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Fika: Swedish Coffee Break Coming to Fish Creek

The Swedish coffee break is coming to Fish Creek.

“Fika is a term that is huge in Sweden and Norway. It’s the equivalent of English tea time,” said Heather Linstrom, who with her husband David is opening FIKA Bakery, Cafe & Catering on June 1 in the former kite shop at 3903 Highway 42 in Fish Creek.

“It’s scary,” Heather said of pulling up stakes at the Fond du Lac catering business and relocating to Door County to celebrate the art of Fika (pronounced Fee-ka).

According to the book Fika:  The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break the word functions as both verb and noun:  “It is the moment that you take a break, often with a cup of coffee, but alternatively with tea, and find a baked good to pair with it. You can do it alone, you can do it with friends. You can do it at home, in a park or at work. But the essential thing is that you do it, that you make time to take a break: that’s what fika is all about.”

David has a history as a culinary arts teacher, and the couple has run a restaurant in Elgin, Ill., and a gourmet catering business in Fond du Lac.

“We always loved Door County,” Heather said. “We came up on our honeymoon about 27 years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. It’s always been our mecca, to get away from it all. It’s a magical place for us. Every year we made a tradition to bring the family up to DC. We were always dreaming about retiring someday in Door County or having some sort of business there.”

Two years ago their daughter Victoria was married in Door County and she and her husband Andrew decided to make it their home.

“Our daughter’s first travel experience was coming to Door County and swimming in the pool at Alpine Resort,” Heather said. “Part of the reception was at the Alpine, so she came full circle.”

While driving up to visit their daughter and son-in-law, the Linstroms noticed the old kite shop in Fish Creek and were impressed by the quaint ambience. Having recently returned from a visit to Sweden, the couple decided it was time for the next step in their journey.

The very nature of the business they are opening should soon find them welcomed with open arms.

“Fika is a time of family and friends to stop and be together and enjoy something sweet with a cup of coffee,” Heather said.

So you can expect fresh-from-scratch baked goods that includes what Heather described as “huge” cinnamon and pecan rolls, cardamom coffee cake and other pastries and dessert bars.

“In the morning we’ll have some egg dishes and at lunchtime we’ll have the Lena and Ole Roll, pot roast baked inside bread, and a Swedish meatball sandwich,” Heather said, mentioning just some of the items they will offer.

Fika will also offer catering, as well as picnic and boat baskets.

“We don’t have goats on the roof, but we definitely have a passion for this,” she said.

 

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