Take Your Fika to the Next Level

Hello Fika Coffee friends.  I'm Amy, blog writer and enthusiastic coffee drinker for Fika Coffee.   We're selling a new cookbook over in our Fika store that I've been working my way through, recipe by recipe. To give you an insider’s view of what this confectioner’s gem is all about (and why it would be the perfect Christmas gift for you or a loved one), I thought I'd share my most recent recipe adventure.

I recently wrote a brief review of the book here, giving an overview of what’s to be expected. In short: expect delight. The authors of this book spared no good thing and yet managed to produce something beautifully simple and approachable. Because they esteem quality ingredients, the slow process over the harried and mindful tradition over thoughtlessness, a few of the recipes tend toward the time-consuming. But it is not without worth, believe me.

The book speaks almost verbatim to what Fika Coffee holds so dear (in case you’re new to the Fika Coffee scene, we’re pretty adamant about the art of fika [Swedish for coffeebreak], the intentional halting of life’s turbulent current with a cup of a coffee and good conversation). The book is aptly named “Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break,” and while we have absolutely no connection to the book (other than a shared obsession with coffee and well-paired baked goods!) we sure like it and hope you will too.

My daughter and I made the Muskotsnittar (nutmeg slices) yesterday. Let me tell you, they were a huge hit. The making-process and the finished product were both extremely kid-friendly. She was able to actually help at every stage, including the eating stage.  When they appeared from the oven, she ate four in a row and proceeded to beg for more during the remainder of the day. She even went so far as to ask me to “hide them from papa so he doesn’t eat them all.” Of course, I told her that if a fika treat was anything at all, it was a thing to be shared.  This mollified her little.

Her papa did, in fact, eat nearly all of the Muskotsnittar that evening. He was retiling our shower which was, to say the least, a task that required frequent fika breaks in order to survive. Interestingly, after his first bite he remarked, “Hm. This cookie is an ideal Christmas cookie but would also be really good in the middle of the summer.” I opened the cookbook to the recipe page and showed him the author’s description of the cookie: almost word for word what he said. He has such a sophisticated palate.

We took the cookie remnants to an actual fika this afternoon and endeared ourselves to the hearts of all the people there. Enjoyed with a cup of coffee, these little nutmeg slices were the perfect addition to the gathering. Cut into long, thin strips each cookie is as conveniently (and happily) eaten while chasing down rowdy children as it is savored during a momentary break in the chaos.

This is just one of many recipes this book has, covering everything from sandwich cookies to traditional rye bread. Personally, I’m looking forward to practicing the Adventskaffe (Advent Coffee) tradition it highlights. Friends and family, good coffee, platters of Lussekatter (Saffron Buns) and Pepparkakor and a moment of reverence for the Christmas season is nearly all this girl needs to be content.

Snag your copy today.