Restaurant Day, Ruoto goes Casa Alberto

Ravintolapäivä, Ruoto goes Casa Alberto - Suomenkielinen tiivistelmä löytyy alta.

Last Sunday it was the Restaurant Day once again. I didn't had to bother to go far to get good food as there was a restaurant in our building. Emma and the guys from Ruoto Catering builded-up a lovely pop-up restaurant called Casa Alberto in an empty office.

I made a reservation with Hertta and we had a tasty Sunday afternoon enjoying our meal on a long table with strangers. Casa Alberto served three course menu. The food was beautifully plated and it was also inspiring and good. Especially the duck was worth waiting for a little bit too long while.

Thank you Casa Alberto & Ruoto Catering!

You can read my previous posts about the Restaurant Day from here:

• Restaurant Day, 17 August 2014
• Restaurant Day is Here Again
• Ravintolapäivänä, 17.11.2012 (in Finnish)
• Ravintolapäivänä nautittua (in Finnish)
• Ravintolapäivä II (in Finnish)
• Ravintolapäivä lähestyy (in Finnish).

The next Restaurant Day will take it's place in May 2015.

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Ravintolapäivä, Ruoto goes Casa Alberto

Viime sunnuntaina vietettiin taas Ravintolapäivää ja kävimme Hertan kanssa syömässä Casa Albertossa kolmen ruokalajin lounaan. Pop-up -ravintola oli rakennettu tyhjillään olevaan toimistoon. Ravintolassa hääri Emma ja Ruoto Cateringin kundit. Kaikki oli maukasta, mutta erityisesti ankka jäi mieleen.

Kiitos Casa Alberto & Ruoto Catering!

Seuraava Ravintolapäivä tulee taas toukokuussa 2015.

Food Culture Lunch Break with Timo Santala

Ruokakulttuurilounas Timo Santalan kanssa - Suomenkielinen tiivistelmä löytyy lopusta.

Everybody knows Timo Santala, right? He is one of the Restaurant Day organizers. At the moment he works as the Head of the Food Culture Strategy for the City of Helsinki.

Few weeks ago Timo invented this Food Culture Lunch Break. He enjoys a lunch with someone and makes a short interview to be published on his Instagram account and on the Facebook wall. So I had an honor to lunch with him last Thursday and he made a short interview with me. I wanted to interview him as well so here it is.

Who: Timo Santala
Where: Peninsula 1899
Dish of the day: A full Szechuan menu with dim sum, dumblings, tofu and spicy eggplant.

Talk of the day: DSLR cameras. Smart phone vs. oldschool mobile phone. Work. Asian food. Traveling. News headlines. The way of discussion in social media. The food scene in Helsinki. Hidden restaurant treasures. Restaurant Day. City of Helsinki. Blogs and bloggers.

Restaurant recommendation: If you want to get value for your money I recommend you to enjoy a lunch at Restaurant Kokki that is a teaching restaurant at the Helsinki Vocational College in Roihuvuori. They serve a salad buffet, main course and coffee or tea for 8,70 euros.

Food related tip: If you love to cook Vietnamese pho soup but do not have the time to make the broth go to Vii Voan or another Asian shop and buy these pho or pho ga stock cubes. Remember to use a lot of fresh herbs for better experience. You can also add the pho stock cubes into the boiling water when cooking rice. It makes the taste richer.

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This photo is from @timosantala's Instagram. Photo © Timo Santala

This is what Timo wrote:

Food Culture Lunch Break 12

Who: Anna Keski-Kohtamäki
Where: Peninsula 1899
Dish of the day: A full Szechuan menu with dim sum, dumplings, tofu and spicy eggplant.

Talk of the day: How to justify yourself buying a better camera and if you really need it or not. The special taste and numbing effect of the Szechuan peppers. The importance and power of a correct or untrue headline in a news article in the modern feed and social based news reading. The world, work and daily routines of bloggers. Vietnamese food in Helsinki. Sharing secret restaurant tips.

Restaurant recommendation: Casa Italia on Bulevardi is like travelling to Roma – Often full of foreigners, italian dudes and loud talking. I specially like the atmosphere and the cheese selection.

Food related tip: Instead of preparing traditional Christmas dishes I recommend doing a dinner with dishes you love. The only traditional one on my Christmas Eve is the rice porridge, but otherwise we’ll enjoy a french dinner with crème ninon green pea soup and a turkey breast with port wine sauce instead of ham.

- Timo Santala

From Instagram you can search for all the Food Culture Lunch Break interviews with the hashtag #foodculturelunchbreak.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LUNCH WITH TIMO? Don't be shy, just go ahead and contact him via Facebook.

PS I studied some cookery at the Helsinki Vocational College in Roihuvuori in the late 90's. So I used to work at the Restaurant Kokki where Timo likes to lunch.

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Ruokakulttuurilounas Timo Santalan kanssa

Helsingin kaupungin ruokakulttuuristrategi Timo Santala haastatteli minua Ruokakulttuurilounaan merkeissä viime torstaina. Minä puolestani haastattelin häntä. Jos haluat Timon kanssa lounaalle ja keskustelemaan päivän polttavista aiheista tai ruokakulttuurista ota häneen yhteyttä Facebookin kautta. Muut Ruokakulttuurilounaan osat löydät Instagramista hashtagillä #ruokakulttuurilounas.

Helsinki Christmas Market - Tuomaan markkinat

Tuomaan markkinat - Suomenkielinen käännös löytyy alta.

Every December at the Senate square next to the Torikorttelit there is a Christmas market called Tuomaan markkinat. This year it is even better than earlier. Reason for that is designer Linda Bergroth and Torikorttelit who took over the production.

This year you will not find any boring food you will usually find from basic market stalls. At Tuomaan markkinat you will have difficulties to choose what to eat. You will find at least these stalls:

• MAT Xmas Canteen
• Café Köket's Christmas Café
• Twisted Street Kitchen
• Sandro
• Texas BBQ
• Street Gastro
• Ravintola Sunn
• B-Smokery
• Social Food
• Harjun makkaratehdas
• Soi Soi
• Hymy Raw Food Café.

I attended the blogger's event last Monday at the Tuomaan markkinat and had an opportunity to try some food. I ended up tasting Curry Tofu with Christmas Flavors from Twisted Street Kitchen and also some delicious Lamb Meatballs from MAT. It was all really good.

Among the food and gift stalls you will find a free carousel and a real Santa Claus. I am definitely going to take my niece Sohvi there really soon. She loves the carousel. At the Torikorttelit you will also find a Christmas Yard. There you can go to the sauna (free of charge) and enjoy some food and drinks. During the weekends you can attend the events, check out the timetable from here.

The Senate square is decorated with beautiful PEFC certificated Christmas trees. You will soon have an opportunity to win one of these Christmas trees. So stay tuned for the giveaway!

Tuomaan markkinat
8. - 21.12.2014
Senate Square, Helsinki
www.tuomaanmarkkinat.fi

CLICK HERE TO ATTEND THE GIVEAWAY OF A CHRISTMAS TREE!

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Tuomaan markkinat

Senaatintorilla järjestettävät Tuomaan markkinat on uudistettu. Uudistuksen takana on Linda Bergroth ja Torikorttelit. Uudistuneilla joulumarkkinoilla tarjotaan maukasta katuruokaa ja lapset pääsevät ilmaiseksi karuselliin. Tutustu myös Torikortteleiden Joulupihaan Bockin talon sisäpihalla.

Senaatintori on koristeltu kauniilla PEFC-sertifioiduilla joulukuusilla. Nämä kuuset etsivät pian uuttaa kotia, ja pääset osallistumaan arvontaan, josta voit voittaa yhden kuusen joulusi iloksi. Joten pysy kanavalla!

Tuomaan markkinat
8. - 21.12.2014
Senaatintori, Helsinki

KLIKKAA TÄSTÄ JOULUKUUSIARVONTAAN!

Christmas Planning & Loov Giveaway - Joulun suunnittelua & Loov-arvonta

English translation below.

En ole jouluihminen. Toki rakastan joulun ajan lomapäiviä, mutta perinteinen joulunvietto ei ole ollut minun ja Peten juttu. Yleensä vietämme joulua kaksin mökillä kera koirien tai matkustamme ulkomaille. Viime jouluaaton vietimme Singaporessa ja vuoden vaihde meni Pom Pom Islandilla Malesian Borneossa. Olisi mieletöntä päästä sinne vaikka joka talvi!

Tänä vuonna aiomme viettää perhejoulua äitini luona Myllypurossa. Aattona kokoonpanomme koostuu Peten, äitini ja hänen miesystävänsä lisäksi veljestäni sekä siskoni perheestä. 1,5-vuotias siskontyttöni on oikeastaan syy miksi tahdon viettää perhejoulua. Ja toki vaihtelu virkistää.

Perinteinen suomalainen jouluruoka ei ole oikeastaan koskaan maistunut minulle. Ei myöskään tänä jouluna, joten tarjouduimme Peten kanssa kokkaamaan äitini luona. Inspiraationa meillä on Teresa Välimäen & Johanna Lindholmin kirja Hyvää Joulua. Kirjan upeat kuvat on ottanut Laura Riihelä. Tämä kirja todella tuo uusia ideoita joulun pyhien kokkailuun. Kuvat ovat kauniita, talvenvärisiä ja reseptit moderneja. Pidän tässä kirjassa kaikesta, paitsi nimestä. Mielestäni nimi "Moderni joulu" olisi voinut houkutella joulusta piittaamattomiakin kirjakaupan hyllyjen ääressä. Mutta ei nimi kirjaa pahenna, jos ei kirja nimeä!

Kirjan inspiroimana suunnittelin meille joulumenun.

Moderni joulumenu

• Creme ninon eli ranskalainen samppanja-hernekeitto
• Kalkkunanrinta-confit *
• Kalaa Laurin tyyliin
• Juustoja ja aprikoosihilloketta *
• Muro-marmeladipiirakka *

 * Resepti Hyvää joulua -kirjassa.

Olen suuri Viron ystävä, joten joulupöydässämme nautitaan myös virolaisia Loov-tuotteita, kuten piparkakkuja ja glögiä. Sydämenmuotoiset piparit ovat gluteenittomia ja maidottomia. Kaikki Loov-tuotteet ovat luomua. Sinulla on myös mahdollisuus voittaa joulupöytääsi näitä Loovin Christmas Edition -tuotteita. Jätä kommentti tämän blogitekstin yhteyteen 30.11.2014 klo 16:00 mennessä, ja kerro onko sinun joulumenusi perinteinen vai moderni (muista jättää sähköpostiosoitteesi). Jos kirjautuminen ei onnistu, kokeile toisella selaimella (Chromella tai Firefoxilla pitäisi toimia). HUOM: Valitettavasti arvonta on mahdollinen vain Suomessa asuville!

Iloista hetkiä jouluvalmistelujen kanssa!

Hyvää Joulua kirja saatu lehdistökappaleena kirjan julkistustilaisuudessa. Arvonta yhteistyössä kera Sugar Helsinki and Loov.

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I am not really a Christmas person. Surely I love the holidays but I don't mind about the traditions nor does Pete. For that reason we usually spend the Christmas just by the two of us at our cottage or abroad. Last Christmas we were in Singapore and the New Years Eve at Pom Pom Island in Borneo of Malaysia. If I could I would travel to Pom Pom Island paradise every year!

This year we will have a family Christmas at my mom's. My brother will be there as well as my sister with her boyfriend and their 1,5 years old daughter. My niece is really the reason why I want to have a more traditional Christmas eve celebration this year. Of course it is also nice change to spent time with my family.

Traditional Finnish Christmas food is not for my taste so Pete & I offered to be the cooks this year. For some reason my brother wanted to have some traditional food as well so our mom will cook some. Pete & I have been planning what to cook. For inspiration we have this new and modern Finnish Christmas cookbook called Hyvää Joulua (translation Merry Christmas) written by Teresa Välimäki & Johanna Lindholm and photographed by Laura Riihelä. I really enjoy this book. The pictures are beautiful with winter colors and the recipes are modern and fresh. I like everything about the book but the name. In my opinion "Modern Christmas" would have been way better name. But still I love this book!

Inspired by the book I planned us a menu for the Christmas.

Our Modern Christmas Menu

• Creme Ninon
• Turkey Breast Confit *
• Fish - Lauri's Style
• Cheese and Apricot Compote *
• Crispy Marmalade Pie *

 * Recipe from the cookbook Hyvää Joulua.

I am a big Estonia fan so we will also enjoy some Estonian Loov Products e.g. ginger bread and mulled wine. The heart shaped ginger bread are gluten and dairy free. All the Loov Products are organic. Now you also have a possibility to win these Christmas Edition Products. All you need to do is to leave a comment by 30.11.2014 4 pm, and let me know if your Christmas menu is going to be traditional or modern (remember to leave your email address). If you have problems signing in use different browser (Chrome or Firefox should work). Unfortunately this giveaway is only available for my blog readers living in Finland!

Have a happy Christmas planning!

The Christmas book Hyvää Joulua was given to me as a press review copy. The giveaway in cooperation with Sugar Helsinki and Loov. NOTE: The giveaway is only available in Finland!

Wellness Evening and Garden Party

Every year we have the Cheese & Wine Party at Hanna's garden after she has made her annual trip to Grasse in France where her aunt and cousins live. This year at the cheese party we had a great idea to have a wellness evening at Hanna's garden where she has a wood-heated sauna.

Hanna invited us girls over on the Night of the Arts. She had cooked some delicious food and made a rhubarb sangria. Some of the girls brought some food and wine as well. I got some sponsored natural cosmetics from the lovely Outi at Sugar Helsinki. Also Emma got a lot of cosmetics from her work as her profession is a beauty editor. So we had quite many products to test.

We went to the sauna and had like tens of different scrubs and masks. Some of them even self-made. Liisa made a lovely scrub and I also brought a scrub that I had made at a workshop in Jolie.

Some of the products Emma brought.

Kristiina gave a yoga massage for three Anna's and one Susanna.

Products from Sugar Helsinki.

After the sauna we were testing all the different shampoos, conditioners, hair oils and masks. My favorite product was a bodywash from Less is More. It smells like grapefruit and cardamom.

After the relaxing spa moment we ate some salads and pies. Someone asked that is it proper to bring a bottle of wine to a wellness evening. I said: "We are in Finland, you have to bring booze to a wellness evening." So we drank.

We had so many different serums to test that I think I tried like three different ones on my face. There is no such thing as a serum overdose. I loved all the Mia Höytö products Emma brought, they really work well for my skin.

When the evening started to get a little colder we took a foot bath with this really interesting product Magnesium Flakes Foot and Body Soak. I would highly recommend this product if you suffer from cramps. Before I have used this Magnesium Oil Joint spray, it really works instantly. Just spray it to a sore muscle or on your legs if you suffer from cramps.

These silkie chicken of Hanna & Samuli are so cool!

I am really looking forward to the next Wellness Evening!

Cosmetics products in the pictures were given to me from Sugar Helsinki.

Home Flea Market is the New Black

As a culinarist I spend all my money on food, wine, eating out and travelling. So I really don't have much left to buy beautiful clothes and shoes not to mention expensive bags.

But I love beautiful outfits and quality materials! To save money I usually I shop at sale and at flea markets. Recently I have been really happy to discover that the flea markets held at home are quite popular now-a-days. I realized I have found really special outfits that used to belong to my friends. And I have saved a lot of time and money by this!

My talented little brother Matti Keski-Kohtamäki is an extraordinary photographer so of course I had to take advantage of him. He was kind to take these outfit photos of me wearing clothes I have bought from my friends or at flea markets and second hand shops.

I bought this scarf from Maria and the shirt (COS) from Voula.

I bought this scarf and shirt (Pierre Balmain) from Maria, leggings and shoes (both Zara) from Voula.

This jacket (Weekday) I bought from sale.

This silk shirt (Paul & Joe) used to belong to Päivi. These trousers (Marimekko) and the bag (vintage) I bough from Voula. Hertta from Vaatelainaamo gave me these colorful flower socks. Shoes (Adidas) I found from a flea market. This Pelago Brooklyn bicycle was sold as a special offer when Pelago opened their shop in Kalevankatu.

This scarf (Global) used to be Voula's and the dress (Samuji) I bought from Maria.

I used to borrow this shirt (Acne) from my friend Hertta. Finally she sold it to me. Jeans (COS), belt (Tiger of Sweden) and shoes (Toms) from sale.

“Home flea markets really are the new black.”

— Eeva Kolu, Restaurant Day, 17 August 2014

Shirt used to belong to Maria. The bag (Kenzo) is from a second hand shop (Olkkari), second hand shorts from Berlin. The shoes (Robert Clergerie) I have borrowed from Maria and she is considering to sell them for me.

Haircut by Mikko Huttunen / The Lounge. The black ring used to belong to Voula. Swatch (Orient) I bought in Kuala Lumpur.

I bought this blouse (Zara) from Voula and the silk shirt is from a second hand shop (Hazy Days). Jewelry I bought with a "friend discount" from my talented designer friend Jaana / Pioni Design. 

This shirt is from a flea market. Shoes, leggings and ring used to belong to Voula.

Marrakesh in my mind.

Photos © Matti Keski-Kohtamäki / mattikk.net

If you wish to see more fashion photos visit Matti's fashion blog matti.photography.

HOT TIP: Remember mine and Tuija's flea market at my inner yard on Siivouspäivä Saturday 30 August! Come and see how lucky you are finding new jewels into your closet. Check out the facts from here and here.