I’ve resettled into life without three bakeries a day, meatballs on every menu, superior nordic skiing coverage on television, and street names that seem to be longer than the actual street. Our trip took us to Stockholm, Kiruna, Örebro, Malmö and Copenhagen; on foot, skis, ferries, planes, trains and automobiles. We didn’t get to see the Northern Lights, but the stars were abundant, the weather was great, and we couldn’t help but notice that most of what we saw reminded us, at least a little bit, of Minnesota. Lots of people were surprised that I didn’t speak Swedish (or at least couldn’t say more than “hello,” “thank you very much,” “cinnamon bun,” and “the women drink water”), which led to conversations about my ancestors, their ancestors and so much more. Familiar yet foreign was our trip in three words. And as loony as it may sound, I felt connected to the Blöms and Petersons and Hansons who enjoyed cinnamon goodies and rye bread long before me.

In addition to eating, we also visited the Ice Hotel (but did not stay there), went cross-country skiing, sat in saunas, tried to find the Northern Lights but mostly just stood on the side of a highway, toured the Vasa Museum and the Royal Palace, saw the Parliament in action but had no idea what was going on, bought backpacks, drove a beautiful drive from Stockholm to Malmö, and drank beers outside because when it’s 35℉ in Malmö, that’s what you do on Friday night.

Stockholm’s cardamom and cinnamon buns were all that I dreamed of and more. They were soft and pillowy, perfectly not-too-sweet, well-spiced, and sitting on plates and in dessert cases everywhere you looked. Fun fact: even the 7 Elevens have pretty bomb croissants. Especially in Copenhagen. I’m still surprised. As the bakeries visited count went up, my family’s interest in ever traveling with me again went down due to the sheer amount of butter, eggs and sugar in their bellies. Even so, mama texted me the day after we got back saying that she was missing a treat with her morning coffee.

I certainly could not get to all of the cardamom buns in Stockholm, but I definitely got a good sampling. And had some other things too! Here’s our Stockholm culinary highlights, in order of digestion: 

Urban Deli: think cafe meets bar meets Whole Foods meets restaurant meets chill vibes evening spot. I really have no idea what I ate when we had lunch here but there was some meat and vegetables and it was very colorful and very tasty. Carter and Randy had sausages. We had both cinnamon and cardamom buns, but their vanilla donut was my favorite.

Brӧd & Salt: in Gamla Stan, I was introduced to something that I think changed my life forever – mandelbulle. It’s a roll filled with almond paste and every bite was sheer magic. It was just so wonderfully sweet but not overpowering with a perfect, light and airy texture. brb life, just working on my mandelbulle recipe for the foreseeable future.

Koh Phangan: I really didn’t expect to have the best Thai food of my life in Stockholm. But I did. And the restaurant was like a Rainforest Cafe for grown-ups – no animatronics but there was a fake thunderstorm.

Ӧstermalm Korvspecialist: an unassuming hot dog stand in the middle of apartment buildings in Ӧstermalm, but these are not your average dirty water dog. Even the regular dogs can be served on a baguette or you can get a spicy sausage with sauerkraut and peppers. And then go for a nice stroll through Ӧstermalm!

Tӧssebageriet: this is the place to sit down and order semlor or princess cake. The cafe is not huge, but it is very beautiful on the inside, and I would definitely wait for a table and enjoy fika.

Valhallabagariet: this Ӧstermalm spot was packed (better to not go exactly when all the school kiddos are getting out for the day). Also very tiny. But you could see into the kitchen, which I love! #1 kardemummabullar

Nytorget 6: we had to wait an hour for a table, but it was well worth it. There is a very great bar with the coolest light fixtures/wine glass holders (so efficient!) and then a downstairs dining area with cushiony chairs and fun artwork. Mama had meatballs which were divine and I stole all her pickles and extra lingonberries. Bread basket was on point. They also own Meatballs for the People which we tried to go to but didn’t have a reservation but if the smell outside was any indication of the food inside, make a reservation.

Fabrique: even though this cafe is a chain, it is no Starbucks. But if you’re in Stockholm, you’re bound to pass one and you should definitely make a pit stop. We ate cardamom buns and a brown sugary thing, and a rye roll with raisins and a chocolate chip cookie that was really more of a shortbread cookie with chocolate chips. #2 kardemummabullar

hej då!