5 February is Runeberg Day; which is widely marked with "Runeberg Cakes" being sold around Finland this season.
The cakes were invented by the poet's wife Fredrika; a distinguished writer herself who was also known for being the first Finnish historical novel writer. She made these lovely delicacies from flour, breadcrumbs, biscuit crumbs and almonds, decorated with apple jam and icing.
Johan Ludvig Runeberg (1804–1877) was Finland's national poet, who is known for his patriotic writing and poetry depicting life in rural Finland. Runeberg’s best-known work is “The Tales of Ensign Stål,” (Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat), a collection of poems commemorating the Finnish war. There is a statue of J. L. Runeberg designed by his son Walter Runeberg located on Esplanadi, in the heart of Helsinki.
Though not similar to our Malaysian pastries (Kuih) back home in Malaysia, this seasonal delicacy provides a unique tasting experience for the sweet pastry aficionado and is a must try indeed.
