0:00:02 > 0:00:03BOTH: Whoo-hoo!
0:00:03 > 0:00:05'The Hairy Bikers are back on the road...'
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Wa-hey!
0:00:07 > 0:00:08'..doing what we love most.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10'Biking and cooking.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Ohhh! Look at that!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15'And it's going to be epic.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19'This time, we're heading the furthest north we've ever been.'
0:00:19 > 0:00:20We are in the Arctic Circle.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22'In search of exciting food
0:00:22 > 0:00:25'and some of the most unexplored places in Europe.'
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Oh, it's glorious!
0:00:28 > 0:00:33Our route will take us 2,500 miles round the Baltic Sea.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Kicking off in Poland
0:00:34 > 0:00:38and then travelling through the trio of Baltic states to Russia.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Russia!
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Then across to Finland and north to south through Sweden.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49'To understand the food, we must expose ourselves to the elements.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52'Experience life on the wild side.'
0:00:52 > 0:00:55I...am a Viking!
0:00:55 > 0:00:56'And test our mettle to the max.'
0:00:56 > 0:00:59- Hey, it's cold! - Well, it's the Baltic, isn't it?!
0:00:59 > 0:01:01'I'm expecting vast forests.'
0:01:01 > 0:01:02BOTH: SKOL!
0:01:02 > 0:01:05- 'Sparkling lakes.'- Wow!
0:01:05 > 0:01:06'And incredible biking roads.'
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Look at that!
0:01:09 > 0:01:12'There will be hearty home cooking, as well as cutting-edge cuisine.'
0:01:12 > 0:01:14That's spot on.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16'And, hopefully, a warm welcome.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22'After all, these people are our northern neighbours.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25'And it's time we got to know them better.'
0:01:27 > 0:01:29Our lives are never going to be the same again
0:01:29 > 0:01:30after we taste this sausage.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31Cheers, mate!
0:01:37 > 0:01:39MUSIC: Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
0:01:39 > 0:01:42'Sandwiched between Sweden and Russia,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'this place has been voted the best country in the world to live.'
0:01:45 > 0:01:48BOTH: We're in Finland!
0:01:48 > 0:01:51'But, apart from that and Mika Hakkinen,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53'what do we know about the Finns?
0:01:53 > 0:01:56'Sweden has governed them, Russia has governed them.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59'I mean, Russia, you think of Putin and cosmonauts.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03'Sweden, you've got Abba and Volvos, but what about Finland?
0:02:03 > 0:02:05'They can't all be lumberjacks.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08'I mean, for a start, what do they eat?
0:02:08 > 0:02:12'Well, there's almost 200,000 lakes so there must be fish.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19'75% of the land is wooded. That could mean foraging.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21'And it's freezing in winter
0:02:21 > 0:02:24'so there'll be dishes that stick to your ribs.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:28I think Finland, Si, could be one of our best adventures yet.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30We're starting our journey
0:02:30 > 0:02:34in Finland's spectacular Lake District.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Then heading west to the capital, Helsinki.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40Making a pit stop in Parolannummi.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43En route to Finland's oldest city, Turku.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Before enjoying island life on Jurmo
0:02:46 > 0:02:49in the largest archipelago in the world.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51What a welcome to Finland!
0:02:51 > 0:02:56'We go back to nature as we embrace the local way of life.'
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Ooh, that's hot!
0:02:58 > 0:03:01'Ride the new wave of Finnish food.'
0:03:01 > 0:03:03You're not shy on the flavour. That's fantastic!
0:03:03 > 0:03:04That is fantastic.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'Take our cooking back to basics.'
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Hit said pegs with a log.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13'And push ourselves to the limit.'
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Geronimo!
0:03:15 > 0:03:16Ohhhh!
0:03:16 > 0:03:20'As we discover a brilliant, though somewhat eccentric, nation.'
0:03:20 > 0:03:23It's an interesting concept.
0:03:23 > 0:03:24BOTH: Finland!
0:03:29 > 0:03:31'After the excesses of Russia,
0:03:31 > 0:03:36'we need to take our foot off the gas and get back, well, to nature.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40'And this is perfect - Finland's largest lake, Lake Saimaa.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- 'Did you say Lake Simon? - No, cloth-ears, Saimaa!'
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Idyllic! Absolutely idyllic!
0:03:50 > 0:03:54'Finland is bigger than Britain, but only 5½ million people live here.'
0:03:54 > 0:03:58It's definitely not what you would call busy.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59Look at that!
0:04:00 > 0:04:03'Wherever you look, there's water.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06'I reckon that the pace of life will be slower here.
0:04:10 > 0:04:16'First stop on the wind-down tour, the beautiful island of Niinisaari.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20'Log cabins in the woods, everything I thought Finland would be.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27'It's lovely now, but it'd be tough in the winter.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31'I guess they grow them hardy here. I wonder what their secret is.'
0:04:41 > 0:04:43'We are in search of some great home cooking
0:04:43 > 0:04:47'so we've arranged to stay with Orpo and his dad Heikki,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49'whose family have been here for generations
0:04:49 > 0:04:52'and who still live in the traditional way.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58'They have told us that Heikki's wife Paola often forages for food
0:04:58 > 0:05:01'and knocks up some classic Finnish dishes.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03'Which is good, cos I'm starving!
0:05:04 > 0:05:07'We're off to the kitchen to make lunch.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11'And I'm off to the most important room in the house -
0:05:11 > 0:05:14'it's time to bare all with my new Finnish friends.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19'For those of a squeamish disposition, brace yourselves!'
0:05:19 > 0:05:22- Do I need my trunks?- Take it all off.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30'It doesn't get more traditional than this - a genuine Finnish sauna,
0:05:30 > 0:05:35'the perfect place to get under the skin of the Finns. Get it?'
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Oooh! Ooh, that's hot!
0:05:39 > 0:05:42A cold sauna would be a disgrace.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45The sauna in Finland, it's far more important
0:05:45 > 0:05:48- than just the bath, isn't it, for pleasure?- Oh, yeah, it is.
0:05:48 > 0:05:53It is an integral part of our culture, in a way,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56because people used to give birth in the sauna.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01All the big decisions, all the big things, marriages,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04pacts, so on, were made and discussed in the sauna.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08When people died, the last thing to their body
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- was that it was taken to the sauna. - Gosh!
0:06:12 > 0:06:17For example, my grandfather, his father, was born in the sauna,
0:06:17 > 0:06:19just like this.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22'But Paola's not originally from here.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24'She is Finnish Karelian,
0:06:24 > 0:06:29'part of an ethnic group whose origins go back thousands of years.'
0:06:29 > 0:06:33So, how long have you been living in this beautiful house, Paola?
0:06:33 > 0:06:36I've been here now 30 years.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39I come from northern Karelia
0:06:39 > 0:06:44and then I met Heikki, he was living here one year alone
0:06:44 > 0:06:48and we fell in love and now I am here.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49And now you're here with Heikki.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51With Heikki and we have two children.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56'Paola is going to show me one of her family's favourite recipes -
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'a Karelian speciality.'
0:07:00 > 0:07:05- We're making a very famous Karel... Karelian?- Karelian pastries, yes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I remember you saying that you started preparing the sauna
0:07:09 > 0:07:13three or four hours ago. It's quite a ritual, it's quite a commitment.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Oh, yeah, it is. It takes a minimum of four hours.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18You have to take time.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21For example, when I put the wood in the sauna,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24I take the wood pieces one by one
0:07:24 > 0:07:28- and think how the fire goes through and so on.- Right.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33So, heating up the sauna is part of the whole ritual.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36It shouldn't be rushed at any moment.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39'First up, we're making the pastry.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43'Although they're Karelian, these pies are enjoyed all over Finland.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:47- Cold water.- And then some salt, half teaspoon is enough.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- I'll help you with the oil.- Ooh!
0:07:50 > 0:07:52So, oil and water together?
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Then it is easier to handle.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Then one decilitre of wheat flour.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02- Straight in?- Yeah, straight in. That's enough.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04And then three decilitres of rye flour.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08There's a lot of rye flour in Finnish cuisine, isn't there?
0:08:08 > 0:08:12- And it's husky and nutty, rye flour, isn't it?- It is very nice.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17Usually, I go to the sauna alone, just to listen to my thoughts.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21So we can just be silent and listen.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24It's important, isn't it, to take time to think?
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- And we don't do that enough these days.- Yeah.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Ohhh...
0:08:37 > 0:08:41- 'How's lunch going, Kingy? - Bonkers, mate.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43'I've just found out what they put in these pies.'
0:08:43 > 0:08:48- Porridge rice.- Porridge rice, OK, we would say pudding rice at home.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50- Oh, OK.- And what is the flavour?
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Do the Finnish people have a complicated palate?
0:08:53 > 0:08:57No, we like simple, tasty flavours
0:08:57 > 0:09:01and we use everything that we can,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03direct from nature.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08- Nowadays, we make it with mashed potatoes, too.- Ah!
0:09:08 > 0:09:11But I think the rice is the most tasty one.
0:09:11 > 0:09:16'It's simple, honest food, stripped down - a bit like our Dave.'
0:09:16 > 0:09:18He'll have to get his bits out in the sauna,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20which will be completely mortifying for Dave,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22he'll be sat there really quite embarrassed.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27Ow! Why am I doing this?
0:09:28 > 0:09:33It's for your health and wellbeing. And the smell is amazing.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'Well, apparently, it's very good for your circulation.'
0:09:37 > 0:09:43Wayhey! Well, it's a day out, isn't it? Whoo-hoo-hoo!
0:09:44 > 0:09:47I'd hate to think what you do to enemies! Ha-ha-ha!
0:09:48 > 0:09:53So, Paola, you know when the boys, after their sauna,
0:09:53 > 0:09:58- cos the sauna is very hot, isn't it? - Yes, it is.- What happens then?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00I think they are jumping into the Saimaa.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Oooh...
0:10:05 > 0:10:10- They jump in the lake?- Yes, yes. Sure!- The freezing cold lake?
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- Yeah, yeah.- Get in!
0:10:17 > 0:10:20It's very cold. Oooh!
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Now I get it. Let's go back for a bit more.
0:10:28 > 0:10:3110 to 15 minutes because it's so hot.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35I feel more alive now than I think I've done for a month
0:10:35 > 0:10:38and I've had some incredible experiences. That's wonderful!
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Well, that's the main reason that you go to a sauna.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43Do you think because,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46certainly in this area, people's nature with the woodland,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50do you think you're more in touch with nature than the rest of us?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54This area, the sauna thing, it isn't just part of my culture.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58- It's part of ME.- Yeah?- Being in nature, surrounded by nature.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Did you learn everything about sauna that you know from your father?
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Oh, yes, of course.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07I was about four weeks old when my father first took me to a sauna.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Gosh! Wow! Your father, he's quite a quiet man.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Yes.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18HE SPEAKS FINNISH
0:11:21 > 0:11:26He just said that it's better to be silent
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and let people THINK that you're stupid
0:11:29 > 0:11:33than to speak and PROVE that you are stupid.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35That's how I've made my living!
0:11:37 > 0:11:41OK, I think these are ready now. It's hot, hot, hot.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47Then we put some butter and milk, it absorbs the butter
0:11:47 > 0:11:49and then it's tasty.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53So those little folds in the pastry
0:11:53 > 0:11:56keeps all that lovely butter and milk in.
0:11:56 > 0:11:57Interesting!
0:11:57 > 0:12:01'And then, on top, a slathering of eggy butter.'
0:12:01 > 0:12:03Well...
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- You like it? Oh, thank you! - Fantastic!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'Right, time to get these to Old Sweaty-Knickers.'
0:12:13 > 0:12:18- Hello, mate!- Hello!- Oh, here we go! - Snacks!- Some refreshments.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19How's your communing going?
0:12:19 > 0:12:23I'm getting what it's like to be Finnish. Do you know, I like it.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26I feel fresh, invigorated, alive!
0:12:26 > 0:12:27You look it. You look it, dude.
0:12:27 > 0:12:32Seeing as you're busy communing, Karelian pastries
0:12:32 > 0:12:38with egg butter and local berry wine.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Oh, gosh! This is fabulous! You have been a busy biker.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44A rye crisp filled with a kind of rice pudding.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49Carbohydrate, fat, hard winters -
0:12:49 > 0:12:51it's what you eat, isn't it?
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- It doesn't matter when you've got a sauna.- So, what was it like, then?
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Do you just beat yourself with birch twigs, then?
0:12:57 > 0:13:02You kind of beat each other with birch twigs. It's man love.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06'Come on, Kingy, let's share the lurve!'
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Why are you being so modest? It's all naked in Finland!
0:13:12 > 0:13:13The backhand butt slap!
0:13:15 > 0:13:16BOTH: Finland!
0:13:18 > 0:13:21# Finland, Finland, Finland
0:13:21 > 0:13:27# The country where I want to be pony trekking or camping... #
0:13:27 > 0:13:30'This country is taking my breath away, Kingy!'
0:13:31 > 0:13:33# Finland, Finland, Finland... #
0:13:33 > 0:13:39'The lakes, the forests, long summer days...'
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- This has to be a paradise on earth, doesn't it?- Oh, mate, absolutely.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47The serenity, the natural beauty of it is just breathtaking.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50It's funny, the purity and the simplicity,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52maybe that's what we're finding in the food.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56I tell you what, it doesn't half feel wonderful
0:13:56 > 0:13:59after three belts in the sauna, a swim in the lake
0:13:59 > 0:14:02and some Karelian pastries.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05'And, to top it all off, tonight is Midsummer's Eve,
0:14:05 > 0:14:08'when the Finns get out and party.'
0:14:08 > 0:14:13'Well, I think we should celebrate with a Karelian cook-up.'
0:14:13 > 0:14:16BOTH: # Finland, Finland, Finland
0:14:16 > 0:14:20# That's the country where we want to be. #
0:14:20 > 0:14:22So, here we are.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25And who would want to be anywhere else on Midsummer's Eve?
0:14:25 > 0:14:27- Well, you wouldn't, would you? - And to celebrate,
0:14:27 > 0:14:29we're doing a Karelian hotpot.
0:14:29 > 0:14:33Not Lancashire hotpot, not Geordie hotpot - Karelian hotpot!
0:14:33 > 0:14:36It's a one-pot wonder that's a celebration of all things Finnish.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39- We haven't even started yet, never mind "finish".- I know!
0:14:39 > 0:14:42'Now, the Finns love a Karelian hotpot.
0:14:42 > 0:14:48'But what I love about this, it's the perfect one-pot dish.'
0:14:48 > 0:14:52You can use whatever meat you fancy so we've got lamb, beef and pork.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53Blimey, lamb, beef and pork!
0:14:53 > 0:14:59Just put all your diced meat into your bag, zip your bag up,
0:14:59 > 0:15:00shake the living daylights out of it
0:15:00 > 0:15:03until it's all coated in seasoned flour.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05It's that simple.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08'Traditional Karelian hotpot's made with just meat and onions,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12'but we're adding turnips and carrots for extra flavour.'
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Oh, I feel so clean after that sauna!
0:15:14 > 0:15:17I'm cleaner than a freshly bleached German lavatory - THAT clean, Kingy.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- Flipping heck, that's clean, that, dude.- Oh, aye!
0:15:19 > 0:15:23Now, the key to browning meat off
0:15:23 > 0:15:26is not to over-pack the pan.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27No, you want it brown, not poached.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Now, that's the vegetables.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36The spicing in this dish is equally complicated...not.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I want a teaspoon of allspice berries
0:15:39 > 0:15:41and two teaspoons of black peppercorns,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45then mash them all up and crumble some bay leaves on top.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I think it's all about obtaining the maximum flavour
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- out of simple ingredients.- It is.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Now, we've got really posh meat for this,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57but because it's been cooked for so long,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59you can use any old bit of boot.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Really, you cook what you can get,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04and, to be fair, it's Midsummer's Eve and all the shops were shut.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07We had a right old scavenge getting this lot together.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- Can't you hurry up with that? - Not really.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12This is it, you see, Finland has got under his skin.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- FINNISH ACCENT:- I am quiet, I will brown my meat.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16It is done when it is done.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19The Finns are comfortable with silence.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21The Finnish interlude.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31- Right, let's get the hotpot on. - So it's a layer of meat first.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36Then half the onions, turnips, carrots and spice mix.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39And then we top that with another third of the meat.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45What you can do to make it super-rich is to put blobs of bone marrow in
0:16:45 > 0:16:47and that really does work a treat.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50'Then throw in the rest of the veggies and spices.'
0:16:51 > 0:16:54And then the rest of the meat goes over the top
0:16:54 > 0:16:56and then just cover it with some stock.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00We've got beefy stock, but water would do.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Then take it to a nearby friendly oven
0:17:02 > 0:17:06and leave for anywhere between two and six hours.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Meanwhile, an ode.
0:17:09 > 0:17:16The Kalevala - Finland's national epic poem.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20It is a massive work and it deals with the creation of the Sampo.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22The Sampo is an all-giving object.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26It's very mystical, it's kind of a bit the Tree of Life
0:17:26 > 0:17:29and it's about its forging, its creation,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31but there's a verse in it
0:17:31 > 0:17:33that kind of describes the creation of a hotpot.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- Shall we begin the incantation, Mr King?- I think so.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41On one side the flour is grinding
0:17:41 > 0:17:44On another salt is making
0:17:44 > 0:17:47On the third is money forging
0:17:47 > 0:17:50And the lid is many-coloured
0:17:50 > 0:17:53Well the Sampo grinds when finished
0:17:53 > 0:17:57And to and fro the lid is rocking.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I tell you what, if the hotpot doesn't taste good after that,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02I don't know what will.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07'Midsummer's Eve marks the beginning of the warm weather
0:18:07 > 0:18:09'and, after the long, dark winters,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13'the Finns can't get enough of those extra long days.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18'They celebrate outdoors with food and conversation...
0:18:18 > 0:18:19'Finnish style.'
0:18:19 > 0:18:23SILENCE
0:18:25 > 0:18:28'In the olden days, they'd cast Midsummer spells
0:18:28 > 0:18:30'to help them find a spouse.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32'I don't need to do that, Kingy.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34'I'll just charm them with my moves.'
0:18:34 > 0:18:36He's off, he's off! Look at this!
0:18:38 > 0:18:40'There is no magic to tango, Si.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43'Once you've got it, you never lose it!
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'I'm going to lose it if I don't get some food soon, mate. I'm ravenous!
0:18:48 > 0:18:49'To the hotpot, Kingy!
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'Served with lingonberry sauce for that classic Finnish flavour.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'A match made in heaven.'
0:18:56 > 0:19:00- Well, happy Midsummer's Eve, Si. - Happy Midsummer's Eve, mate.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- It's lovely, it's gentle. - Really good, simple stew.- Yep.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Full of taste and flavour.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09The allspice is good, isn't it?
0:19:09 > 0:19:12It just sets it apart, doesn't it? It's really nice.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14- There's no mystery to it, is there? - No.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18It cooks away quietly, it does make something magic.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25What do you think this trip is going to be, Dave?
0:19:25 > 0:19:26I think this is an omen.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30- I think it's going to be a very, very good trip.- I think it is, too.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35'What a great start to our Finnish adventure!'
0:19:35 > 0:19:38- Bye-bye!- Bye! Bye-bye!
0:19:38 > 0:19:41'Orpo and Paola have given us a wonderful taste
0:19:41 > 0:19:43'of both the food and the people.'
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Fab! Completely fab!
0:19:54 > 0:19:56'I'm sad to be leaving, Kingy.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59'Me too, but we've only scratched the surface
0:19:59 > 0:20:02'of this great big country.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03'Next stop, Helsinki.'
0:20:05 > 0:20:09You know, Si, in the sauna I found out some Finnish history
0:20:09 > 0:20:13that might explain that quiet confidence the Finns seem to have.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19In 1939, Russia invaded Finland on a land grab.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24They called it the Winter War. The Finns were completely outnumbered.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28For every 192 Russian tanks, the Finns had just one.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34- That's mad, mate, what did they do? - Well, the Finns knew the terrain.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37They had a great commander, General Mannerheim.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39But, most of all, they had Sisu,
0:20:39 > 0:20:43a uniquely Finnish concept, which means having courage
0:20:43 > 0:20:48and determination when the odds are stacked against you.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51- Sisu, indomitable spirit. - And they held the Russians off?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Yes, they did.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55That's heroic.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10Well, how lovely is this? Hello, Helsinki.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Plus, I've been told that the chefs here are making waves with
0:21:15 > 0:21:18a new take on Finnish food.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Who-ho! Look! The train station.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Grand Central Station, Helsinki.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I'll tell you what, mate, it's a great city, isn't it?
0:21:28 > 0:21:33- It's not what I expected. - Here, Kingy, this street's called
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Mannerheim Street. He's a legend around these parts.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40- It is a city of cobbles, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Helsinki, the city of cobbles and trams.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47And also coffee shops.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50In fact, the Finns are the biggest coffee drinkers in the world.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55I've heard the Good Life Cafe serves their coffee with an exotic twist.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Worth checking out, then.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Lauri and Samuli run this neighbourhood joint.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09So they should know why the Finns are addicted to coffee.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14It might be the fact that most of the year it's pretty cold and is
0:22:14 > 0:22:20quite dark, so you need something that refreshes you or picks you up.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23We don't really have that kind of tradition that we
0:22:23 > 0:22:27gather around with family or friends and eat.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32- Yes.- But we do want to have some kind of reason to come together.
0:22:32 > 0:22:37- Yeah, yeah.- So, what makes the Good Life Cafe different?
0:22:37 > 0:22:39One of them is the coffee tonic,
0:22:39 > 0:22:45which is maybe a little bit exotic combination for many people.
0:22:45 > 0:22:50- And then we have the omelette.- Made with espresso machine, steamed ones.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- Right.- I think that sounds like breakfast sorted.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- Could we have two of those, please? - Yes, of course.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Eggs creamed and steamed, genius.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- Oh, great. Thanks, Lauri.- These look good.- That's the first one for me.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09- Eggs in a coffee machine. - Yeah, same here, man.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13I've had salmon in a dishwasher but never eggs in a coffee machine.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14Mmm, coffee and tonic.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- I like that.- That's brilliant. - It's very grown-up, isn't it?
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- Well done, boys. - It is good, isn't it?- Fab.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30One could even do a slim line.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35- Definitely not as bonkers as it sounds.- Nope. That's Finland.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38Whatever sounds bonkers maybe isn't so bonkers.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Well, that set me up for the day.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45That's good because you'll be working it off in a bit.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Look, as long as it doesn't involve Lycra, I'm there.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51No cause for concern, my big Geordie mate.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54I've just arranged to meet two of Finland's top athletes
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- and see them in action.- Hmm.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02This is Taisto and Ilpo.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Taisto's been world champion five times but Ilpo
0:24:06 > 0:24:09is ready to give him a run for his money.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I've never heard of them. What's the sport?
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Wife carrying?
0:24:14 > 0:24:17That could catch on at closing time on a Saturday night, that.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Wife carrying's an ancient tradition,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22isn't it? That goes back to kind of ancient times
0:24:22 > 0:24:25when people would rob other people's villages.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Then you could either carry a sack of potatoes
0:24:27 > 0:24:29or you could steal somebody's wife.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31So do you have different wives?
0:24:32 > 0:24:36Or do you have to have the same wife?
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Yes, it's possible that you have old wife
0:24:39 > 0:24:43and you have other women in the competition
0:24:43 > 0:24:46because it doesn't need to be your real wife in the competition.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49I see, I see. Now we're getting at it.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- What are the techniques of the lift? - The classic style is...
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- ..this one.- Piggyback. Locked feet, locked arms.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Caveman slash fireman.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Estonian style is this one.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05Oh, dear.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08- My hands are free.- Flippin' heck!
0:25:08 > 0:25:15- It's much easier to run.- Yes. - So you hold...- I don't keep.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18I'll tell you what, it keeps your ears warm, doesn't it?
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Yes, a little bit warm.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21THEY LAUGH
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- How are you doing down there? What's it like?- I'm fine.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26The mechanics of it I think are...
0:25:26 > 0:25:28interesting.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31A lot of the time, the Finns win these world championships,
0:25:31 > 0:25:35- don't they?- Yeah.- Do you think it has anything to do with Sisu?
0:25:35 > 0:25:37You know, that kind of indomitable spirit?
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Some people, they are getting adrenaline to robbing banks
0:25:40 > 0:25:44- but we are carrying wife.- Could he try to lift one of your wives?
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- Very good idea.- Yes?- You're welcome.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Crumbs!
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Hey, I'll tell you what, she's light.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59- She's my wife!- She's not any more, mate, I'll tell you.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02No time for wife swapping, Kingy.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06- It's time to see who really is top dog.- Well, it's clash of the titans.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11I mean, this is Premier League. Competitors, carry your wives.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15MUSIC: Chariots of Fire theme by Vangelis
0:26:15 > 0:26:16Set.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21- Three, two, one. - HORN BEEPS
0:26:24 > 0:26:26They've both gone for the Estonian style, Si.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Yes, they have, yes, they have.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31And you can see why. It's neck and neck at the minute, Dave.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34Ilpo's taken the inside track, so he's gained some space.
0:26:34 > 0:26:35On the way back.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40- Oh, Taisto's taken the edge on the turn.- But Ilpo's catching up.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43- The girls are holding on.- But Taisto's got her feet in his face.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47- He can't see where he's going. - The marathon man's leading, Dave.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51Who's going to make it? Who's coming through? It's the marathon man.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Step by step, who's coming through?
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Well done. That was fast.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08Well, the Finns may be reserved but they can be completely bonkers.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Oh, Ilpo takes it by a whisker.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Well done, definitely you're the winner, first one over.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18In a real race, Ilpo would win his wife's weight in beer.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Well, I'll drink to that, mate. Thank you very much.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24We say "Kippis" in Finland.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28Here's to Finland and wife carrying.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Wife carrying should be an Olympic sport.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Well, here's a neat segue because if it wasn't for the Finns, London
0:27:35 > 0:27:37wouldn't have won the Olympic bid.
0:27:37 > 0:27:40- How's that, then? - The Finns had the casting vote
0:27:40 > 0:27:44between Paris and London but France's president Jacques Chirac
0:27:44 > 0:27:49had been so rude about Finnish food that the Finns voted for us.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Urban myth or not, I love that.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56But Chirac missed a treat here, Kingy, cos the Sea Horse restaurant's
0:27:56 > 0:28:00famous for its high-class, traditional fare.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03And it's been packing them in for nearly 70 years.
0:28:06 > 0:28:10This restaurant's a complete slip back in time, isn't it?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12It's like stepping back into 1950.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15I think here we're going to find a food map of Finland.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19- They love wild nature, don't they?- Yes.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24The berries and their... You know, and great meats and fish.
0:28:24 > 0:28:27From the sea, from the lakes, from the land, from the woods.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31I'm going to have the creamy salmon soup. That's very Finnish.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34- I think I might go for the herring plate.- Shall we share, then?
0:28:34 > 0:28:36Oh, yeah, let's diddle dabble.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38What are you going to have for your mains?
0:28:38 > 0:28:40I'm going to have the cabbage rolls with ground meat,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43onion and rice, mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Can't get any more Finnish than that.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49I'm going to go the pike perch a la Mannerheim with horseradish,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52butter, wild mushroom sauce and boiled potatoes.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54There's a definite Russian influence here,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58with the pickled beetroot, cucumber and sour cream.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00And Sweden too, with pickled herring.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04- Salmon soup for you, herring plate for you.- Fab.- Lovely.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07I've seen this salmon soup everywhere in Finland,
0:29:07 > 0:29:09from service stations to restaurants and hotels.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13- It's absolutely the best, I promise you that.- Thank you.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17It's lovely, it's creamy, it's warm and big chunks of salmon.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Lots of dill.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23You couldn't get this anywhere else apart from the Baltic, I'm sure.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- Try that.- Oh, fab.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Without a doubt.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29How good is that?
0:29:29 > 0:29:33That's home cured, beautiful. Tastes it.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37The beetroot, the pickles, the dill mustard.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40- It all goes together perfectly well. - Oh, mate.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42You know what I think I'm finding?
0:29:42 > 0:29:46Finnish food is representative of the climate and its environment.
0:29:46 > 0:29:51And I think... Really harsh winters, so large portions,
0:29:51 > 0:29:52really generous flavours.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54You know, all of those things
0:29:54 > 0:29:57that you love about home-cooked food, really.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01- Fresh, isn't it? - Yeah. Really fresh.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03That's typical of what we're finding, aren't we?
0:30:03 > 0:30:06It's great, fresh food.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09- Here we have the pike perch a la Mannerheim.- Oh, wow.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12And here we have the cabbage rolls.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- Whoa!- That looks good. - Is that the lingonberries?- Yes.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17The sauce is with lingonberries
0:30:17 > 0:30:20and there is lingonberry jam with them as well.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22- That looks fantastic. - It does, doesn't it?
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Finnish people love their berries, don't they?
0:30:24 > 0:30:29We really do and we like to mix our berries with... Like reindeer,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33we have with cranberries and things like that.
0:30:33 > 0:30:34We do love them.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39We British, we love our sweet and savoury - mint sauce with lamb
0:30:39 > 0:30:41and cranberry sauce with turkey.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44But the Finns, its berries are everywhere.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48- This is so tasty. Just a moment.- Meat and jam.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50This is meat and jam to a new level, Kingy.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56It's all BERRY, BERRY good if you ask me, Mr Myers.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Actually, Finnish food may be down to earth
0:30:58 > 0:31:01but it's not stuck in a time warp.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Like the coffee, Helsinki's chefs
0:31:04 > 0:31:06are giving the food a fresh new twist.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09And they're getting their ingredients from the green
0:31:09 > 0:31:11spaces dotted all over the city.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15We thought this might be a nation of foragers, turns out we're right.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19I mean, they're legally entitled to go to the woods to forage.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21# So we've come down to the woods today... #
0:31:21 > 0:31:25- Are we in for a big surprise? - Certainly are, mate.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28This is where cutting-edge chef Sami Tallberg comes
0:31:28 > 0:31:30for his ingredients.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33He's trailblazing the way for modern Finnish cuisine.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36Now he's the real deal.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Sami spent eight years working in some of London's best restaurants
0:31:40 > 0:31:45but, in the end, there's nothing quite like the taste of home.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49The best ingredients in Finland for cooking, they come from wild nature.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53You know, the wild fish, game or wild mushrooms,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55berries or wild plants.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57And what's the best thing about Helsinki for me,
0:31:57 > 0:32:02as a chef, is that one mile from central Helsinki, you have all this.
0:32:02 > 0:32:03The green supermarket.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Once you get into foraging,
0:32:05 > 0:32:08- you see edible stuff absolutely everywhere.- What is this?
0:32:08 > 0:32:11- This is called orpine.- Orpine. - Orpine.- Yeah, taste it.
0:32:14 > 0:32:19- Crunchy, juicy, succulent. - It's like pea shoots.- Pea pods, yeah.
0:32:19 > 0:32:24- Slightly lemony as well. We have some violets as well.- Oh, wow.
0:32:24 > 0:32:25Beautiful as well.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28They look beautiful but it's really the taste
0:32:28 > 0:32:34and texture together that makes it an amazing ingredient for me.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38- Oh, yeah, that's fab.- Tastes basically like vanilla and almonds.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41As you can see, this doesn't take very long
0:32:41 > 0:32:43to get a meal for ten people.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47What's fabulous is that there are flavours and textures that we
0:32:47 > 0:32:50- recognise but they're just coming at us in different forms.- Yeah.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53That's really quite exciting to eat and to see.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54From a chef's point of view,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58these are all amazing ingredients to start with. That's why we're here.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59Yes, absolutely.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02The Finns are even more adventurous
0:33:02 > 0:33:04with their food than I thought, Dave.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09Well, in 2011 they invented Restaurant Day where anyone
0:33:09 > 0:33:12can set up a pop-up restaurant anywhere for a day.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15That's brilliant. I love it.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17So, as a tribute to the fabulous foodie Finns,
0:33:17 > 0:33:21we're going to do our own pop-up cook-up with Sami
0:33:21 > 0:33:24using his freshly picked ingredients.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26And the locals are giving us a warm welcome.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32Welcome to the hairy happening today here at Helsinki, Finland.
0:33:32 > 0:33:38Tonight is going to be lots of food, bikes and music.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40All right, enjoy yourselves.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48# Maybe a spoonful of diamonds... #
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Right, let's make dinner.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Tell me, Tallberg, Finland's food and foraging God,
0:33:53 > 0:33:55what are we cooking?
0:33:55 > 0:33:59We're cooking today some wild fish and we have perch for that
0:33:59 > 0:34:02and then we have some peas and burdock stems.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06Then we have the wild-herb salad. These plants we picked together.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10Dandelion, white dead nettle, yellow rocket flower...
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Fantastic, isn't it?
0:34:12 > 0:34:16Food for free but the flavours are all there.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18..Japanese rose and a bit more amaretto
0:34:18 > 0:34:20and vanilla flavour from wild pansies.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23Well, I haven't said it in a while but that's a cornucopia
0:34:23 > 0:34:26of loveliness. Wild loveliness.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28What we have here is perch fillets.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32I've salted them. Sea salt, a bit of pepper, a few thyme leaves.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Fry those off, a little bit of oil, little bit of butter,
0:34:35 > 0:34:37butter goes slightly nutty. Lovely.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40What do you think of the hairy happening, dude?
0:34:40 > 0:34:43Helsinki at its best. Fabulous.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47In a village of vibrant urban lifestyle with... Very close
0:34:47 > 0:34:49to wild nature. That's what Helsinki is about.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Definitely finding that Finland does not deserve
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- the reputation for poor food. - We have good food.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58What we have here is vinaigrette and that includes oil,
0:34:58 > 0:35:02mustard and sea buckthorn juice and a very tiny bit of raw garlic.
0:35:02 > 0:35:03Can I have a taste?
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Awesome. You're not shy on the flavour, are you?
0:35:07 > 0:35:09- That's fantastic. - That is fantastic.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Sami, would you say this is contemporary Finnish cuisine?
0:35:12 > 0:35:14Yeah, this is contemporary Finnish cuisine.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16I'll tell you what, you'll have no problems in presentation.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It's the colours and textures and the flavour.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22- Each plant is chipping in something. - Yup.
0:35:22 > 0:35:28And what I have here is fresh peas and burdock stems.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31So this is the peak season now for burdock stems. A flower stem.
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Before the flower comes, the stem is very tender once you peel it.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37I've peeled it, chopped it up
0:35:37 > 0:35:40and blanched it for just a minute or two with the peas.
0:35:40 > 0:35:46Burdock stem is similar to white asparagus, artichoke or salsify.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- Wonderful.- The fish is ready now, nice and medium.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56- Oh, look at that.- It's beautiful, isn't it?- That's fantastic.
0:35:56 > 0:35:57So that's it.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Pan-fried fillets of perch with wild chives, burdock stems and peas
0:36:01 > 0:36:05- and a wild-herb salad.- With a wonderful sea buckthorn vinaigrette.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Very difficult to make as well, yeah? Not really.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11Local, seasonal, environmentally friendly.
0:36:11 > 0:36:12I've got to dive in.
0:36:17 > 0:36:18Any good?
0:36:20 > 0:36:23- That's fantastic.- You know, Kingy?
0:36:23 > 0:36:27I think the Finns are on to something with nature's larder.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29I mean, foraging is pretty mainstream here
0:36:29 > 0:36:32but it's much more than just free food.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34So full of flavour.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37Way more sophisticated and layered flavours, isn't it?
0:36:37 > 0:36:38And the burdock root.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45This is tomorrow's asparagus. I'm having such a good time.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50APPLAUSE
0:36:52 > 0:36:56Helsinki's certainly raised the bar on Finnish food.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59JEAN SIBELIUS MUSIC PLAYS
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Crank up the music, mate, that's a cracking soundtrack.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09It's Sibelius, Finland's musical genius.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Hey, Kingy, you know what day it is?- Thursday, mate.
0:37:19 > 0:37:23That's right, and in Finland, Thursday's pea-soup day.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26I've been told, you know, that there's
0:37:26 > 0:37:30an army base up the road where they make gallons of the stuff.
0:37:31 > 0:37:32I can smell it from here.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37I reckon we could take them on in a battle of war and PEAS. Ha!
0:37:37 > 0:37:38Oh, dear me.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44But not before we've all worked up an appetite.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Here, these lads are certainly being
0:37:48 > 0:37:50put through their paces, aren't they?
0:37:50 > 0:37:52And they'll be learning about Sisu,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55that Finnish concept of indomitable courage
0:37:55 > 0:37:57in the face of impossible odds.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Could do with a bit of Sisu myself.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Is there a lift?- No, there is...
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- You can come here.- Now, Dave, now!
0:38:10 > 0:38:13Conscription's compulsory here but what's the deal
0:38:13 > 0:38:15if you refuse to sign up?
0:38:15 > 0:38:17- Six months in the slammer.- Oh.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19How am I going to get you down?
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Remember, the Finns are big on Sisu,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Dave, so now would be a good time to get some.
0:38:23 > 0:38:29- Perseverance, determination... - In a nutshell, guts.- And being canny.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Finding an alternative way through any difficulty.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35I'm not getting you out of there, dude.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39No, but... Yes, sir.
0:38:42 > 0:38:43Geronimo!
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Oooh!
0:38:45 > 0:38:49- It's only two metres. - Only two metres! That's six foot.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52- Go on, dude, go on. - Clear the way.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54DAVE GRUNTS THEY LAUGH
0:38:54 > 0:38:58That's another fine mess you've got yourself into, Myers.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Sisu.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Speaking of which, where is the mess? I'm a bit peckish.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10Well, you're in luck. The army boys are loading up their ammo for lunch.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13An army marches on its stomach
0:39:13 > 0:39:18and, in Finland, on Thursdays, they march on pea soup.
0:39:18 > 0:39:19And they're not alone.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22All over Finland, people are eating pea soup today.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- At home, at school, in the office... - It'd be rude not to join in.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I'll tell you what, Dave, we might not be any good on
0:39:29 > 0:39:32the assault course but we'll take them on in the kitchen.
0:39:33 > 0:39:38This is the engine room, the powerhouse of the soup. A ham hock.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42So we pop that into a couple of litres of water
0:39:42 > 0:39:45and we bring that to the boil.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48For additional flavour, we make a super bouquet garni.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Onions and a couple of cloves.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Two bay leaves, a blade of mace.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56The mace is lovely. It's the outside of a nutmeg.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00And that needs to simmer for about an hour
0:40:00 > 0:40:02so that the meat's cooked through.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05But now, on with the peas.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07You get the dried peas - you do need to salt them overnight,
0:40:07 > 0:40:09or else they'll be like bullets -
0:40:09 > 0:40:11you salt them with bicarbonate of soda.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13- It makes the peas softer.- Indeed.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15My mother used to say it helped break the wind.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18And somebody else used to say it makes the peas stay a green colour.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21However, you need your bicarb.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25My little chum will top me with water...
0:40:25 > 0:40:28Bring them to a boil initially for ten minutes.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Now, you want a hard boil for ten minutes, OK? Hard boil.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Now we need to remove the ham hock
0:40:34 > 0:40:37and discard the bouquet garni.
0:40:37 > 0:40:38That's the cooking liquor.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Now, we put the peas, which have been partially cooked, in there.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49To that, I add me carrot and me onion for about an hour.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Oh, the competition's hotting up!
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Aye, mate. They're nearly done. Big chunks of ham going in.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01Well, I reckon our meat's got theirs beat, mate.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04To that, we add a tablespoon of mustard.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10One Finnish Thursday pea soup.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12Finished.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15You know what they say in the army, Kingy?
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Know your enemy!
0:41:18 > 0:41:20How's it going, fellas?
0:41:20 > 0:41:21Oh, it's going great.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Flipping heck! It's a top secret recipe, this, isn't it?
0:41:24 > 0:41:25This is ridiculous!
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Oh, wow!
0:41:27 > 0:41:29- Now, that soup... - That does look good.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Man, that's bordering on, like, mushy peas.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Do you think this recipe's bulletproof?
0:41:34 > 0:41:35Sure.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37- And do you love pea soup?- Yeah.
0:41:37 > 0:41:41We have it on every Thursday at lunch or at dinner,
0:41:41 > 0:41:44and it's a tradition with pancakes.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48- Right.- Amongst our soldiers, so that's what we wait for.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Boys, we're going to give you a run for your money, you know!
0:41:51 > 0:41:53We've got Sisu, too, you know.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Maybe not quite as much as you've got.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00Kingy, I've got an idea
0:42:00 > 0:42:03that'll give us the edge in this battle of the pea soups.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06It's served traditionally with a big pancake for pudding.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- Should we get the batter done first? - Yes.- We have flour.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Plain, for the use of.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14To that flour, we add one teaspoon of baking powder,
0:42:14 > 0:42:16- to give it a lift.- Thank you.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20Then we add two tablespoons of sugar.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22One, two...
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Add a pinch of salt.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Go on, mix the dry goods, Sergeant.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30And then we make a well in the middle
0:42:30 > 0:42:31and put four eggs in.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36And bring the flour into the egg mixture.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Now we just add some milk, about 600ml,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42and just fold it in.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45Now, what we're going to do, we're going to cover that with clingfilm
0:42:45 > 0:42:47and leave it for an hour.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49To rest on our tank!
0:42:51 > 0:42:53And once it's ready...
0:42:53 > 0:42:57I would cook this in a heated oven about 180 degrees Celsius
0:42:57 > 0:42:59for about 30 minutes.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06That, my friends, is a Finnish pancake.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Genius, dude - pea soup with a splash of creme fraiche
0:43:11 > 0:43:13and berries with the pancake.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15They'll never beat this combo!
0:43:17 > 0:43:18Oh, this is delicious, Si.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21No wonder the army runs well on the pea soup.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22- That's fab.- And do you know what?
0:43:22 > 0:43:25I think that Thursday at home should become pea soup day.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28I think it should. Now, the only problem with that, though, mate,
0:43:28 > 0:43:29where are we going to get a tank from?
0:43:29 > 0:43:32- It does add something to the soup. - It does.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35I'm dying to get stuck into theirs.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41- It's thicker and the meat's been worked down.- Yeah.
0:43:42 > 0:43:43That's good soup.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45- That's really tasty.- Mm.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47So on the taste, what do you think of ours?
0:43:47 > 0:43:49Oh, it's good. It's really good.
0:43:49 > 0:43:51I think the Finns and the Brits have something
0:43:51 > 0:43:53- in common with their pea soups. - Yeah.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56- Cos this is excellent. - It is very good.
0:43:56 > 0:43:59Well, I think we're about even in the war of nutrition.
0:43:59 > 0:44:03Yes, mate, which is great as we're all about PEAS and love.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06Do you get it? Do you get it?
0:44:06 > 0:44:07Yes!
0:44:07 > 0:44:09It's time to move on.
0:44:09 > 0:44:10King over and out, sir.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16We're heading west towards our journey's end.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19The Aland Islands in the Finnish archipelago,
0:44:19 > 0:44:22just 50 miles from Sweden.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25But first, we're making a tiny pit stop in Turku,
0:44:25 > 0:44:28Finland's oldest city.
0:44:28 > 0:44:29We've heard about a church here
0:44:29 > 0:44:32where they really let their hair down.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40We don't often go to church,
0:44:40 > 0:44:44but this was one service that it would have been a sin to miss.
0:44:44 > 0:44:47A heavy metal mass
0:44:47 > 0:44:52taken by the Reverend Haka, who could be your long lost brother, Si.
0:44:52 > 0:44:53Amen.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55HEAVY METAL MUSIC PLAYS
0:44:55 > 0:44:58Heavy metal is mainstream music in Finland.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02They even won Eurovision with Hard Rock Halleluiah.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06HEAVY METAL HYMN PLAYS
0:45:17 > 0:45:20Here, Kingy, I've got a confession to make.
0:45:20 > 0:45:22I really enjoyed that.
0:45:22 > 0:45:24Thank you for the welcome to your church.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28Can you tell us, what is a metal mass?
0:45:28 > 0:45:31Actually, it's a normal service,
0:45:31 > 0:45:35but, you know, hymns are metal.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38- Right.- Yeah, and it's very relaxing.
0:45:38 > 0:45:41Who comes to these masses, what sort of people?
0:45:41 > 0:45:44Just normal Finnish average people.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46And is this unique to Finland?
0:45:46 > 0:45:48Ah, unique in the world!
0:45:48 > 0:45:50- Right.- Yeah.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53Well, mate, Finland's eccentricities are piling up,
0:45:53 > 0:45:58but we've one last destination before we leave this fair country.
0:45:58 > 0:46:00But as we head further and further west,
0:46:00 > 0:46:02the most Swedish it's going to get.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Because in this part of Finland,
0:46:04 > 0:46:07the main language spoken is Swedish.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09I'll tell you what, mate,
0:46:09 > 0:46:11our bikes aren't going to be much use over here.
0:46:11 > 0:46:14It's an infinite landscape of islands, you know,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16the Baltic archipelago.
0:46:17 > 0:46:22'And Jurmo is one of those islands, and our final port of call.'
0:46:22 > 0:46:25'This area's off the radar for most British travellers.'
0:46:25 > 0:46:28'But it shouldn't be, it's stunning!
0:46:28 > 0:46:32'We're so far west, we're almost in Swedish waters.'
0:46:36 > 0:46:40All those islands, they just go on and on, as far as the eye can see.
0:46:40 > 0:46:46'Out of 300 habitable islands, only around 80 have houses on them.'
0:46:46 > 0:46:51'And there are another 6,000 skerries, or small rocky islands.'
0:46:51 > 0:46:54'The hardy people out here really have to rely on
0:46:54 > 0:46:57'the produce of the land and the harvest from the sea.'
0:46:57 > 0:47:00Where would you go for your pint of milk, though?
0:47:00 > 0:47:01You'd have a cow.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03You see, that's Sisu.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07It's not a problem, it's a challenge waiting for a solution.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12'The Aland Islands have their own government, their own flag,
0:47:12 > 0:47:15'and even have their own stamps.'
0:47:15 > 0:47:17'But, we're not here for the stamps.
0:47:17 > 0:47:21'We're here to meet a local legend who knows this archipelago
0:47:21 > 0:47:22'like the back of his hand.'
0:47:22 > 0:47:26'Yes, we've landed ourselves a sixth-generation fisherman
0:47:26 > 0:47:29'who's going to give us a taste of life as an islander.'
0:47:29 > 0:47:32'Kaj Lundberg's as tough and as Finnish as they come,
0:47:32 > 0:47:36'living and working in this remote, sometimes harsh environment.'
0:47:36 > 0:47:40'And, if that's not Sisu, I don't know what is!'
0:47:40 > 0:47:42- That's Kaj!- Oh, brill.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44This is it, Kingy, we will catch fish today,
0:47:44 > 0:47:45especially as it's with a net.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49- Jump in the boat and we are going fishing.- Hey! Brill!
0:47:55 > 0:47:58That's it, Kingy, I think we've left civilisation behind.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01- I mean, this really is the wilderness, isn't it?- It is, mate.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05Other than the odd, isolated log cabin, that's it! Nothing.
0:48:05 > 0:48:09I've completely lost me orientation of north, south, east and west.
0:48:09 > 0:48:11'Fear not, my beardy mucker.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14'They do say that Kaj is one of the few people
0:48:14 > 0:48:17'who knows every single island around here.'
0:48:17 > 0:48:19'And where the fish hang out.'
0:48:19 > 0:48:23This a very good place because they are coming up here and eating.
0:48:23 > 0:48:27Kaj, would you say that you prefer to be out on your own, by yourself,
0:48:27 > 0:48:31- with your fish and your boat? - Yeah. I really love it.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33Do you ever bring anyone else out here?
0:48:33 > 0:48:35Sometimes I do.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37One time, I had a friend with me.
0:48:37 > 0:48:42After half an hour, he said, "Kaj, I understand this, to be quiet."
0:48:42 > 0:48:47So, we sit there half an hour, speak nothing.
0:48:47 > 0:48:49Sitting there only.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53- Finnish people are quite happy with themselves, aren't they?- They are.
0:48:53 > 0:48:55- They don't need to talk.- No, no.
0:48:55 > 0:48:58'I reckon fishing's another way for the Finns to sit back
0:48:58 > 0:49:00'and contemplate life.'
0:49:01 > 0:49:04'But we're in a sort of no-man's land here.
0:49:04 > 0:49:06'So, how Finnish is Kai?'
0:49:06 > 0:49:10We're in between Finland and Sweden here.
0:49:10 > 0:49:14What do you feel more? Finnish or Swedish?
0:49:14 > 0:49:17Finnish, but I speak Swedish.
0:49:17 > 0:49:21But, when it's ice hockey, Finland-Sweden,
0:49:21 > 0:49:24- I always... Finland! - THEY LAUGH
0:49:24 > 0:49:27What's it like here in the winter? I mean, does the sea freeze here?
0:49:27 > 0:49:30- Yes, I drive on the ice here. - DAVE LAUGHS
0:49:30 > 0:49:32- No!- Yeah, yeah!
0:49:32 > 0:49:36Two years ago, when I was driving, the ice was a little too thin,
0:49:36 > 0:49:38- so I go into the bottom.- No! - Yeah.
0:49:38 > 0:49:43But I lose my back packer and my skaters,
0:49:43 > 0:49:48so I must go back to the water again and pick it up.
0:49:48 > 0:49:52Because it's so long to go home, it's 50, 60km to go home wet,
0:49:52 > 0:49:54and it was 20 degrees cold.
0:49:54 > 0:49:58So, I can skate home, it take only two hours for me. Yeah.
0:49:58 > 0:50:01- So, I was a little bit lucky. - A savage day out, though.
0:50:01 > 0:50:05'Losing your quad bike on thin ice?
0:50:05 > 0:50:07'Skating home over 30 miles?
0:50:07 > 0:50:10'Soaking wet, in temperatures of minus 20?'
0:50:10 > 0:50:14DAVE AND SI: 'Now that's Sisu!'
0:50:14 > 0:50:16What are we fishing for today, Kaj?
0:50:16 > 0:50:19I don't think we'll get salmon, but perhaps we catch,
0:50:19 > 0:50:23in English, we always call it white fish, but in Swedish, siika.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27- "Seek".- "Seek", yeah. And in Finland, it's siika.
0:50:34 > 0:50:35I'm going to starve at this rate.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40- I can see one.- Oh, yeah.- Where? - Yeah.
0:50:40 > 0:50:44- Don't jump in and eat it! - Whoa! Look at that, it's a corker!
0:50:44 > 0:50:46- Yeah.- Wow. - Oh, that's good.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48This is white fish.
0:50:48 > 0:50:50Beautiful.
0:50:50 > 0:50:53- It's like our bass.- Yeah. - And this is a very tasty one.
0:50:53 > 0:50:56Many times I do like this. Yes.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00'Kaj's a dab hand at gutting the fish.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03'It's not long before it's safely stored in the ice box for Ron -
0:51:03 > 0:51:05'"Later, Ron"!
0:51:05 > 0:51:09'Well, we've got one fish and no loaves.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13'We're not going to be feeding many people with that, mate.'
0:51:13 > 0:51:17'So, we'll have to nip down to the shops for our fish supper.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20'Because we're going to knock up a classic salmon dish
0:51:20 > 0:51:22'to finish our Finnish trip.'
0:51:27 > 0:51:30'Kaj's home island is a very tight-knit community
0:51:30 > 0:51:31'of around 30 villagers.'
0:51:33 > 0:51:37'Like true Finns, in times of need, they're there for each other.'
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Well, we're working, they're working.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42We've got a talkoot going on over there.
0:51:42 > 0:51:44'Now, a talkoot is a call to arms,
0:51:44 > 0:51:47'where everyone pitches in to help their fellow Finn.'
0:51:47 > 0:51:49'Today, they're all mucking in
0:51:49 > 0:51:52'to help Lassi paint his boat house in the Baltic.'
0:51:52 > 0:51:54- Lassi!- Lassi!- Hello!
0:51:56 > 0:52:00'But, frankly, that looks like quite hard work.
0:52:00 > 0:52:01'So we'll help in another way.'
0:52:03 > 0:52:06We're going to cook Scandinavian rye bread.
0:52:06 > 0:52:07It's a recipe that works.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10It's sticky, it's lovely, it's yummy and it lasts for a week.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13- HE TAPS OUT A RHYTHM - It so does.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15And, we're going to do planked salmon.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18Blazing salmon they call it in these parts.
0:52:18 > 0:52:21Now, bread-making. First off, we're making bread like this.
0:52:21 > 0:52:26You need to make the starter, or the ferment, or the biga.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29Well, it's basically the bit that kick-starts life into your loaf.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33So, take about 500 to 600ml of beer.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35HE SIGHS
0:52:35 > 0:52:37I'm going to put that beer on the fire
0:52:37 > 0:52:39because it needs to be blood temperature.
0:52:39 > 0:52:42You know when the fat bloke's on the ballroom and starts to perspire?
0:52:42 > 0:52:44That kind of heat.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46I tell you what, that fire's hot.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50We haven't got a ballroom, but we've got one sweaty fella.
0:52:50 > 0:52:55That's about right. So, we'll add about 20 to 25 grams of yeast.
0:52:55 > 0:52:57Just crumble it.
0:53:00 > 0:53:03Now, in about 10 minutes, that will start to froth.
0:53:03 > 0:53:05It will start to give off gas.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08And then we will know that the yeast is working.
0:53:10 > 0:53:13Ah, Dr Frankenstein! We have created life!
0:53:13 > 0:53:15THEY CACKLE
0:53:16 > 0:53:20- Right, that's smashing, that. - Yeah. Take the spoon.
0:53:20 > 0:53:21Thank you.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24We pour this into yonder mixing bowl.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26# Yonder mixing bowl. #
0:53:26 > 0:53:28- Look at that.- Oh, look.
0:53:28 > 0:53:29'Into this heady mixture
0:53:29 > 0:53:34'go a couple of tablespoons of plain yoghurt, and rye flour.'
0:53:34 > 0:53:36Here comes the good bit.
0:53:36 > 0:53:41That, you leave in a draught-free place for about 24 hours.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43- Would you mind, Mr King? - I certainly would.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45'24 hours is a long time.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49'But, in Hairy Biker land, it passes in the blink of an eye.'
0:53:49 > 0:53:51Look at that.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54You have something that looks like a wholly inedible mess.
0:53:54 > 0:53:56But full of life.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00To this, we add two tablespoons of olive oil.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03'To transform the inedible into the incredible,
0:54:03 > 0:54:07'bung in caraway seeds, and some black treacle.'
0:54:08 > 0:54:12'A soupcon of salt, some strong white bread flour.
0:54:12 > 0:54:16'Then, get stuck in and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
0:54:19 > 0:54:22'Then, cover it, prove it, shape it,
0:54:22 > 0:54:26'and stick it in an oven at about 200 degrees Celsius.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28'However...'
0:54:28 > 0:54:30We're using a charcoal oven.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34So, just sling it in, and hope for the best and keep an eye on it.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Now, we're cooking this salmon a way we've never cooked fish before.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45That's on a cedar wood plank in front of a fire.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47We're doing it Finnish style.
0:54:47 > 0:54:50We have two boards which have been soaking in the lake.
0:54:51 > 0:54:55Now, Heiki from the sauna made us these boards.
0:54:57 > 0:54:58One...
0:55:00 > 0:55:02He also made us these lovely little wooden pegs.
0:55:02 > 0:55:04They've been soaking too.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07What we do is, we get the fish, peg it to the board,
0:55:07 > 0:55:09put it vertically in front of the fire.
0:55:09 > 0:55:12In about half an hour, it smokes and cooks slowly.
0:55:12 > 0:55:17And, allegedly, it's probably the finest salmon in the world!
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Great thing to do with the kids.
0:55:19 > 0:55:22I mean, don't pin your children to a board and roast them.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24No. That'd be wrong.
0:55:24 > 0:55:27But, you know, in terms of camp fire fun, it's brilliant.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37Now, just to make doubly sure, hit said pegs with a log.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43Nailed it.
0:55:43 > 0:55:47'All we've got to do is season this beauty, easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.'
0:55:48 > 0:55:50And I've got a funny feeling
0:55:50 > 0:55:52this could be one of the nicest things we've ever tasted.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55I think you're probably right.
0:55:55 > 0:55:58'Simplicity is the key to this recipe.'
0:55:58 > 0:56:01'It just needs to sit there for half an hour.'
0:56:03 > 0:56:04Check the bread.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08Oh, yes! Look at that.
0:56:08 > 0:56:12Wood-fired rye bread by the Baltic Sea.
0:56:12 > 0:56:17Finnish salmon, planked up, cooking slowly.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19A bit of salad. We've got it made, mate.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22'But, there's one vital ingredient missing
0:56:22 > 0:56:24'from our final Finnish feast.'
0:56:32 > 0:56:35Drinks and light refreshments!
0:56:39 > 0:56:41'The boat house is painted
0:56:41 > 0:56:43'and our blazing salmon and rye bread are ready!'
0:56:46 > 0:56:48'I love it when a plan comes together, dude.
0:56:49 > 0:56:52'And these guys have earned a proper dinner.'
0:56:56 > 0:57:00Tasty, simple, generous cuisine. Love it.
0:57:00 > 0:57:04- Yeah, and fresh, it doesn't get any better, does it?- No, perfect.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06What a surprise Finland's been, hasn't it?
0:57:06 > 0:57:09What word would you use to take away?
0:57:09 > 0:57:11Unique, I think Finland's unique in so many ways.
0:57:11 > 0:57:12That is gorgeous.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16They're a product of their environment, the harsh winters.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18And people have to rely on one another
0:57:18 > 0:57:20to make it through those winters.
0:57:20 > 0:57:23And then, when the sun shines, everybody's out having a party.
0:57:23 > 0:57:25They liberated me into a world of nudity.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28I've just thought, this really is very good!
0:57:29 > 0:57:33But I think Sisu, that's something that re-occurred time and again.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35And you could see that with the army.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38Another part of their character I was surprised to discover
0:57:38 > 0:57:40was their eccentricity, Dave.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43'They're blooming bonkers. The wife carrying!
0:57:43 > 0:57:44'I've got an image of you
0:57:44 > 0:57:47'with Christina round your neck like a scarf.'
0:57:47 > 0:57:48She's my wife!
0:57:48 > 0:57:50Finland, Finland, Finland.
0:57:50 > 0:57:51It's the place to be. THEY LAUGH
0:57:51 > 0:57:53BOTH: Finland!
0:57:55 > 0:57:57- DAVE AND SI:- 'Next time.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00'We head the furthest north we've ever been!'
0:58:00 > 0:58:02BOTH: Sweden!
0:58:02 > 0:58:05'To experience the good life.'
0:58:05 > 0:58:08- That way of living. - Yeah?- That's more than money.
0:58:08 > 0:58:10'To cook some local delicacies.
0:58:10 > 0:58:13- 'To meet Santa's brother... - And his reindeer.'
0:58:13 > 0:58:16'As we finally reach the land of the Vikings.
0:58:16 > 0:58:17SIMON SNARLS
0:58:17 > 0:58:20Now, this is a proper adventure!