Category: Denmark

French Galettes (Buckwheat Pancakes)

Posted on by dreamingoffood

A Galette is a savoury buckwheat flour pancake that originates from the region of Brittany in France. It can be topped with egg, ham, cheese, spinach, salad, onions tomatoes, salmon, mushrooms, bacon…or whatever other toppings you might like. The most common variety has ham, emmentaler cheese, and egg.

I first tried Galettes in Copenhagen, Denmark, and loved them instantly. The buckwheat flour has a really good flavor, it gets toasted in a pan with butter, and together with the toppings it is really delicious. It is perfect to eat for lunch or brunch since it is both filling, but also light.

I decided to try to make Galettes myself, and it’s actually pretty easy. I don’t have a special Galette pan or tool, but they still came out pretty good. The trick is to get the pan very hot before you pour in some of the batter, and make sure the pan is buttered, and the batter coats the pan. Don’t worry if the first pancake you make doesn’t come out right, it can be a bit tricky in the beginning just like it is making any kind of pancake.

If you want to see a video on how to make Galettes, I made a video here:

 

I got the recipe from a french blog. It is really simple, and makes 10 Galettes. If you want to try to make them yourself I have translated the recipe below.


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French Galettes (Buckwheat Pancakes)

Prep Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 10

French Galettes (Buckwheat Pancakes)

Ingredients

  • 300 grams buckwheat flour
  • 8 grams crushed sea salt
  • 750 ml filtered water

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour and crushed sea salt in a large bowl, slowly add in the water, and whisk until incorporated.
  2. Let stand covered for 2 hours at room temperature.
  3. Heat pan on a high setting.
  4. Coat pan with butter once hot.
  5. Add about half a cup (more or less) of the pancake batter to the hot pan, and move around to coat.
  6. Bake the Galette until crispy, about 3 - 5 minutes, then gently flip it over.
  7. Add your toppings in the middle of the Galette.
  8. Fold all four sides slightly. The sides you folded should have no toppings. This is just to ensure every bite has toppings in it.
  9. Serve on a plate.

Notes

I did not use filtered water, but that could be why mine didn't come out as crispy in spots, but they still tasted delicious. I also didn't use any special tools.

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You can also serve this with a salad on the side. I bought some mixed salad leaves, and added Good Seasonings Garlic & Herb salad dressing on top. 🙂

Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Galette with ham and emmentaler cheese

 

Galette with ham, emmentaler cheese, scrambled egg, and a side salad.

Best Burgers in Copenhagen

Posted on by dreamingoffood

Burgers are one of my favorite foods. In Texas we have a lot of great burger places, and when I came to Copenhagen, although a lot of restaurants/cafes are making burgers, most of them just didn’t live up to my standards. One of the biggest problems was the burger bun, it is sometimes too dense, dry, or hard. Other times it is the meat, it just doesn’t have the right flavor, or it’s shaped too small for the bun, so your first few bites are just bread.

A good burger to me has a light, and soft but slightly toasted bun, a juicy and flavorful patty, and good cheese. The fries are important too. Freshly cut fries that are crispy can really make a difference. When I order a burger with fries I want to enjoy the whole meal and not just the fries or just the burger, so both being good is definitely a plus.

Now that I have lived in Copenhagen for several years I have found some really amazing burgers. Below is a list of places where you can get the best burgers in Copenhagen.

Tommi’s Burger Joint
Location: Høkerboderne 21-23 – Kødbyen

Tommi’s Burger Joint is new to Copenhagen. It is a burger chain from Iceland that has been around since 2004, although the owner has been making burgers since 1981 under other names. Even though I’ve only tried it once (a couple of weeks ago) the burger I ate there is probably the best burger I have ever had in Copenhagen. The burger was grilled inside the restaurant and had a smokey grilled flavor. It was juicy, with quality meat, a really nice bun, and crispy thin fries. They even used a blow torch to melt the cheese just right. The bacon looked amazing as well. So next time I will definitely try a bacon cheeseburger. At Tommi’s, a burger with fries, and a drink is 94 dkk, which is a pretty good price for Copenhagen.

The atmosphere was also really special, and I loved the music. Since when do you go to a burger place and say you love the atmosphere and music? It was pretty cool in there. When I went to Tommi’s it was a Friday night, and super busy. The place is small, so there aren’t a lot of seats, and although there were only a few people in front of me in line it took nearly 30 minutes for my food to be ready. With no place to sit, and being hungry, it was not the best experience. There was a line out the door the entire time, but the workers there were working so hard. They had 25 burgers going on the grill at a time, and 20 orders backed up, but they just couldn’t keep up. Maybe that’s just a testament to how good the burgers are, right?

I suggest to try Tommi’s on a week day/night or during the summer when the weather is nicer and you can sit outside if you have to. I definitely recommend Tommi’s Burger Joint though. You can tell they use quality ingredients, and they have an assortment of special complimentary sauces you can add to your burgers or fries. If you are a vegetarian, I heard they have a really good veggie burger as well. I’ll being going back again soon for sure, but probably not on a Friday.

Luna’s Diner
Location: Sankt Annæ Gade 5 – Christianshavn
                 Vesterbrogade 42 – Vesterbro

Luna’s diner has two locations in Copenhagen, one in Christianshavn and a newer location in Vesterbro. It is a restaurant, and a cheeseburger with fries costs 129 dkk. The burger tastes really good, and the fries as well. You get to pick a dip for your fries and I always pick honey mustard, which tastes just like the honey mustard back home. I love it. I suggest getting water to drink with your meal. You can get a pitcher of water to share with free refills for 29 dkk, and it comes with fresh mint and lemon. It actually tastes really good.

Apart from the Burgers, Luna’s Diner also serves soups, sandwiches, wok dishes, salads, pasta dishes, breakfast dishes, wraps, and has brunch on the weekends. So I’m sure you can find something for everyone on the menu. It’s not your typical restaurant in Copenhagen, as there are many dishes on the menu inspired by American food that you might not otherwise find at a restaurant in Copenhagen. It’s also very cozy inside.

Cheeseburger plain with mayo only (my favorite way to eat a burger), honey mustard dip, and fries

Sporvejen
Location: Gråbrødretorv 17 – Downtown

Sporvejen is another one of my favorite burger places. This one is located in an old street car, so it’s really neat inside. When I have friends or family visit from Texas, I always take them to Sporvejen. Not only are the burgers really good, but it’s such a cool place. There are also tables and chairs outside. It is located downtown, a bit off the beaten path from Strøget in a really beautiful square with other restaurants nearby.

They have a lunch burger special for 65 dkk for a burger with bacon and cheese, and fries are 24 dkk extra. I have only tried the beef burgers here but they also have chicken burgers and omelettes. The burgers are always juicy, and the fries are pretty good as well. Definitely a place worth checking out.

Bacon burger with ketchup, lettuce, tomato…and fries

Bacon cheeseburger with mayo and fries

Halifax
Locations: Frederiksborggade 35 – Downtown
                  Larsbjørnstræde 9 – Downtown
                  Trianglen 1 – Østerbro
                  Vesterbrogade 72 – Vesterbro
                  Raberbanegade 3 – Amager
                  Falkoner Plads 1 – Frederiksberg
                  Skolegade 9 – Valby

As you can see, Halifax has 7 locations in and around Copenhagen, and the first location opened in 2007. This is one of my Danish friend’s favorite places to eat so I have been to Halifax many times. What’s neat about Halifax is all burgers come with a side, and a dip. You can choose from regular fries, sweet potato fries, vinegar fries, coleslaw, salad, mashed potatoes, or nachos as a side (although it looks like they might have taken the nachos off the menu). Anyways I can’t imagine eating mashed potatoes on the side of my burger but I guess some people like that. :o) There are also many unique varieties of burgers, for example I once got the Zihuatanejo with aioli, cheddar, jalapenos, guacamole, salsa, onion, and lettuce, and it was delicious, but messy, I will admit. :o)

The place has a really cozy, rustic, but modern feel to it. The company/brand signage or art work is also really well done. If you order food as take away, everything is packed really nicely, in packaging stamped with their logo and art work. It’s really a neat place, and the food is very good. The menu is limited to burgers, and sides, but sometimes it’s a good thing to not have too much on a menu. It gives you the ability to focus on these items even more. Halifax also has a lunch special during weekdays, so look out for that.

Burger with avocado, salsa, cheddar cheese, and lettuce
Standard burger without cheese

Condesa
Location: Ved Stranden 18 – Downtown

This next place is located downtown across from Christiansborg Slot, and it is only open for dinner. It’s actually a mexican restaurant/bar that serves tacos, ceviche, oysters, chicken wings, cocktails, and beer, and no burgers…

Yep, that’s right, burgers are not on the menu! I was reluctant to include this place on my list of the best burgers in Copenhagen, but I have to mention it. Last summer for one day, Condesa grilled burgers outside, and they were amazing. After we had those burgers we thought, great, now we know of another place to get a good burger, but when we checked the menu online, we noticed that burgers are not on the menu there. They do, however, have a spicy fried chicken burger on the menu only on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Condesa, if you are listening, please consider also adding a beef burger to your menu. I really loved it! The bun was homemade, and just how I like it, the meat was of high quality, really flavorful, and juicy. I hope to see more of your burgers in the future.

If the burger was that good, I’m sure the rest of their food must be amazing as well. So perhaps, those of you reading this, should just check out this restaurant anyways, and look out for a future Condessa pop-up burger summer grill party. 🙂 Hopefully it happens again.

So that is it. I will add more pictures soon, and if you have a favorite place to get burgers in Copenhagen, please let me know. :o)

Best Pizza in Central Copenhagen

Posted on by dreamingoffood

If you are ever in Central Copenhagen and looking for a cheap place to eat, these are my favorite pizza places there, in no particular order.

Pizza Huset
Location: Gothersgade 21

I first discovered this place when I was studying abroad in 2004 in Copenhagen and living near Kongens Nytorv, which is just around the corner from Gothersgade. Pizza Huset has been open since 1985, it is Italian run, and they make both sandwiches and pizza. They use fresh ingredients, and fresh buffalo mozzarella, which is a bit of a rarity in Copenhagen. The crust is thin, but crispy and bubbly, and the sauce has a nice flavor. This place can get pretty busy, but the service is always fast, and friendly.

During the summer I like to grab a pizza from Pizza Huset, and eat it in the nearby Kongens Have on the grounds of Rosenborg Castle. It is one of the best pizzas you can find in Copenhagen, and at an affordable price. Definitely check it out!

Slice of Copenhagen
Location: Sværtegade 3

Sometimes I explore Copenhagen. I walk down streets I’ve never been and find hidden gems like this place, Slice of Copenhagen. It is located in the heart of downtown, but down some random side street, that you might not know exists. This is why you probably won’t find many tourists here.

It is one of my favorite places to eat lunch when I am out shopping on Strøget. This place has been open since 1994 and is located in a basement. They only sell pizza slices, sandwiches, and drinks. A “pizza slice” in Copenhagen is not what you think it is. It’s not a triangle shaped slice of pizza. Instead a big sheet of pizza is baked, and cut into large squares, that are then folded, and wrapped in paper, so you can eat it on the go. It is delicious!

I always get the pizza slice with pepperoni, drizzled with a garlic olive oil. I recommend getting the garlic or chili oil drizzled on the pizza, since these slices don’t have a lot of tomato sauce. It also gives it an extra flavor. They have several varieties of pizza slices here and they are all on display so you can easily choose which one you want. There are tables and chairs to sit inside, and outside, but if the place is busy there can sometimes be no seats. Luckily, since the pizza is take away ready, it’s easy to eat it outside while walking or you can find a bench nearby to sit. A slice of pizza usually costs 35 dkk, and Slice of Copenhagen is closed on Sundays.

Pizza Slice with Pepperoni

Pizzeria La Fiorita
Location: Charlotte Ammundsens Plads 2

This next place is located near Nørreport and the lakes in Copenhagen. It is in the basement and they serve homemade pasta dishes, sandwiches, pizza, baked potatoes, salads, and fresh baked bread, as well as Italian coffee, dry pasta, and other Italian specialties. I have only tried the pizza, but the pasta dishes look very good, and the prices are cheap for Copenhagen. They even have a special dish of the day for a lunch price, and lunch specials on the pizzas. This is not your standard Pizza takeaway place in Copenhagen. They have restaurant dishes at take away prices, and you aren’t served in a paper box or aluminum foil dish, but if you dine in you are given a plate or bowl and knife and fork.

The pizza here tasted just like the Italian pizza I had in Milan, Italy. It’s like stepping in Italy, while in Copenhagen. The place is usually pretty busy, and seating is limited inside, but if the weather is nice there are quite a lot of tables outside as well. Also, across the street is their Gelato shop, so you can get dessert too. Who doesn’t love Gelato? 🙂

white chocolate, pistachio, and caramel gelato

Those are my top picks. Do you have a favorite pizza place in Central Copenhagen?

More pictures will be added soon!

Klejner – Danish Christmas Pastry

Posted on by dreamingoffood

In one of my first blog posts I made a list of my favorite Danish pastries. One of those listed was Klejner. It is a fried pastry found in the Scandinavian countries around Christmas time typically made with egg yolks, flour, and sugar.

Today I noticed my local grocery store in Denmark, Føtex, had two kinds of Klejner for sale, Norwegian and Danish, and they looked very different.

Danish Klejner (left) and Norwegian Klejner (right)

I get the feeling that Føtex is probably not the best place to try Klejner at. :o) I have had Klejner before at Tivoli and it was really tasty. These weren’t that great. The one on the left was the Danish Klejner. The flavor reminds me of Barnum and Bailey Animal Crackers. If you are from the U.S. you will understand that reference, but it also had a hint of orange. This particular one was pretty dry, and very crunchy, more like a big dry cookie. The one pictured on the right is the Norwegian Klejner. This was totally different. It tasted like a fried donut, without the frosting, and no orange flavoring. Just a plain fried donut, but not a fresh one. hehe

I would say if you have never tried Klejner before, try it at a non-grocery store bakery. :o)

Caesar Salad Dressing

Posted on by dreamingoffood

Yesterday was my birthday and all I really wanted as part of my birthday dinner was a really good Caesar salad. This might sound like a simple request, but here in Denmark the only way you can find an assumingly good Caesar salad is at a restaurant for $18!! I don’t even know if those ones are good, but I sometimes see “Caesar Salad” pre-made at the grocery stores here and they are weird. There is cooked pasta on the bottom, tomato, and corn, amongst the usual lettuce, parmesan cheese and pre-cooked chicken. Sorry, but that is not a Caesar salad. Corn and cooked pasta?? So I am not taking the risk on paying that much for something at a restaurant that also might be weird, and not good.

I don’t think Caesar salad is very popular here. I have found maybe 3 or 4 varieties of Caesar dressing here and they all taste horrible. As a solution, I have brought dressing from the U.S., to have here (without having tried them), but each one of those also lacks flavor or tastes boring. I can’t exactly bring one that needs to be refrigerated at all times, from the U.S. so that kind of limits my selection.

I have also tried to make my own, and I have to say a homemade Caesar dressing tastes really good. The flavor is there, but the dressings come out too thick or don’t mix together well. So, yesterday I decided to go to Magasin to buy a fancy Caesar dressing. Magasin is an upscale department store here, that also has a grocery store in the basement with gourmet food, and imported goods. Needless to say it is a lot pricier than a regular grocery store. Kind of like H-E-B Central Market back home.

There were three Caesar dressings there to choose from. One I have tried before, Cardini’s, and it’s okay, but I don’t really like it. The other two were from Belgium and the U.K. Each dressing cost $10 a bottle so I had to make a wise decision. It was a tough decision. Surely the Brits know more about Caesar dressing, right? Do the Belgians even like Caesar dressing??

I decided to just try the one from Belgium called Natura Vinaigrette Cesar.

The decision was ultimately based on the color of the dressing and the ingredients listed. Basically this dressing had real parmesan cheese and real ingredients vs. the other dressing that had parmesan powder, and garlic powder, among other things.

Ingredients listed in Danish: sunflower oil, vinegar, egg yolks, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, anchovies, salt, lemon juice, spices etc.

Also this dressing had a slight yellow tint, and the other was very white. Over all it just looked better, and it looked homemade with real natural ingredients, and no preservatives. I was so surprised when I made a salad and tasted it and it tasted amazing!! Who knew that Caesar dressing could taste good from Belgium. :o)

Since it is a vinaigrette, it mixed very well in the salad. It was really flavorful, and tasted like a restaurant quality caesar dressing I might get back home. It was so good, I think I’ll buy my mom a bottle to bring back home to Texas. :o) If you ever see this dressing you should try it. I noticed the brand had other varieties of dressings so I think I might try one of those as well. Here is the link to their website if you are interested: http://www.natura.be

Now lets hope my local Magasin doesn’t stop carrying this dressing!! :o)

 

Caesar salad with romaine lettuce, freshly grated parmesan cheese, and Natura Vinaigrette Cesar dressing