Finn Fest 2013

A much anticipated vacation this year was a journey by car to Hancock,MI to attend the annual Finnish 4 day festival. As we meandered by car through  a town called Toivola and finally into the upper peninsula and into the copper country of  northern Michigan. Stopping at a grocery store, I discovered Finnish food such as fresh  warm pasties and rhubarb yogurt.  We checked into our dorm room at Finlandia University and dined in the Finlandia Cafe downstairs and had Finnish cuisine as Pork Chops with stuffed green peppers.

The Festival takes place in many places and there is a shuttle bus that drops you off at any location. Many of the classes that I took were at Michigan Technological  University across the bridge in Houghton, Mi. On Thursday I attended a lecture with Lauri Anderson on Writing Memoirs. He is an author of eight books, His first book, Hunting Hemingway's Trout, is the one that I bought in the Tori {marketplace}

The next destination was a lecture of Finnish  Midsummer desserts from  a Finnish chef, Sirpa Welch.  Sirpa serves as an executive chef at the Finnish Consulate in Los Angeles since 1997. Her Rhubarb dessert was a huge hit. But she also added that black licorice ice cream is a food trend  {Finland has there own brand, Panda black licorice, that is soft and favorable.

Visiting the Student Development Center was next and I saw  museum displays on the Kalevala, Finland's national epic poem, crazy quilt demonstrations, rag rug loom weaving, and authentic Laplander mittens. Nordic knitter named Laura Ricketts stashmuffinsloosethreads.com, had lots to display and she used traditional patterns  Her mittens were done in colors of red, white, navy, with traditional Sami patterns. Upstairs was a small War museum on display with clothing, guns, knives, helmets, and military posters, books, and war related articles.

Next was a lecture named, What Everyone Should Know About the Kalevala by Borje Vahamaki, University Of Toronto. The Kalevala is a tradition that was sung orally from person to person, and is consisted of 50 Ruins {50 sections}. The national harp, the Kantala, originally had 5 strings because of the 5 notes of music used in the singing of the  Kalevala.  The Kalevala has many layers of texture. Myths, Magic, Shaman, Adventure,and Christian poetry.

Next Lecture, Titanic: The Unintended Arrival by Gregory Isola explained  the history of the ship builder and that there were 8 second class Finnish passengers on board the Titanic, and 58 3rd class passengers.

There were many more lecture I went to all informative and professional.  Because there is a large variety of lectures, music, dance, and film events, everyone's ethnic  Finn experience will be different.  I also attended an old time lumberjack harmonic music session and  a Sami painter documentary ,Solveig: The Life and Artwork of Solveig Arneng Johnson . In the evening it was time to sample the areas beer craft while learning to do a scottish  folk dance at the Finnish American Heritage Center, which included Finnish theme museum art work www.finlandia.edu/FAHC. Shopping in the marketplace was  fun and I found books, tshirts, and a reindeer crafted necklace.www.crystalcollectreindeer.com

Lumene Skin Products

Lumene Skin Care Products

I have been a fan of the Lumene Skin Care products originally from Finland  for a long time.  The Finnish people are great environmentalists, and tend to be purist,like things simple, and are  thrifty. Anything a Finn builds or handcrafts, quality is of the highest importance. Masks made of Arctic Peat Moss, face creams with Buckthorn, and Arctic Cloudberry,  . A number of years ago, they came out with a blueberry based mascara. I can't seem to find it in the market, perhaps, they discontinued it.  These products  can be purchased at Walgreens,Ulta, CVS and other discount stores, at an inexpensive price.

I use the Arctic Touch Deep Cleansing Peat Mask about once a week.

 About once a month I use the Gentle Exfoliating Cream. 

In the morning on a clean face I apply Lumeme Age-Defying and Repairing Serum, usually around  the fine lines at the corners of my eyes. 

  I use the Premium Beauty with Nourishing Arctic Sea Buckthorn SPF15 

as a moisturizer base. 

I apply the Vitamin C++ Illuminating Anti-age BB Cream with Arctic Cloudberry SPF20. 

At night, after a cleansing wash, I apply Vitamin C++ Nourishing Night Care

Finnish Cardamom Bread

Finnish Cardamom Bread

7 whole cardamom pods
2 cups milk
1 package active dry yeast
2 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
6 1/2 to 7 cups all purpose flour, divided

For glaze:
1 egg, beaten
sliced almonds

Final second  glaze when loaves are cooled:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla flavoring
1/2 to 1 T. coffee to make a sugar drizzle



Crack open cadamom pods and heat in a small pan for several minutes. Grind or pound seeds and set aside. Heat milk to lukewarm. Add yeast and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of flour about 1/2 cup, stir into yeast water  and let that sit in a warm spot for 30 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar until foamy. Add milk, cardamom and 11/2 c. flour. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and elastic. Stir in softened butter, salt, and enough flour to make dough stiff enough to knead. Knead on floured surface until smooth and satiny, about 5 to 10 minute. Place in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover, let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size. . On a floured surface divide dough into three parts. Divide each third into three parts. Form each part into a strip 16 inches long. Braid three together, sealing ends. Repeat for remaining 2 loaves. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover loosely and let rise about 30 minutes until less than doubled in size. Brush loaves with beaten egg;sprinkle with almons and sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Makes 3 loaves.

Here is one loave, but I already divided it into 3 sections, some to freeze and some to give away. I do not recommend using store bought canister cardamom. Most of the flavor has faded.