Tervetuloa Voileipäpöytään!

For our wedding, Guy and I received (count ‘em) 15 platters. It was my fault. When we went to register for gifts (back in the day before you could register at cheep-o places like Wal-mart and Home Depot... heck, I would have LOVED to register at Home Depot! Who needs potholders and pillowcases when you can get power tools?), I had a melt down over having to pick my own gifts. I mean, $150 for ONE china place setting? Seriously? So we called my mom from a pay phone at Macy’s (also before cell phones… and electricity) and I blubbered that I couldn’t be so materialistic.

So, instead of getting what we needed, we got platters.

Oh, and no toaster.

It turns out, we needed them - the platters. We like to entertain.

In fact, Guy’s ability to host a great evening of entertainment was one of the things that set the hook in this little fish. He asked me out to dinner for our first date. I didn’t catch on that he was asking me out on an actual date, and sort of ended up laughing at him. It took a whole month for me to work him into asking me out a second time. This time, he invited me to a homemade Finnish dinner. It was amazing. It was the start of something wonderful (read that post here).

Last month we planned dinner with our friends Dave and Steph, Kathy and Bishop J. Dave made us a fabulous French dinner (ever heard of Raspberry Butter? Yum!). This month was our turn, and for only the second time since that wonderful first date, Guy broke out the cardamom and rye flour and created culinary magic like only he can.

Now, I am a really rotten friend. I was so excited about the food, from the moment the first tray of Pulla came out of the oven, that I ran for the camera and lost all sense of decorum.

I took pictures of food. Yup, only the food. I did not, however, take any pictures of our friends, Kathy, Wayne (affectionately known as "Bishop"), David and Stephanie. (Bad, bad friend!)

I hope the meal was so wonderful that they will
forgive me for it.

How all delicious things begin... Guy started preparations for this dinner days before making Sima, a fizzy drink.
Next came the pastries...

Guy making Riisipiirakat (or Rice Moccasins, as I call them, because when I try to say that other crazy thing he laughs at me. Every time. So mean).

But isn't he cute?

You have no idea how wonderful the kitchen smells when Pulla comes out of the oven.

Rice Moccasins are made of a rye dough stuffed with savory rice, milk and butter, baked and served with egg butter (hard boiled eggs and butter, blended). Heaven. But the best part is their artistry. Aren't they gorgeous?

A warmly lit table set with the makings for Voileipä, sandwiches on rye bread or Finncrisp crackers, served with butter, sweet dill cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers and amazing cheeses.

He made Kalakeitto (fish and potato chowder) that

I am told was lovely.

It had butter and cream in it. I don't do fish,

so I'll take their word for it.

Clockwise, starting with food you recognize: boiled potatoes, Punajuurisalaatti (beet salad with cream), Porkkanalaatikko (rice and carrot casserole), Rice Moccasins with egg butter, and finally Lihapyörykät (meat balls made with...drum roll... cream!).

And finally, dessert. Kiisseli, also known as Sekahedelmäkeitto (kind of a cold fruit soup with, of course, cream) and Laskiaispullat -Pulla buns stuffed with creamed almond paste, butter and... whipped cream!

We had to call 911 right after dinner.

OK, Kathy and Bishop, it's you're turn next.

We'll bring the butter and cream.

.

.

Special thanks to my Sweetie for the meal and all the impossibly long Finnish words in this post!

Voi Että!

(an exclamation which I just learned ironically translates (get this) directly to: "Butter that!")