This year, Viking Line’s Christmas buffet has two hams: gray and red-salted.
In November and December, many ship passengers eat at the Christmas buffet. Eeva Paljakka
Christmas is the biggest season for buffet tables on ships. Both Viking Line and Tallink Silja invest in Christmas treats.
This year, for the first time, Viking Line has brought both Finnish and Swedish traditional Christmas dishes to the same table, as the theme of the Christmas buffet is Nordic.
– We have always offered Finns and Swedes their own traditional dishes, but this year we decided to combine two Christmas tables. For the first time, red and gray salted ham is available on ships sailing under both Finnish and Swedish flags, says Viking Line’s restaurant manager Janne Lindholm.
This ham is red-salted, i.e. prepared the way the Swedes prefer. Eeva Paljakka
Gray-salted ham is eaten in Finland and red-salted ham in Sweden. There is not much difference in taste, but the texture of Finnish ham is slightly more mature and tender.
In Sweden, the only box that belongs to the Christmas table is Jansson’s temptation, in Finland the box supply is much more abundant.
You can never remove the fish table, boxes or ham from the Christmas buffet.
– Graaviloh must definitely be there, if you removed it, the phones would ring, says Lindholm.
The selection of the buffet has been critically examined: the selection of herring and salad has been reduced, the dishes that have not done their business have been left out this year.
Although the selection has been reduced, there are still 114 different qualities on the table.
The fish table is a favorite among travelers. Eeva Paljakka
To prevent wastage, there are small portions of salmon and brine fish on the hot food table.
This year, it was decided to apply the same idea to the dessert table as well. Every buffet diner gets a dessert pastry brought directly to the table by the waiter.
In addition to a small portion of Christmas cake, sweets (14 different types) and ice cream are offered as dessert.
Viking Line’s jäki food table has shrunk this year. At its center is a candy house. Tuukka Ervasti
Lindholm is prepared for feedback.
– Surely someone will complain. There is always someone who thinks that something is missing or something should be done differently, Lindholm laughs.
A dessert cake made of plum mousse and licorice is served to the table. Christa Grönlund
Swedes have received such a concession that malt rice, or orange rice, a very important Christmas dessert for them, is offered on ships where the majority of passengers are from Sweden.
Tallink Silja’s Christmas buffet also offers other than just Finnish Christmas dishes.
Tallink Silja’s Christmas buffet includes, among other things, these delicacies from the Finnish Christmas table. Tallink Silja
The Christmas menu of the Grande Buffet restaurants includes the most popular dishes from the cuisines of the four Baltic Sea regions: Finnish, Swedish, Estonian and Slavic.
From the Finnish Christmas table, the selection includes, for example, smoked reindeer mousse with rye bread, Christmas ham, carrot, various gratins and cone cake.
Swedish cuisine includes a wide selection of fish dishes, such as herring and shrimp, meatballs. From Estonian delicacies, the table is covered with sauerkraut, blood sausage, roast pork and “spotted dog” cake.
Viking Line’s Christmas buffet is available from 17 November to 26 December.
Tallink Silja’s Christmas buffet is available from 17 November to 31 December.