I’m definitely running behind when it comes to the obsession with all things Danish.
2016 was apparently the year of hygge (or the year that hygge became the most annoying word, depending on who you ask), and yet I only just discovered it in September, when I went to Copenhagen to visit a friend.
Since I was visiting in September, however, and the weather was still nice, this unique brand of coziness wasn’t really on my radar. What was, however, was Danish food — specifically, the Smørrebrød.
I knew about these open-faced sandwiches before visiting Copenhagen, but it was only once I was there that I was able to really see them and taste them.
I saw some really beautiful examples at Hallernes Smørrebrød; they looked like little works of art. This one had chicken, potatoes, bacon, and red currants.
Roast beef is apparently the most popular iteration of the sandwich — this version also had pickles and cheese.
This one had potatoes and both raw and fried onion. It also had a bit too much mayonnaise for my taste.
And this one combined simple hard-boiled eggs and shrimp.
The first Smørrebrød I tried was at a little coffeeshop called Bevar’s in Copenhagen. They had several different options that you could mix and match — we went with hard-boiled egg and salmon. Each bite was delicious, the perfect combination of savory, sweet, and sour. That’s actually something that I noticed everywhere I went in Copenhagen — the flavor balances were always perfect.
But we also enjoyed Smørrebrød with my friend’s Air B&B hosts, a couple who enjoyed this Danish tradition as an easy supper. They would put out slices of the bread as well as all variety of toppings — meats, cheeses, butter, mayonnaise, pickles — and we could assemble our own sandwiches as we liked.
One of my last stops before I flew back to Paris was Sankt Peder’s Bageri, one of the most famous in Copenhagen. There, I picked up a loaf of this tangy rye bread to try my hand at some Smørrebrød at home.
This one was rye bread topped with a thin smear of really good butter, a slice of roasted beetroot, a poached eggs, and some quick-pickled carrots and shallots. I added some mâche on the side and a good amount of black pepper.
This bruschetta-inspired Smørrebrød redefined fusion food. Bread, butter, and sliced fresh tomatoes with some basil and fleur de sel were an excellent combo. I loved the way the tomato juices soaked into the bread.
This simple Smørrebrød was a very easy breakfast one morning after I had made German cucumber salad. I smeared some butter on the bread and topped it with the leftover salad.
This one is completely untraditional but was one of my favorites. I made some quick shakshuka eggs with leftover marinara sauce and served them over the bread.
This one was a little more traditional: I spread Greek yogurt over a slice of bread and topped it with boiled new potatoes, mâche, a little red wine vinegar, and some black pepper.
This slightly sweeter version was made with Greek yogurt, sliced pear, hazelnuts, and a drizzle of chestnut honey.
I’m all out of bread now, but I’ve ordered some cracked rye and am planning on trying my hand at making my own soon!