Whereas most Finns purchase ready-made tar merchandise, right this moment’s expert cooks craft them from scratch. That is what introduced me to Lasaretti, a restaurant tucked into the riverfront oasis of Oulu’s Hupisaaret Park. At present, head chef Laurance Robinson is serving smoked whitefish pasta with tar pearls, pickled fennel and purple onion. “I can not construct a tar pit, so I purchase flavouring from Kujala’s farm to make my syrup for candy and savoury dishes,” he says. “Balancing its robust, pungent style took time.” Resembling caviar, the tar pearls burst in my mouth in opposition to the whitefish, sharp fennel, and candy archipelago bread. It’s pure umami with refined smokiness.
