Fika, Explained
What is “Fika,” Anyways?
Fika (pronounced fee-ka) is a Swedish word that, at its most basic, means coffee break or “to drink coffee.”
Sweden is a coffee-loving country, second only to Finland as the top coffee-consuming nation in the world. But to Swedes, a cup of coffee is much more than just a hot liquid that that gives you energy to meet the day. To Swedes, the fika tradition of taking a regular break during the day for coffee — and something good to eat along with it! — is a way of life.
As Anna Brones (co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break) put it in an article for the website The Kitchn:
Fika is about slowing down. Coffee represents a true break, a moment to sit and contemplate on your own, or to gather with friends. In our own culture, where coffee has come to be more about grabbing a 16-ounce-grande-whatever, in a paper cup to go, coffee is more about fueling up and going fast. In Sweden coffee is something to look forward to, a moment where everything else stops and you savor the moment. In today’s modern world we crave a little bit of that; we want an excuse to slow down.
— Anna Brones, www.thekitchn.com/what-in-the-world-is-fika-an-intro-to-the-swedish-coffee-break-the-art-of-fika-219297
When I learned about the concept of fika, it immediately resonated with me, and I knew that I wanted it to be a part of my baking business. I’ve always loved coffee since I was fifteen and started drinking it on a trip to Sweden with my parents. It’s like a religion with me.
But more importantly, I appreciate the concept of taking a moment during the day to put everything on hold, to stop and enjoy the moment. It is something I need to slow down my busy mind. It is something we all need.
So today, when you hit mid-morning or mid-afternoon, join me in a fika break with some coffee or tea, and something yummy to eat. Don’t look at your computer screen or phone while you’re fika-ing! Look around you, talk to the people you are with, or just close your eyes and savor the moment. You’ll be glad you did.
