February is here

February is here, and in this month Swedes like to lay into the famous “ Fat Tuesday Bun” or Semla. This is a historic pastry dating back to at least the 1600s. It has a checkered history, check it out with this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semla , and there is also a recipe at the bottom of this page for those of you who are bakers. They really are quite delicious and every year the bakeries of Sweden have competitions to see who bakes the best ones.

Later in March we’ll have Easter with it’s many different traditions. It’s very early this year and I have included a link to the different days of Easter past. We eat salmon and lamb at Easter, and of course eggs in any incarnation.

After Easter this year at the end of March there is “ Våffeldagen” or “waffle day” an old misspelling of “Vår Fru dagen” which was in Catholic times Announciation Day or “Our Lady’s Day”. This was an important day for the farmers, because it signaled the beginning of the spring preparations of the fields. It was also around this time that the hens started to lay eggs again, after the winter, and that’s probably why we eat waffles and pancakes on this day.  See if you can get some wafflebakers together for a lodge meeting. They are low cost and really delicious! Serve as the Swedes do with jam and whipped cream, or syrup if you prefer that!

Since Easter is in March, April will have to be reserved for a Spring Fling! The last day of April is “Valborgs mässo afton” or “Valpurgis Night”. Traditionally people gather around a bonfire and sing songs about Spring.

There is a link about that at the bottom of the page too.

Have a good couple of Months!

For More:
--- The days of Swedish Easter past --- Valborgsmässoafton  ---
--- Recipe - Swedish Semlor ---

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