The end of July is the time of year when islands and shores sound with the good old song Helan går... It's crayfish time!

For restaurants, crayfish feasts are no mean feat. Stacking the bright red crawdads on tables, making piles of fresh toast, pouring dozens of shots of Koskenkorva, or Kossu, liquor, and dealing with strands of dill getting everywhere. The crayfish season is like a forewarning of the Christmas party season: we have yet to see a customer who leaves a crayfish party sober.

The crayfish should, indeed, be celebrated. It is what we do in Finland. Crayfish grown in the cool waters of the North is the best. Its flavor cannot be beat by any frozen American crayfish. Top it off with some strongly fragrant Finnish dill, ice-cold Koskenkorva, and good friends under the table - and you know you're having a real crayfish feast.

Koskenkorva is the choice drink with crayfish due to its pleasantly soft and neutral flavor. The spirit has to be strong and clear - and Finnish. If you wish, you can flavor your Kossu with some crown dill or lemon, but it's damn good straight, too.

A crayfish dinner on the lawn

My funniest crayfish memory goes back to a crayfish party off the coast of Helsinki. I was working at a restaurant and had a new trainee. When a Finnish client ordered his Japanese guests some Marski's shots, the boy asked me how many schnapps they would be served. Amid all the rush, I told him as many as he could pour.

One hour later the table was empty, some of the crayfish still on the plates. We looked out the window to find out where the gentlemen had disappeared to and saw a bunch of guys lying on their backs on the lawn. They had thrown their jackets under a tree and were laughing their heads off. They never had their main course, but I believe back home these fellows had a story to tell about Finnish drinking habits.

CRAYFISH CONSOMMÉ

1 kg crayfish shells
1 large onion
100 g celeriac
1 leek, white part
1 garlic
1 cm chili
1 carrot
8 cl cognac
2 tbsp tomato purée
3 dl white wine
2 l water
Olive oil

Peel and chop the vegetables. Sauté the vegetables in some olive oil. Mix with oven-dried, crushed crayfish shells. Add the cognac and flambé.
Add the white wine and bring to boil. Add the water and tomato purée, let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from heat and let cool. Strain before serving.