That's So Finnish: Thursday Pea Soup & Pancakes

Every Thursday - there is the tradition of having split pea soup and pancakes (oven-baked or Dutch style) with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

I work in a restaurant that whips up their own pancake batter the night before and the baking of pancakes begins first thing in the morning!

Most places have lactose-free pancakes but dairy-free or gluten-free may be trickier to find if the restaurant is not prepared.
It doesn't hurt to ask in advance from a restaurant if they can cater to your needs!

So pea soup typically has bits of ground beef in it but a lot of places also uses leftover pork - to reduce waste of food.  So if you do not eat pork - you may want to inquire what meat the restaurant had used that Thursday!

To enjoy it - it is served with chopped raw onion and lots of mustard!

I personally don't have the raw onions (obviously for this blog post sake I took some and ate it!) but I do love a good, spicy mustard! And if I happen to have this soup at home - I will add chilli flakes and grated cheese! My Finnish friends think I am odd but I find it extra tasty!
This soup is cheap to make (be sure to soak your peas overnight beforehand), it is filling and can be vegan/vegetarian friendly without the meat being used.
This soup will also clear your insides up - you'll be farting constantly after having this soup!

I have had pancakes with other flavoured jam and it just tastes weird after a few years of living here! And I noticed I get a lot of odd looks from friends too! 😄

According to this site, This is Finland - it was traditional to eat pea soup and pancakes on a Thursday to prep the body for fasting on Fridays.

Thankfully most restaurants carry other meal options for those that are not into pea soup!

I actually recall reading about a Finnish person or group of Finns in New York who embraced the "Restaurant Day" culture and served pea soup!

You may also notice in my photo that there is carrots in it (or maybe not as I think it is buried under the mustard)!  THIS IS NOT STANDARD. The head boss likes it and it helps to fill the customers tummies as well and so far, customers are enjoying it!

Thanks for reading and happy pea soup & pancakes Thursdays!
LAFA