Food, Glorious Food,

What else is there to live for?

Oliver Twist

Danish Food

When I went to Denmark, I had a list of all the food I was looking forward to eating.  Foods that are simply not readily available on the damp coast where I live.  It was a novelty to go into any store and simply pick up the items from the cooler or counter.  What a joy.

So, here’s how my food sampling wish list panned out.

Frikadeller

In a world where you could just pick up a package of frikadeller (Danish pork meat balls) at any grocery store, I was able to get my fill.  Go to the delicatessen and fresh made frikadeller and fiskedeller were still warm and ready to eat.  NUM!  Whenever I was out and about and needed a quick snack, I could easily find either version of frikadellers at any store, anytime.  (sigh)

Package of ready made Frikadeller

Pølser

It would appear that the old school Danish pølser vogn is on the endangered species list, I was still able to find a few stalwarts.

The classic hot dog stand menu hasn’t changed much over the years.  There is the addition of chicken kebab on fries and curry haps (curried hot dogs on fries), but everything else remains the same:  hot dog, hot dog in bacon, medister pølse, frikadeller sandwich, fish sandwich, burger.  Even the condiments haven’t changed.  But why would they when they are great to begin with?

I had to make do with what they call a French hot dog – a long European wiener stuffed into a hollowed out baguette with stuff in it – for the first week until I could find the real deal.

Over the course of the trip, I managed to eat a several long time hot dog stands in Vejle:  Karin’s Pølserbod, Nørremarken pølser hus, Vesterbrogade pølser hus.  Plus I managed to find good ol’ hot dogs in a few other places I came to.   So I managed to satisfy that mission.

Last pølse at Karins, in svøb, wrapped in bacon

Karins Pølserbod, Vejle

Bredegades Pølse hus, Aalborg. Unfortunately found this after the Stjerneskud.

Pølser Vogn, Copenhagen. Should have eaten here had I known that Pølser vogn were on the endangered species list!

Nørremarken grilled dog with the works

Nørremarken Grill

Medister with bread and condiments, Karin’s Pølserbod, Vejle

Ristet Pølser from Karin’s. A grilled hot dog with the works – ketchup, mustard, remoulade, fried onions, fresh onions, pickled cucumbers

Typical Danish Pølser-Grill Bar menu

Fransk Hot Dog

Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone

An old fashioned ice cream in a waffle cone with guf and jam.   I found several options such as  Lagkage Huset in Vejle, Frellsens (various locations), Julesminde Is bar, plus a few others.  The best ice cream I had was at Robert’s Is Bar in Vejle.  He makes his own waffle cones, ice cream (I recommend the strawberry), and guf, which is the best I’ve ever tasted.

What I noticed was that the jam was often left off the guf.  Guf is a delicious, soft marshmallow type cream that tastes slightly of raspberry.  But on the other hand, I always was able to get a fløde bolle on the cone.  Unfortunately I didn’t seem to get any pictures.  Sorry.

Ice Cream with Guf, Julseminde – But where’s the jam!?!?!

Smørrebrød

This was the most difficult mission.  Unless I was at someone’s home enjoying the big ‘kold bord’, options for enjoying smørrebrød in a restaurant were pretty limited.

None the less, I did get to have a stellar Stjerneskud – shooting star – in Aalborg and a new hipster fiskedeller sandwich in Vejle.

Luckily the people I visited in Denmark also enjoy a good open faced sandwich feast so I didn’t suffer too much.  Herring, leverpostej, rejer and all good things were certainly available in abundance.  Mange tak!

Føtex Smørrebrød – right under my nose the whole time!

The Fiskedeller handmad, piled high

A beautiful work of culinary art – the Stjerneskud, Provence Restaurant, Aalborg

Smørrebrød Cafe 47 – Hønse salat (Chicken salad), Rullepølse (rolled pork belly), Fiskefilet (fish fillet)

Kro Platter, Bakken, Copenhagen – Cheese, fish fillet, chicken salad, 2 types of Herring, Leverpostej, frikadeller – YUM

A Danish classic – the Kro platter

Fløde Boller

I was pleasantly surprised at the rennaissance of the fløde bolle that has overtaken Denmark.  As I mentioned, in the old days, they were good, but the marshmallow guf was quite sweet and it was mounded on a crisp wafer covered in Chocolate.

Well, did I try some really good fløde boller.  The latest flavour craze was licorice.  I waited until my last day to try this since the thought of licorice and chocolate just didn’t seem to go together.  I was sooooo wrong.  Completely delicious.  (Again, could have sworn I took a picture but no!)  The other flavours were raspberry guf and an interested once filled with caramel.

At Summerbird Chocolates, the boller are about 1/4 of the size that everyone else has.  Having said that, the passion fruit guf covered in a delicate caramel coating was out of this world.

Definitely hit the jackpot on fløde bolle front.

Spangsbergs Flødeboller

Caramel Fløde Bol from Lagkage, Vejle

Fløde boller from Frellsens. Mocha, raspberry, milk chocolate, coconut, nut, dark chocolate. All filled with marshmallowy goodness

The Bonus Marks

I should mention there were a few extra nice food items that I got to try.

My friend, Helle, made a wonderful Danish layer cake with fresh fruit and whip cream.  So yummy.

Helle’s Home Made layer Cake, Danish Style

Back to ……?

And that’s it for this time.  Now back to the damp coast and another dry spell until I visit the Land of the Vikings again.

Here’s the last rundstykke I had in Billund aeroport before heading out.  Proof that good aeroport food is possible.