Jul Fika
It’s Christmas go-time here in our little apartment! On Saturday we are hosting a ‘Jul fika’ which means a Christmas drop-in afternoon tea type of thing. Apparently Stockholm is meant to have a snow storm Sven on Friday so it seems like God has listened to my plans and wants our apartment to become even more Christmassy with views of a winter wonderland in our forest outside. I couldn’t be happier, bring on the snow!
On Friday night we will be preparing as much as we can and this will include as far as I can tell, the use of sugar. TSH has forbidden the use of ‘I Quit Sugar’ recipes although he readily admits that it has nothing to do with the use of dextrose instead of sugar, but more to do with me being in the kitchen and involved with any type of food preparation that will later be consumed by family and friends. The cheek of him! As he has never cooked with dextrose before, he is sticking to his normal recipes. Rude.
My responsibilities are therefore very much in the realm of ‘atmosphere’ and this as far as I can see will include music detail, fresh flower arrangement detail, child minding detail, stocking the fireplace with wood detail and lighting a million tea candles, including the very gorgeous Jette Froelich Danish rotary candle that we bought last week on our trip to Copenhagen.
On the menu will be many traditional Swedish treats but with slightly modern twists:
Orange infused pepparkakor /gingerbread cookies
Morotskaka/Carrot cake muffins with Christmas spices
Hallonkola/Raspberry caramels
Although at this stage, the raspberry caramels (which look absolutely gorgeous in the recipe picture!) may just turn out to be caramels as we have been to 6 different shops and cannot seem to find the all import dried raspberries. As it is now Friday, I’m either going to spend tonight picking out dried raspberries from our breakfast muesli or we will have to have raspberry caramels sans raspberries!
Hope you have a fabulous weekend! Any plans that include hard-to-find dried fruits?
loulouloves 
Those all sound scrumptious! I’m not sure if you share recipes, but I would love to try making them! 🙂
Oh they all turned out really well! Recipes coming in next post 🙂
HOpe we’ll see some pics of the yummy delicacies down the track! Love the idea of a drop-in Christmas afternoon tea! Of course being winter makes it kinda different – though I’m trying to remember your horror story from last year when you had to go out in heavy snow to daycare etc… So guess while the idea of snow sounds romantic to me sitting here in 30C heat, there are downsides!
Hope the afternoon goes well.
all went well, I know I am dreading the coming snow season for that exact reason, the dreaded walk to daycare!
So do you feel you need to send some samples winging out way? I do.
I’m trying to channel your christmas festivities…yesterday we managed to buy some citrus infused gingerbread biscuits, almond and ginger biscuits and Elderflower cordial from IKEA. But the highlight was buying some lollies that are either or very close to, the Malaco Zoo lollies (you know, those red lollies that I love so much I made us buy from the supermarket). Yipee…Swedish christmas in Aus. 😀
Either way, the caramels will be delish I’m sure. Good luck with TSH.
I’m so impressed by your Swedish Christmas in Sydney! I think Ikea will save us when we move out. How good is the Elderflower cordial? It’s one of my all time favourites!
Heck yeah! IKEA’s helped us remember some of our favourite things from Austria…the cordial being one of them. 🙂
Well, 2013 has been a great proof that God loves you, Lou!
Merry Christmas, and may you have a wonderful time!
Thank you my darling!
How many people will be dropping by? How festive! No hunting for dried fruit over here, though I’m sure it’d be easier for me in the States to find dried fruit than you. Nonetheless, homemade caramels sound scrumptious enough!
Oh we finally found them but they were a buggar to find! I’m sure you would have been able to pick them up much easier. We had about 30 guests in and out from 2pm, so nice!