A special Swedish treat for kids and adults, on Fat Tuesday

Today is not only International Women's Day, but also Fat Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras. And in Sweden, Fat Tuesday is celebrated by eating a special kind of baked goods called "semla".

It's a sweet bun, with the top cut off, then hollowed out inside and filled with almond paste and whipped cream. The top is put back on top of the cream, and icing sugar is then sprinkled over the whole thing. It's sweet, fluffy, and very, very, very tasty. New-fangled versions are available these days, including ones with chocolate buns and chocolate cream, but I still think the original is the best.

If you are in Sweden this time of the year, you can always find "semlor" in bakeries, coffee shops and grocery stores, and in a lot of places they are now available year round, rather than just for Fat Tuesday. Try one with your kids! It can be very messy to eat (count on ending up with icing sugar and cream on your nose), but that's part of the fun, especially for children!

Photo of semla thanks to Wikipedia.