The fantastic bassist/guitarist and soul shoutin' sista'! Debra Killings on "Fat City!" 8th & 11th February! 
The History of Mämmi/Memma
It has become the International Dessert of the Rich and Famous in Central Europe (and the not so rich and famous!) Mämmi: (Finnish) Memma: (Swedish name)
This is Finland's own traditional Easter dessert. Delicious Memma/Mmmi was mentioned the first time during the 17th century, in the Finnish dissertation of the Latin language. As the result, of domestic product development, Memma/Mmmi has graced the Finnish dinner table, for at least 300 years.
The manufacturing of this very special dessert, most likely started in a province of Finland called: Proper, (around the seaside city Åbo/Turku). In another province called Häme, Mämmi/Memma, was made year round, because it was excellent for the so-called: "packet lunch". During long trips, it kept well, and one's stomach was quickly filled... Likewise it was easy to keep within a birch tree bark cup.
Memma/Mmmi became more popular during Catholic times in Finland, because on Good Friday, making fire in cooking stoves at home, and in fireplaces, was not allowed. So this dessert, in a class of it's very own, became the traditional Easter treat, because it tasted so good when put on bread in those days.
There were times when Memma/Mämmi was not so popular in Finland. However when Finland gained it's independence, it was naturally, the country's favorite Easter dessert once more.
The renowned recipe was published in newspapers and likewise used in professional cooking schools throughout the country. A new flavor to the dessert was achieved, by adding orange peel powder.
Hardly anybody in these days puts Memma/Mämmi on bread. Instead, it is deliciously served with cream and sugar as a real Easter Season delight. Maybe it should be eaten year round, because the ingredients in Mämmi has: "good effect", (as it is said here in Finland), on your stomach! I will not elaborate on that at this time!
I wanted to write about this Finnish beloved dessert, because it was the first thing that they tried to "force feed" me with, after my arrival here from my maiden voyage from France, over 2 decades ago. They thought: "Oh, he will surely hate it!" (Many in Finland do not like it.) But to the shock of all around, I found it trés déliceux, and proceeded thereafter, to eat the whole container... And yes, IT DOES have "good effect", on the stomach!
Doing research for this article, I contacted the director of the largest manufacturer of Memma/Mämmi, Monsieur Seppo Ollika, (Kymppi-Maukkaat Company), located in Toijala. I told him that I had seen a recent documentary about it, and wanted to know a bit more about it. He was kind enough, along with other staff there, to help me in my research for this article.
The documentary, among other things, described how this "délice sompteux", (sumptuous delight), is not just sold anymore in Finland alone, but also in: "l'Union europenne", (The European Union), and on an ever mounting international scale. Yes! It's true!
In my family's homeland France, it is served only in the most "luxueux d'hotels", (luxurious hotels), and restaurants on the famed promenade, The Champs Élysées... Likewise it is served throughout the country in gastronomical cities such as Dijon, in Normandy, and of course, on the French Riviera...
It is served of course, in the finest of crystal, topped with sumptuous delights as "créme chantilly", des sauces volupteuse, (voluptuous sauces); la glace d'épicurénne (epicurean ice cream), des fruits trés fraiche tropique (fresh tropical fruits), exotic nuts...well you get the picture!
Yes. If we French-Americans can make frog legs and octopus melt in your mouth, then Memma/Mämmi is no problem at all for us in the kitchen!
Now that I live here, the first thing I begin to search for in the grocery store, in February-March, way before the Easter season officially begins, yeap, you guessed it, Memma! ...Wish I could think of an English or French name for it. I'll have to get back to you about that!
Another of Ollika's colleages, Pasi Alanko, gave me this additional information: the company is likewise distributing Memma to Sweden, but it is not eaten as much there, as here in Finland of course.
Kymppi-Maukkaat Ab Company first began making Memma in 1967. From that time to today, they have manufactured over 100 million Birch bark cups and... this year alone, have produced about 3 million kilos of Memma. Alanko replied with pride, that they are "the" company, top of the hill, for Mämmi production, worldwide.
Having French blood, I have "created" my own Mämmi recipes. One that I personally really like, is:
A few large spoonfuls of Memma,
combined with a banana, sliced up,
a fourth cup or so of fresh cream,
a dash of cinnamon, 1raw egg (yes!),
and a cup or so of milk.
Put all in an electric blender and voila! You have a very healthy: " Risto-Kalle Memma Milkshake"! Yummy for the tummy!
No, you don't have to pay me for this to die for, recipe... Something this good, should not only be shared with the world, but the universe! Years ago, when on one of my work trips here, before moving here to live, I ate the traditional Memma, (privately), with ice cream. Of course my friends were "shocked" to even think of: "such a travesty!"
But then they tried it themselves, and as you might think, love it too... but said: "because of Finnish tradition", they would never eat it, with ice cream, in front of their other finnish friends! I couldn't really understand that, because using cream and sugar as we do with it anyway, what is the big difference?
Oh yes, the basic ingredients for the newly distributed Ecologically-made Memma is: water, flour, raw malt, mineral salt, orange peel, calcium chloride, magnesium sulfate, lysine chloride and natural malt sweetening.
Now that the French, and other countries are trying all of their new and exciting Memma recipes, I guess now, in Finland, we will follow.... Shouldn't it be the other way around?
In any case, I wish you joyous Memma dégustation, but most of all a wonderful and blessed Easter Season!
Christian-Charles de Plicque Angel House International Ministries r.f. Karleby Finland (Article available in Swedish & French) www.deplicque.net
