114 tasteoftheseacoast.com Best of Taste 2012 115

destinationtaste | far

BY LISË STERN

Copenhagen, DenmarkCopenhagen is the capital of Denmark, the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries. Culinarily, the city has been getting a lot of attention lately, thanks to Noma being named best restaurant in the world three times running by Restaurant magazine. Located on an island, Copenhagen is a stunning blend of old and new, with turreted castles and cobblestone streets and sleek modern structures, not to mention the water views. There’s something for everyone, with a mix of history, art, dining, shopping, and lots of bicycles. A worthwhile purchase is the COPENhagen Card, which includes admission to almost every place you’d like to visit. Details: visitcopenhagen.com.

STAY

Accommodations range from bare-bones

to luxury. Smaller hotels further from the

city center can be bargains, and there are

guest houses with shared baths, many of

which include breakfast, like Carsten’s

Guest House (carstensguesthouse.dk). The

city has a cutting-edge reputation, and over

half the hotels tout their green practices,

like Ibsens Hotel (ibsenshotel.dk), which

claims to be CO2 neutral.

First Hotel Twentyseven

Løngangsstræde 27

45-7027-5627, hotel27.dk

You can’t beat the location, a few blocks

from Tivoli amusement park, the train

station, and the downtown pedestrian

street Strøget. The decor features trendy

Danish design in black and white, with red

lacquered desks and wardrobes. There are

three room styles: standard, deluxe, and

junior suites, and an option to include

breakfast. The hotel has a pair of bars,

including the Icebar, with walls, chairs,

and tables made from ice from Lapland

(winter jackets provided).

Nimb Hotel

5 Bernstorffsgade

45-8870-0000, nimb.dk

Nimb Hotel, located in Tivoli Gardens,

looks like a Moorish palace (with rates to

match).The decades-old building opened

as a boutique hotel in 2008, with just 14

rooms, most with fireplaces. Continental

breakfast is included, and there are four

varied restaurants onsite, along with other

grand public spaces.

DO

Tivoli Gardens

3 Vesterbrogade

45-3315-1001, tivoli.dk

Open since 1843, Tivoli Gardens is an

amusement park that reportedly inspired

Walt Disney when creating Disneyland. It’s

charming and magical, and has some

awesome rides. Admission just lets you in

the door—good restaurants are here too—

best to get the multiride deal. The Star Flyer,

billed as the “world’s tallest carousel” is a

swing that lifts riders over 260 feet above the

park, offering a stellar view of Copenhagen.

Arbejdermuseet

Rømersgade 22

45-3393-2575, arbejdermuseet.dk

Translated as The Workers’ Museum, this

is a fun smaller museum, doable in an

afternoon, that demonstrates what day-to-

day life was like for Copenhagen residents in

the mid 20th century. Re-created rooms

from an area house, circa 1950, as well as

various shops, offer a window into a time

gone by. Collections of pottery, toys, and

games as well as artwork round out the

exhibits.

Copenhagen Cooking

copenhagencooking.com

The eighth annual Copenhagen food festival

runs for 10 days at the end of August, with a

focus on New Nordic cuisine. This year,

some 130 culinary activities are offered all

over the city, from dinners to demos to street

fairs. Intriguing choices include Under the

Sea, hosted by Silver Spoon Guerilla Dining

(silverspooncph.com) at a location to be sent

to ticket holders just before the event.

Velbekomme!

EAT

BREAKFAST/BRUNCH

First Hotel Twentyseven

Løngangsstræde 27

45-7027- 5627, hotel27.dk

The breakfast buffet at First Hotel

Twentyseven offers just about anything

you’d like to eat for the day. There are hot

offerings of eggs and breakfast meats,

and a mix of cold and hot cereals. A

programmable coffee machine features

espresso, cappuccino, and other java

variations, and the teas include loose-leaf.

Several bakery-fresh breads are ready to be

slathered with butter or jam, and there’s a

choice of cheeses, excellent yogurt, fruit,

and veggies. Eat your fill, and you’ll be set

for several hours.

LUNCH

Aamanns Smørrebrødsdeli

Øster Farimagsgade 10

45-3555-3344, aamanns.dk

Denmark is famous for its Danish lunch,

specifically the smørrebrød (literally

“buttered bread”). This open-face

sandwich (meant to be eaten with a knife

and fork) consists of rectangles of dense rye

bread smeared with butter, with toppings

that can range from simple sliced

cucumbers to various fish (especially

herring), poultry, and meats. The dish has

been around for decades, but Adam

Aamanns reinvented smørrebrød with his

restaurant, offering fresh interpretations of

classics, as well as new combinations

highlighting Scandinavian ingredients.

Everything is made on site, including the

organic sourdough rye bread. Sandwiches

include Potato with Lovage Mayonnaise,

Chives, and Radishes and Mackerel with

Fennel and Tomatoes. Aamanns recently

opened a branch in New York and also has a

dinner restaurant next door.

Restaurant Schønnemann

Hauser Plads 16

45-3312-0785

restaurantschonnemann.dk

Schønnemann offers a taste of history along

with its smørrebrød. The restaurant has

been here since 1877. Owners John and

Søren Puggaard took over in 2007 and have

updated the menu while keeping classic

sandwiches like the Veterinarian’s Snack,

with liver pate, boiled beef, and raw onions.

The modern Smokehouse includes a trio of

smoked items: herring, creamy Danish

cheese, and potatoes, topped with radishes

and chives. All are served on traditional

blue-patterned Royal Copenhagen china.

Wash them down with one of the dozens of

aquavits from through Scandinavia offered

on the menu.

DINNER

Relæ

Jægersborggade 41

45-3696-6609, restaurant-relae.dk

Relæ was much anticipated even before it

opened—chef Christian Puglisi having

established himself at nearby Noma and

El Bulli in Spain. He and co-owner Kim

Rossen are doing their bit to keep a local

emphasis while not ignoring other cuisines

(Puglisi is an Italian immigrant). Each night

there are two four-course prix fixe menus,

one meat and one vegetarian, with offerings

like Chicken Wings, White Asparagus

and Anchovies or Baby Bok Choy with

Green Sauce. Wine or juice pairings are also

available for each course.

Star Flyer at Tivoli Gardens

Hotel Twentyseven

Nimb Hotel

Baby bok choy at Relæ

Trio of smørrebrød at Aamanns

Schønnemann’s Smokehouse smørrebrød

Breakfast at Twentyseven

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116 tasteoftheseacoast.com

RecipesCarrot Soup with Cream Cheese Flan and Puffed GrainsMakes 4 servingsBeer: Trapp Lager Brewery Dunkel Lager (Stowe, Vt.)This incredible soup offers layers of flavors and textures. You’ll have

extra flan and grains, which you can use in other soups or salads.

Adapted from Executive Chef Michael LaScola of American Seasons.

Puffed Grains

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 cup overcooked barley

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Flan

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup cream cheese

3 sheets gelatin, soaked and squeezed

Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 large organic carrots, divided

1 white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, diced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon organic raw sugar

½ cup organic orange juice

2 cups water, or as needed

2 tablespoons thinly sliced mint leaves

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pea tendrils

1. Prepare the puffed grains. Dry the grains, preferably in a food de-hydrator, at 150°F for 42 hours. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry the dried grains until golden and crispy. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Prepare the flan. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with plastic wrap.3. In a medium pot combine milk, cream, and cream cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, until cream cheese is melted. Cook until the mixture is 160°F, then remove from heat and whisk in gelatin until dissolved. Pour mixture into prepared pan and chill until set, at least 1 hour. When firm, use a small ring cutter to cut into 1-inch circles.4. Prepare the soup. In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat. Dice 4 of the carrots and add to the pot with the onions and garlic. Saute lightly but do not brown. When vegetables begin to soften, add cumin, salt, pepper, sugar, and orange juice and enough water to cover the top of the vegetables. Cover and cook over low heat until vegetables are soft.5. Use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to puree soup until smooth. Juice the remaining 4 carrots, discard the pulp, and stir the juice into the soup. Heat just to warm through, and season to taste.6. To serve, divide the soup among 4 bowls. Float a flan round in the middle. Sprinkle with the grains and top with the mint and pea tendrils.

Rillette of Warm-Smoked Salmon on RyeMakes 4 servingsWine: Patz & Hall Pinot Noir 2010 (Sonoma Coast, Calif.)Beer: Throwback Brewery Campfire Smoked Porter (North Hampton, N.H.)Aamanns notes that warm-smoked salmon is different than cold

smoked. Cold-smoked salmon is the kind usually served with cream

cheese and bagels. “Warm smoking makes for a more aggressive, even

sour aroma, and makes the salmon meat softer and ‘cooked’ in texture,”

he writes. “When made into a mixed salad, or rillette, as we call it, it

works surprisingly well when you underline and intensify the sour

notes with both lemon juice and pickled ingredients like capers, cor-

nichons, and pickled onions. They also bring crunchiness to the other-

wise soft salad.”

Adapted from Adam Aamanns of Aamanns Smørrebrødsdeli.

¾ pound warm-smoked salmon

¾ cup mayonnaise

6 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1½ ounces capers, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons grainy or Dijon mustard, or to taste

juice of 1 to 2 lemons

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 small bunch dill

1 small bunch chives, finely chopped

4 slices rectangular dark rye bread, such as German rye

pickled onions and halved cornichons

1. Check the salmon for any bones and discard any grey meat. Add to a large bowl and mix with the mayo, yogurt, capers, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.2. Reserve 4 dill sprigs for garnish, and lightly chop the rest. Add to the salmon, along with half the chopped chives, and mix to distribute.3. To serve, divide the rillette among the 4 slices of bread, shaping it into a square or rectangle. Garnish with pickled onions and cornichon halves, then sprinkle with reserved chives and top with a dill sprig. T

Carrot Soup with Cream Cheese Flan and Puffed Grains