Crayfish and saunas
Been here in Finland five years and tonight I *finally* had the infamous crayfish. If you haven’t had crayfish yet…you’re not missing much. It’s a very subtle flavor, tastes like bland shrimp, nothing special. If you enjoy crayfish I recommend you visit Baltimore and try out Maryland steamed crabs, there’s much more meat a whole lot more flavor.
Crayfish is a popular dish in Scandinavia, and is by tradition primarily consumed during the fishing season in August. The boil is typically flavoured with salt, sugar, ale, and large quantities of the flowers of the dill plant. The catch of domestic freshwater crayfish, Astacus astacus, and even of a transplanted American species, Pacifastacus leniusculus, is very limited and to satisfy demand the majority of what is consumed has to be imported. Sales depended on imports from Turkey for several decades, but after a decline in supply, China and the United States are today the biggest sources of import.
Before the sauna, about 10 of us crammed naked into a sauna/jacuzzi room. Three different families representing, three were adult men and one little girl. Could you imagine what would happen in the U.S. if three naked men were caught in a room with a naked little girl?! We’d all get shipped off to prison, then when we’re finally out of prison, we’d have to place an ad in the local newspaper announcing our previous sexual abuse to the neighborhood - our previous conviction would ruin any future chances of real employment, however we could make it as nurses in the Finnish public healthcare sector.
For crayfish, you need to eat them the New Orleans way.
Comment by Fred Fry — Sat, Aug 18th, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
Crayfish is a bit like russian toast speech. It’s real function is to produce the “fig leaf” time slots between the schnapps.
Comment by Antti rn — Sat, Aug 18th, 2007 @ 11:06 pm
I agree Phil, the crayfish is never going to give anyone’s tastebuds too much excitement…
But Antti is right. It was never really about the crayfishes…. certainly not in Finland-Swedish akvavit drinking and snapsvisor singing circles!
Incidentally, if you want a ’sport’ to add to the weird competitions list (wife carrying, mobile phone throwing etc), you may wish to know that there is an annual competition between Finland and Sweden for the best new snapsvisa / drinking song.
Comment by JG — Sat, Aug 18th, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
“Before the sauna, about 10 of us crammed naked into a sauna/jacuzzi room. Three different families representing, three were adult men and one little girl. Could you imagine what would happen in the U.S. if three naked men were caught in a room with a naked little girl?! We’d all get shipped off to prison, then when we’re finally out of prison, we’d have to place an ad in the local newspaper announcing our previous sexual abuse to the neighborhood - our previous conviction would ruin any future chances of real employment”
That’s seriously fucked up. Maybe that’s an acknowledgement of the fact that, somehow, being an Anglophone makes one susceptible to committing sex crimes. Another example is the fact that the American public LOVES the fact that non-violent prisoners get systematically raped in American prisons. Mainsteam television comedians like to crack jokes about it all the time.
Winston Churchill once summed up British naval traditions as “rum, sodomy, and the lash”. Perhaps British naval traditions are the origin of the sexual perversity of the Anglosphere.
Comment by Markku — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 1:17 am
I once heard a story about a Finnish exchange student in the United States who gave her obligatory presentation to her class about “my life back at home”. She brought slides with her, and you can imagine what happened when she got to the “and here’s my family in the sauna” part. Apparently she was lucky not to get deported!
Honestly! What is this nudity hangup in the United States? A quick flash of a woman’s semi-naked breast on television would basically be a non-event in Finland, and in most other European countries for that matter. It might get a few mentions in the media, but national parliaments and governments simply would not waste the time that the US Congress did toughening broadcast obscenity legislation.
#1 I must admit that I’ve never attended a Finnish crayfish party, but I did get some in New Orleans once, and was completely astounded. On the basis the price of the item on the menu I was expecting maybe four or five of the creatures, and what I got was a heaping tray of the things. The people I was with had to help me finish them all. I guess the crawdaddies grow better in warm climates!
Comment by Kimmo W. — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 1:36 am
Well it is time for my Sauna undate. It has a window to the river view, and they put in the insulation this week. It is on a corner of the new house, as we bulldozed the old one.
No door, and with the house half finished, I am still 4 month away from getting a Sauna again.
So still homeless in Maryland. Can anyone take me in?
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 2:47 am
“Winston Churchill once summed up British naval traditions as “rum, sodomy, and the lashâ€Â.”
I have to admit, modern Sailors have keep up the Rum drinking. I had someone drive up to the ship, get out of the cab, and crawl up to the deck. I did not recognize the guy until his head came up over the walkway, and he puked.
It was the Captain of the ship.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 3:32 am
Don’t know what the huge deal with the crayfish is… its messy eating and requires more effort than what its worth - though I guess as with any tradition it is done more for the sake of the tradition, I guess there ought to be more excuses for a party than just the crayfish.
Comment by Hank W. — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 11:02 am
wow phil you’re the man now dog
Comment by phil is a pedophile — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 11:16 am
“…there is an annual competition between Finland and Sweden for the best new snapsvisa / drinking song.”
Heh, haven’t heard abot that. I guess the comparison has to take place in authentic test conditions so there is a risk of sacrificing artistic values to athletic, i.e. the song with the last man standing wins.
“Winston Churchill once summed up British naval traditions as “rum, sodomy, and the lash—
Hmmm, back in service I knew a radar technician, who had changed from the Maritime Administration to the Air Force. Once in his previous job he was doing periodic maintenance to a radar at a pilot station on some distant rock in the Gulf of Finland. When not steering ships through the archipelago the pilots stayed there pretty long times just by themselves.
This technician had to stay few days out there and on the first night some guys asked, whether he would like to play ‘pilpo’. He declined as he had never heard about such a game. They explained the rules like this: Two guys sits on chairs facing each other. A 100mk (20e) bill is placed between their teeth so that they bite the opposite ends. Then they grab each other by balls and start squeezing until one of them lets the bill go and other leaves the game 100mk richer…
The technician wasn’t quite sure, whether they really played this or were they just pulling his leg to scare heck out of him as a stranger on their “island”.
Comment by Antti rn — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 9:38 pm
Heh, haven’t heard abot that. I guess the comparison has to take place in authentic test conditions so there is a risk of sacrificing artistic values to athletic, i.e. the song with the last man standing wins.
Haha, absolutely, that would be ideal!
There is a national championship as well (the winners go to the Finland-Sweden championship…)
I just looked, and if anyone what’s a laugh, it is in Helsinki at Ravintola Kaisaniemi on 21.10. at 13.00. Tickets are 35€, but you get food and naturally some snaps and booze! Tickets from Luckan at Simonsgatan (Simoninkatu?) 8.
(The match verses Sweden is in Stockholm on 17.11.)
End of commercial break!
Comment by JG — Sun, Aug 19th, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
Don’t get crayfish either as a food. Seems like some swedish fag-thing.
But they do seem to go for a high price so I guess somebody must like them.
And yes Phil we know American people have a lot of unresolved issues with nudity and sexuality. We also know you think for any minor offence you should send people to forever burn in the hell that is US prison system. Oh yeah and what was that home country of all the great serial killers (sans the original Ripper)?
Comment by philtard — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 2:23 am
#12 Hey idiot, just go and stay in a Finnish hospital if you want to meet a serial killer. As for the prison system comment, at least the INMATES are not given holidays and a life sentence means a life sentence. Nanny State Twit.
Comment by Punter — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 8:23 am
Finns are very prudish people. You will see no topless girls on Finnish beaches.
In Central Europe, men and women go sauna mixed, and there is no issue about it. You can’t imagine that in Finland except some college sauna parties which can be go wild even in the US sometimes.
I agree Finland is low-key country compared to the US, but still much behind the Europe.
Comment by european — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 11:17 am
“Finns are very prudish people. You will see no topless girls on Finnish beaches.”
You haven’t been looking too hard then! Granted, you don’t see them nearly as often here as on more southerly beaches, but they do exist - perhaps a bit less frequently than a few years back.
And as for mixed saunas - we have them here, too. Perhaps the proportion of mixed vs. segregated saunas is higher in, say Germany (with its well-established FKK culture), than in Finland, but on the other hand, total sauna usage in Finland is much higher.
#13 “Hey idiot, just go and stay in a Finnish hospital if you want to meet a serial killer.”
What’s that totally nonsensical sweeping generalisation based on an isolated incident supposed to prove?
If you want to see a real serial killer go to the White House, where Dubya Dumbfuck has at least a five-digit figure of corpses on his non-existent conscience.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 12:16 pm
#15
I am not an oggler or a voyeur creeping around beaches to find a topless girl. Probably there will be girls who go topless at somewhere remote beaches but I have never seen them in crowded places. If you go to central or southern europe you can encounter them any place. Even in denmark topless girls are not so uncommon.. and you can find them in Swedish and Norweigna beaches even though the numbers are smaller compared to southern Europe. So it’s not the matter of temperature but of culture…
Comment by european — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
#15
I am not an oggler or a voyeur creeping around beaches to find a topless girl. Probably there will be girls who go topless at somewhere remote beaches but I have never seen them in crowded places. If you go to central or southern europe you can encounter them any place. Even in denmark topless girls are not so uncommon.. and you can find them in Swedish and Norweigna beaches even though the numbers are smaller compared to southern Europe. So it’s not the matter of temperature but of culture…
And for mixed suanas, where is it in Finland? I know families go together to the sauna but family is family. Finns consider the nakedness is unnatural status of body.
Comment by european — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
philtard:
We also know you think for any minor offence you should send people to forever burn in the hell that is US prison system.
Well, the finnish nurse in question received no punishment whatsoever. Are you suggesting the other option would have been to sentence her to life? Everyone but you agrees that finnish sentences are laughable.
Oh yeah and what was that home country of all the great serial killers (sans the original Ripper)?
Wow you’re ignorant. I suggest you read a book or two on serial killers. Colin Wilson’s A Plague of Murder is a good one.
Comment by mh — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
Mh commented:
“philtard:
We also know you think for any minor offence you should send people to forever burn in the hell that is US prison system.
Well, the finnish nurse in question received no punishment whatsoever. Are you suggesting the other option would have been to sentence her to life? Everyone but you agrees that finnish sentences are laughable.”
Idiot, the nurse is currently detained but she hasn’t been prosecuted yet. The investigations are underway.
Comment by Markku — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
#17 & 18
Female toplessness on public beaches in Finland is rarer nowadays than it was in the early to mid-1980s, when there was something of a boom: I even remember seeing a report about it on the evening TV news.
Even in more recent times I have seen the occasional uncovered pair of mammaries at the place where I go swimming in Lauttasaari. It doesn’t happen every day, but whenever it does, the ladies in question know that they are not in danger of being harrassed - or arrested, as would be the case in the United States.
“And for mixed suanas, where is it in Finland?”
All I can say is: been there, done that.
“Finns consider the nakedness is unnatural status of body.”
That is is definitely a misrepresentation of Finnish culture.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 2:55 pm
#various retards
I think the original reference and at least mine was towards the nurses previous violent behaviour which did not ban her from working in the healthcare system.
My other reference was towards US justice system in which everybody is guilty until they can prove otherwise.
On an emotional level I also feel that finnish sentences are laughable, but on a statistical and societal level I feel it’s probably better than creating a huge violent underclass of the hopeless.
Comment by philtard — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 3:51 pm
Btw. terrorists don’t need planes or dirty bombs to destroy the fabric of US society.
They need a nipple.
Comment by philtard — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 3:55 pm
#20, Finnish legal sytem largely came from Swedish system. So it’s natural that being topless is not punished at all in viewpoint of liberal Swedish legal system. But culture is different from legal system. Even though Finns copied legal system from Sweden, they failed to copy culture.
You can have several isolated experiences but those do not constitute a general attitude toward nudity in Finland. Still I think Finland is very prudish culturally..
Comment by european — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Terrorists on planes?
Have you seen one since 9/11 where the passengers did not end the problem, not the Government?
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
#23 “Finnish legal sytem largely came from Swedish system. So it’s natural that being topless is not punished at all in viewpoint of liberal Swedish legal system.”
You are drawing some rather far-reaching conclusions from something that goes back a couple of hundred years.
“Finland is very prudish culturally…”
I don’t think it’s prudishness as much as indifference.
Sure, the women who go topless at the beach probably constitute a smaller minority in Finland than in many other European countries, but a more valid measure of puritanism is not whether or not the ladies opt for a monokini, but rather how onlookers, and the authorities react to those who do.
As for the sauna issue, I still submit that the mixed variety is more common than you seem to imagine: I have encountered them in many different places among quite different circles of people. Also, often when the genders are separated, there are usually no major efforts to keep one group out of eyeshot of the other.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 6:14 pm
10 people crammed naked into a sauna/jacuzzi room? If this is the national pastime in Finland, I soooo live in the wrong country!
Comment by funkybrownchick — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 6:45 pm
european, tops or no tops is not a question of prudishness, it is a question of fashion. It was fashionable in 1970s and 1980s, it is not in fashion now. A way, way less topless also in Meditarrenian beaches than 20-30 years ago.
For Finns sauna means something, so sauna is part of culture. It is not part of culture except in Finland, Estonia, and parts of Russia. Also in Estonia and Russian public saunas are gender segregated.
Comment by presso — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
If that nurse is found guilty to those murders, will she be Finland´s first serial killer?
Comment by presso — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
#27 “…way, way less topless also in Meditarrenian beaches than 20-30 years ago.”
I noticed the same thing when I was in Greece last month.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 7:41 pm
“My other reference was towards US justice system in which everybody is guilty until they can prove otherwise.”
Actually they are innocent until proven guilty.
“On an emotional level I also feel that finnish sentences are laughable, but on a statistical and societal level I feel it’s probably better than creating a huge violent underclass of the hopeless.”
How does a sentance create a huge violent underclass of the hopeless? I think it’s the other way around.
Comment by maaksalaatikko — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 9:16 pm
“If that nurse is found guilty to those murders, will she be Finland´s first serial killer?”
Matti Haapoja is probably the most famous one with his 18…23 murders in the 19th century. He was even sent to Siberia, but practically walked back.
Comment by Antti rn — Mon, Aug 20th, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
On the subject of Finnish murderers (and I know this is highly off topic, apologies), it’s interesting to note in Finnish language Wikipedia that Eugen Schauman is tagged under the “Finnish murderers” category. Could be seen as a political statement…
Comment by JG — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 3:57 am
#32 One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
Comment by Kimmo W. — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 6:20 am
From a crayfish table among the serial killers…
If Haapoja (late 1800’s) would have lived in US, the movie vould have a remake already. If I recall correctly, even he couldn’t keep record for the kills. It’s said that he left a bloody trail returning from siberia. There is songs about him, his skeleton ended up in criminal museum and as a bizarre anecdote, one cobbler’s apprentice did a book cover from his leather. How Silent Lamb - Texas Chainsaw is that?
Comment by issi — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 8:47 am
JG,
Nothing seems to be off topic here. Subjects change swiftly from cuisine to boobwatching to serial killers to, I’m afraid, taxation and welfare society.
Comment by issi — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 8:52 am
#27,
I agree the general trend of wearing tops these days. But I think this is a result of strong influence of american culture. Basically all europeans are bombarded by Hollywood cultures and this is changing the whole european society into american form.
Neo-liberalism and Hollywood culture will finally kick out european socialsim and liberal culture sooner or later I worry.
Finland is acutally on the front line in this americanization. Partly because Finland is a small country and heavily influenced american TV programs and partly because lack of orignial culture in Finland.
Comment by european — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 12:10 pm
@European: If you think they are prudish, I guess you’ve only visited Lapland, Ivalo or something like that. Here in Belgium mixed sauna’s don’t even exist afaik!!! :O I wouldn’t call Finland exactly prudish.
@Phil: You wouldn’t even have to go as America to put in jail for going in a sauna with a little girl as a grownup! I think our shameful past (Marc Dutroux, the pedophile) proves that.
Comment by David — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
#32 One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.
So true.
JG,
Nothing seems to be off topic here. Subjects change swiftly from cuisine to boobwatching to serial killers to, I’m afraid, taxation and welfare society.
Perhaps even truer! Although I am guilty of doing it, I always feel a little bad doing so. Actually, it would be nice if there was some kind of “suggest a topic” box or something. Sometimes I notice a news story that I really think would make a good discussion on here, or sometimes I notice those that are surprisingly not taken up here.
Comment by JG — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Finnish nurses are hopeless drunks and serial killers. Come to think of it, all Finns zare.
Comment by hbf — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
But they are brainwashed not to think so.
Comment by Puntress — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
That’s why they are the poorest people on earth - and getting poorer every day.
Comment by A fucking wealthy German — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
and i hav fiftheen hummers
Comment by summer — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:33 pm
#37,
I guess you are living in Wallonie. Why don’t you visit Vlaanderen some day?
Comment by european — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 1:42 pm
european, what do you mean by this:”I agree Finland is low-key country compared to the US, but still much behind the Europe.”?
Comment by Anna-Leena — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 3:32 pm
Well, I guess he means what he says, after all there is a “lack of original culture in Finland”. Oh yeah.
Comment by presso — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
Maybe he just doesn’t know Finnish culture. I just don’t get the low-key but behind.
Comment by Anna-Leena — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 5:27 pm
1) I would never let my (non-existent) little girl in a room full of naked men, Finnish or not. I think what Phil encountered is not that common in Finland, either.
2) People commit crimes no matter what the sentence. When you’re really drunk, high on drugs, raging mad, or simply desperate, you don’t necessarily think about the consequenses of your actions.
3) People carry out their own punishments. I personally know a case where someone was stabbed to death because of a crime he’d done.
4) About modern-day Finnish serial killers: depends on what you consider a serial killer. There are people like Kanaali-Koskinen, who’ve killed several people on different occasions, but I can’t think of anybody who would fit the “classic” definition of a stalking serial murderer.
5) Finnish food is crap.
Comment by A Finn from Espoo — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
And the healthcare system suckz. Hell, the cancer survival rate is only the second best in Europe.
Comment by summer — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 7:03 pm
@European: I’m living in Vlaanderen
But not for long anymore, moving to Finland in 1 month.
Comment by David — Tue, Aug 21st, 2007 @ 9:54 pm
Firstly,
The crayfish needs to be tasted with all the assortments. I’m a bit critical of the american vocabulary to bash traditions
Secondly,
Normally you don’t have mixed PUBLIC saunas. Private gatherings, however are a different, but totally asexual thing. Again, normally, only your family and close friend wil visit a mixed sauna. Young children, however, will accomany their parents and their parents frieds to a sauna. When kids approach their puberty, however, they usually only tend a sauna with their family. Sometimes especially not with their parent of the other sex, which is a new thing and in my opinion not showing an independent and selfdetermined mind.
Again, this is a matterof cultural values, and you have to decide whether you think that hiding yourself or being able to sit with nude people in a hot and humid room is a thing that you want to do.
Comment by aadam7 — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 12:06 am
And the healthcare system suckz. Hell, the cancer survival rate is only the second best in Europe.
Stupid welfare state socialists!!
Comment by JG — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 3:43 am
Also had the crayfish in Finland recently. At a party b4 eating the Crawdads (Crayfish) are beautiful, Nice table settings, Great presentation , but then lots of loud obscene sucking noises from demented vodka filled Finns (Even the ladies!) to get at the meat of the little poor dead creatures. by the third round the guys just hovered around the pot, waiting for the Little mudbugs (Crayfish) to finnish boiling Damn.. BTW where is there anywhere in Helsinki or in Finland period to get a good Lobster dinner? For the most part seafood in Finland is excellent, but I Have yet to see LOBSTER on the menu anywhere. Must be too cold for em .
Comment by rick — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 4:11 am
Lobsters are all imported, and even when bought from a store one small lobster costs around 15 €. Go to Lapland and you get Kamshatka crab. It has spread to the Arctic Ocean, and is the size of a small dog.
Comment by presso — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 11:30 am
#49,
Are you a Dutch speaking Belgian or a foreigner there? I don’t believe you have never seen a mixed public sauna in Vlaanderen if you are a Dutch speaking Belgian. There are plenty of those kind. Even in fintess centers and swimming pools you can find aaunas mixed.
Comment by european — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 12:25 pm
Crayfish beat prawns anytime! Whoever didn’t enjoy the experience is crazy!
Comment by Mariia — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
@European: I’m a Flemish Belgian from Limburg. Can’t say I’ve seen mixed public sauna’s. Only non-mixed ones.
Comment by David — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 2:02 pm
“Crayfish beat prawns anytime! Whoever didn’t enjoy the experience is crazy!” mariia
Monoculture.
Monoculture.
Monoculture.
Monoculture.
Monoculture.
Comment by dave the grave — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 2:43 pm
“Go to Lapland and you get Kamshatka crab. It has spread to the Arctic Ocean, and is the size of a small dog”
Thanks, Heading to Lapland (Kuusamo) next month. Love the Reindeer Stew up there also!
Comment by rick — Wed, Aug 22nd, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
Just on the side topic of odd sports and competitions (to add to the world snaps songs contest), apparently now we have the world record for non-stop karaoke singing… so Swedish Television’s website reports anyway! Doesn’t it make you proud
http://www.svt.se/svt/jsp/Crosslink.jsp?d=22584&a=888014&lid=puff_888025&lpos=lasmer
Comment by JG — Thu, Aug 23rd, 2007 @ 6:11 pm