I often blog about cultural differences between the U.S. and Sweden, partly because my workday always starts with a big one: breakfast. (In Swedish: frukost.)

The open-face sandwich is basically the Swedish version of Cheerios. Cheese and cucumber is a popular combo, but turkey and tomato (above, right) is equally good. The cafeteria at my office serves them every day around 8:30, which is perfect for me since I have neither the time nor the appetite to eat soemthing before I leave for work.

Of course Swedes eat eggs (usually soft-boiled) and toast and yogurt and granola (called musli) too, but the 'frukost macka' is definitely the standard...though not everyone peppers them as aggressively as I do!