Alaine Handa

In Search of the Best Swedish Chokladbollar: A southeast asian falls in love with fika Alaine Handa

Chokladbollar are Swedish chocolate balls. Let Alaine introduce you to her favorite snack through a collection of 30 alternately naughty, healthy and exotic - but always delicious - recipes. Alaine's a global soul and chokladbollar, a constant in her nomadic lifestyle, reflect her culturally diverse upbringing. A recent convert to the Swedish art of fika, Alaine is keen to share the virtues of taking time out of our busy schedules to sit down with friends or on your own with a steaming cup of hot coffee and a chokladboll. Fika's about taking the time to reflect on our manic lives and to remember what's important to us. Chokladbollar are the perfect accompaniment to this and are an ideal gift for an old friend, a dinner party dessert or fun activity to create with the kids.

Alaine's book is written in a fun and accessible manner, making it a great pick me up after a long day at the office or a tempting treat for all ages. She has fleshed out the recipes with an investigation of fika culture in contemporary Sweden, complete with city guides and a tour of some of the coolest new coffee bars in town. Scandinavian design's one of the hottest out there right now - this book distills some of that in the art of making these simple yet profound treats.