Cupcakes and chatter

I had some of my mothers' group and their babies over for fika (one day, now quite a while ago...).

Fika is a Swedish word that is so good, I think it ought to be used in English too. It is pronounced sort of "fee-ka".

Noun: The word "Fika" can mean what you eat at snack time (morning tea, afternoon tea, late night snack). Traditionally fika is something sweet, a cinnamon bun or some biscuits (cookies for Americans). But a small bread roll could be fika, or any snack food, if that's what you eat when you take a break, or when you meet up with friends.

"Fika" can also refer to the act of sitting down with friends or colleagues for a break, or to catch up. In nearly all Swedish workplaces, everyone will stop and gather for coffee and maybe a snack once in the morning and once in the afternoon. To people coming from other working cultures, it can seem like a real interruption or waste of time, but a lot of social chatter often leads to work connections and more synchronisation of tasks and projects. you get used to it, and I'd miss it if I were to move away now.

Verb: You can also use the word "fika" as a verb as well. Let's fika! It's time to fika.

I made mini brownies with hazelnuts and dried apricots, and butterfly cakes with jam and cream. Yum!