If you’ve a sweeth tooth, you’ve come to the right country. To “fika” (pronounced fee-kah) is one of the first words you will learn in Sweden. It means “to have coffee & cake”, and is one of Swedes’ favourite activities. There’s even an official fika calendar.
Missed or missing cinnamon bun day yesterday?
No worries; there are plenty of other Swedish cake days to look forward to and celebrate. Here’s a list of the most important dates to mark and enjoy as an important part of your Swedish experience.
1. Semla Day (Shrove Tuesday, Feb 13th 2018)
This wheat bun flavoured with cardamom and packed with whipped cream and almond paste is traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is known as Fettisdagen or Fat Tuesday in Sweden.
2. Waffle Day (25th March)
Even waffles have their own official day in Sweden, called Våffeldagen. Waffles and pancakes are also really popular in Sweden and a standard option on any children’s menu in restaurants.
3. Cinnamon Bun Day (4th October)
The cinnamon bun (kanelbulle) is the probably the most popular sweet treat in Sweden. There is never a wrong time to eat cinnamon buns and these beloved baked goods even have their own annual day – Kanelbullens dag, celebrated on October 4th each year. Fortunately, you won’t have to wait long if you missed it yesterday, as cinnamon buns are always readily available everywhere in Sweden.
4. King Gustav II Adolf Day (6th November)
Creamy sponge cakes decorated with marzipan or chocolates silhouettes of King Gustav II Adolf are eaten in memory of this Swedish monarch on November 6th. He was killed at the Battle of Lützen in 1632.
5. Kladdkakans Day (7th November)
Kladdkaka, a Swedish classic, is a gooey/messy chocolate cake also commonly known as ”chocolate mud cake”. This dense sticky chocolate cake is similar to a brownie and has a soft and gooey centre. Delicious served with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.
Too long to wait?
No problem; there are also regular fixtures in the Swedish cake calendar.
1. Regular Fika (Any time, any place, anywhere)
Any time is a good time for fika in Sweden – morning, afternoon or evening, both week days and at weekends. It is a tradition observed frequently, preferably several times a day. Fika can encompass anything from sandwiches to cream cake.
2. Pancake Day (Every Thursday)
No, we don’t mean Shrove Tuesday again, the date many people also call Pancake Day. Every Thursday is Pancake Day in Sweden, where pea soup followed by pancakes served with jam and whipped cream is a standard Thursday lunch.
Enjoy!!!
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