Familiar since the Middle Ages, kalakukko is a traditional dish consisting of a fish and bacon or bacon filling that is baked inside a thick rye bread crust. Invented among the working population, it represented a convenient way to transport the whole meal during the long working hours.

Prepared with various types of fish such as vendace, perch, or salmon, today it appears in numerous varieties which occasionally include meat or vegetables. The origin of this nutritious and satisfying dish is usually associated with the historical region of Savonia, but kalakukko is nowadays considered to be the nation’s favorite and one of the most authentic Finnish dishes.

Freshly prepared, it is sold in numerous traditional bakeries, usually accompanied by refreshing buttermilk.