- Joulupöytä
"Joulupöytä" (translated "
Yule table") is the name of the traditional food board served atChristmas inFinland , similar to the Swedishsmörgåsbord . It contains many different dishes, most of them typical for the season. The main dish is usually a large Christmas ham, which is eaten with mustard or bread along with the other dishes. Fish is also served (oftenlutefisk andgravlax ), and with the ham there are also so-called "laatikkos", casseroles with liver and raisins or potatoes or rice and carrots. The traditional Christmas beverage is either alcoholic or non-alcoholicmulled wine ("glögi" in Finnish).The traditional dishes of "joulupöytä" contain:
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Christmas ham with mustard :*Turkey:*Boiledpotato es:*Lutefisk andwhite sauce :*Freshly salted salmon, (Gravlax ),whitefish andpikeperch :*Potatocasserole (sweetened or not, depending on preference):*Carrotcasserole :*Livercasserole :*Rutabagacasserole :*"Rosolli" (salad from boiled beetroots, carrots, potatoes and pickled cucumber. If served with herring, it becomes "sillisalaatti"):*Mixed fruit soup or prune soup :*Rice pudding or rice porridge with cinnamon, sugar and cold milk or with mixed fruit soup :*"Glogg " ormulled wine :*Pickledherring in various forms (tomato, mustard, "matjes" or onion sauces):*Mustard:*Varioussauce s:*Christmas beer :*Prune jam pastries:*Gingerbread Beverages most often served are:
:*"
Vodka " as appetizer:*Mulled wine :*Beer , usually special Christmas brands. Most Finnish breweries have seasonal beers for Christmas.:*Milk :*Wine is uncommon, but not rareThe usual desserts are:
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Plum soup:*Rice porridge:*Ice cream with jelly:*Confectioneries and othersweets , especiallychocolate Usually the rice porridge is served from a large, common kettle and an
almond has been hidden in it. The one who gets the almond gets his or her Christmas presents first or gets a wish.External links
* [http://groups.msn.com/965172qg02rbm4ek3a6e7udur5/christmasrecipes.msnw Finnish Christmas recipe links by Santa Club]
* [http://virtual.finland.fi/xmas/?p=4 Finnish Christmas recipes by Virtual Finland]
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