In France, people typically drink very strong coffee (espresso), whereas in Sweden (similar to the United States), the coffee is not as strong and is served in larger quantities. At fika, Swedes traditionally eat sweet cinnamon rolls called kanelbullar. They are truly the most delicious things I have had in a very long time. I will describe them below!
Yesterday, Mathilde and I took a ferry ride through the Swedish archipelago located east of Stockholm. After sailing through beautiful islands for about an hour, we stopped at an island called Vaxholm. Here, we found a cute restaurant and ate our Swedish meal. I decided to go with a classic: meatballs (köttbullar in Swedish), gravy, mashed potatoes, lingonberries and cucumbers. Mathilde had a vegan burger, which isn't very Swedish but does show that the Swedes are very accommodating to vegetarians and vegans.
I felt great at first, but as the meal went on, it really hit me how heavy the food was! I was glad it was a cold day because I couldn't imagine eating this hearty meal in the warm summer time. It was perfect for a chilly day. Afterward, we explored the island. It felt good to walk off the meal. If it weren't for this movement right after eating, I think I would have had a really bad stomach ache for the rest of the day!
As for when I took fika and ate the cinnamon rolls (kanelbullar), I felt heavenly. I am a bit embarrassed to admit that I have eaten at least one kanelbullar every day that I've been in Stockholm. They sell them everywhere, so it's very hard to resist!
