After my last blog writing, my husband asked me if I am ever going to write about anything else but food… So, here you go, I will write about Finland and carpets, inspired by today’s snow fall which still continues in Paris.

In Finland we have a tradition with carpets in winter. Maybe people in other countries do it too, but since I am originally from Finland, I talk about Finland now. When temperature falls, we take carpets to the balcony because the cold weather cleans them, kills the bacteria. My parents actually throw carpets outside and leave them rest on the snow. I can still remember that particular fresh, cold odor of carpets when they were brought inside. (ok, you may find this weird, but please continue reading)

So, every winter in Paris I eagerly wait for the cold that allows me to practice this tradition I learned in Finland. Over my years in Paris, I have also learned not to say it aloud because the city is not equipped for the snow and cold weather and wishing for cold weather is considered almost comparable to wishing for bad luck… But I keep observing the weather forecast, hoping the temperature to drop below zero at least once a year… It is my little secret.

This said, it is happening today! I woke up and learned that it may drop even to minus 6 during the early hours of Wednesday. So this morning, after learning about the opportunity, I took every single carpet to the balcony. They are still there, getting a special snow and cold treatment. Everyone is happy.

PS For those interested to know, the first carpet comes from Istanbul, one of my favorite cities in the world. The second fragment comes Kyrgyzstan and we use it currently on the sofa. The third carpet comes from Istanbul, too. The last one is also a fragment and I purchased it in Baku, Azerbaijan (another fascinating city!).