Discover the charm of Tankar Lighthouse Island, off the Finnish coast

Life & societyTravel

There it stands, a distant silhouette on the horizon.

A gentle breeze stirs as the ferry pulls away from the shore and heads out into the open sea. We’ve just left Kokkola, a vivid town about 500 kilometres (300 miles) north of Helsinki, on the shores of the Bay of Bothnia. If we sailed far enough, we’d eventually reach Sweden.

But today, our destination lies closer, less than 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the harbour: the enchanting Tankar Lighthouse Island.

A ferry captain wearing sunglasses and a white shirt stands at the front of a white boat under a clear blue sky.

Captain Teemu Mäkelä of M/S Jenny praises Tankar: “It’s definitely one of the most beautiful islands I’ve ever visited.”

A collie rests on a person's lap in the sunlight.

Nukka the dog rests during the crossing. Dogs are welcome on the island if kept on a leash.

From rocky islet to lively community

A red wooden chapel with a bell tower sits on a rocky outcrop as two people stand nearby viewing the scenery.

In the summer, the Tankar church holds services, wedding ceremonies and other events, such as concerts.

As the ferry docks, we step ashore and meet our guide, Hugo Lund, who begins the tour with a visit to the island’s small, atmospheric wooden church.

Built in 1754, it once held around 100 worshippers at a time, back when the law required weekly church attendance. A priest would row from the mainland to hold services, ensuring the island’s fishing and pilot families could meet their obligations.

Seen through a paneled window from a dark room, a lighthouse stands behind trees on a clear day.

Tankar’s lighthouse was first lit on October 15, 1889.

Life on Tankar in the 1800s was demanding. Seasonal populations of fishermen, seal hunters and pilots reached into the hundreds. Soil was carried over by boat to create small potato plots, and the island produced barely enough hay to feed a cow.

Seal hunting was then a crucial livelihood. Today, the island’s small museum preserves this chapter of history.

A person stands in a wooden paneled room with religious art, a window and painted pews.

Hugo Lund works as a deckhand on M/S Jenny and as a guide on Tankar.

Lund knows the stories well. He first came to Tankar as a baby, and this summer marks his 20th on the island.

“When you get to Tankar, you know summer has truly begun,” he says.

Tankar’s iconic lighthouse

A red and white lighthouse rises behind small buildings surrounded by foliage.

The lighthouse tower, made of iron, reflects a design linked to the firm that built the Eiffel Tower.

A window of a wooden cabin displays a toy sailboat and lighthouse on the sill against a white curtain.

Tankar’s history stretches back to the 13th century, when the island first rose from the sea due to post-glacial land uplift, a natural process still raising the coast nearly a centimetre (0.4 in) each year.

A family rests at a picnic table outside a weathered white building, surrounded by lush greenery under a clear sky.

At the foot of the lighthouse, mother Lotta Fors and her children Vivian (2) and Niklas (6) enjoy a picnic. Grandmother Riitta Ojala-Fors joined the outing from Kalajoki: “The little ones managed to climb all the way up to the lighthouse. The views were amazing.”

From the chapel, the path finally leads to the island’s most striking landmark: the lighthouse. Before its construction, sailors relied on a stone cairn and a beacon pole, but dangerous waters required a better solution.

Completed in 1889, Tankar’s lighthouse carries a touch of mystery about its design. Some sources suggest involvement from the same firm that built the Eiffel Tower, and the spiral staircase inside bears a strong resemblance to the style of the Paris landmark.

Originally equipped with powerful optics reaching 13 nautical miles (24 kilometres/15 miles), the lighthouse has since been electrified and is now fully automated, with a beam visible for 27.5 nautical miles (51 kilometres/32 miles). That makes it one of the brightest lighthouses in Finland.

Looking up, a red metal staircase of girders, supports and rivets spirals around a central post.

The lighthouse’s 122-step staircase leads 27.5 metres (90 feet) above the ground.

A view through an open window high above looks down upon several white buildings with a body of water and a rocky coastline in the distance.

The lighthouse keeper’s residence now accommodates visitors next to the tower.

On selected days, visitors can climb all 122 steps to the top of the lighthouse for a small fee.

From the top, the views stretch out over the sea all the way to Kokkola’s skyline.

The vast sky and endless water seem to meet, while swallows dart playfully around the beacon.

Nature and wildlife

An aerial view shows a small island with a lighthouse, buildings and a harbor with boats on a sunny day.

Tankar is located just under 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Kokkola city centre. The island measures 750 metres (820 yards) in length.

Tankar isn’t just historical – it’s also home to stunning natural splendour.

A 1.5-kilometre (0.9-mile) trail circles the island, winding through juniper bushes, lush groves and rocky terrain. Straying off the path is prohibited in order to protect fragile ecosystems, as Tankar is a protected nature reserve.

In summer, sheep graze the island, helping maintain open meadows and prevent overgrowth.

More than 260 bird species have been spotted here, particularly during migration season, when the lighthouse’s beam can attract them on misty nights.

Island life today

Two people relax in chairs on a grassy yard near a weathered wooden cabin under a bright sky.

The island’s oldest cottage, known as Sjöblom’s Sauna, dates back to 1768. Originally a fisherman’s hut, it is now summer home to Brage and Nanna-Lisa Finskas.

Tankar remains a seasonal community. The oldest building, Sjöblom’s Sauna (1768), now serves as a private summer cottage, while some other historic houses, such as lighthouse keeper’s residence, have been converted into guest accommodation.

And when hunger hits, the café provides delicious fish soup and sweet cinnamon rolls.

A bowl of soup with potatoes and fish sits on a dark table next to a spoon.

A bowl of fish soup served at the island café is a refreshing way to recover after a full day exploring the island.

Three women sit on a bench in front of a weathered building with a window.

Esther Okpala (left), Confidence Uche and Ella Tornikoski enjoy Tankar on a day trip. For Okpala and Uche it is their first visit here: “We are ready to explore the island.”

For many, the day ends with a sauna session followed by a swim in the sea, a tradition that connects today’s visitors with generations of island life.

Leaving the island feels like leaving a piece of your heart behind.

Tankar is a place you must return to.

Practical info: Visiting Tankar

Two people sit at a cafe table inside a ferry watching the sea through a large window.

The ferry from Kokkola to Tankar takes around 1.5 hours, with snacks and beverages available on board.

  • Location: Tankar Island, 20 km (12 miles) from Kokkola, in the Bay of Bothnia
  • Ferry: The M/S Jenny runs daily in summer; travel time about 1.5 hours
  • Accommodation: Guesthouse in the old pilot station, lighthouse keeper’s residence and cabins (advance booking recommended)
  • Dining: Café with local dishes and pastries; picnic spots available
  • Activities: Lighthouse climb (fee applies), guided tours, chapel events, sauna sessions, nature trail, birdwatching
  • Accessibility: Terrain is rocky and uneven; wheelchair access limited
  • Note: Tankar is a protected nature reserve. Off-trail walking and disturbing wildlife are prohibited. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a leash.

Text and photos by Emilia Kangasluoma, August 2025

Wolves, owls and lions: Why Finland names its national teams after animals

Life & societySports

Wolf Pack, Lions, Eagle-Owls and Boreal Owls. Naming sports teams after animals is a long-standing tradition in Finland, and not just for local clubs, but for the national teams, too.

These names reflect the spirit of sports: power, agility, teamwork and cleverness. But beyond that, they help build a strong fan culture and sense of community. After all, who wouldn’t want to call themself a supporter of the Wolf Pack?

For the players, too, these names can carry a real meaning. There’s something empowering about being associated with a predator. Just imagine being one of the Lynxes (ilves in Finnish – an ice hockey team in the central-western city of Tampere), the Bears (karhu – a basketball team in the western town of Kauhajoki) or the Tigers (tiikeri – a volleyball team in the west-coast town of Kokkola).

Let’s take a closer look at some of Finland’s most iconic animal-themed national teams.

Susijengi: The Wolf Pack (men’s basketball)

A basketball player dunking the ball.

Miikka Muurinen (dunking the ball) is one of Finland’s young basketball talents. Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva

The Finnish men’s basketball team, known for their historic performance in the European Championships in 2025, is aptly called Susijengi (the Wolf Pack). The name, coined by the Finnish Basketball Association, symbolises strength in numbers: wolves are already fast and fierce on their own, but they’re unstoppable in a pack.

And yes, fans and players have been known to howl in celebration!

Leijonat: The Lions (men’s ice hockey)

An ice-hockey player lifting a trophy cup.

Lions captain Valtteri Filppula celebrates after Finland won the 2022 Ice Hockey World Championship. Photo: Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva

The men’s ice hockey team gets its name from the lion featured in Finland’s national coat of arms. They first wore jerseys bearing a lion emblem in 1948.

Two ice hockey players chasing the puck in an ice rink.

Finnish hockey player Ville Väärälä (left) has made his mark as one of the Little Lions, the junior national team. Photo: Antti Aimo-Koivisto/Lehtikuva

Several other national hockey squads have their own nicknames, including Naarasleijonat (the Lionesses – the women’s national team) and Pikkuleijonat (the Little Lions – the junior national team).

Huuhkajat: The Eagle-Owls (men’s football)

A male footballer kicks the ball on a football pitch.

Striker Joel Pohjanpalo has been one of the mainstays of the Finnish national football team for years. Photo: Markku Ulander/Lehtikuva

In 2007, a UEFA qualifying match between Finland and Belgium was memorably interrupted by a wild eagle-owl, later dubbed Bubi, who flew across the pitch mid-game and perched on one of the goals. The owl stole the show and provided the team with its nickname, the Eagle-Owls.

The under-21 men’s team followed suit, becoming known as Pikkuhuuhkajat (the Little-Eagle Owls).

Helmarit: The Boreal Owls (women’s football)

A female footballer kicking a ball in a football stadium.

Linda Sällström has been chosen as a female footballer of the year three times by the Football Association of Finland.Photo: Emmi Korhonen/Lehtikuva

Following the popularity of the Eagle-Owls moniker, Finland’s morning TV viewers were invited to suggest a name for the women’s national football team. The winning idea, Helmarit, is short for helmipöllöt, or boreal owls, a native Finnish species known for its sharp vision and determination.

Finland’s love of animal nicknames doesn’t end there.

The national bandy team (an ice-hockey-like sport played on an ice surface as big as a football field) goes by Jalopeurat (Noble Deer), and ski jumpers are often called mäkikotkat (eagles of the hills).

When the Wolf Pack steps onto the basketball court again, the crowd is ready to howl.

By Emilia Kangasluoma, September 2025

Finnish-led satellite study shows peatland restoration cools the climate

Life & societyWebpick

Peatlands play an outsized role in slowing climate change, but when drained or degraded they release large amounts of greenhouse gases. A new study led by Aalto University is the first to use long-term satellite archives to measure how restoration affects peatlands across the Northern Hemisphere.

The team examined 72 sites in Europe and North America and found that restored peatlands gradually start to resemble intact ones. Within about ten years they show more natural surface temperatures and reflectivity, helping stabilise local climates.

About one-third of Finland’s land area is made up of peatlands, roughly half of which have been drained. The study underlines the importance of Finland’s large-scale restoration projects, which are supported by satellite monitoring in cooperation with the Natural Resources Institute Finland.

Fly into history along Finland’s south coast, in a vintage DC-3

Life & societyHistory

The atmosphere at Helsinki Airport is filled with anticipation. Passengers gather near the aircraft as purser Nina Merisalo-Reunanen briefs them on the upcoming flight.

“The technology of the plane is from 1935,” she explains. “Today, the flying altitude will be around 300 metres, at a speed of 250 kilometres per hour.”

These low altitudes promise sweeping views of the coastline.

A woman in a 1960s-style flight attendant uniform smiles and looks up at the sky.

Purser Nina Merisalo-Reunanen designed the uniform to match the aircraft’s historical charm.

Dark storm clouds pass overhead, but soon the group of aviation enthusiasts receives clearance to board.

A woman in a reflective orange vest motions to other ground crew next to a vintage passenger plane on an airport tarmac.

The plane will soon be ready for boarding. DC-3 planes typically have up to 32 seats.

Inside, the cabin is a world apart from modern air travel. Passengers sit slightly reclined until takeoff, when the engines roar to life and the fuselage begins to shake. There’s generous legroom, but no air conditioning – just fresh air flowing in through an open cockpit side window and another at the rear of the cabin.

With its 1960s-style interior and crew in historically inspired uniforms, the journey feels like stepping straight into another era.

From wartime service to peaceful skies

An airline attendant stands in the aisle of a vintage aeroplane cabin, giving instructions to passengers.

Merisalo-Reunanen gives the safety briefing in the cabin. With its 1960s interior, the flight feels like a step back in time.

The DC-3’s story begins far from Finland. Built at the Douglas Aircraft Company factory in California, it was completed on Christmas Eve 1942. Originally ordered by Pan American Airways, it was taken into service by the US Army during the Second World War.

An aerial view from the side of an aeroplane shows an archipelago of forested islands surrounded by water.

Protruding rear windows provide fine views of the coastline and the side of the plane. Flights are limited to three kilometres in altitude due to oxygen requirements.

After the war, the plane was sent to Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany before being purchased by the Finnish government. Registered as OH-LCH in June 1948, it made its first passenger flight from Helsinki to Vaasa that summer. The flight was operated by Aero, which later became Finnair, now the world’s fifth-oldest airline still in operation.

Cargo, intelligence and a second life

An aerial view shows farmland, forest and scattered houses linked by winding roads.

You don’t have to fly far from Helsinki to see beautiful rural landscapes dotted with forests and fields.

In December 1960, the plane was dismantled for spare parts, then reassembled and converted for cargo use with a large freight door. It remained in service until April 1967, when it made Finnair’s final DC-3 flight.

The Finnish Air Force bought the plane in 1970 and used it as a signals intelligence aircraft until retiring it in 1985. A year later it was purchased by the Finnish company Airveteran and repurposed for member flights.

After decades of service, the plane now boasts more than 35,000 flight hours, which is the equivalent of flying for four years nonstop.

Passion and dedication

Through an aeroplane window, a wing extends over water and islands under a cloudy sky.

Most member flights on this DC-3 take place in the Helsinki region and other parts of southern Finland, with occasional trips to Baltic cities. This short flight of less than 30 minutes followed the coastline east of Helsinki.

Airveteran still owns the plane, with the flights operated by a local DC association. Every summer just under 2,000 passengers take to the skies aboard OH-LCH. Membership is open to anyone, and volunteers keep the plane in good condition.

“The passengers include both Finns and foreigners interested in aviation,” says association chair Petri Petäys. “There are between 180 and 200 DC-3 aircraft still airworthy worldwide, but this type of aircraft was previously in widespread use. It is still used in commercial cargo and passenger transport in North and South America, for example.”

Two pilots in the cockpit of an old aeroplane navigate using an electronic tablet mounted on the dashboard.

In addition to flying long-haul for Finnair, captain Miikka Rautakoura enjoys flying in his spare time and is a member of the Arctic Eagles aerobatic group. First officer Henri Airava is also highly experienced and works as a captain for Norwegian Air Shuttle.

Captain Miikka Rautakoura notes that, unlike modern computerised cockpits, everything in this plane works mechanically.

“The DC-3s have proven to be a very good design overall,” he says. “And it was actually the introduction of this particular type that made commercial flights profitable.”

For every hour of flight time, the aircraft undergoes 15 to 40 hours of maintenance, all carried out by volunteers.

“The reward,” says Rautakoura, “is seeing the passengers’ smiles as they step off the plane.”

A female purser wearing an old-fashioned uniform and headset looks out a plane window.

After nearly 40 years with Finnair, Merisalo-Reunanen now volunteers as a flight attendant on this historic DC-3.

Text by Anttoni Tumanoff, September 2025
Photos by Emilia Kangasluoma
This article includes historical information sourced from the website of Finland’s DC Association.

Helsinki Design Week: Designing happiness in the Finnish capital

Life & societyWebpick

Helsinki Design Week (Sept 5–14, 2025), the largest design festival in the Nordics, marks its 20th anniversary this year. Centred at Suomitalo (Finland House), the programme features exhibitions, workshops, launches and evening events, while nearly 100 design happenings will also take place across the city.

The festival’s main exhibition, Designing Happiness, curated by Anniina Koivu, asks whether happiness can be designed. Works by renowned Finnish and international designers, from Eero Aarnio to Erwan Bouroullec, reflect on the “happiness cocktail” of chemicals that shape wellbeing and joy. A symposium and the Helsinki Design Award presentation accompany the exhibition.

This year’s theme, Celebration, is interpreted in spatial installations at Suomitalo by Finnish design brands. The programme also includes the Design Market at Kaapelitehdas (Cable Factory), Children’s Design Week, open studios, fashion shows and a wide range of discussions and performances. From architecture to illustration to sustainability, the city comes alive with fresh ideas and festive spirit.

How to sleep under the stars: 3 unforgettable stays in Finnish nature

Life & societyEnvironment

What’s better than drifting off beneath a sky full of stars, with the scent of pine in the air and the sound of waves as your bedtime soundtrack? In Finland, nature isn’t just a backdrop. It’s a place to stay.  From forest tents to island cabins, here are three ways to sleep surrounded by the quiet, wild beauty of the outdoors.

Keeping it classic

A man and a child stand in shallow lake water holding fishing rods while a woman watches from the shore.

Lake Fiskträsk lies in Sipoonkorpi National Park just over 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Helsinki as the crow flies, with easy trails leading in from several nearby parking areas.

Morning has just arrived over Sipoonkorpi National Park. Sunlight warms the forest, and at Lake Fiskträsk, a young boy casts a worm-baited line into the water.

Seven-year-old Nooa doesn’t have to wait long and he pulls out a small perch with a smile. Quentin Engelen stands ready to help, soon joined by Nooa’s aunt, Nea Sjöholm, and grandmother, Anne Karlsson.

A man holds a small fish above clear shallow lake water.

A tiny perch is safely released back into Lake Fiskträsk.

The family spent the night in a tent. It was Nooa’s first time camping, but sleep came quickly and deeply.

“I wasn’t cold and I didn’t hear any scary noises,” he says.

“But I woke up a few times to a cuckoo calling!” Karlsson adds with a laugh.

Their bright blue tent may have been pitched a bit haphazardly, but it stood strong, and everyone fit inside, so mission accomplished.

Other tents dot the woods nearby. There’s plenty of space for everyone.

Pancakes and peace

Two women stand beside a blue dome tent pitched in a lush green forest.

In most Finnish national parks, camping is allowed only at designated sites, like Fiskträsk. This camping site offers a cooking shelter and composting toilets just a short walk away.

It’s time for breakfast. Karlsson sets up a camping stove, adds a stick of butter, and pours pancake mix into the pan. The scent is divine.

In addition to food, water and spare clothes, they’ve brought a few fun things for the kids, like Nooa’s fishing rod.

“It’s good to have something exciting for them to do,” Karlsson says.

A camping stove rests on a flat rock with a frying pan heating food in a forest setting.

Everything tastes better when enjoyed out in nature.

The family has camped before, when Sjöholm was still little. These memories stick. Shared adventures bring people closer.

Karlsson uses these moments in nature to teach the children an important lesson: respect the environment.

“Everything we bring in, we take back with us,” she says. “And the forest is a place for calm.”

Peace and privacy on your own island

The front of a small white boat with railings approaches a forested shoreline across calm water.

Tvijälp Island lies peacefully off the coast of Espoo. Reachable by private boat or shared transport, the island also hosts kayaking trips, yoga retreats and other activities.

On the other side of the metropolitan area, a motorboat winds its way through the Espoo archipelago. A great crested grebe nests by the shore. A swan glides toward the open sea. With each passing islet, the hum of city life fades behind.

At the dock on Tvijälp Island, Roope Lemmetti, CEO of the Nolla Company, welcomes visitors and leads them up through a forest of pine and moss-covered stone. At the top of the hill, triangular cabins come into view, tucked among the trees and oriented toward the sea. These are Nolla Cabins.

Inside, everything is pared down to essentials. There are two tidy beds, a compact stove and just enough space to sit and look out. A wide window fills one end of the structure, framing open water and scattered islands as if the whole cabin were built around the view.

A triangular wooden cabin sits among bushes with its door open and a view of the sea through trees.

The cabins are crafted from Finnish wood in a small Parkano workshop and assembled on site. Alongside Tvijälp, Nolla Cabins appear in several other locations in Finland and even in California.

A simple cabin room features a bed with floral bedding, wood-paneled walls and floors and a large window onto the forest outside.

Guests range from newborns to seniors, and some even celebrate engagements or honeymoons at Nolla Cabins.

There is no running water and no excess. A composting toilet is located discreetly among the rocks. Meals are cooked outside over a fire or carried in from the mainland. Visitors bring what they need in backpacks, including food, water and sleeping bags, and leave just as lightly.

“Guests arrive with a good dose of adventure,” Lemmetti says with a grin.

Sustainability in its DNA

The cabins on Tvijälp Island seem to rest gently on the land. Their foundations are light and temporary, designed to leave no trace behind if ever removed. Built in 2018 by Finnish designer Robin Falck, they were meant to test an idea: How lightly can we tread when building something new?

The concept has grown since then, but the core intention remains. Guests are asked to stay on marked trails, recycle what they use and carry away what they bring. The rhythm here is slower, shaped by the tides, the light and the sound of birds overhead.

A man reclines against a pine tree beside a calm lake.

A 24/7 emergency line is available on the island, just in case. “This kind of stay isn’t for everyone, but for some, it’s perfect,” says Roope Lemmetti.

“We’ve hosted guests from all over,” says CEO Roope Lemmetti, “Especially the Netherlands and Japan. Some keep coming back, year after year.”

A walk around the island reveals rugged cliffs, peaceful forests, sandy shores and flower-filled meadows. In autumn, the island bursts with blueberries, lingonberries and mushrooms, which are all free to forage under Finland’s “every person’s right.”

“Guests have spotted dozens of bird species and even deer,” Lemmetti adds. “This is the ultimate stay if you truly want to immerse yourself in nature.”

Glamping by a national park

A modern wooden cabin with large windows stands on a forested slope among tall trees.

At Haltia Lake Lodge, you can stay in a tent surrounded by peaceful forest in the heart of Nuuksio National Park, just a stone’s throw from all the amenities.

The tents at Haltia Lake Lodge sit quietly among the trees, spaced just far enough apart that you feel alone in the woods. The tent is tall enough to stand in, and the bed inside feels like something from home, just slightly better. Through the window, evergreens sway gently, and a birdhouse hangs from a nearby spruce. At night, the forest seems to breathe around you.

This is glamorous camping, or “glamping,” with the comforts of a real bed and shelter, but still close to nature. Just over half an hour from Helsinki, the tents sit at the edge of Nuuksio National Park. Trails lead out almost immediately behind them, winding past tranquil ponds, rocky cliffs and patches of open wetland. Some paths are easy and level; others climb high enough to look out over the treetops.

“There’s no television here, but our guests enjoy birdwatching instead,” says Teemu Tuomarla, CEO and co-founder of Haltia Lake Lodge.

A neatly made double bed with minimalist decor stands inside a softly lit room.

Glamping at Haltia Lake Lodge adds a touch of luxury to the classic camping experience.

After a long day of hiking forest trails, guests return to hot showers and a sauna just steps from their tent. The air cools quickly in the evening, and walking back through the trees with damp hair and warm skin, the forest feels both vast and intimate.

Wrapped in forest silence

There’s no running water here. Drinking water is brought in by container, and the forest itself takes care of most of the atmosphere.

A round window reveals two reclining chairs on a balcony overlooking a dense green forest.

From your tent, take in the ever-changing forest landscape, shifting with the seasons, the weather and the light.

Instead of walls, the tents are made from insulated canvas. Rain falls with a soft rhythm on the roof, and in spring, birdsong fills the air. The fresh scent of damp forest drifts in with the breeze.

Even in winter, the space stays warm. Tuomarla once spent the night here in minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four degrees Fahrenheit).

A man stands in a leafy green forest surrounded by trees and low vegetation.

Since Teemu Tuomarla opened glamping tents in September 2021, tents have become a favourite among guests from Germany, France, the Netherlands and the UK.

“The forest was absolutely beautiful that night,” he says.

He especially recommends the experience for couples, though anyone looking for quiet might feel at home here. And sometimes, in the clear winter sky, the Northern Lights pass silently overhead.

Text and photos by Emilia Kangasluoma, September 2025

Calculating how much dairy, meat and veggies people in Finland consume

Life & societyWebpick

People in Finland consumed an average of 130 kilograms of liquid dairy products, 78 kilograms of meat, roughly 87 kilograms of cereals, nearly 14 kilograms of fish, 12 kilograms of eggs, 65 kilograms of potatoes, 48 kilograms of fruit and 64 kilograms of vegetables.

Consumption of beef and poultry increased. Oats consumption has been significant for a long time, and it broke a new record last year. Fish consumption decreased from the year before.

These estimates are based on the Balance Sheet for Food Commodities published by the Natural Resources Institute Finland.

Only local sources: A Finnish chef creates acclaimed cuisine in a small town

Life & societyCuisine

Pinecones and milk. That’s what the menu said last summer at Restaurant Solitary.

When chef Remi Trémouille started his first own restaurant a few years ago, his goal was clear: take traditional Finnish ingredients and turn them into exciting new dishes, source everything as near as possible and build the frequently changing menu around whatever is available at any given time.

The vision has become a globally acclaimed fine-dining restaurant in the small town of Rantasalmi. It has inspired Trémouille’s team to create dishes with ingredients that have taken even the seasoned chef by surprise.

“Since opening the restaurant, I’ve truly understood how many ingredients are out there. But the pinecones were the biggest surprise by far.”

The candied green pinecones and homemade mozzarella with early-season green strawberries became an instant hit. Even though, faithful to the concept, the dish was on the menu only for a short period of time, customers are still asking after it more than a year later. Trémouille has just received a message from a Central European couple who have been in the restaurant over ten times, asking if there is any chance to enjoy the pinecones again on their upcoming visit.

“I still have some ten pinecones in the freezer reserved for very special guests,” he reveals.

A surprise homecoming

Inside a restaurant, a chef prepares fresh wild mushrooms beside a plate of local vegetables.

The commitment to only seasonal and available ingredients means diners never know what will be on Solitary’s menu.Photo: Timo Villanen

Starting a restaurant in a town of roughly 3,000 inhabitants in the Southern Savo region of eastern Finland was not Trémouille’s original plan. Growing up, he couldn’t wait to leave Rantasalmi. He quit school, started working at restaurants, moved to Helsinki and worked his way up in the capital’s Michelin-starred restaurants. For years, he lived and worked in Australia and Bali.

When the pandemic shut down fine-dining restaurants, Trémouille found himself out of work. Then, he received a call from his first boss, Markus Heiskanen. A luxurious new resort, Kuru, was in the works in Rantasalmi, and the entrepreneur asked if Trémouille would be interested in working there.

“I asked my wife Laura, who was born and raised in Helsinki, if she would mind if we moved to Rantasalmi. She said OK, and here we are,” he laughs.

Returning to his old hometown to start his own restaurant meant returning to his roots in more than one way.

Trémouille was born in France to a French dad and a Finnish mom but spent his formative years in Rantasalmi. Fishing on the lake with granddad and cooking local dishes with grandma are some of his fondest childhood memories. Returning to the small town, now to start his own family, felt right.

“I left Rantasalmi because, at the time, the nearest good restaurants were in Helsinki. Nowadays, there are great restaurants across Finland, all the way to Lapland.”

Founding Solitary meant taking a new approach to traditional Finnish ingredients. The restaurant’s core idea is to source everything from local farmers, fishermen, hunters or producers. The staff also picks wild herbs that grow just outside the restaurant, and if there’s brown hare on the menu, it’s most likely brought in by Samuli Kuronen, one of Solitary’s chefs and an avid hunter.

The commitment to working with whatever is in season and available means that diners never know in advance what will be on the menu. This sets Solitary apart from many other restaurants, where “local” ingredients are sometimes sourced from far away because the menu promises a certain dish throughout the season.

“We make do with what we have. If the ice on the lake is too thin for the local fishermen to go and cast nets underneath using ice holes, we won’t have fish on the menu that week,” Trémouille  explains.

The approach presents both opportunities and challenges. On the one hand, it pushes Trémouille and his team to be creative and resourceful, but on the other, it can sometimes be a little stressful.

“Once, we had to change the menu six times in one week. To be honest, that wasn’t ideal,” Trémouille says with a laugh.

It takes a village

To make his concept work, Trémouille had to create strong connections with local people. Building networks has taken a lot of time and footwork, but Trémouille proudly says that Solitary is now the biggest customer for many producers in the area.

The impact of using local ingredients in haute cuisine can extend beyond one restaurant’s supply chain.

“When we use traditional ingredients to make something a little trendier, I hope we inspire people to use those ingredients more. That, in turn, helps to develop local production and creates jobs. The trickle-down effect can be significant.”

Trémouille believes that going to “source zero” is the best way to ensure the highest quality ingredients. The producers, who Trémouille always calls only by their first names, are invested in making sure everything they deliver to the restaurant is as fresh as possible. Working closely with locals also offers greater flexibility. Just the day before, a farmer dropped off some freshly picked cherry tomatoes in Trémouille’s carport while the family was away for the weekend.

“This wouldn’t be possible if we sourced our ingredients from wholesale.”

As word of the restaurant and its philosophy has spread, locals have started to offer their produce spontaneously. That’s why there are 40 litres of damson, a subspecies of plum, waiting at the restaurant.

“My childhood friend’s parents brought them. They had a massive harvest this year and said no-one in their family could take any more. They asked if I could use them. Damson is a completely new ingredient for me. We had already planned our menu for the week, but now we’ll just have to figure out something,” he says, grinning.

The restaurant also fosters a sense of community. People come to talk to Trémouille at the local store and are eager to direct visitors to the resort.

“The locals are very proud of our restaurant. I like to say we have over three thousand ambassadors here who wish us well and want to spread the word.”

After years of living in big cities, Trémouille has found the right balance of work and family life in Rantasalmi. Here, he can pass on his love and appreciation for nature and local ingredients to his children.

“We spend a lot of time outside, exploring what nature has to offer. I’ve also taken the kids to the local sheep farm, so they understand better where food comes from.”

Remi’s picks for the best flavours for each season

Four photos arranged together: Clean, yellow-skinned potatoes rest in a pile next to a wooden box. Bright green wild herbs thrive in the spring sunlight, their leaves catching the light in a sunny clearing. A calm lake reflects the sky and clouds, with rocks in the foreground and trees along the distant shore. A man kneels to the forest floor and inspects a small mushroom. Lush greenery surrounds him.

Photos: Timo Villanen & Getty Images

Spring This is the season for wild herbs, like nettles, and using buds from various trees. Early potatoes and other first vegetables of the season are delicious.
Summer The flavours are at their purest and lightest. Fish, especially vendace here in Savo, is at its best. We also use a lot of wildflowers.
Autumn Early autumn is a treasure trove for fruit, vegetables and mushrooms. Autumn also marks the start of the hunting season for elk, deer and various birds.
Winter Root vegetables, like potatoes and beets, are the foundation of many dishes. The hunting season continues for brown hares. Burbot is an excellent choice of wintertime fish.

By Lotta Heikkeri, ThisisFINLAND Magazine