Picture this: you grab a cup of coffee, maybe a piece of pastry. The hot liquid in a to-go tumbler in one hand, the lone bread in another. You rush to the door, eager to return to your desk littered with paperwork. Plop down in your chair, look at the clock, get back to the grind as you absentmindedly take a sip and a bite.
Consider yourself lucky if you could spare a few minutes to actually have a decent “coffee break.” For many, in the media industry, for instance, there’s only as much time for coffee break as there is pouring the beverage into your cup.
Unlike those who can relate to my previous point, Swedes take coffee break seriously.
Sweden is the home of fika, the Swedish coffee break. The concept is not entirely revolutionary, but is more a “way of life.”
Anna Brones and Johanna Kindvall, in their book Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break, put it quite simply: “Functioning as both a verb and a noun, the concept of fika is simple. 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.”
The rule, if there’s any, is simple. You just need to slow down and savor the moment.
Speaking of savoring the moment, the Danes have hygge (pronounced hue-guh). Hygge is the Danish concept of enjoying the simple things in life, of feeling a “cozy contentment” even from something as simple as reading a book and enjoying a warm drink.
These Nordic concepts are brought to Nespresso’s limited edition coffee and accessories inspired by Scandinavia, a call to take a break and savor the moment.
The company has tapped Danish furniture and lighting designer Louise Campbell to design the range’s capsules, sleeves, and accompanying accessories. The Nespresso Nordic-inspired range reflects the Nordic trend of stylish minimalism with traditional influences of nature.
“I was thrilled to bits when I heard that my proposal for making the capsules even more precious than they already are by varying the designs was accepted, making each of them as fascinating as pebbles on a beach and as irresistible to collect,” enthused Campbell.
The designs illustrate the many layers of Nordic culture and landscape.
“I hope it will remind the viewer of the beauty of nature and the thrill of paying attention to detail. Each part of my work can be seen as a postcard from the North. Be it a capsule, a shopping bag, or a sleeve,” added Campbell.
Also part of the collection are two limited edition types of Pixie Cups and a View Cube.
As part of Nespresso Original, the Nordic-inspired limited edition includes two flavored coffees: Nordic Almond Cake Flavoured and Nordic Cloudberry Flavoured.
The Nordic Almond Cake Flavoured coffee features a combination of biscuit and vanilla aromas, with a Livanto base, inspired by the traditional Norwegian cake, Kvæfjordkake.
The Nordic Cloudberry Flavoured coffee, on the other hand, features the delicate, tart taste of cloudberries which grow in the extreme climates of the Nordic countries. The coffee has all the roundness of the Livanto base with a sweet, jammy fruitiness and a hint of acidity.
In addition to flavored coffee blends, there’s also a choice for those who enjoy original long black. Nordic Black coffee features an aromatic African and South American Arabica blend. Elegant, sweet fruity notes combine with a smooth and lingering cereal aftertaste to create a light bodied, long, black coffee with a medium intensity.
More than the flavors, the collection aims to encourage coffee drinkers to take a pause, find time for fika.