One of the most popular purchases made by Russian tourists in Suomi is coffee. In this article we will talk about the most popular and common varieties of this drink.
Invigorating Drink History
In Finland, coffee first appeared only in the 18th century. The first cup of this drink was drunk in Vyborg. A drink new to the Finns was perceived by the Lutheran Church as a dangerous innovation, and as a result it was banned. Despite this, the rich inhabitants of the country became addicted to it over time: already in 1750 there were about a hundred-plus fans of this drink in Helsinki. As a rule, Finnish coffee was available only to representatives of wealthy segments of the population. A century later, he became one of the attributes of Finnish life. In almost every house, a coffee grinder and Finnish ground coffee appeared, and a rich aroma of grains hovered in the air. A favorite drink was also reflected in the art of that time. Finnish coffee beans have been described more than once in many literary works of the time - for example, in the novel by Maya Lassil “For matches,” in which the protagonist went for matches to make Finnish coffee.
In 1876, the German company Gustav Pauling created the eponymous company. Initially, the main area of its activity was the import of coffee beans into Finland. In 1929, the most popular brands appeared - Presedentti and Juhla. Finnish coffee at that time began to be sold in packs familiar to us. Suomi experienced an acute shortage of an invigorating drink during World War II. Today, a pack of coffee presented as a gift to the Finn is a sign of respect.
Features of the coffee ritual in Finland
Finnish coffee is not so much a tradition as addiction and habit. According to statistics, the Finns drink more coffee than any other people in the world - about 12 large cups daily. True, the strength of their drink - kahvi - is no different and more reminiscent of Americano. Finns do not use any additives, and if they resort to them, it is extremely rare. The Finnish style does not imply anything superfluous, and therefore there is practically no separation in their coffee houses on latte, espresso and other types of drink.
Pikakahvi - instant coffee - the Finns are not particularly fond of: they drink it extremely rarely. Prepare a drink using drip coffee makers, passing water through the roasted ground coffee beans collected in a paper filter.
Separately, it is worth mentioning the "Scandinavian roasting" - the grains roasted in this way turn out to be a soft light brown shade, and the drink is weak and calm. Each product packaging sold in Finland is labeled on the back with gradation of the fortress, that is, the degree of roasting beans - from 1 to 5. Buy strong Finnish ground coffee, reviews of which can be found not only on the Internet, but also in coffee houses, with a degree roasting grains more than 1 or 2 is extremely difficult.
Most popular brands
In Finland, you can buy a variety of varieties of coffee. The most popular and delicious among them are listed below.
Juhla mokka
A constant companion of any event in Finland and the most popular brand of coffee. The drink is very weak, because the grains for it are only slightly fried. For lovers of weak coffee, this choice is the best. It is extremely rare to find another version of this variety - Juhla Mokka tumma paahto - it is stronger, but has a similar taste.
Presidentti
A variety of coffee for holidays and important days. It is distinguished by a weak taste, which is given to a drink of mocha grains from Ethiopia with a low roast. For lovers of strength, you can choose another version of this drink with the 3rd degree of roasting - Paulig Presidentti tumma paahto, but it costs a little more than the classic one.
Brazil
This type of coffee is made only for the domestic market from Brazilian santos beans. The taste of the drink is stronger, the color is dark due to the 2nd degree of roasting of grains. A UTZ certificate is issued for this type of coffee, which confirms that the product is produced without harm to the environment.
Kulta katriina
Despite the fact that this type of coffee has the same degree of roasting as Juhla Mokka, - 1, it tastes different in taste and is more suitable for lovers of a sour drink. A similar taste is achieved by mixing Arabica with cheap robusta.
Hieno kahvi and Fin Mokka
Bellarom produces two types of coffee specifically for the Lidl supermarket chain. Soft roasted grains, 100% arabica. The strength of the drink is not affixed to the packaging, however, the taste is similar to the fact that Hieno Kahvi corresponds to the 2nd level, and Fin Mokka - to the third. The first is best for use during the day, while the second is for morning awakening.
Robert Paulig Tumma Paahto
This type of coffee appears in Finland during the holidays and is distinguished by a strong, rare roast of dark roast. The strength of the drink is appropriate - the fourth. Despite the strength, his taste is soft and balanced. The brand is a good option for strong and inexpensive coffee.
Presidentti Gold Label and Black Label
For the eightieth anniversary of Paulig, specialty coffee has been created that is classified as “above average”. There are two separate varieties that differ in the degree of roasting of the grains: two for Original and four for Black. The Black Label brand is sold in packages of 400, rather than 500 grams, and has a more intense and strong taste.
Parisien Coffee
In Finland, it is extremely rare to find coffee with such a strong "French" roast. The specific taste of the drink is given by its composition - robusta-based espresso. However, Finnish ground coffee, a photo of which can be found on coffee shop sites, is drunk not just like that, but with the addition of milk: we get the classic French café au lait. Preparing a drink in the aeropress or in the French press. In stores you can find in packages of 400 grams.
Meira Saludo Coffee
One of the four most popular varieties of Finnish coffee. It was first produced by Meira in 1960 and is still being produced by it. A light level of frying - a unit - allows you to drink a drink throughout the day.