Already in January I marked the 24th Feb in my calendar that I should blog about very special Swedish bun called semla. But as I was sick, so I missed the day and thought let it be till the next year as it is not actual any more. However, yesterday on book sale I bought a book Semlor by Mia Öhrn, read it this morning and decided to write. Better later than never, as we say in Lithuania.
Actually the tradition of one day goodie eaten only during Fettisdag (direct translation: Fat Tuesday, equivalent to Shrove Tuesday or Pancakes day in England, Mardi Gras in French speaking countries, Užgavenės in Lithuania) already do not exists. Some Swedish false start eating semla already a few months before. Konditori Dalpojken in Stockholm start baking them already in December. Elsewhere semla start to appear in January/February.
What's so special about this bun? For me it's a seducing combination of whipped cream and marzipan filling which makes me close my eyes and say mmmmmmm when taking a bite.
In Mia's book it is stated that Swedes eat up 7,4 semla per year in average. I do eat it in a traditional way - once a year, but only one semla. Probably that's the reason why I am looking forward till next Fettisdag.
In Lithuania the traditions are close to English and French as we eat a lot of pancakes and crepes, but we have carnival elements as famous Mardi Gras carnivals in Venice, New Orleans and Quebec. I never was to a carnival at Rumšiškės open air museum in Lithuania, but people say it's worth to go.
Mia states that the tradition of eating lots of pancakes comes of the need to use all the eggs before 40 days fasting. Might be. Shame on me, but I do not know the origin of it in Lithuania. That I will explore till next Užgavenės. And next year I shall bake semla myself.
Actually the tradition of one day goodie eaten only during Fettisdag (direct translation: Fat Tuesday, equivalent to Shrove Tuesday or Pancakes day in England, Mardi Gras in French speaking countries, Užgavenės in Lithuania) already do not exists. Some Swedish false start eating semla already a few months before. Konditori Dalpojken in Stockholm start baking them already in December. Elsewhere semla start to appear in January/February.
What's so special about this bun? For me it's a seducing combination of whipped cream and marzipan filling which makes me close my eyes and say mmmmmmm when taking a bite.
In Mia's book it is stated that Swedes eat up 7,4 semla per year in average. I do eat it in a traditional way - once a year, but only one semla. Probably that's the reason why I am looking forward till next Fettisdag.
In Lithuania the traditions are close to English and French as we eat a lot of pancakes and crepes, but we have carnival elements as famous Mardi Gras carnivals in Venice, New Orleans and Quebec. I never was to a carnival at Rumšiškės open air museum in Lithuania, but people say it's worth to go.
Mia states that the tradition of eating lots of pancakes comes of the need to use all the eggs before 40 days fasting. Might be. Shame on me, but I do not know the origin of it in Lithuania. That I will explore till next Užgavenės. And next year I shall bake semla myself.
In Finland these buns are called "laskiaispulla" and I like them a lot! Niam niam.
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