Oh yeah. And without doubt picked by Hummer-driving billionaires with awesome purchasing power.

http://www.inspiringthots.net/movie/serenity-prayer.php

The Free Market at work. Hallelujah!

But for this problem here in Finland I do not see any solution besides perhaps if we all start importing all our stuff, including groceries and clothing from let’s say…Germany.

When I am in the US, Canada, or UK, I just can’t believe the selection, variety, inexpensive prices, and above all the quality of the produce being sold in the food markets as compared to Finland.

Finland, by comparision, seems like a halfway house to the markets of the Old Soviet Union when it comes to fresh produce.

And the prices in Finland are overwhelming. And on a price quality basis, it is worst. And on a price quality basis adjusted for Finnish purchasing power, you can almost cry.

Today, YLE has an article from a social democrat politico saying she is not in favour of reducing the VAT on food. It is crazy to keep the tax revenue up on food only to pay out more later in health benefits to poorer individuals whose health will suffer because they cannot afford a healthier selection of food. What kind of social democrat is she: the tax collection ideological type or the looking out for the general well-being of Finns type?

When I am in the US, Canada, or UK, I just can’t believe the selection, variety, inexpensive prices, and above all the quality of the produce being sold in the food markets as compared to Finland.

Finland, by comparision, seems like a halfway house to the markets of the Old Soviet Union when it comes to fresh produce.

And the prices in Finland are overwhelming. And on a price quality basis, it is worst. And on a price quality basis adjusted for Finnish purchasing power, you can almost cry.

Today, YLE has an article from a social democrat politico saying she is not in favour of reducing the VAT on food. It is crazy to keep the tax revenue up on food only to pay out more later in health benefits to poorer individuals whose health will suffer because they cannot afford a healthier selection of food. What kind of social democrat is she: the tax collection ideological type or the looking out for the general well-being of Finns type?

http://www.stat.fi/artikkelit/2008/art_2008-07-10_002.html?s=0

That said, I do miss a lot about Finnish food. I love karjalanpiirakat. I love ruisleipa. I love the pastries and Cabanossa. Savusilakoita? Sign me up. And there’s something about Jaffa that American sodas can’t match.

But I come back to the states and thank my stars that I can get fresh local peaches and strawberries picked that day from a local farm. Oh, man, my Finnish relatives come here and cry at the produce sections of local markets. They can’t believe the varieties of lettuce, herbs, apples, berries, mushrooms, fresh corn on the cob, tomatoes (organic? vine-ripened? roma? heirloom?) onions, and at last count, five different types of potatoes on the shelves. All shipped that morning. Freshly picked.

And it’s cheap.

Zak – Yeah, I bought strawberries down at the open market which were fresher but, ironically, more expensive than they were in the supermarket though they were green-grey fuzz free. I didn’t notice a tremendous difference between them and the Spanish ones in the store. We just went strawberry picking here and they were pretty good but we can get fresh strawberries from California all summer long for pretty reasonable prices. Blueberry season is just now coming up and I will admit that I miss the lowbush blueberries from up north.

My manburger is made with sikanauta (interesting animal that is jauheliha -400 gram for € 2,09. I had stroke when I looked at the price of chicken… no more saté for me

Fresh strawberries from abroad should be imported just before the season starts in Finland and maybe also after it. Like I said before, I encourage to buy local.

I fill my freezer every year with hand-picked strawberries, plenty of strawberry farms in and around Espoo, not a single bad berry if you take the trouble.

But I really wanted to make a point about Spanish strawberries. They arrive here some time in April-May, first packed in plastic boxes, then you start finding them in groceries and open markets. Can you honestly say, you’ve enjoyed them, with the compact, wood-like texture? Where did you buy the good ones? How much did you pay for them?

Just curious. I truly enjoy Swedish strawberries, too.

For real meat, go to Eesti Wark (I think that’s what it’s called) near Kamppi. It’s a small shop, but at least the Estonians don’t rip you off.

The quality of vegetables and fruits in the supermarkets has lately been quite appalling. Thank god they’re so expensive that I do not feel guilty not buying them and have a good excuse to again prepare myself an all meat manburger!