Today is Cinnamon bun day, a day when Swedes get together and eat �lagom*� big cinnamon rolls without cream cheese frosting to celebrate this fabulous bun that takes up so much space at many a �fika*�.
But is there a dark side to this wonderful tradition?
Why exactly do we celebrate the cinnamon roll on this day, of all days? What is it about October 4th that says �let them eat cake? Or buns?�
Well, it seems there is a terribly powerful lobby group in Sweden known as the Home Baking Advisory Board (my own translation of Hembakningsr�det), oh and guess who this innocently named group is actually owned by? Yes, that is right, Big Sugar.
The brains behind Cinnamon Roll day is Big Sugar � or some Swedish sugar company or other.
What does this all mean? Why are Swedes so much more welcoming of a new tradition sponsored by a sugar company, then say, celebrating Halloween? (Oh, I know, no one goes begging for cinnamon rolls, but we are pressured to make or buy them today)
At the end of the day, I am more supportive of Big Sugar, then say, Big Guns, but only to a degree. When you pay for everyone�s health care universally, you don�t want Big Sugar to get too big.
And it seems like every major food group is getting a day or two, and that could get pretty expensive, calorie and wallet wise. Here are just a few:
January 1st � International pizza day (OK this makes sense as big hangover day). If you don�t eat cheese, check out January 29th� Vegan pizza day. I�m sure there will be a gluten free pizza day next year!
March 9 � tomato sauce day
April 9th � Gin and Tonic day (I�m there!)
May 24 � Cheese day (I did not know this, I will never miss it again)
June 6 � Fresh potato day (well timed with Swedish national day)
*Just in case you missed it:
lagom means, approximately, 'just right' ala goldilocks and the three bears
Fika is a traditional Swedish coffee break
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