It’s flat and not very hierarchical," Astrom said. “Swedish management style differs to most other countries. Some of the best ideas and decisions happen at fika.”Īndreas Astrom, from the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, agrees. Long-lunching France is seventh - far ahead of Japan (20th) and Korea (30th), two countries known for long work hours.Ĭoffee breaks are so important to the Swedish that even the country’s mega-brand, Ikea,has a paragraph about on its corporate website: “More than a coffee break, fika is a time to share, connect and relax with colleagues. Sweden’s coffee-quaffing neighbour Norway is the second most productive nation, behind champs Luxembourg, while the workhorses of the US are fourth.
.jpg "swedish coffee break")
Or there's always a trip to Sweden.There isn’t a caffeine index as such, but the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) does publish productivity data.Īnalysing productivity by employee in 38 countries, 2014 data reveal Sweden comes in at a respectable number 11. Non-New Yorkers and New Yorkers alike, however, can experience fika with the help of Brones and Kindvall's new book. There's an entire chapter dedicated to enjoying fika outside, where "cinnamon buns served with a pitcher of rhubarb cordial pairs well with a warm afternoon." With whimsical descriptions and playful illustrations, the book is as charming as the tradition itself.įor those who live in New York, Fika Cafe, a Swedish-American coffee shop that captures the essence of this wonderful tradition, can be found in various locations throughout the city. Modern options include almond tarts, hazelnut coffee cake, sticky chocolate cake and quick buns. Cinnamon buns, cardamom cakes, oat crisp chocolate sandwich cookies and fig squares are just a few of the traditional staples.
The baked goods run the gamut from breakfast fantasies to hearty breads and delicate sandwiches. "Fika" (the book) offers recipes for some of the most classic snacks eaten during this Swedish coffee break.
#Swedish coffee break windows#
It's this intention to slow down and take a break that makes it such an important part of daily life - one that not only connects people by opening up windows to decompress and communicate, but because it's a shared value - a tradition recognized as important throughout the country. Whatever fika looks like, the point is that people deliberately carve out time in their day. And people go about this daily ritual on their own or in the company of others. It's customary to have a sweet snack on the side, but enjoying a beverage on its own is also okay. Life without fika is unthinkable."Ĭoffee is classic but tea is also common.
It factors into planning, work schedules, and even a relaxed weekend at home. "In Sweden, the tradition of fika (pronounced 'fee-ka') is as common as breakfast something almost everyone does at least once a day. Together they've captured the essence of this important tradition.įika means "to drink coffee," but as the book explains, there's a lot more to it. Sweden has a coffee culture all its own, and a new book called Fika: The Art Of The Swedish Coffee Break explains what that culture looks like.Īnna Brones wrote the book - which came out on April 7 - Johanna Kindvall illustrated it, and both of them developed the recipes. In many parts of Europe coffee is quickly consumed while standing at a cafe, and in the United States, we often take our coffee - or dessert-like coffee beverages - to go. In Italy, cappuccinos are only meant for the morning and in Vietnam, coffee comes with a thick layer of sweetened condensed milk. Coffee culture is a beautiful thing the world over.
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