Easter is just around the corner and looking woefully socially distanced, but Krown Bakery & Eatery (formerly Swedish Crown Bakery) in Anoka has your back. Their pastry cases and bread racks are overflowing with cardamom kringles, almond twistys, cinnamon donuts, Swedish tea rings, dill bread, limpa redolent of anise and orange zest, and kavring (dark as night and a tad sweet). They’re also making semla, a traditional Swedish cream bun served between Shrove Tuesday and Easter.
If you haven’t tasted it before, semla is a sweet roll with a hint of cardamom and a whole lotta whipped cream, almond paste, and powdered sugar. Swedes call them Fat Tuesday rolls, or fettisdagsbulle, but they aren’t super decadent. Though Team Minnevangelist has visited Sweden three times before, it took a field trip to an Anoka strip mall to finally lose our semla virginity.
Fari and Eva Sabet — a married couple originally from Tehran and Malmö, respectively — have been serving fika staples in the Halloween Capital of the World (another story for another day) since 2014. Before this, the Sabets ran the kitchen at a local co-op. The bakery’s savory menu ranges from pure comfort foods like shepherd’s pie and korvstroganoff (sausage stroganoff) to scratch-made soups and panini.
Until the world goes back to normal-ish, shoppers should call ahead for pick-up orders. Check Krown Bakery’s Facebook page for the most up-to-date menu, then place your order by dialing 763-427-0506. The earlier the better, of course: The bakery has shortened hours for the time being and those semla buns won’t eat themselves! 🇸🇪💛💙
Krown Bakery & Eatery
530 W. Main St., Ste. 7, Anoka, MN; 763-427-0506.
