Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Gourmet Action Finland! Scandinavian tasting

Everyone thinks they want be a French Girl.
Come Jan/Feb people in this town are all doing a Detox regime! Gimmeabreak. Yesterday Coco Jobard took me along to a presentation of Finnish gourmet Scandinavian products. Enroute she announced she was doing  a 15-day sans sucre regime (no sugar for 15 days!!). Ouch
Coco went 2 years ago and tasted bear and reindeer.
This year it was more like a bear's dinner—delicious dried berries
From Joy Of North. Ahh...the flavors! The fruits in Finland in summer get round-the-clock sunlight so taste extra intense. And no sugar of course.
Sparkling pink pamplemouse (grapefruit) drinks with just a touch of alcohol and almost no sugar.
Fruity vinegars like blueberry and framboise from Malmgard. Oh so delicate and NO sugar.
Extraordinary salmon, one smoked with blue cheese inside on the right. Not so pretty but the flavors! Where to find this in Paris? I hope La Grande Epicerie was there.
Delicate fish eggs from trout and other Finnish fish.
Coco was collecting samples for Pierre Hermé, always on the lookout for new flavors. You may be eating Finnish berry macarons next visit. Qui sait? These jams and syrups are from Lapland.
Cepes dried and edible as is or cooked. Everything may be edible in this picture..
A rose with frost on it from Finnish Plant of Vampula.
They make heavenly rose petal confiture that Coco says is better than the French version from Provins with little sugar.
I visited Provins and theirs is like a jelly though made from the same species of rose (Rosa Rugosa).
We were both enthralled with Finnish soap stone from HUKKA. Who knew there are 226 kinds of soap stone? Or that soap stone is the most dense and radiates hot and cold temperatures like no other? You can cook food at the table on a heated stone or
Relax your tired computer-weary eyes with iced stones. Terrific!
We were given lovely samples to taste. Most kind Action Finland.
A few birch seats might have been nice, in my opinion, for a Finnish ambience.
Coco let me off at Pont Marie. I had to pass several boulangeries going home. It was Chandeleur last night so I was tempted to grab a few crepes.
Instead, feeling like Sweet Jane and I got a 'paille'(meaning straw but tasting nothing like it). Its a sandwich of two Very sugary palmier with a thick smear of raspberry jam inside! Miam
Right now I'm finishing the February Chocolate map so sugar (and chocolate) is tops on the menu for me. To heck with detox regimes! The maps should go out tomorrow latest. Stay tuned.

22 comments:

  1. Foodwalker6:51 AM

    What delicious, healthy snacks from Finland no less!
    Yr friend Coco is always stunning...here like a fr school girl in that chapeau.

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  2. One day, my dream is to be in Paris with you and Coco Jobard!

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  3. What a fun outing..you girls know how to make each day full of adventure!
    My goodness that man looks like an actor I know..who?Could be my imagination..because I just showed J and he has no clue..

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  4. Love yr Finnish post
    Yr so fast

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  5. MMMmmm. I'd have to be trudging across Antarctica to do a 15 (or 1) day cleanse.

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    Replies
    1. I'll choose the 15-day cleanse over a trudge in the antartic thank you very much!!

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  6. Couldn't agree more with you Carol. I don't do detox regimes or any kind of diets. Just keep a good diet (and that includes sugar!) Although that tasting even without sugars looked great. And love your chocolate map - looking good!

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    1. Please write a diet book next Jill!
      I dont know how you do it!!!

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  7. Susan b2:08 PM

    I would love a silk scarf with one of your maps printed on it! Any plans?

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    Replies
    1. Hahaha
      Me too
      Know anyone in china/hong kong?

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    2. Hi, I agree with Susan B. Bet you could sell quite a lot of scarves with your wonderful designs on them. Think, huge tourist market looking for souvenirs.
      Think ... Hermes? Pourquoi pas?

      Diane in Denver

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    3. Keep dreaming Denver!! :)
      Next trip Hong Kong?

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  8. Imagine my disappointment when I read that those 2 bottles of "Lapin Sodankyla" were not, as I expected, rabbit vinegar, but Laplandish berries. Sigh....I'll settle for a paille with nutella inside
    :-)

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    1. Moi aussi! I thought Oh no, that's madefrom dead rabbits. What a relief! :-)

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  9. Leslie in Oregon2:46 AM

    Lovely post. I relish any Finnish (except for the meat of its animals)!

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  10. Leslie in Oregon2:47 AM

    That should have read "anything," not "any."

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  11. We have great chums who come from Finland to look after Buster!
    They would love to see you in Finland any time you would like to visit.
    Robert blesses you for the lovely brushes which he is getting good use out of.
    Happy February
    and no I could not go without sugar for 24 hours!
    x

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    1. Hahaha Wish I could get to Finland right now!!
      Glad Robert is enjoying those brushes too!
      Me going sugar-free would be like HOMELAND Carrie without her meds. Crazy!

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  12. 15 days with no sugar?!?!? And I can't even make one day :-(

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  13. I did Sugar Free September one year, it wasn't that bad. I would NOT be able to do it in Paris though. I'm intrigued by the salmon/blue cheese combo- two of my favourite things together- although I'm not sure that I think it would work. I would be willing to give it a go though. Much to intrigue as always Carol.

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