Scientific Gastronomic Food Club Reviewed the Traditional Easter Delicacy
As an international student, I had only one brief opportunity to try the Finnish delicacy mämmi before this event. So, the chance to attend a full discussion on mämmi, and taste several varieties, truly excited me, and the experience exceeded my expectations.
As interns, we were able to see the entire process behind the scenes. The team had been preparing for weeks and watching them make small batches of the three mämmi types before the event began was both educational and a great opportunity to capture behind‑the‑scenes photos. As the start time approached and the final touches were completed, the atmosphere buzzed with anticipation.
My own excitement came from trying something new and learning more about this traditional Finnish food, but it quickly became clear that I wasn’t alone. As participants arrived, the lively chatter before the event began showed just how beloved mämmi is. Both organizers and attendees took their seats eagerly, ready to taste the three samples waiting in front of them and learn more about it.
The event opened with a brief overview of the program. We began with a survey about participants’ general relationship with mämmi, followed by the tasting of three anonymous samples. After each tasting, everyone filled out a short survey. This led into a discussion on themes such as familiarity, strangeness, loveliness, disgust, and relevant research findings. The event concluded with the reveal of the tasting results and closing remarks from the organizers.
The initial survey helped us understand how people relate to mämmi. Most participants eat it during Easter, and I learned more about the traditions surrounding it. A few people avoided mämmi entirely, which I found both surprising and fascinating. Then came the first tasting. With just one bite, I realized I genuinely enjoy mämmi and would happily eat it again. The other samples only reinforced this, each one was delicious in its own way, and I was surprised by how much variety exists within this single dish.
For each sample, participants evaluated appearance, smell, taste, and texture, and added up to three words describing their immediate impressions. Tasting without knowing the ingredients made the experience even more fun.
This naturally led into the discussion on why certain foods evoke craving while others evoke disgust. As humans, we don’t experience food in isolation. Our preferences are shaped by environment, culture, and the people we associate with certain dishes. Professor Emerita Hely Tuorila of sensory research explained that mämmi is a perfect example of this, much like dishes such as mala mogodu from South Africa. Ultimately, as blogger Anu Hopia puts in her article, mieltymykset ovat osin kulttuurin tuotoksia; mieltymys opitaan, mutta niin opitaan usein myös inho.
After a rich and engaging discussion, it was time to reveal the results and the identities of the samples. While all three were new to me, many participants recognized the brands and compositions. As a group, people generally agreed on a favorite, but I genuinely liked all three. Because I had only tried mämmi once before, it was difficult for me to give highly differentiated feedback, and my reactions were fairly similar across samples.
In the end, my experience aligned beautifully with the themes we discussed. Without a cultural background or childhood memories tied to mämmi, this event became part of the relationship I am now forming with it. It helped me understand the dish more deeply and even begin to love it.
In the Scientific Gastronomic Food Club, the focus is on examining food, cooking, and the enjoyment of food from scientific, cultural-historical, and gastronomic perspectives. The events are held in Finnish.
Mämmi is a wonderful part of Finnish food culture, the roots of which go deep into our history. Its role, form and significance have changed over time, and today’s mämmi and its different versions are part of our living food culture. Mämmi evokes a wide range of memories and emotions in us, from all sides of the emotional spectrum. These were the questions that were pondered in the Wednesday (11.3.2026) scientific gastronomic club evenings together in three locations.
Read more: In Mämmi Signs – Molecular Gastronomy& Science and Gastronomy Food Club
Written by Roshni Gurnani