Last year was my first time in Stockholm for design week, and I was fortunate to visit again earlier this year and dine at Faviken. Semla is this patisserie bread like choux stuffed with frangipane cream that the Swedes eat before shrove Tuesday before the start of Lent.
All about semla
Popular in Sweden and Finland and mostly eaten during the Mardi Gras celebration before the observance of Lent. The cardamon-flavoured wheat bun is filled with frangipane (almond cream) and the bun is sliced off at the top, its centre hollowed and then filled with cream, then the top of the bun put back on and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
They used to be traditionally only available on Shrove Tuesday, but they are now available throughout Lent season, and starting as early as January (when I was there). It is best enjoyed with a cup of hot milk and considered a winter treat.
The Swedes are big on Fika their tea time break gathering with friends and colleagues and equally big on Semla. I caught up with my old friend E from Fabrica days who has made Stockholm her home for nearly a decade. She recommended we had tea at the traditional Vete Katten for an authentic Semla. The Stockholm tourism board also has great recommendations on where to get your Semla fix when you’re visiting the city over the winter months as they gear up for February’s Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras).
I went in search of the fabled cardamun buns and found them at Fabrique in Stockholm. They were delish. There’s also free flowing fresh tomato soup if you choose to grab a savory bite. They were also serving Semla but we were too full to get our hands on one.