Smuler

Smuler is a Norwegian term that refers to small fragments of food, most commonly crumbs from bread. It describes the tiny particles that remain on a plate, table, or floor after a bite or after breaking apart a baked good. The word is widely used in everyday speech as well as in cooking contexts.

In cooking, smuler are often collected and repurposed, for example as breadcrumbs for coating or binding in dishes such as meatballs or casseroles. They can also serve as texture or garnish in desserts. Depending on freshness and context, smuler may be brushed away and discarded or saved for use in other recipes.

Metaphorically, smuler can denote traces or remnants of something larger, such as memories, clues, or leftovers from a larger event or period. The term is common in Norwegian language and literature when conveying a sense of small significance, fragility, or the idea that a larger whole leaves behind only minor residues.

Etymology and related terms: Smuler is part of a broader family of words for crumbs and fragments across North Germanic languages, reflecting a shared culinary and linguistic heritage. See also: crumbs, breadcrumbs.