Pancake day- fettisdagen or ‘fat day’

In Sweden, Pancake Day (Shrove Tuesday/ Mardi Gras) has 5 different names and all related to food:

emmeldagen (semlor day),
fläsktisdagen (pork Tuesday),
smörtisdagen (butter Tuesday),
vittisdagen (white Tuesday, because of the use of white flour on pastry making).

Traditionally, rather than eating pancakes on fettisdagen, Swedes eat a bun called a semla, a delicious cardamom scented bun filled with ‘mandelmassa’ (almond paste, a bit like marzipan) and whipped cream.

The cut-off top of the bun makes a lid and topped with powdered sugar. It goes perfectly with a hot drink like coffee or tea.

Every year, at around the same time that the Swedish bakeries fill with semlor, local newspapers start to fill with semla ‘tastings’ where self called ‘experts. Try to find the best semla in town! It is quite a fun thing to see if you find yourself in the country.

In Finland, the bun is often filled with strawberry or raspberry jam instead of almond paste, and bakeries in Finland usually offer both versions. (Many bakeries distinguish between the two by decorating the traditional bun with almonds on top, whereas the jam-filled version has powdered sugar on top). Both versions are delicious and we encourage you to try them!