Are you ready for the day of the Semla?
Hello! I am Jessica Tovesson, founder of Learn Swedish Now. People come to us to learn Swedish and also get more familiar with Swedish culture and traditions. For most people those things go hand-in-hand; you will learn to speak the language faster and more efficiently if you are simultaneously exposed to the culture. Conversely, you will have a much easier time understanding the culture if you have an understanding of the language. If you are interested in speaking Swedish you can sign up for one of our classes or attend one of our social events.
In today’s blog I wanted to share information about one of the most delicious traditions in Sweden: the annual day of the Semla (Fettisdagen)! This day marks the end of the pre-lent celebration in Christianity, and is known as Shrove Tuesday in English-speaking countries, or Madi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in French-speaking countries. In Sweden this day is celebrated by eating Semla, which is a very characteristic pastry. This is a wildly popular tradition: some 6 million Semlor (plural for Semla) are eaten on that one day alone, which is impressive for a country with a population of just over 10 million!
The classical semla consists of a sweet, round bun with the top cut off. On the inside is a filling consisting of sweet almond paste similar to marzipan. On top of that you find a generous serving of heavy whipped cream, and the cut-off top of the bun is then placed back over the cream as a lid. Yes, this pastry is meant to be sweet, rich and satisfying! While the classical Semla is by far the most common, new varieties have gained popularity in recent years, such as the semla-wrap, chocolate semla, and a Semla-Danish fusion creation, just to name a few.
The tradition surrounding this Swedish pastry goes back to medieval times, but it was in the 16th century that it started to resemble the version that we enjoy today. Originally it was a plain bun filled with almond paste served on a plate with warm milk, known as Hetvägg (“Hot wall”). In fact, the name “semla” comes from the Latin word for “flour” and in Finland the same name is used for unsweetened wheat buns more similar to dinner rolls than pastry. The semla developed over time into the version we know and love today, but has made some interesting appearance in historical events. For example, King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden (1710-1771) is said to have eaten himself to death on the day of the Semla in 1771! At a royal dinner party serving such delicacies as lobster, caviar, and smoked herring, the King finished the feast by indulging in his favorite dessert: semla. He died rather suddenly after the meal, and thus the story of the King that ate himself to death was born. Most historians today agree that King’s demise was more likely due to heart failure, but that didn’t stop some of his contemporaries to demand that the semla should be banned altogether on account of killing a royalty.
In 2022 the day of the Semla falls on Tuesday, March 1. If you have the opportunity I would definitely encourage you to join the millions of others that eat a semla in honor of this day. And if you want to learn more about Swedish culture and learn the language you can sign up for a free trial or social event at Learn Swedish Now!
