Welcome to the Fika Bakeshop blog!

Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

Valkommen! Welcome!

My name is Susan Ortmeyer, and I am the baker behind Fika Bakeshop Ben Lomond. I am a local mom, baker, and gardener who put down roots in the tiny Santa Cruz Mountains town of Ben Lomond, California in 2011 with my husband, Jon, and then 2-year old daughter Rosie. I believe in slow food, seasonal eating, and using fresh, local and organic ingredients whenever possible.

The seeds of Fika Bakeshop were planted early in my life by my Swedish-American mother, Rose Lee Ortmeyer (born Johnson), who passed along Sweden’s cultural traditions through the food she cooked for her family. My Mom co-owned and ran a much-loved Scandinavian gift shop and tearoom in Sacramento, California during my childhood and young adulthood called The Orange Horse Gift Shop & Tearoom. I worked there summers and after school from 13 years old and on, waitressing, cooking, baking and washing dishes. I have vivid memories of helping my Mom prepare all the different foods for the Swedish smorgasbords she would host at the shop (as we called it) during Christmastime — Swedish meatballs, lingonberry sauce, pickled cucumbers & onions, and so much more.

I love the flavors of Sweden, and I love the Swedish cultural tradition of fika: mindfully stopping in the middle of the day to drink a cup of coffee or tea, snack on something delicious, and chat with one’s coworkers, neighbors, friends. I hope to explore the many facets of Swedish and American culture, tradition and food in this blog, along with thoughts about gardening, baking and, well, life!