Coffee, cake, and quiet timewhat else is there?

Fromhyggetoniksen, Scandinavian culture has refined the art of savoring cozy, relaxed, and balanced living.

Something else Scandinaviansspecifically the Swedeshave perfected is the art of the coffee break.

swedish-fika and kanelbulle (coffee and sweet bun)

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Meetfika, the Swedish tradition that involves setting aside quality downtime fordrinking coffeeslowly.

Here’s everything you oughta know tofikalike a Swede.

What Is Fika?

Iced cinnamon rolls

Jennifer Causey

Think offikaas the antithesis of thattriple espresso shotyou chugged in the car while running errands last weekend.

Thanks to its therapeutic, restorative effects, many Swedish companies have actually establishedfikabreaks in their employee’s contracts.

History

Coffee is a big deal in Sweden.

caramel-latte-recipe

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At its start,fikawas all about coffee, which was introduced in Sweden during the 18th century.

Until the mid-to-late 19th century, coffee was only available to those who could afford it.

But over the years, coffee drinking became wildly popular with the general population of Sweden.

Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls

Caitlin Bensel

So, how does one adopt the ceremonialfikatradition?

But adding rules and restrictions defeats the purpose offika.

All you better do is give yourself downtime during the day.

iced Irish coffee

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Add a hot cup of coffee, a little something sweet, and catch up with a loved one.

Caramel Latte

Remember when we said there are no rules?

Pour-over coffee is greatand enough to be relaxing for most coffee drinkers.

This caramel latte tastes just like something from a high-end coffee shop.

Iced Irish Coffee

Classicfikacoffee drinks are warm, Swedish, and served late morning to late afternoon.

Perhaps save this recipe for the weekend when you don’t have to return to work.