"In an Imatra home, there is always more than a warm hand for guests"

A baker from Imatra Ahti Luukkonen is a familiar sight at various events in Imatra.

Most of the time, you can reach him by the soppatyk for the distribution of roka.

–─ According to my wife, I'm a man who can't say no, Ahti laughs.

He loves meeting people.

–─ For us, friends and relatives are always allowed to come and go. I don't like having to look at the exact times on the calendar, Ahti says.

Immediate rhythm of life

The Luukkos moved to South Karelia in 1991.

–─ I was born in Häme, but I have Karelian syndrome. My parents were from Karelia. I always wanted to move here.

Ahti works in the government of the Karelians of the Imatra region. He also transfers the Karelian attitude to the next generation.

–─ Now we are practicing creasing a pie with my 5-year-old grandson. He plans to enter the pie contest

Food, handprint and orthodoxy

What is Karelian hospitality actually?

–─ I have been asked about this before. It consists of three parts: food, making with hands and orthodoxy.

─ In Karelia, food has traditionally been prepared by fermenting, drying and stewing. Traditional products include pies, sultsinas, soups and roosters.

Karelians used to talk about rice cakes. Karelian pie is the name given by the rest of Finland.

–─ And originally it was a barley pie, rice only started to be obtained from 1925 through Vyborg, Ahti clarifies.

He emphasizes that traditionally Karelian homes offer guests more than just a warm hand.

–─ When once a week the oven was preheated and a big baking was done, it was all week long to offer something to the guests. There was no similar oven culture in Western Finland.

In Ahti's opinion, food in Karelia is made by hand and with love. When the guests are set, the table also has the best tablecloth and the best cups.

Orthodoxy has also left its mark on hospitality. This is especially reflected in public holidays. There are many kinds of food and the doors are open to everyone.

Share your own experience

The city of Imatra opened a campaign on hospitality on Mother's Day.

–─ It is strongly part of this city. That's why we want to make our strength visible to others as well, marketing manager Katri Storhammar says.

Read the residents' magazine in its entirety from this link.