Anyone for Rudolf?

On a recent Finnair flight via Helsinki I had a chance to do what every foodie dreams of - trying a dish that you may never get a chance to try again. I ate REINDEER. Obviously reindeers are part of the deer family and I've eaten delicious venison dishes on many occasions. But eating a childhood fairytale staple such as reindeer did take a lot of mental preping. I was surprised that for someone who sees a cute lamb gambolling in the fields and immediately thinks of how one of its legs would taste roasted, I couldn't put images of Rudolf, Blitzen et al out of my mind.

The reindeer was brought to my seat piping hot with hash, broccoli and pickled cucumbers on the side. It had a lot of gristle and sinnew but the flavour was rich and gamey. Not for everyone but I'm glad my inner carnivore kicked in and I was able to experience a rare and unusual treat!