will1978

Points: 825, Level: 15

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You're right. It's confusing for me, too. For example, a spectacle in my place is about 100 euros, but in Finland, it can be 300 to 350 euros, (65 Degrees North - News and views from Oulu - Rent a New Pair of Glasses?), which means, along with some travel discount, buying a spectacle in Finland costs the same for a spectacle in Thailand and a trip to Thailand. The ridiculous part is, the producing cost of a spectacle is only about 10 euros.
I can guess the high price of food in Finland might be transportation, high fuel price and the fact that Finland depends on food import. But how about every thing else?

djvm98

Points: 929, Level: 16

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well it's all about economical develompment.... theorically, a country with an advanced, complex economy has more expensive costs (and prices) than the so called third world economies....

just for the record... I bought my actual pair of prescription glasses in Italy and costed exactly that: 300 euros... so not to far from prices here... in some other things I agree living costs in Finland are pretty high and non exactly corresponding to local salary average...

will1978

Points: 825, Level: 15

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Dear djvm98,
Would you tell me the key word about the theory so I can google it.
For me,the price of alkoholi may not relatively high. Comparing it with my place, it's similar. I slightly know... both heavy tax and high price restrict your consuming ability...
But besides theory, there are some structure reasons as well. Many places, like Japan, as far as I know, basically adopte relatively self-contained measures to protect Japanese companies from overseas competition, in return, benefited domestic companies provide financial support to politicians in election. The losers are the people, suffering from unreasonable high price. If they open their market, people will be benefited and enjoy happier lives, but these domestic companies would be forced to face their fierce opponents, many of them would be bankrupt. Of course they would impose pressure on their goverment not to open the market.
Is there certain kind of structure reasons like Japan case in EU members?

susanr

Points: 721, Level: 14

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Thanks for the recipes - I have never heard of Salmon Soup - will have to try that one when the fresh salmon comes in the Spring.

I have never heard of Finnish Vodka either - with have to check and see if the BCLC carries it here and give it a try. I did try glögg once - just about killed - but then I might have had to little glögg in the glass with the vodka.

djvm98

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Actually there are several Finnish vodkas, but only two are commercialized abroad: Finlandia Vodka and Koskenkorva Vodka, I know this last one since so many years ago and I always thought it was Russian, at least the name sounded like that to me..... well misinformations just like the ones who say Nokia is Japanese...

djvm98

Points: 929, Level: 16

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Well as a matter of fact that's MY theory, so I doubt you'll find it on Google hehe...
You're right high alcohol prices discourage consuming, but they have to arrive to this point because another factor: there wasn't an alcohol-drinking culture, so people just drink, drink and drink until they fall down. That's also the reason for the Alko stores government monopoly.

That Japan case you talk about is the classical protectionism. Which is not anymore a good macroeconomical practice for any country, since that only provokes you (and your country's companies) to be isolated from the rest of commerce world and to delay your competitiviness evolution.

What comes to the EU, as far as I know, protectionism is only applying temporarily in the case of the new members, in order to put them in the same economic competitive level the rest of countries are already on. Then, facing abroad yes there are still some trade restrictions, mostly to protect European agricultural sector. On the other side the EU is actively signing free trade agreements with emerging economies, to take advantage of low prices on basic supplies.

Well I am afraid we are already totally out of this list topic! hehe... by the way which is your country? you have mentioned some cases from your homeland but not the name..

will1978

Points: 825, Level: 15

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Hey djvm98,
Oh~~ so it's YOUR theory, interesting! And you're right, it's kind of off-topic. Better stop right here, I still got questions though. As for my country, hehe not going to tell you~~~~

Sigrid

Points: 833, Level: 15

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Hi,
here's the recipe I used for karjalanpiirakka:

Filling

* 0,5 litre of water
* 3 dl porridge rice
* 9 dl milk
* 1,5 teaspoons salt

Crust

* 2 dl cold water
* 1,5 tsp salt
* 3,5 dl rye flour
* 1,5 dl wheat flour

Moistening

* 1 dl milk
* 50 g butter

Egg-butter spread (munavoi)

* 2 eggs
* 50 g butter
* 0,25 tsp salt (optional)
* 0,5 cans, 125 g, cottage cheese (optional)

Filling

1. Mix the rice into boiling water reserved for the filling. Boil until the water has saturated the rice.
2. Add the milk and stir the filling for a few minutes. Reduce heat and agitate the porridge. The cooking time is about 40 minutes. Stir the porridge every now and then.
3. When the porridge is ready, it will seem thickish. Then add the salt. Cool the porridge.

Crust

1. Mix the flours and salt into the cold water.
2. Make the dough smooth and pliable by moulding it by hands on a panification support.
3. Shape the dough into a smooth bar and divide it into about twenty pieces.
4. Roll the pieces into balls, flatten them into small cakes and cover them with plastic.
5. Roll the cakes into thin sheets that have approximately 17 cm in diameter.

Baking the pasties

1. Lay porridge on each cake so that the porridge reaches the ends.
2. Pinch the edges together with your fingers.

Finishing

1. Moisten the pasties from both sides with boiling hot mixture of milk and butter.
2. Lay the pasties on each other and brew them under a towel and bacon paper.
3. Mix the munavoi ingredients (boil the eggs for 12 minutes) and use it as butter on the pasties.

I skipped the munavoi part the second time I made this, and they turned out great And I didn't shape the dough into a bar, I just took pieces of it, rounded and flattened them. I also skipped points 4 and 5, I left them on the table while I was getting the porridge done.

Peni

Points: 1,403, Level: 21

Activity: 50%

Thanks for that recipe Sigrid. I'm going to try that today.

Sigrid

Points: 833, Level: 15

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Great! Good luck and let me know how it turns out!