Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
YULETIDE FEASTING
Not only does the traditional Danish Christmas (jul) ooze hygge(cosiness), it explodes
with festive grub.
The biggest festivities are on Christmas Eve, when gift giving and songs sung around
the Christmas tree are fuelled with copious amounts of akvavit (alcoholic spirit) and spe-
cially brewed Yuletide beers. The culinary centrepiece is roast pork, duck or goose,
served with red cabbage and boiled potatoes cooked in butter and sugar. After the meal
it's time for warming risengrød(rice pudding), inside of which lies a single whole almond.
The person who finds the almond in his or her bowl gets a prize, such as a sweet made of
marzipan. Come 25 December, the leftovers from Christmas Eve make for an excellent
koldt bord(cold table) lunch.
Of course, the Yuletide treats begin well before Christmas Eve and Day, with common
Advent bites including brunekagerand pebernødder(spice cookies), golden klejner
(deep-fried knotted dough), and æbleskiver -small, spherical pancakes traditionally
served with gløgg(mulled wine).
Drinks
The Danes are enthusiastic drinkers, with beer
(øl),
wine
(vin)
and spirits served in most
restaurants and cafes. Alcohol is available at grocery shops during normal shopping hours,
with prices quite reasonable compared with those in other Scandinavian countries.
Beer
The Danes are prodigious producers and consumers of beer. The oldest trace of beer in
Denmark dates back to 2800 BC, with Copenhagen's first brewing guild established in
1525. Copenhagen-based Carlsberg Breweries markets the Carlsberg and Tuborg labels,
and is one of the world's largest brewery groups. It's also the largest exporter of beer in
Europe.
While the best-selling beers in Denmark are pilsners, a lager with an alcohol content of
4.6%, there are scores of other beers to choose from. These range from light beers with an
alcohol content of 1.7% to hearty stouts that kick in at 8%. Essential beer terms you should
know include:
øl
- beer
