Finnish Army Rations

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Eirk Ritari
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Finnish Army Rations

Post by Eirk Ritari »

Where there specific types or was it civilian preserved food?
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André
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by André »

For the main infantry, Finnish supply wasn't based on rations like in US and British (?) army. Supply groups kept men satisfied with their field kitchens.

Rations were mostly for the patrolmen and LRRP's (in Finnish Kaukopartio). These rations were "special meals" and included things such as:
-coffee (ersatz)
-canned food (meat & pea)
-cheese & butter
-hard bread
-sausages
-chocolate
-milk powder
-porridge cube
-C-vitamin / C-vitamin candies
-saccharin
-Pervitin pills 3 / day (for LRRP's)
-cigarette x8 for basic and for LRRP's x25

Of course food were hunted from nature as well. Fishing and moose hunting were common and during the summertime there were also opportunity to pick berries.
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Eirk Ritari
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by Eirk Ritari »

Thanks for the help, me and my group are putting on a display in Atlanta this week end and we just wanted to know.
Eirk Ritari
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by Eirk Ritari »

When making pea soup would the Finnish soldiers have used pork? Our recipe here in the states has pork.
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André
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by André »

Here in Finland the pea soup also includes smoked pork.

Finnish Defence Forces still serves pea soup & pancakes every Thursday to the conscripts. Though during the war time Thursdays were more common during the week (pea soup is cheap and easy-to-cook meal) :lol: . The tradition of eating pea soup and pancakes on Thursdays is said to originate in the pre-Reformation era, as preparation for fasting on Friday.
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berlin1945
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by berlin1945 »

interesting posts ... my second most favourite part of ww2 in the continuation war i have a lot of stuff on it find your finns and interesting race of people and very passionate about your country and its role in fighting the russians
An Duine nach bhfuil sé Laidír caith sé a bheidh Glíc




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Na Fianna Éireann Fíor inár gCroíthe, Neart inár Láimhe, Comhsheasmhacht inár dTeanga Sealadach
Franz repper
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by Franz repper »

André wrote:Here in Finland the pea soup also includes smoked pork.

Finnish Defence Forces still serves pea soup & pancakes every Thursday to the conscripts. Though during the war time Thursdays were more common during the week (pea soup is cheap and easy-to-cook meal) :lol: . The tradition of eating pea soup and pancakes on Thursdays is said to originate in the pre-Reformation era, as preparation for fasting on Friday.
That is a class comment good sir !
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Eirk Ritari
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by Eirk Ritari »

What would be some other foods to serve? I have read about lingonberry porridge, oat meal and pea soup along with meat from bear and reindeer. Are these accurate?
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André
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by André »

Along with pea soup and different meat & potato soups there were other common foods like:
-porridge (oat/rye/barley)
-different juice sauces
-kissel
-gruel
-different macaroni foods
-fish foods
etc..

"Sautéed reindeer" (Poronkäristys) is only for Northern Finland troops.
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Royalecosse
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by Royalecosse »

:) Fish (herring) features high in the Swedish diet - would the Finns also eat lots of dried/ smoked etc fish (incl eel)? And did the Finns ever go for the fermented herring that certain Swedes like (I can't get close to an open tin of this stuff as the smell is very unpleasant - open sewer type smell!)
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André
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Re: Finnish Army Rations

Post by André »

Fishing was very common hobby during the wartime. Though there weren't herrings in Karelia's fresh waters. The most common fish in Finnish lakes is European perch (ahven, in Finnish).

More about of (weird) Finnish tradition cuisine can be found from Wikipedia :)
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