Swedish Lussekatter Season

 

Lussekatter or Saffron buns are a Swedish Christmas tradition. Once Halloween is over, Sweden starts preparing for Christmas with decorations around the city. Lussekatter also starts being available at cafes, bakeries and grocery stores!

These soft,  sweet buns flavored with saffron are usually found in the reverse S shape and sometimes includes raisins or currants. They are traditionally eaten during Advent and especially Lucia day (Dec 13th). 

Tis the season to enjoy a lussekatt

 or Saffron bun!

The main ingredients of a Swedish saffron bun are plain flour, butter, yeast, a little sugar, currants or sultanas.

The flavor of a Lussekatt can be very subtle. I've tried it with a little butter ;) 

I have also seen it cut in half filled with whipped cream like a Semla bun, "Lussesemla". Check out my past blog post about Semla buns.

Lussekatt goes well with some coffee, tea or even some glögg (mulled wine). 

Once Lussekatter starts appearing in cafes and bakeries, I know Christmas and Lucia Day (a holiday celebrating Saint Lucia) are on its way and the countdown to the holidays can officially begin. 

Cafe Husaren in the neighborhood of Haga, in Gothenburg, always has delicious buns and pastries! 

Enjoy your countdown to the holiday season!

Don't forget your snacks!

Hannukah Books for Kids

Hannukah 2023 falls a few weeks before Christmas. It has happened in previous years that it was Hannukah the same week as Christmas, which was very special!

I'm always on the lookout for activity books for the kids and found a few Hannukah books on Amazon.

The kids love to color and practice cutting (with my supervision) so these books are great during their screen free time.

Unicorns are quite popular these days with my kids so I ordered the Unicorn book to add to our collection.

We also got "Hannukah Lights" board book to read together. 

We are looking forward to celebrating with Hannukah foods like Latkes (Potato pancakes) and lights all week :)

Happy Hannukah to those celebrating!

Don't forget your snacks (jelly donuts or "sufganiyah" included)!

Top 5 Swedish Cookies for Fika

If you're Swedish, or even just living in Sweden then you know "Fika" (or Coffee Break in Swedish) is an important part of your day. If you're visiting or have just moved here, you will quickly learn this as well. 

During a Fika, whether at a cafe, work or a friend's home (post-pandemic), there is usually something sweet to go along with the coffee. Traditional Swedish cinnamon buns are quite popular, of course, and then there's the large assortment of cookies.

Cookies are great for fika and cookies are often included in "Dagenslunch" (Daily lunch) for a little something sweet at the end of your meal.

Here are 5 popular cookies for Fika

Hallongrotta 

Hallongrotta or "Raspberry cave", is a crumbly cookie with Jam in the middle. It can be made Vegan or non-Vegan and still be delicious. The Vegan version of Hallongrotta is one of my kids' favorites.

Drömmar 

Drömmar means "Dreams" in Swedish. These cookies are also crumbly, airy cookies much less dense than a Hallongrotta. They can be a little dry compared to other cookies. Drömmar pairs well with a hot drink.

Kolasnittar or Chokladsnittar

These delicious cookies have some "kola" or toffee in the cookie recipe. I really enjoy these as well. They can also be made Vegan.

Dammsugare or punschrulle 

These Swedish "cookies" are filled with crumbled cookies/cakes, cocoa and swedish liqueur (or "punsch"). They are covered in green marzipan and dipped in chocolate. I've heard from Swedes that the name Dammsugare comes from the way the cookie looks like an old style vaccum cleaner. This treat is a mix between a cookie and pastry.. but we will call it a cookie;) 

(borrowed from the local.se) 'Dammsugare' treats for fika.

Pepparkakor 

Pepparkakor or ginger cookies/ginger snaps are eaten year-round in Sweden. They are especially enjoyed during the Christmas Season.

Gingerbread cookies are a bit different from North American Gingerbread men. Which you find during the holiday season. When you buy Pepparkakor they are usually thin, crisp cookies. You can make them thicker when baking yourself of course. 

Homemade Pepparkakor made by the toddler ;) 

There are many different brands of Pepparkakor. ANNA'S is available outside Sweden.

Swedes love treats and there is a huge variety of cookies to try in Sweden. So if you love cookies, treats or snacks, you're in luck!

Enjoy your coffee break and remember, don't forget your snacks!

5 Easy Indoor Christmas Activities for Kids

Gingerbread House Building

I found some mini gingerbread house shapes to use. Of course, the classic Gingerbread house kits are also great! 

Kids seem to prefer using smaller icing sugar tubes better but they liked the 'taste' of the bigger icing tubes haha!

Baking Pepparkakor cookies 

Rolling dough and making shapes. They already love to do this with playdoh too! So they have lots of practice ;)

This way, you can have some snacks afterwards too!

Painting Ornaments or Art for Gifts 

Painting is one of our favorite quiet time indoor activities. It's nice to have several brushes and colors, blank paper or other paper to color. My older kid likes to save the art to give away as gifts ❤

We have also enjoyed Painting Wooden Ornaments (from Flying Tiger Copenhagen) for the Christmas tree. These are small and easy to hold for tiny fingers. 

Reading Christmas Books

Getting into the Christmas spirit is easy with a book! With books, kids stop to ask questions about what's going on in the photos. The toddler loves to point to everything on the page and have us tell them what it is. 

One Christmas book we enjoy was gifted to us a couple of years ago now, "A Charlie Brown Christmas."

Advent Calendars!

You can get Advent Calendars with crafts or little toys instead of candy. 

And of course, listening to Christmas songs while you are having fun doing the Christmas activity.

Enjoy the countdown to the holidays and remember don't forget your snacks (especially your Christmas themed snacks this season!)

Flying Tiger Copenhagen 

This store has lots of different materials for crafts and even activity books for kids.

Check out their website 

Steinbrenner och Nyberg Bakery

Steinbrenner och Nyberg bakery cafe can be found in a few locations around Gothenburg, Sweden. It's a great bakery known for delicious cakes, cookies and breads, and you can take with you or eat there! 

There are even a couple of Steinbrenner och Nyberg locations in the city that offer Soup and Cake buffets for lunch. Yes, a cake buffet! We have tried it a couple of times and it's truly a (once a year) amazing treat. 

I stopped by the bakery recently to check out the assortment of cookies. A pregnant friend asked me to bring some for her old favorites for the holidays.

The staff was really friendly and helped me find the cookies they had in stock. The cookies they didn't carry anymore, a gluten free cookie my friend liked, they said may return sometime next year. 

There is a lot to choose from at Steinbrenner och Nyberg. My favorite cookies are the Hallongrottor or 'Raspberry caves'.

Chocolates are also available!

You can order a cake ahead of time or see what they have available in store. 

My favorite cake is the carrot cake and we have bought many a carrot cake during past birthdays. I remember even being able to buy half a cake if I asked and only wanted half ;) 

The frosting on top is absolutely delicious! 

If you're in Gothenburg and looking for a bakery with some delicious fika options, stop by Steinbrenner och Nyberg! There are various locations around the city.

Enjoy your coffee break and remember, don't forget your snacks!

Steinbrenner och Nyberg

Various locations in Gothenburg, Sweden 

Check out their website for more info.

Beef Noodle Soup From Nooodle

A delicious and warm bowl of beef noodle soup is just what we need on cold Autumn days! 

Nooodle, a family-run restaurant in Gothenburg, Sweden, has been around for a few years now. It was closed for some time, then reopened with the current owner. The family is always friendly and we are happy to support local businesses. 

I remember eating here when pregnant, I'd order a big bowl of soup as my pre-dinner snack after work and it really hit the spot! Another friend recommended this Chinese noodle place back then and we've been going since.

Each bowl comes with a soft boiled egg, beef, noodles and delicious broth.

An order of beef noodle soup is easy to pickup as a takeaway and you can either call ahead or order at the restaurant.

A generous helping of noodles! 

These days, the little restaurant has become so popular that there is often a lineup during lunch. With only a few tables and a row of high chairs to sit at the counter, many, like us, get takeaway to eat in the comfort of your own home.

Their menu consists of just a few items. You can choose rice noodles or regular noodles. And can even customize your bowl of soup with things like chili or extra noodle.

If I order for the kids, I get it with chili on the side and no herbs. They don't like "green stuff". I also often order extra noodles which they give you in a separate bowl. There is also a carrot side salad that comes with your soup. 

The restaurant has been so popular that it's even taking over another location on the same street in Spring 2022.

If you are in Gothenburg and craving a nice, warm bowl of delicious noodle soup, stop by Nooodle! You won'tbe disappointed!

*Update: They have since moved into their new location! And sounds like they're still very popular! 

Stay warm and remember, don't forget your snacks! 

Nooodle

Skanstorget 1, 411 22 Göteborg

Check out their Instagram for some delicious food photos and updates from Nooodle!

Happy Vegan Store in Gothenburg

Once I became Dairy and Egg Free, I was on the hunt for Dairy and Egg alternatives.  I always made sure to check at the grocery stores for snacks and treats for myself. That's why I was really glad to find Happy Vegan, a Vegan grocery store in the city. 

Some of our favorite items are the Pancake mix, Tiramisu, Marshmellows, and Vegan Cheese.

They have a freezer section that stocks things like Vegan pizza, egg rolls and desserts like cake and various Ice Creams.

In their baking section you can find items like almond flour, chocolate chips and egg substitutes. 

We have also found baby food like kids porridge and smoothie Pouches that are Vegan! It's great for kids who are Vegan or have allergies like my little one.

Happy Vegan doesn't just have food, the store even has a household section with items like toothpaste and bamboo toothbrushes for kids.

This great little Vegan shop also stocks seasonal goods like Easter eggs and Advent Calendars, but this needs to be reserved, so contact them for more information.

If you're in Gothenburg, Sweden, Happy Vegan is a great place to stock up on Vegan snacks. You can also order online!

Have a great week and remember don't forget your snacks!! 

Happy Vegan AB
Olivedalsgatan 2, 413 10 Göteborg

Can order online for pickup or delivery. 

Checkout their website for full item list.

**Updated Feb 2022, unfortunately, the Happy Vegan grocery store has been closed :( both the physical store and webshop.**

Advent Calendars!

I was shopping online for more rain gear for the kids recently. In order to get free shipping, I had to spend over a certain amount. So I started browsing the Advent Calendars! I know, I know it's not quite Christmas season yet but it is fast approaching!

We bought this Bamse Advent Calendar for the kids who love Bamse ;)

My co-pilot actually surprised me with a gingerbread house from IKEA and a chocolate Advent Calendar last weekend haha!

I'm really looking forward to enjoying it this Christmas season :)

Advent Calendars are popping up in stores all over the city now. Including, Gothenburg's biggest candy store, Sega Gubben! 

Check out their website

Enjoy your Holiday planning and remember, don't forget your snacks!

IKEA

Available in-store! 

Bamse Advent Calendar 

Jollyroom online store 

Motel-L Hammarby Sjöstad Hotel Stay

We stayed for 3 nights at Motel-L Hammarby Sjöstad in Stockholm, Sweden (September 2021). We were visiting Stockholm for a long weekend.

It may be called a "Motel" but it really isn't your typical Motel. This one was actually better than we expected with little touches like free coffee/tea all day long, and free hotel breakfast (if you book on the hotel's website)

There are other food/snack items you can order at reception but there's no room service at this hotel, which is one reason it's called a "Motel".

The buffet breakfast isn't anything fancy, but it's pretty good. You could choose from various meats and Swedish cheeses. There was hard boiled eggs and different breads and even warm croissants and cinnamon buns! 

Throughout the hotel and food area, there were signs to keep distance and each person takes their own fork to use for serving themselves the breakfast items. 

The staff at the hotel were very helpful when I asked them about Vegan options and if they could clear a table for us to sit. Baby chairs were available to use but no kids plates (not usually available anyways). We brought our own kids bowls/utensils, as we usually do.

Even though many restrictions have been lifted in Sweden, Motel-L was still being cautious and we appreciated that.

The elevators were limited to 2 people or one family and there were glass screen guards by reception and hand sanitizer available.

The hotel room was very spacious for a Swedish hotel room and even had space for our stroller! 

Our favorite part of the family room had to be the bunkbeds! 

The hotel is located across the street from the street tram but it wasn't noisy. There is also a grocery store, ICA, conveniently located next door. It is open until 10pm and a great place to pick up snacks and dessert.

We got a few takeaway dinners at the nearby restaurants in the area during our stay which was perfect when kids just needed to eat dinner and rest at the hotel.

If you're looking to stay away from the city centre or if you are attending an event at Avicii Arena (just a couple of stops away), Motel-L is a great choice!

Family friendly, spacious family room, hotel breakfast and convenient location, make this a great option for hotel stays outside city centre in Stockholm. To get to the hotel from Central Station we took the metro, and then the street tram. 

Happy travels and remember don't forget your snacks!

Purrfect Cafe in Gothenburg

I was walking by this place the other day and saw some cats in a window. The way the space is decorated with cute pillows and seats and tables set-up, we thought it was a daycare. Then we saw the name on the window, Purrfect Cafe! 

Purrfect Cafe is a Cat Cafe in Gothenburg, Sweden!! Some of the cats who live there are available to adopt and a few just live at the Cafe full-time. I was able to visit the Cat cafe last week and really enjoyed it!

"Relax, socialize & have coffee with adoptable cats. Maybe "the purrfect match" occurs when you get the chance to meet your new family member with us?" 

The excerpt above was taken from their website. Coffee and cats sounds delightful! It's also a great option for finding homes for cats in need. The Cafe provides the cats with some much needed socializing that they might not get otherwise.

Quite a few tables for guests to keep distance.

There are rules about how to behave around the cats so be sure to read them over before your visit. When you first arrive, the staff give you a short introduction about the cats, you can order food/drink and take off jackets and shoes. There is wifi at the Cafe, so you are free to sit and even use your laptop like a regular Cafe. 

I visited around 1pm on a weekday and there were 4 other visitors. The cats were active and enjoyed the company.

All snacks at the Cafe are apparently Vegan! I was full from lunch when I visited, so I didn't try anything but coffee. Next time I'll try a treat;)

I actually love cats and I think it's this is the first Cat Cafe in Gothenburg! 

Unfortunately, only kids from 10 years old and up can visit the cafe which means it's more of a Mama activity than a Family one. The kids do enjoy looking in at the cats as we walk by though :)

If you're in Gothenburg and like cats and sitting at a cafe, a visit to Purrfect Cat Cafe is a great opportunity to combine both. 

Thanks for reading and remember, don't forget your snacks!

Purrfect Cafe (Cat Cafe)

Book a time to visit on their website 

The Cat Cafe has introduced a few updates like Yoga, hosting small events and letting kids 6-9 with a course, visit the Cat Cafe!

Sveagatan 6, 413 14 Göteborg

Gothenburg, Sweden