Top Danish Food & Drink
It’s not all bacon and pastries you know. True, the word Danish does precede both of these items and both are very good. But there is a lot more to Danish cuisine than rashers and flaky delights.
Danish mealtimes follow the patterns of our breakfast, lunch and dinner, although the somewhat ‘traditional’ bread, cheese and jam combination for breakfast may make the average Aussie wince a little. Lunch is usually of the packed variety and often cold, typically rye bread covered with something like sausage or egg. Typical dinners don’t look so different from other places in the world with pan-fried meat and potato dishes as well as indulgences in other cuisines as typical offerings. This is of course just a quick overview, and there is so much more to Danish cuisine. If you want a sample of some of the staple products of Danish food and drink, here you go.
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Hot dog stands have been a regular feature on the Danish pavements since 1921. Hot dog stands provide work for many of those with disabilities, a tradition that started back during the Second World War. The food is convenient and cheap, so a win all round.
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Liquorice finds itself in every kind of food you can think of in Denmark, as well as some you would probably not.
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Or rather Æbleflæsk in the local language, this Danish speciality dates back to around the 18th century and literally involves little more than apples and pork. If you’re interested at all, here’s a recipe.
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North Jutland oysters are considered some of the finest in the world, and are so good that even the average non-oyster-eater, when brave enough to sample, will sit up in surprise at this meatier version of the sloppy, slimy mess we are more used to along many a different coast.
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Let’s talk about the beautiful Smørrebrød which is a sort of open-face sandwich; a nightmare situation for messy eaters the world over, but delicious nonetheless. The bread featured in this tasty dish is, of course, some of Denmark’s famed bread. From delicious heavy rye breads such as rugbrød to flaky melt-in-the-mouth actual Danish pastries (wienerbrød), the Danes excel in the bakery department like no other and we can’t make up our minds which bakery product we like most.
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Yes, it goes without saying that beer is somewhat of a national treasure for the Danish, and rightly so. Carlsberg is the one that most of us are familiar with, but all varieties of Brøckhouse are definitely worth giving a go.
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We cannot talk about Denmark and not mention coffee. It would be a crime we think, especially as Denmark seems to be one of the founders of the coffee culture we’ve all become so familiar with. Starbucks must be a brave and resilient company to try and set up shop in Copenhagen; we can imagine the looks of outrage and disdain on opening day. If you need your coffee unleaded – excuse us, decaffeinated – you are probably out of luck in most coffee shops in Denmark. And that just makes us love Denmark all the more.
Want more?
And why wouldn’t you! The above is merely an opportunity to whet your appetite for all things Danish, and what better way to discover more for than visiting Denmark for yourself? Of course. A little language might be a good thing to take with you. Why not contact us and see what courses are on offer. Until then, skål! (cheers)