Fat Tuesday

Today is Mardi Gras. So what? you might say. Just a week ago I would've too, since that was the first time I learnt about what Mardi Gras was anyway. And Mardi Gras is far from what I wanted to talk about in this post. It just happens to be the english name for what we in sweden call Fat Tuesday, which is exactly what Mardi Gras means in french! But why use fancy schmancy french when you can just call it what it is. I like our name better.

Fat Tuesday, also known as Shrove Tuesday in english speaking countries, is the last day before lent. While some people might celebrate by painting their faces and dancing, we up here in the cold north bury ourselves in fat food. One special kind of food to be precice. I am talking about the Semla.

The Semla is the tastiest pastry in the world. Just look at it, doesn't it make you drool? It is made out of a wheat bun spiced with cardamom, in which you've filled the middle with almond paste and then you have a big chunk of cream on top. One of these babies will overwhelm you. Afterwards you feel like you never have to eat anything ever again. Yet you will return to the Semla as often as you can. Back in the day the Semla was supposed to be eaten only on Fat Tuesday. Nowadays people eat it from early february to late march. I've already had 4 and a half and I would definitely eat more if I hadn't promised I wouldn't eat so many (which is one of the reasons I write this post, because I can't eat a Semla today :( ). I had a classmate in school who ate a Semla each day when it was available, because unfortunately they stop selling them towards the end of March. For some odd reason! I am sure they would sell all around the year. Maybe the swedish government are secretely regulating the availability of this dangerous pastry, I am sure the average swede would gain alot of weight if this was freely availably all around the year. I am certain I would. Nom nom nom.