Blueberry pie, made with blueberries that are in season during the summer, has become popular in Finland.
Finns pick buckets of blueberries in the summer.
They then bake blueberry pies at home with freshly harvested blueberries and enjoy them with family and friends as a way to enjoy the summer.
In this article, I would like to introduce a Finnish blueberry pie that is easy to make at home.
Blueberry pie is popular in Finland
Blueberry pie is a crispy pie crust filled with blueberries.
This berry-based sweet is very popular in Japan as well.
In Finland, blueberry pie is also a favorite summer treat and is often eaten as an accompaniment to coffee.
Blueberry pie is baked in Finnish homes, and each family has its own recipe for the various styles.
Some use the tart dough for the pastry, while others serve it with yogurt or whipped cream.
Blueberry pie is called “Mustikkapiirakka” in Finland. “Mutikka” means blueberry and “Piirakka” means pie.In Finland, sweet pastry pies and meal pies are collectively called “piirakka.”
In Finland, sweet pastry pies and meal pies are collectively called “Piirakka.”
Blueberry pie is eaten throughout the year in Finland and other Nordic countries.
And the consumption of blueberry pie is particularly high during the summer season from July to August when the berries are in season in Finland.
Berries are a familiar fruit in Nordic countries
In Nordic countries, berries such as blueberries and raspberries are among the most familiar fruits.
This is because wild blueberries are ubiquitous in the forests throughout the Nordic countries.
And, according to Freedom to roam, a law unique to Nordic countries, anyone can freely harvest blueberries that grow wild in the forests.
In addition, Nordic countries experience “midnight sun” during the summer season, a phenomenon in which the sun does not set for an entire day and remains light outside for a long period.
This midnight sun allows the native berries to receive the full sunlight they need to thrive.
Combined with such favorable climatic conditions, it is easy to grow lush berries full of nutrients in Nordic countries.
For people living in Nordic countries, berries are a valuable source of vitamins to help them survive the winter months when crops do not grow.
Since ancient times, blueberries harvested in the summer in Nordic countries have been candied, bottled, and frozen to preserve them for the winter.
Freedom to roam
Freedom to roam is a unique Nordic country right that is recognized as law.
It states that anyone may freely enter and leave the forest, even if it is privately owned, as long as they do not cause damage to the land or the landowner. The law also allows people to gather wild mushrooms and berries that grow wild.
Freedom to roam is granted not only to its citizens but also to visitors from abroad.
In Finland, too, many people go into the woods in the summer to harvest blueberries in season.
Blueberries picked in the woods can be made into jams and sauces at home, and any excess can be frozen and stored.
Many people also bake blueberry pies with freshly picked blueberries and serve them to friends and family.
Many people in Finland own cottages by the lake.
In the summer, when the light hours are long due to the midnight sun, they often have parties where everyone gathers around a baked blueberry pie.
https://hokuou-info.com/en/2021/04/30/right-to-enjoy-nature/Blueberry Pie Recipe
In the Finnish blueberry pie recipe, the pie crust is made by mixing butter, eggs, sugar, and flour in a bowl.
The topping for the pie crust is made of blueberries, vanilla sugar, lemon juice for tartness, and “viili.”
You may not have heard of a food called “viili” before.
Viili is a Finnish fermented food made from fermented milk, characterized by its thick consistency and sour taste.
It is similar to yogurt in taste and mouthfeel.
Therefore, if you do not have viili on hand, yogurt is a good substitute.
It is recommended to use frozen blueberries instead of fresh blueberries because they are cheaper and you can store the excess.
Finally, bake them in the oven at 200°C for about 30 minutes and they are ready to serve.
Conclusion
Blueberries are deliciously eaten raw, but they taste even better when made into blueberry pie.
Blueberry pie is popular in Finnish households and can be easily made with ingredients you have at home.
