Cooked

You may not have come for gastronomy, but Copenhagen does offer some delicious specialties – some quite expensive it is true, but you should at least taste it once if you can. Long attached to the French model as the only model of excellence, chic and less chic restaurants have discovered for some time a new horizon: organic, natural, local products, seasonal, always of quality. So, we eat healthier, greener, lighter.

Foodie visit to Denmark

Some specialties
– The wienerbrød: the English call them danishes. These are Danish pastries, sold in all bakeries. Based on puff pastry, almond paste, cinnamon, cardamom, pecan, almonds, etc. They are delicious, often a little sweeter than with us.

– Smørrebrød: it is the national dish for lunch, which is in the form of an open sandwich (a slice of bread in all) of buttered rye bread ( rugbrød ), covered with herring, smoked meat, eel , fish eggs, hard-boiled eggs, beetroot, onions … This can range from very sophisticated smørrebrød to a simple dish of coffee or snack consisting of 3 small “canapes”. Some great chefs have even made it their specialty and, taking inspiration from Basque pintxos and Spanish tapas, they put all their creativity at the service of the new art of sandwiches.

We drink beer with, or aquavit (brandy; the latter must come out of the freezer). A treat which, most of the time, is one of the best value for money for lunch. To make a full meal, you must order at least 2, or even 3.

– Rugbrød: typical Danish rye bread. This high nutritional value black bread contains no fat or sugar. Danes eat it at every meal, sometimes spread with pork fat.

– The sild (herring): soft as desired, without bones, it is found in all sauces, simply marinated in vinegar, dill, curry, Madeira, cherry, cream, etc. Check all the same its origin: the Atlantic rather than the Baltic, much too polluted.

– The platter: it is a large cold plate made up of a few herring, fish fillets, pâté, meat, and cheese croquettes. The Platte more elaborate may include smoked eel, shrimp, salmon, pork or duck and several kinds of cheese. It constitutes a complete meal (or even two for small appetites).

– The frikadelles: minced meatballs, sometimes fish. The ancestor of the hamburger before it was flattened! Nothing to do with the fricadelle of the North and of Belgium – it is only that one can eat fries with.

– Salmon: no need to fantasize, you will almost always be served Norwegian farmed salmon, fat as desired and not too much recommended lately if it is farmed.

– Risalamande: it is the traditional dessert which all Danes love. We usually prepare it for Christmas, but we find it all year round in restaurants in the capital. It is a kind of rice pudding, to which we add crushed almonds and cherry jam. Tradition has it that a whole almond is slipped into it, and that whoever finds it wins a small gift (a bit like our galette des rois).

– Do not neglect the ice creams, they are often excellent. It is true that Denmark is a country of milk production.

– The pølsevognen (sausage kiosks) represent a good compromise to save money, provided of course you like that! It is the Danish fast-food par excellence. Most Danes call it Franske hot dogs (because of the bun). Small progress (not for calories): some are now organic.

– The presence of a large Turkish community gives the country a marked taste for pitabrød, a hot mutton sandwich (the equivalent of kebab or Greek, whatever). Some decline it by stuffing it with shrimp. For the same reason (Italian immigration), we also come across a lot of Italian restaurants and pizzerias (some run by Turks). In another genre, American influence requires, one restaurant in 2 offers a burger on its menu.

– Do not hesitate, in ports where there are fish dens, to buy scampi, eels, herring or smoked mackerel. Delicious.

Meals
The breakfast (morgenmad) is taken between 6h and 8h. Hearty meal, it usually consists of cheeses, cold meats, rugbrød, cereals, wienerbrød. If your accommodation does not offer it, it can be complicated because the Danes rarely take it at the local cafe.
Fortunately, there is brunch, provided you do not arrive too early (rarely before 10am). Very popular, almost everyone suggests it. Not as plentiful as the North American brunch, rarely at will, it is most often a plate composed with snacks and dessert (yogurt with jam).

The midday meal (frokost) is taken at 12h (original)!
The evening meal (aften) takes place between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Suddenly, no need to show up at the end of the shows: most kitchens close around 9pm.

Drinks
– Beers: beer is the most affordable alcohol in Denmark, it is also the one that flows the most afloat. Carlsberg and Tuborg are omnipresent in all bars, restaurants, clubs, etc. Also, some delicious local beers, like the famous Odense, and more and more local microbrewers beers. The Danes consume around 400 million liters of beer per year, an average of almost 70 liters per capita.

– Aquavit: if we still whistle small glasses of this grain brandy to accompany smørrebrød in traditional restaurants, young people had long since abandoned this alcohol considered corny. However, it is experiencing a revival of interest like all good local products. Above all, flavored with spices, fruit, this eau-de-vie (literal translation) offers an infinity of flavors, of which the French often ignore everything. A small tasting is therefore essential.
For info, know all the same that the best aquavit is the Ålborg Export (to drink cold!).

– Don’t forget to taste the Copenhagen cocktail, the local Manhatta! Recipe? Juniper Dutch bowls, lime juice, cherry liqueur, sugar syrup and angostura.

– Wine has obviously become part of everyday life, more and more consumed at home or in restaurants. It remains a luxury product, quite expensive. The most expensive being indigenous wine! The few Danish vineyards are not enough to meet demand. We found an address for the curious near Kolding. The most northern protected appellation in Europe.

– The regulation of the purchase of alcohol is much less strict than in the other Scandinavian countries where the systembolagets are rife with draconian schedules. This is also why the Swedes come to buy their beer in Denmark and disembark by whole boats to fill up with Danish pumps. However, beware: shops are not allowed to sell alcohol on Saturdays after 5 p.m.

Apply for a Denmark Visa Singapore.