The Practice of Fika

The first time I walked around Stockholm, I saw many pastry shops.  This surprised me.  I knew that the Swedes were active and typically ate healthier foods, but sweets shops were everywhere.  I couldn’t figure out how this fit into their lives.

One pastry stood out: a sweet roll, filled with cream, topped with powdered sugar.  I didn’t buy it though, because I’m not a sweets person (so I told myself).

The next day at a work meeting I asked a local about it.  It was still on my mind. She told me that I was in luck:  this was Semlor, a pastry only available a few weeks every year.  It’s made with the zest from Myers lemons, which were in season.  The Swedes mix it with cardamom and bake sweet rolls, then fill them with a cream made from blanched almonds. 

She also explained that they practice something called Fika: a ritual where you pause in the middle of the day to enjoy something sweet, usually with coffee.  This fascinated me. I like new and unique experiences, so I knew that I needed to have a Fika.

The week was busy.  Me and my work colleague from the US drove back and forth across the country several times to hit everything in our schedule.  No time to waste.  No time to stop for Fika.

At the end of the week we rushed to the airport, but stopped at a gas station first.  Inside, we saw Semlor, sitting packaged in plastic containers.  “Didn’t you want to try that?” my colleague asked. 

But it seemed wrong.  I wouldn’t have time to sit and enjoy it in the spirit of Fika, and the gas station was no Stockholm pastry shop. 

My co-worker saw it differently.  He bought it, pried it out of the plastic container as we rushed to our gate, and ate it while speed-walking.  It’s probably the most American interpretation of Fika that has ever occurred.  He said it was good.  I immediately regretted sticking to my principles.

So when I got home and Myers lemons came into season, I found a recipe that was vouched for as authentic.  I took a slow Sunday and made Semlor from scratch, and it took the whole day. 

I didn’t get to experience an authentic Swedish Fika, but sometimes I still take a Sunday afternoon to move a little slower and make something new. 

(My Semlor is different from the Swedish presentation:  sliced off top, filled with cream, top re-placed.  I tried this but mine didn’t look good, so I did something a little different.)