Time to catch up on a few episodes I haven't posted largely owing to the summer holiday season. Episode #59 of MyDenmarkTV.com is the last episode before we launched our new format. The great summer theme of ice cream in Copenhagen was the topic. Enjoy!
Episode # 59 - MyDenmarkTV.com from MyDenmarkTV on Vimeo.
This week's episode (#46) of MyDenmarkTV.com is up. It was a fun episode to make - we feature a couple new aspects of Copenhagen this week - the city's first raw food restaurant, and a new way to entertain yourself for a while...on a Segway. We also announced a contest at the end of the episode, and the winners will get a free Segway ride from www.segwayfun.dk.
The unpretentious falafel stand in Christiania. A fine falafel, they certainly sell. The best in the city...it just might be, if you ask me.
Ready...set...PEEL!
Springtime in Copenhagen often brings with it a change in diet. As the trees and flowers blossom and bloom, those often talked-about new potatoes begin to arrive, barbeques are fired up for the first time in several months, and so on and so forth.
The other day I had an amusing discussion while eating what I was told was a springtime dish worthy of the season at hand - fresh shrimp. The instructions for eating were simple and non-negotiable - take a piece of rugbrod (extremely dark and heavy bread Danes typically love), spread with margarine, then pile it with little shrimps you have painstakingly peeled yourself. Salt and pepper was also permitted.
What wasn't permitted was lemon, which to me seemed like an obvious addition to bring out the flavour. 'No, no, no!', I was admonished. Because what matters is the taste of fresh shrimp. I pointed out that adding lemon was really no different then adding salt and pepper, but this was to no avail.
This provoked me to suggest that though Danish cuisine has it's high points - and I would argue has certainly improved in recent years, at least in my understanding of how it was in decades past, and knowing what is now available in supermarkets that simply wasn't a short few years back - the Italians and Spanish really have nothing to fear, because Danes will probably never quite 'get it' as they do. 
the aftermath...
...not quite the like the apple pie mom used to make
For those with a serious sweet tooth, Denmark is not a bad choice. And I'm the first to acknowledge that I have such a sweet tooth - it's no secret.
Whereas many a newcomer to Denmark, upon seeking out and tasting one of those infamous and authentic Danish pastry are shocked at the staggeringly sweet nature of these little sugar bombs, I thoroughly enjoy them. Interestingly, it should be noted these are nothing like that which is served under the tag 'danish' in other countries. Rather, these are heart-stoppingly sugar-laden and often sticky things, the likes of which you've surely never tasted anywhere else. For many the sweetness is simply too much (and in truth, many Danes feel the same way). I, on the other hand, reach for seconds. Perhaps it has something to do with coming from a country famous for producing one of the sweetest products made from a natural substance, maple syrup. Or maybe it's just me.
Examples include: wienerbrød, spandauer, snegle, kringler, to name but a few.
Upon tasting them, one immediately wonders why the average Dane doesn't weigh 2 tonnes (which they certainly don't - and I don't weight 2 tonnes either, I might add!).
So, coming home from work I occasionally find myself thinking about indulging my sweet tooth after dinner - which was the case the other night.
Previously, I've bemoaned the fact Danish supermarkets all too often leave something to be desired. This is especially true for those supermarkets without half-decent in-store bakeries (yes, this means Irma, Super Brugsen, Netto and Fakta). Føtex and Super Best are generally acceptable, in this regard.
Alas, I fell victim to my own desires the other evening, and consequently I was metaphorically 'sucker-punched' by a bunch of marketers from South Jutland (the part of Denmark attached to mainland Europe, if you don't know).
You see, this craving for something sweet lead me into Irma (as it was already past 6pm, meaning all the bakeries were closed) because that's about the closest thing to a decent supermarket around where we live (meaning not a Føtex or Super Best in sight).
Oops - they had me within 3 steps.
There at the entrance way was a stack of "Gyldne Kager" (Golden Cakes) boxed cakes/pies on offer. Choices included apple-cinnamon, carmel and nut, and a couple others. Superficially, they looked okay. So I grabbed an apple-cinnamon without really paying much attention or giving it much thought. Since Irma really doesn't have much in the way of decent desserts anyway, this seemed an alright option - one about as good as it was going to get.
Arriving home, I took a closer look at the box and began to wonder. The box proudly proclaimed, "bagt med sønderjyske traditioner og de bedste råvarer". To translate: 'baked with south Jutland's traditions and the best ingredients'.
And the moment I opened it, I knew I had been had. Apparently South Jutland's traditions and best ingredients revolve around heavily processed food with plenty of chemical additives. Not even the illusion of freshness (but a very unnatural sort of sticky feeling thanks to the questionable residue leftover in your mouth after eating).
Sometimes marketing can give you a real bitchslap, if you're not paying close enough attention. I won't be fooled again...famous last words.
Wandering down in the center of Copenhagen earlier today, along Købmagergade one of the main shopping streets, I was amused to see a rather lengthy queue of people outside one shop - a queue that extended some distance along the street. I assumed it was some sort of 'year-end blow-out' sale at a clothing shop, but quickly realised it was actually a line of people waiting to enter the butchers. Fair enough, it is one of Copenhagen's excellent butcher shops.
Hopefully that New Year's Eve meat wasn't sold out by the time those at the end of the queue were served. And one of the butcher's was even outside serving up glasses of bubbly for those waiting patiently outside - and enduring the winter chill.
...did somebody say 'fresh meat'?
...a little early-afternoon bubbly to ease the lengthy wait
The other night while out for some drinks with friends, we happened upon a very worthwhile beer from Denmark, of all places. Needless to say, this one wasn't from Carlsberg or Tuborg. Actually, it's a seasonal one, the Christmas beer from Ørbæk, which happens to be called Santa C. appropriately enough. Now the one I tried was on tap, so it remains to be seen if the bottled version smacks the taste buds quite the same way (they don't always, after all). It wasn't a dark beer either, I should add, knowing this is a characteristic commonly associated with Christmas beers. Actually, it was rather refreshing...
What really won me over was when I came across the beer at none other than Netto, earlier today, and realised as I was examining the label that it was actually an organic beer (økologisk øl, if you prefer). The company chooses to keep the organic part rather subtle, just a small mention on the side label. So that's today's beer recommendation.
Oh, and as always gifts (um, how about BEER!!) are welcome from the Ørbæk Brewery for this unconditional product endorsement from The Copenhagen Report, sure to generate sales - contact via email for the mailing address.
Saturday night's Thai food experience took the prize. Ranees at Blågårdsplads in Nørrebro. If you're a fan of Thai food, write that name down. Then go there. Even while travelling in Thailand did I rarely manage to taste such deliciously picante Thai food. Naturally, being something of an amateur Phad Thai aficionado, I had to try Ranees take on that one. My dinner companions for the evening went for a couple of equally delicious curries. The Phad Thai was a plate of steaming fresh noodles, sprouts and spices along with five or six giant tiger shrimp, a pile of crush nuts and a wedge of lime - the last two items being necessary to even be considered as a serious Phad Thai. And indeed, it had just the right taste and texture on the tongue. I've previously raved about the deserving Phad Thai at Sweet Basil, but this one managed to top it. Not an easy feat, but it was the freshness of the ingredients that did it.
But the highlight of the night was actually the starter (pictured above, photo courtesy of aok.dk). Thankfully the waiter was not afraid to push us to order it (not that we were hard to convince...). Eight little bowls filled with nuts, dried shrimp, coconut flakes, fresh chili, ginger, onion and tiny chunks of chopped lime and a pile of leaves (I can't remember their name). It look strangely like nothing as it arrived, like some kind of 'inside' Thai joke being played on the unsuspecting. It was not. After taking a leaf and forming into a bowl-like shape, putting a bit of each ingredient inside, topping it off with a bit of the chutney-like sauce (if chutney was Thai...I know, I know, more detail would be nice but I'm not getting paid to write this, so I didn't figure out precisely what this sauce was) it's "ind i munden!", as our waiter helpfully explained ('into the mouth').
Wow!!
Snap, crackle, pop, that's a lot of flavour! An explosion of sweet, spicy, salty, and sour - especially spicy, be warned.
Don't be deceived by the ambiance at Ranees, which is admittedly basic (but something far more original than the typical Thai restaurant). Wooden tables, some nice pics and almost funky florescent lights on the walls. Yes, florescent lights. Because the food is so damn good, it really doesn't matter.
Ranees at Blågårdsplads. Go there. You won't be disappointed.
...the inspiring fruit and vegetable section at Fakta, one fine morning quite recently
Imagine you are the manager of a grocery store. What, might you think, would be the single most fundamental aspect of your job?
Hmmm....
Yes, you might say hiring staff and making sure there are enough people are filling all the necessary positions so the store will run smoothly, or something along those lines. Not a bad answer.
However, not quite right, I would suggest. Rather, after countless visits to various grocery stores in Copenhagen over the years, it struck me that there is something even more fundamental - making sure that the shelves are stocked with food. You know, so the customers actually have something to buy (and preferably what they actually came into the shop looking for!).
However, in Denmark there are many grocery store managers who just don't see things this way. And in truth, I have no idea how grocery store managers are assessed, but at this point I'm pretty certain that the ability to keep the shelves stocked with food from morning to night is definitely not one of them.
Because oh so often there just seems to be rather a lack of it. Two things are probably occurring to you at this point.
Firstly, you are likey thinking it seems odd, even improbable that this could be the case, since selling food is, well, basically their entire business. And in the case of places like Netto and Fakta, two discount supermarket chains in Denmark, that task is actually even easier since they offer a pretty damn limited product range - at least relative to 'normal' Danish supermarkets (who also aren't exactly superstars when it comes to keeping the basics stocked).
Secondly, you are also probably saying to yourself, 'then why shop at these place - just go somewhere else!' And this would be a good point!! Well, except for one little problem. See, in some parts of Copenhagen (and elsewhere around Denmark, for that matter) they really are the most convenient places to get to, meaning it's not always so easy to just 'pop' over to another store.
Worse still, when you have a short time until the shops close (way to early, if you ask me) at 8 each night (and the even more annoying 5 PM on Saturday) sometimes you just have to run to the closest shop to make it. When the closest shop turns out to be a half-empty supermarket, it can be rather fucking annoying. And these discount grocery stores are pretty much the only grocery stores open most Sundays of the year.
Yes, apparently it is a challenging job managing a grocery store in Denmark. So for now all I can do is roll with it...and not to get too frustrated when it takes visiting a couple stores on the way home from work just to find a carton of milk or head of broccoli...
Below: a typical end-of-day picture at Netto or Fakta - they often look about the same for the first couple hours in the morning as well (since they often don't bother to stock the shelves until after the stores have opened).
and I'll just grab some milk and eggs from the fridge...oh well, never mind
by: Tim Anderson (timothyanderson2005@gmail.com)
The lack of mountains in Denmark has always been a minor point of contention for me (or as one friend of mine put it, 'a real country has mountains'). That said, a 'real country' should also have sea - preferably a lot of it. And Denmark certainly has that.
There are no shortage of places in Denmark to get a good look at it - along with a whiff of deliciously salty sea air.
On the other hand as you watch the sea someplace or other in Denmark, if you are hungry, haven't brought your own lunch and are looking for more than a questionable Danish pølser (hot dog) to fill your stomach with as the sea breeze sweeps through your hair, well, the choices do drop off a bit.
However, one option that can be counted on, would be Odden Havn (Odden Harbour) up on Sjællands Odde. It's not quite just another of the charming but countless Danish harbour towns that exist.
Aside from the pleasant harbour, as home to unpretentious Odden Fisk (Odde Fish), a wonderfully designed pier to wander along, and being only stone's throw (if you've got a good arm...) from one of Denmark's famous design relics - the fiskerøgeri (fish smoke house) from 1943 of (deceased) Danish designer Arne Jacobsen - it makes for a pleasant afternoon car trip.
the exterior doesn't give a hint of the magnificent fish and fish dishes being sold inside...
maybe the funkiest pier in Denmark...walking encouraged naturally
Arne Jacobsen's iconic smoked fish factory today...
Arne's smoke house back in the day (circa 1943)
And the scenery around Sjaellands Odde is well worth the drive, at least on a sunny day.
an iconic image of Denmark...
But oh, those tasty fish! And it's most definitely a place to stop if you're on your way to the ferry to Jutland, the one departing from the tip of Sjaellands Odde.
I can't resist one more strawberry post. Even if not too much needs to be said that hasn't been already. That is, it seems to me to be one of the best strawberry harvests in years.
Because not everything can be grown in Denmark, owing to the relatively short growing season in comparison to our more southern neighbours, and given that the quality of what is grown is greatly affected by the whims of the wacky weather in this part of the world, somehow there's an extra excitement when there's a bumper crop of one crop or another in Denmark - and especially in the case of strawberries.
Yummmmm!!!
By: Tim Anderson (timothyanderson2005@gmail.com)
Once you’ve had a great Phad Thai – the classic of classic Thai (noodle) dishes - there’s no going back.
Personally, as a consequence of some travels in Southest Asia and an extended stay in Shanghai last year - home of a number of excellent Thai restaurants – I’ve been left craving a certain and specific version of Phad Thai that has proven rather challenging to find in Copenhagen. One with a certain and elusive combination of flavours, texture and spiciness.
That is, until a recent visit to Sweet Basil (danish link) in the center of Copenhagen (Grønnegade 33, tel: 33151565).
There are a fair number of Thai restaurants in Copenhagen, and some of them are quite good. In true Thai street food fashion, the best of them I've tried are actually take-out joints.
Probably Lai-Thai (Toldbodgade 2 - at the bottom of Nyhavn) would be the best, with a fairly close second place going to Thaiherb 2 (Fiolstraede 30, near Norreport). For something more leisurely then take-away, a few of my friends can’t seem to get enough of the Phad Thai at Thai Esan (just off Istedgade close to the main station).
Before I go further, allow me a brief Phad Thai digression.
Although every respectable Thai restaurant has a version of Phad Thai on the menu, there is no such thing as a ‘correct’ or ‘perfect’ Phad Thai. Each and every Thai cook, each and every Thai restaurant, and for that matter each and every Thai street stall - whether in Bangkok, elsewhere in Thailand, or someplace else in the world - make it just a little bit differently. Which is why Phad Thai - amongst countless classic national dishes in the world - is such an endlessly fascinating dish to taste at countless Thai restaurants. Each has their own take on the combination of hot, sour, salty and sweet - the fundamental four elements of Thai dishes - that should be used in it.
And hence why, if you are a person with an appreciation for Thai food, finding just the right version of your favourite Thai dishes to suit your tastes can be quite a preoccupation.
Sometimes Phad Thai can be outright spicy, still other times it can be rather sweet. Sometimes it’s made with thick rice noodles, sometimes thin ones (yes, in Thailand there are specific names for each of these dishes, but Thai restaurants outside of Thailand don’t typically get down to such specifics).
Though it isn’t always, Phad Thai should be served with a slice of lime - which when drizzled over top of a steaming Phad Thai brings the flavourful ingredients to life on your tongue, as few things can. To their credit, at Sweet Basil they did. I’ve seen Phad Thai served with a small bowl of sugar and a small bowl of dried crushed chillis, useful if you prefer your food on the slightly picante side, as I often do. As it was at Sweet Basil, it’s also often served with some uncooked sprouts on the side and a bowl of crushed cashew nuts, both of which, when mixed in, add that extra and highly satisfying crunch that is characteristic of so many great Thai dishes.
Indeed, the food at Sweet Basil was outstanding, though the service was not quite so.
Our waitress was lovely, pleasant and somewhat hopeless. When you pay 75 kroner for a premium beer, and it arrives just a notch below room temperature, as a waitress the way to resolve this situation is to offer another beer immediately (making sure it is really cold). It is NOT to say, ‘but it came from the same fridge as all the others – it’s been their since yesterday’. Because clearly it hadn’t, we noted as she wandered away.
But the outstanding food, which took quite some time to arrive, quickly outshone the issues we had with the lousy service, and left us in a rather forgiving mood. The other dishes ordered, classic Thai curries and spring rolls, were equally commendable.
'Thai minimalism' - minimalism with a touch of kitsch
Thai restaurants are normally rather distinct in appearance, and often for all the wrong reasons. The word ‘kitsch’ springs to mind. Budda’s and colourful junk everywhere, along with vegetation not unlike a forest floor.
Sweet Basil is different, much to the owner's credit, apparently espousing an esthetic which could perhaps be termed ‘Thai minimalism’. In other words, not quite minimal, as some tacky adornments are allowed to remain, but they are kept fairly scarce in quantity.
But how wonderful to discover there is another Thai restaurant in Copenhagen serving authentic Thai food worthy of it's hallowed and well-deserved international stature. We shall certainly return.
The fickle weather of Denmark means that one never really knows from day to day, month to month, and - in the case of spring crops like strawberries - one year to the next, just how things are going to be. Enough sun in the spring will lead to a bumper crop of sweet strawberries ready for harvesting in early June. Not enough sun (all too often in this cloudy country) will leave them a bit sour and behind schedule.
This spring, with the strawberry season upon us thanks to all the sunny warm weather, there is nothing to worry about. The strawberries are sweet and there is no shortable of them. And they're being harvested even earlier than usual this year - the season has been going strong for about 3 weeks now.
Hence all the delicious strawberry tarts for sale these days (and even tastier homemade ones, like this one...).
the small fruit and veg market at Israel Plads in Copenhagen...
A new farmer's market is set to open later this month (May 26) in Nørrebro (around Jaegersborggade between Kronborggade and Stefansgade). The market - not a big one, just a small handful of stands - will be open Saturday's from 10.00 - 14.00.
Copenhagen is not a place where you find people going to the market to shop for fruit and vegetables. Or perhaps the real problem is that farmer's markets that have never embraced Copenhagen. Either way, it's too bad. Shopping for fresh fruit and vegetables, and various other gastronomic pleasures like tasty cheeses and various preserves and so forth, is one of the underrated joys in life, if you ask me.
At present, the best bet is the fruit, vegetable and flower market just behind Nørrebro Station, at Israel Plads, which is open daily.
Perhaps the lack of popularity of farmer's markets in Copenhagen has something to do with the weather. Perhaps it has something to do with Denmark's relatively limited growing season. Or perhaps it's a symptom of Danish food culture in general, which is still somewhat underdeveloped relative to many of Denmark's European cousins, particularly in the more southern regions of Europe.
Danish farmers do produce some excellent produce. Farms on the island of Samsø, during the summer months (a 1 hour ferry ride from Kalundborg), sell some of Denmark's finest fresh fruit and vegetables. Cycling around the island on a sunny day and stopping off at the various roadside stands around the island will provide plenty of inspiration for a tasty summer meal. Without having to take a ferry, numerous roadside stands found in front of farms in the countryside from Slagelse up to Ny Købing are just as good, selling plenty of fresh produce.
The new farmer's market in Nørrebro will hopefully bring some of it a little closer to Copenhagen.
Thanks to Isabel at Eyes Wide Shut for the tip on this one.
the flower market at Israel Plads...
excitement in a box (for some)...
The annual food event that makes arguably the biggest and loudest (marketing) splash around the world each year would be the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau wine from France each year, I would suggest.
It's pretty tasty wine, even if few wine enthusiasts would rate Beaujolais wine as the best that's out there (though myself, I do quite like it).
Well, quietly Denmark also has it's own annual food traditions. One that never goes by unremarked upon is the arrival of the first New Danish Potatos ('Ny Danske Kartofler') each year.
They're small, they're more or less round, and they look like basically any other small round potato out there - and they're rather expensive if you want to be one of the first to buy some each year. But it's a prestige thing for some local restaurants to get ahold of them as soon as they begin to appear.
This year the first batch of New Potatoes was sold for 1000 kroner (125 Euro) for a kilogram (link in Danish). Yes, you read that right. Not the cheapest bowl of soup, those would make...
More affordable is a trip down to the local market (for example, nearby Norreport station in Copenhagen), where this week a small box of new potatoes (slightly more than a kilogram) will set you back a more modest 50 kroner (8 Euro). Somewhat more costly than the average box of (non-Danish) new potatoes in the supermarket, given those will go for 8-15 kroner (1 or 2 Euro). But buying those won't win you any bragging rights.
So it's something to think about if you're having guests over for dinner...especially if they happen to be potato aficionados.
While Copenhagen has long been considered a leading European city in terms of fashion and design, until recently the culinary delights to be found here were not exactly seen as one of the city's strong points. That is, restaurants (and food in general) in Copenhagen has rather lagged behind other cities of Europe (and elsewhere). But as the restaurant scene in Copenhagen continues to develop, it is fast changing for the better - from the high end on downwards.
And Noma, a restaurant on the waterfront in Christianshavn, has leapt to the forefront of the high end thanks to events over the past while.
Noma was recently awarded it's second Michelin star and has also just been ranked No. 15 in the world on Restaurant Magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurants - apparently a rather influential magazine in this area, if you're into those sorts of things. Naturally, price is not exactly factored into these rankings and awards - so bring your credit card.
Actually, the full Noma gastronomical experience (a 7 course meal with plenty of wine) will set you back about 1500 kroner per person, which some would argue is a pretty reasonable price to pay for the privledge of dining at one of the best restaurants in the world.
However, if you should want to pop by Noma for a quick bite, plan a few months in advance for it as the restaurant is almost fully booked until August. Myself, I think I'll bank a couple more paycheques before I get around to booking a table.
An amusing side note regarding Noma. A friend who dined there a few months back suffered an unfortunate case of food poisoning following the visit - apparently that didn't happen to the critics and reviewers from Michelin or Restaurant magazine.
RSS Feed 
Twitter 
