 am on Saturday 29 November at 1A Mornington Court, Mornington Crescent, London NW1 7RD. Doors close at 2 pm the same day. Click on map below to see where we are on Google Maps.

Wait, there's more...

Interested in visiting Finland? Guild Travel will be offering its services on the day, so you can even book a trip to Finland while you’re here!

Visit Finn-Guild’s website, www.finn-guild.org for further information.

Tervetuloa shoppailemaan!

A New Finnish Cookbook, Kuura, plus an Exclusive Recipe

Sini signing her cookbooks at the Kuura launch at
the Finnish Ambassador's Residence

The flavours of Nordic cuisine have become ever more popular in recent years as Scandinavian design, lifestyle and drama have penetrated the public consciousness in the United Kingdom.

In spite of its apparent ease and simplicity, cooking the Nordic way with ingredients available in Britain can be tricky. To help navigate the cross-cultural gastronomy, Sini Kiialainen, Chef for the Finnish Ambassador to London, has created Kuura, a Nordic cookbook designed for the British audience.

‘I began writing the book after receiving many requests for my recipes, and I’m very proud of how it turned out,’ says Sini Kiialainen.

Born in Finland, Sini moved to London at the age of 18. She has made an impressive 12-year career on the London restaurant scene, and Kuura draws its inspiration from Sini’s extensive work for a variety of diplomatic occasions, be it intimate meetings over coffee, luncheons, formal dinners or large receptions.

For me the most inspired recipe is the ‘posh’ mini meat and rice pasties (lihapiirakka). But these lihapiirakka are million miles away from some of the worst examples of this classic street food that you just must have after a night out in Finland, when some drinks have been consumed...you know the kind of moment! Having tasted Sini's pasties at the launch of Kuura, I can vouch for their authentic and excellent flavour.

‘Every time I see that picture I want to make the meat and rice pasties again,’ Sini said when we chatted about her new book at the Finn-Guild office yesterday.

I love lihapiirakka in all their incarnations (even the greasy ones sold from a van), but the Englishman has a love/hate relationship with this Finnish version of the late-night kebab. He believes a drunk and hungry Scot, while visiting Finland, must’ve invented the deep-fried savoury pasties. (This is a reference to deep-fried Mars bars, I think). When I told him that I’d tasted a posh version, he couldn’t quite believe it.  

So to prove a point, here it is – exclusively on my blog - Sini’s Beef and Rice Pasties (to be served with Pickled Cucumber and Mustard Mayonnaise). I bet you’ll fall in love with them just as I and all the Finnish Ambassador’s guests did!

Beef and Rice Pasties

Lihapiirakka 

MAKES 12-15 LARGE PASTIES 

This is the best street food imaginable after a night out. My husband loves them. Rare treat though.

Ingredients

FILLING

500 g beef mince

1 onion

1/2 bulb of garlic

2 - 3 tablespoons of oregano

1 tablespoon of all spice

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

1 tablespoon of anchovy sauce

6 drops of Worcestershire sauce

sea salt & black pepper

250 g boiled arborio rice

BREAD DOUGH

30 g fresh yeast

500 ml warm water

750 g strong white bread flour

25 g caster sugar

1 tablespoon of salt

1 egg

50 ml olive oil

plus 2 litres of veg oil for deep frying

Method

Start with the filling. Boil the arborio rice for 10 - 15 minutes, or until al dente. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set to the side.

Brown the beef mince in a frying pan. Add finely chopped onion and garlic and fry lightly for a few minutes. Add spices, anchovy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add the rice to the mixture.

Then make the bread dough. Dissolve fresh yeast into warm water. Add all of the other ingredients and mix well for 3 minutes. Tip out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 4 - 5 minutes.

Leave the dough in a bowl, covered with a tea towel in a warm place for 30 - 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Knead the dough once more and divide into 12 - 15 balls and roll them out to approx. 1cm thick discs. Spoon in the filling to bottom half of the base, fold the top part over the filling and crimp the edges carefully shut using cold water to glue the edges together.

Deep fry at 180 °C for a few minutes per side or until golden brown.

To buy your own copy of Kuura, go to www.sinikiialainen.com

There's a limited number of copies for sale to members of Finn-Guild at the Camden office.

Oh, to be in Finland...

I was feeling a bit miserable this morning when the alarm went at 5.30 am. I was getting up early for my flight to Helsinki. This, my first trip to Finland in my role as head of Finn-Guild, would include a regional meeting on Saturday in Hämeenlinna, and some hectic visits to the many organisations we co-operate with in Finland. Including a visit to meet Her Majesty's Ambassador (I know, I keep pinching myself). There'll be just a flying visit to my father in Tampere, and a short stay with my good friend in Helsinki who is giving me a bed to lay my weary bones on after my meetings, and has promised to pour me a glass (or two) of something chilled in the evenings.

But as soon as I boarded the Finnair plane this morning and the air hostess spoke Finnish to me, I realised how lucky I was to be able to go back home on business. Even the ear trouble I usually get on landing didn't happen (although I'd taken the usual precautions of EarPlanes, ibuprofen and nasal spray).

During the flight Finnair served rye bread sandwiches and their award winning, excellent coffee, in a Marimekko paper cup and with a Marimekko serviette. Goodness knows in what lovely china dishes the people in business class got their food served in! By the by, one of them I recognised as the famous British chef Nigel Slater. I was burning up to ask him what he was doing in Finland, was there a food programme about Finnish cuisine in the making at last? But he was having none of it and I'm just not spunky enough to go up to celebrities and ask random questions. (Soho House has trained me well..)

But back to the flight. As we landed, the captain said, (in Finnish), 'Welcome to Helsinki. It's 19 degrees and sunny here in your fatherland.' That sounds so jingoistic in translation, but to an Expat Finn like me it was tearjerking. I'm home, I thought, and knew that I was going to enjoy every minute of this trip!

Merry Christmas - Hauskaa Joulua!

Today is Christmas Eve, which is when we Finns (and all the other Nordics) celebrate Christmas. In our household we've been doing two Christmases (Finnish and British) pretty much since I moved to the UK some 30 years ago. This year, Daughter has been cooking most of the Finnish foods. Her meatballs, swede bake and carrot bake look absolutely delicious, and her piparkakut (gingerbread men) are lovely!

A couple of days ago, I made my Gravad Lax two ways - one with the traditional dill, and one with fresh ginger. And yesterday The Englishman and I stayed up late to cook and glaze the ham. Today all I'd need to prepare is the traditional Russian herring with beetroot, carrot, pickled cucumber and red onion salad.

Sadly, however, our family will not be sitting down to our Finnish Christmas feast tonight.

No, it's not the power cuts. The storms have hit UK badly, people have lost their lives and today many parts of the UK are without power. We had a short period last night when  the whole of our North London street went black. My thoughts are with those who have suffered a loss and I feel sorry for anyone who has to travel today - from what I've seen in the news this morning, it's veritable chaos on the trains, planes and on the roads.

But for us, the reason for a swift change to traditional Christmas celebrations is that three of our family have taken ill with food positioning. Last night while waiting for the ham to cook, we decided to get some pizzas. This morning at about four am Son, Son's Fiancé and Daughter all started vomiting. Almost simultaneously. As I write, the flat is quiet, with all three sleeping...so I think it'll just be The Englishman and me for the Joulupöytä tonight.

This year's Swedish Blossa mulled wine is flavoured
with raspberries.
Thanks to a dear friend, we have a few bottles to enjoy!

Our ham, best ever from Morley's in Crouch End

Lunch a deux with the Englishman -
Finnish rice porridge and mulled wine.

Oh well, let's hope all will be better by tomorrow so that at least the British part of our Christmas celebrations goes without any major hiccups.

I'll leave you with a link to a broadcast of the traditional proclamation of Christmas Peace from Turku in Finland this morning.

Hauskaa Joulua kaikille!

Merry Christmas to you all!

Finnish comfort food for a chilly night in London

I know I wasn't going to blog, but due to popular demand…. ;-)

Last night when the weather in the UK became decidedly Nordic, I fancied a traditional Finnish comfort food dish, Kaalilaatikko. This is a stew with mince and cabbage baked for a long time in the oven, which I've been craving since Big Sis mentioned it during her recent visit. I cannot remember when I last made this dish, but helpfully Big Sis (she works in the food industry in Lapland) gave me great ideas how to adapt the old recipe into a modern British kitchen. I added a few of my own tweaks, and the result was really quite delicious (the Englishman had three helpings).


When I posted a picture of my Kaalilaatikko on Twitter, I got requests of the recipe for the dish, so here it is:


A small white cabbage, cut into slices
500 grammes (1 lb) of mince
1 onion, chopped
1 packet of cooked Uncle Ben's rice
150 g tub of creme fraiche
1 cube of chicken stock
1 tbs maple syrup
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp of dried thyme or 1 tbs of fresh thyme
1 tsp of vegetable stock powder
sunflower oil




Heat the oven to 170 C.

Chop the cabbage and fry quickly in a little sunflower oil. Pour over boiling water to cover, mixed with the vegetable stock powder and cook for about 10 minutes until the cabbage is getting soft.

Drain the cabbage, reserving the water and mix in a stock cube into the liquid. (I used Oxo Reduced Salt Chicken only because that was all I had.)

Heat a little sunflower oil mixed with a little butter and fry the onion and mince until the meat is brown and cooked.

Mix meat with the cabbage and the rice. Combine the egg with the creme fraiche and blend into the meat and cabbage, also adding the maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper and the thyme. Mix well and put into a deep buttered oven dish. I used an oval pie dish. Add enough of the cabbage liquid so that you can just see it on top of the dish. (This prevents the dish from drying out in the oven). Dot a few knobs of butter (or omit if you're counting the calories) over the dish and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

Serve the dish with some cranberry sauce, or if you can get hold of lingonberry jam (I get mine from The Scandinavian Kitchen), so much the better.

Enjoy!

That was the Christmas that was….

One thing is certain, I will not forget Christmas 2013 in a hurry.

On the evening of the 23rd December I felt so well prepared, it was almost uncanny that things went downhill only about four or five hours later.

For the week leading up to Christmas,  Daughter had been my wonderful Christmas elf, preparing all the Finnish foods: the vegetable bakes, meatballs, Finnish piparkakku (gingerbread cookies) and minced pies. I'd made the gravid lax two ways: with the traditional dill and with a new twist suggested by Big Sis: fresh ginger with sugar and salt and white pepper. The turkey was collected and ready for Christmas Day and the ham - the centrepiece of the Finnish Christmas Eve feast - was roasting in the oven. Just before bed, I glanced at my various lists and couldn't see anything that need to be got, or to be done.

Piparkakku

It was almost ridiculous how much I was looking forward to both the Finnish Christmas Eve with close family; The Englishman, Son, Son's Fiancé and Daughter; as well as the Christmas Day when we'd be joined by Son's Father-in-Law to be.

But at four am that same night, I woke up to a sound of someone retching. Poor daughter was being sick in her bathroom, and when I went past Son's and his fiancé's room, I saw they were both awake. Sitting up in bed and looking white as sheets, they told me they were both feeling very poorly indeed. For the rest of the night, we were all awake, me and the Englishman administering medicines while the poor youngsters were hugging porcelain. All of the 'children' were running temperatures and at one point  I wondered if we should take them all to hospital.

On Christmas Eve, while the 'children' were trying to get some rest, the Englishman and I went through the motions of a Finnish Christmas eve: rice pudding for a light lunch; mulled wine followed by a quiet feast of pickled herring, the gravid lax, the vegetable bakes and ham and meatballs. I don't think we've ever eaten so little on 24th of December!

Luckily by Christmas Day, although still running temperatures, the young members of our party were well enough to be up and about, but all the champagne was left for the Englishman and I to drink. (Poor us…!!!) The youngsters did manage to eat a little bit of the turkey and trimmings (it was delicious), and even a glass of the excellent vintage port our new member of family brought us.

But it was only the day after Boxing Day - also Daughter's birthday - that, after an excellent brunch at Bathazar in London's Covent Garden, we were all able to fully enjoy the (by now) leftovers of both Finnish and British Christmas food.

 How was your Christmas?