A Place Like This

Swedish Mardi Gras

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by

Valarie Budayr
in

Happy Mardi Gras Everyone! Not only is it a huge holiday in the Southern United Stated but in Sweden, my ancestral home, it is semmeldagen or Semlor day. On this day we eat cardamom buns filled with almond paste filling and topped with whipped cream.

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In another way it's an anniversary as well. My friend Jenny was here one year ago today visiting while her husband interviewed for a job. Now she lives up the street from me and we have rekindled our friendship of 25 years.

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This anniversary saw me baking once again our favorite little buns.

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All of us Swedish people met over at Jenny's. Once there I assembled the buns. The anticipation of eating one of these buns was daunting.

 
Friends helped and watched,

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until it was time to eat one of our very own.

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bonne fete/happy mardi gras and may something sweet find it's way into your stomach. Be well.  

 

Comments

11 responses to “Swedish Mardi Gras”

  1. Kate England Avatar
    Kate England

    Hope you enjoy semmeldagen! I love semlor, they’re like clouds of delight! And would you believe it, our local baker who is from Iran bakes the best semlor on Kungsholmen! I think the secret is that she makes her own almond paste.

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  2. Valarie Budayr Avatar
    Valarie Budayr

    Hi Kate,
    We are eating our little clouds of joy with much happiness. I make my own almond paste also. It isn’t like marzipan at all but more of the consistency of a pie filling and then of course I mix it with the bread and milk. They are very yummy. Wish you were here so we could fika. Glad Fettisdag.

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  3. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    OK, I am not officially starving. That looks like an incredible treat, and what a great way to celebrate!

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  4. Mary-- The Yellow Door Paperie Avatar
    Mary– The Yellow Door Paperie

    These buns look delicious! Now I’m thinking I should make this! Wonderful!

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  5. Valarie Budayr Avatar
    Valarie Budayr

    Hi Mary,
    Let me know if you need the recipe. I have a good one. Take care.

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  6. The Barefoot Crofter Avatar
    The Barefoot Crofter

    We make pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, which is today – served with sugar and lemon. Funnily, I happened to be passing the Swedish bakery in Edinburgh today and popped in for some cardamon buns (I can never resist them), so I am so glad to come here and read that they are traditional with you too. Blessings.
    Jacqui
    xx

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  7. Mousy Brown Avatar
    Mousy Brown

    I remember these from last year – they look sooo good – Happy celebrations and thank you for the book message – I am very, very excited! 😀

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  8. AG Ambroult Avatar
    AG Ambroult

    yum-y. How great is it that your friend lives right near you now?!

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  9. Dorit Avatar
    Dorit

    Really! I didn’t know about semlor, and I’m here in Stockholm, where I celebrated my birtday the 8 of march in style but without semlor. Next year I’ll have to celebrate semladagen, even though I’ll probably not be in Sweden then. Lots of Swedish love 🙂

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  10. Michele Avatar
    Michele

    Valarie, do you have a recipe to share? I love these buns (laskiaispulla in these parts!), but only made them myself once. They were nice, but I wasn’t completely happy with the bun part. Yours look delicious!
    In Finland, people also eat them with jam–how about Sweden?

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  11. Valarie Budayr Avatar
    Valarie Budayr

    Hi Michelle,
    I do have the recipe and I will send it to you today or tomorrow. It’s so easy and works every time. Be well and hug little cloudberry for me.

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