Concerning Pekanpähkinää and Aunt Carol's Bataatti Vuoka

Alrighty, I actually wrote this on the 26th of Jan, but obviously didn't post until today. So I am refering to the 26th and 27th of January (Tammikuu)


I had been planning since this morning to venture to Euromarket/Prisma to shop for some ingredients to make Aunt Carol’s sweet-potato (bataatti) casserole (vuoka). They are two of the largest stores here (Wal-Mart size after you put them both together). As a side note, both stores are literally right beside each other. In fact you don’t even have to go outside to get to the other side of the store. However, you cannot take products from one side of the store to the other unless you have paid for them. Back to my story . . . Thus, after both the Kalevala Mythology and Due North classes, I begin the long trek to the “big stores” to get better discounts. As I make my way through the long corridors of the school I met another exchange student along the way, Kathy from Belgium. As girls normally do, we began with the usual how you doings (with replies) and other small talk bits of questions and answers. Rather sweet girl she is, and pleasant to be around. Anyhow we soon realize that we are headed in the same direction and come to find out . . . we both are making the trip to Euromarket/Prisma! Not only were both of us going to Euromarket/Prisma, but both of us were going there for the same reason: to get ingredients for a recipe to bring to the ESN International Dinner party tomorrow night (1/27/06)! Haha. Well, we thought it was funny. Now, with a companion, to the store I went.

Never in my life would I have thought finding pecans would be such a hassle. It took me about 10 minutes to realize that pecans are a precious commodity here in Oulu, Finland. At around the 10 minute mark I broke down and asked for help! Ah, yes, the woman inside me came out. I approached a Finnish Prisma employee, praying to God that she would half way understand English (I have encountered a few Finns here who can’t understand English all that well; quite alright though). God answered, and this employee was ready and willing to help both Kathy and me out! Hallelujah! Though not prosperous to me, Kathy did find her “vanilla sugar.” The employee was genuinely sorry that they did not have pecans. She even said, if you need anymore help feel free to come ask me, and said it with a smile. Such a peace washed over me. I just love nice, helpful people! Okey, dokey . . . Kathy and I finally finish our grocery shoppin’ (at least in Prisma). Prisma did not have nutmeg (muskottipähkinä) and obviously, did not have pecans. To Euromarket I went to see if I would be successful there. Kathy said that she would watch our stuff while I went to look. Like I said, such a sweet girl! This was only the beginning of my many thanks to her tonight. I did have luck with the nutmeg, but still no such luck with the pecans. I know, so sad. As we gathered our many bags of groceries, Kathy mentioned that she remembered seeing a large selection of nuts at Tokmanni, the largest of the three grocery stores in the Linnanma area.

Now, one major thing I forgot to be ready for was the fact that we had a rather far walk ahead of us – more so for me because my flat is another 300 meters or so from Yliopistokatu 16 (where Kathy lives). Back home when I go grocery shoppin’ I always take my car with me. I notice how heavy the bags are, but I know I don’t have far to take them and have time to take them up to my abode in sections. I rather forgot that the means I had been so accustomed to were not available to me anymore. All I had were my two little legs and arms that haven’t been exercising lately. Yep, about 7 minutes into our trip sweat was dripping down my face, back, front side, underarms, and everywhere else that sweat can come out on the body. All of that equals: HOT Betsy! I asked Kathy if it was okay if we stopped and rested a bit to let my arms have a bit of a break. She obliged and said she needed it herself. We repeat this process several times along the way (I felt like a cow). This trip made me realize how out of shape I am and how weak my muscles are! Betsy needs to get her booty in gear! Anywho, when we arrive at Yliopistokatu 16 Kathy informs me to wait on her, and that she would be back to help me take my things to Tapiontie 9 B 12. What did I say before? Sweet girl! I couldn’t thank her enough for helping me with my things and taking time out of her schedule to help me.

After she left, I prepared to make my way to the store again. Only this time the Tokmanni store (much, much closer to where I live). By this time, I am famished and ready to eat an entire cow – I could have eaten myself (seeing as how I felt like a cow) but that would be cannibalism and that’s just not right! Note to self and all others: don’t go to the grocery store when you are hungry! Although I didn’t buy that much food, I had to REALLY restrain myself from buying other things besides pecans (if they were present in the store). Praying and searching I find the nut section, and . . . . . . . . . . . Hallelujah, hallelujah . . . hallelujah-hallelujah . . . Halle-lay-lou-ya!!!!! ;) hehe. It was like finding the Holy Grail! Okay so not that much like it, but close! It was the last two bags of pecans too!! When I looked at the price for them it displayed: 10 euros. Jeeze, that’s expensive. But I said to myself you need those! So, I bought them and come to find out. Ah-ho-no, no, no, they were NOT 10 euros. They were 12.50!!!!!!!!! Yes, I know. My eyes popped out of my head. 12.50 for only a 500 gram bag of pecans (each bag was 12.50). Didn’t know pecans could be that expensive. But seeing as how the big stores didn’t even have pecans, I guess it is to be expected. With pecans in hand I finally could go back home in peace to make my bataatti vuoka!

I actually made the bataatti vuoka on Friday (perjantai). In order for it to be fresh and warm :) Well, I thought that people would possibly enjoy it, but not enjoy it as much as I do. Well, by golly I was sure dern wrong ;) haha. But I must also note that my roomie Eva (from Czech Republic helped me prepare the casserole. She didn't have time to go out and buy some of her ingredients so it was a "collaboration." Now, at the dinner everybody kept coming up to me saying how wonderful this "stuff" was and kept asking what exactly was in it! In short, I think my Aunt Carol's Sweet Potato Casserole is going to be all over Europe! Here is the picture below :)