Sometimes You Have to Just Try It: Blood Pudding

Before I arrived in Finland there were a few foods I expected I was going to face before the year was over, some not all too frightening such as reindeer (which is really tasty). One of the scary foods I had heard about was blood pudding or blood pancakes.

I decided to ask my host mom if it was true that they ate blood cakes and then later on we decided to buy some at the store to try. Here in Finland they also eat blood sausages, but we'll save that for another day.

Just thinking about the idea of blood as I type this is scaring me a bit and I feel quite weird.

 At the store when we decided to pick up a package of the blood pudding to try I was a bit optimistic and so nervous that my feet felt a bit off balanced as we walked to the checkout with the blood cakes.
As you can imagine after dinner when it was time to eat the blood pudding I was a bit giddy about it and had to remind myself that it would be okay to try and I had to eat it. There are some things that are frightning and in this case almost a bit sickening, but you have to at least try it.

We heated up a slice of the blood pudding and put some lingon berries with it to eat as a side. At last I took a deep breath and cut a piece and ate it. Blood pudding itself isn't too bad, it doesn't have a strong flavor but what you do tatste isn't too bad. I only had one piece though, because I was so shaken from eating it. In fact I couldn't sleep for the longest time later on because I was still so weirded out by it.

What I learned from trying blood pudding? Well, sometimes you just have to go for it and try new things even if they aren't the most appealing. And ultimately I learned that blood pudding isn't too bad (but I don't know that I could ever manage to eat it again, maybe I shall try). Now I just have to try blood sausage next. Yum.

If you ever go to Finland, just ask to try some verihiutaleiden and you too can try blood pudding.
Since I am talking about food, a quick thanks (kiitos) is do to my mom;

Kiitos for all of the suklaa (chocolate)! Everyone loves the suklaa and we are doing our best to save it and savor it. Kiitos paljon Mom!