Finland’s coffee culture in a class by itself
Finland is known as the happiest country in the world in recent years, you might know that, but did you know Finland is the largest coffee-consuming country in the world? According to statistics, a Finn uses an average of 10kg of coffee in a year. Although not known for coffee values, it has actually been around here for a long time. Finns’ love of coffee has also gradually created a one of a kind coffee culture.
Finnish coffee-drinking style
Finns like strong coffee and the beans only need to be lightly roasted. They serve coffee with pastries, typically pulla – which is vanilla flavored. The sweetness of the cake will not overwhelm the bitter taste of pure coffee, but only awaken your taste buds, the symbolic meaning of a sweet and bitter life.
They like to drink coffee every morning that comes with breakfast, then, a cup after lunch, and a cup during an afternoon break at work. After that, when returning home, they still like to sip another cup of coffee.
Drinking coffee is also considered a social activity in Finland. Coffee shops are just the ideal meeting place for friends or colleagues. However, you don’t necessarily have to be social, but just completely silent while enjoying your cup of coffee. And, it’s rude to leave a cafe or a tea table when everyone hasn’t finished their coffee.
Coffee is also served at families to welcome guests. Even if you drop by someone’s house unannounced, they will always prepare a pot of steaming coffee for you. Almost every Finland family owns a coffee maker, along with low porcelain cups. They even have special cups for drinking coffee, like Kuksa and Moomin.
The origins of Finland’s coffee culture
The Finnish habit of drinking coffee stems from the fact that the weather here is extremely cold, sometimes reaching -40 degrees; that’s why the habit to sip a warm cup of coffee after a hard working day was born. Meanwhile, in the hot summer, they will have coffee with ice to cool down.
Additionally, since the Finnish government issued a strange resolution, that a citizen must spend 2 times, 15 minutes each time, to enjoy coffee in each working day, the coffee drinking culture has gradually become a routine in people’s life. It seems that Finnish people can drink coffee at any time and it is a mandatory drink in every meal, every working hour.
Finnish prefers coffee to any drink else
Finns’ love for coffee is so great that you’ll find coffee shops outnumbering pubs and bars in the city. People here can stop drinking, can stop going to discos, but can’t stop drinking coffee. You will easily see office people hurrying to work with a hot cup of coffee in hand or old people chatting over stylish coffee cups dripping. You can also find many specialty coffee brands packaged in souvenir shops and on supermarket shelves.
In any area, from a large city to a small town in Finland, you can find at least a few local cafes selling a wide range of specialty coffees and pastries, along with retail stores and chain coffee shops from well-known brands.
