“Coffee Through the Looking Glass: A Call for Intersectionality Sustainability.” Coffee Magazine: South Africa’s Dedicated Coffee Culture Magazine, Issue 40, 40th anniversary edition. My Dissertation-in-Progress: ” ‘Coffee Depends on Women’: Colonialism and Women’s Empowerment in Kenya’s Coffee Sector.” International Development Studies program at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Tack så mycket till Sean Naughton, Rival Hotel concierge & the Stockholm Tourist. To him, “fika means happy times.”Ĭertainly all the Nordic countries rank consistently at the top of ten of the happiest countries on earth, according to the annual World Happiness Report.Ĭould it be something as simple as having fika contributes to Swedish joy?Īfter my welcome to the Café Rival, my answer is a definitive Yes! Perhaps most of all, fika is an experience – one that, as Samuel tells me, has “everything to do with the meaning of life – to enjoy, to slow down, to feel comfortable, to talk or gossip” – especially with one’s family and friends. Fika lingers because it means pleasurable conversation with others. To have fika doesn’t mean one stands drinking coffee in an office kitchen as an extension of a work meeting, or that one stands alone outside one’s office building. As I describe the features of a typical “coffee break” from my past office jobs in the U.S., I can’t help but smile as Richard shakes his head disapprovingly. Between the steady stream of customers looking for a late lunch or a drink, he joins our discussion about the definition and meaning of fika. Our espresso is brewed by expert barista Richard Nilsson, who has worked in the café for six years. This afternoon, Samuel’s and my fika includes homemade pastries from the Café Rival bakery and Fair Trade espresso from Arvid Nordquist, one of Sweden’s classic coffee roasters. (Try a recipe from Del’s Cooking Twist if you want to try this at home.) In the morning, this may include a luscious cardamom bun with its scent of cinnamon and vanilla. In Sweden, the ritual includes a hot drink (usually coffee) and something sweet. But while the ritual is broad enough to include many different interpretations, it is neither a ‘coffee break’, nor ‘afternoon tea.’ And it’s even institutionalized at jobs ranging from the military to teaching, often including two breaks during each work day for fika with one’s colleagues! Fika is used as both a noun and a verb: so, one can “have fika,” or one can participate in the action of “fika” – my preferred usage in light of my own Swedish heritage.įika has a long history in Sweden, and I’m delighted to learn the tradition is alive and well.
While Samuel and I are drinking coffee, we’re discussing coffee – and the meaning of ‘fika.’ Throughout my past week in Stockholm, I’ve seen dozens of signs outside of cafes beckoning me to come inside for ‘Swedish fika.’īut “to fika” is not the same thing as just “drinking coffee.” And the word “fika” cannot be translated literally into English – and several Swedes have told me that this is intentional. He’s the manager of this beautiful café attached to the Hotel Rival, the five-star hotel owned by Benny Andersson, member of ABBA and co-composer of musicals such as Mama Mia! Today I write from Sodermalm, Stockholm, where I’ve just enjoyed fika with Samuel Ivarsson at the Café Rival.
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