As an expat, this time of year is always a bit weird. I don’t often go home for Christmas, so celebrations are almost always muted and off-set by the impressions of the culture I am in. So there is little of hold on to when I am not at home. Except for peberkager, or pepperkaker, or pepper cakes, a type of cake that I associate fully with Christmas. Sure, you can go to IKEA and pick up some during June (you monster) or bake them yourself in March (you heathen), but for me it’s Christmas. And if there isn’t an IKEA nearby, I will have them shipped directly to my doorstep.

And sure, there aren’t like my mum used to make them when I was a child, and sure these are produced in a factory and available all year, and sure the Christmas version is actually pebernødder (pepper nuts) so technically I should be photographing pebernødder but I did not have those available so stop judging me!

But they are what I associate with this time of year. And they make me happy. And make me wish I could go home every year to see my family and friends. But I can’t, so I’ll drown my sorrows in cinnamony goodness until I can.

Want to try one? Go to IKEA. They’re are ok. Not too bad. If not, try making this one. The recipe looks great and you get to try some Scandinavian Christmas cuisine. What’s not to like. 🙂

This post is in response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: It’s Not This Time of Year Without…

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