Foods that warm the heart
On these brisk days of mid-winter, there’s nothing better than enjoying some warm, familiar comforts, especially of the edible variety. If you’re a Yooper or a Finn you are sure to recognize the foods discussed in today’s post.
We start off with Pannukakku (pronounced bun-oo-kuck-oo). a custard-style, baked Finnish pancake. This buttery, sweet creation has just a handful of ingredients (eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk, dash salt optional) but bakes up perfectly. It’s ideal for breakfast with your coffee. Finns often serve it topped with a tart berry jam. I like it with fresh berries and a small pour of maple syrup, but eating it plain is equally tasty.
Next on my list of fave Yooper delights is Juustoa (pronounced you-stoo-a), often referred to as “squeaky cheese.” This baked cheese is made with whole milk, sugar, corn starch, salt, and rennet, an enzyme that curdles the milk. Juustoa is expensive to buy but such a treat! It’s made in an 8- to 10-inch round, about an inch thick. You eat it cold, cut into bite-size pieces, and will enjoy the familiar squeak with every bite. Juustoa is a heavy cheese so a little goes a long way (you eat it sparingly). This special cheese brings back so many U.P. memories of potluck dinners, weddings and other family get-togethers.
The next food, a staple of the Finns, is Pulla (pronounced bull-a), also sometimes referred to as Nisua, or Nisu (niss-oo). Pulla is a sweet, cardamom bread, most loved with coffee or tea. Pulla can be braided or made in a flattened oblong loaf and is often sprinkled with pearl sugar. I must say that pulla is doubly pleasureful because the smell, especially right out of the oven, is as good as the taste. Simple, yet elegant, flavor.
Last but not least, I couldn’t write a post about favorite Yooper foods without mentioning the pasty (pronounced pass-tee). Traditionally a British meal, pasties are a pastry-type crust folded over an uncooked meat and vegetable mixture. Crimped and sealed, the half-circle shaped pocket is then baked until the vegetables are tender and crust is a golden brown. Traditional ingredients are a lightly ground beef, diced potatoes and rutabaga (a must!), slivered onion, salt and pepper.
The pasty was a staple for copper and iron miners in the U.P. because it was self-contained and nutritious, easily eaten without cutlery, and would stay warm for hours in their lunch boxes. I eat mine with just a pat of butter melting over and into the pasty, but catsup and gravy have also become popular toppings. Now found in many parts of the world, pasties are especially popular in the upper midwestern U.S. states. Making them can be a full-day endeavor and it seems that each chef adds his/her own secret ingredient. A visit to the U.P. is not complete without enjoying at least one pasty!
Wherever life takes me, these foods always remind me of home.
