How to Eat Lunch Like a Dane

I have a love love relationship with food. I love it, period. Even when I eat too much, I hold no grudges. The ability to eat a lot comes in particularly handy in Danmark, whether it’s at a Julefrokost or just your typical Danish lunch. Because Danes like to eat, and they take it very seriously, as you can see by this poster of different Danish sandwich combinations.

This summer I visited my family in Danmark and checked off a good number of Harald’s suggestions. My Danish sandwich eating habits have drawn strange looks and complaints of fishy smells from my American friends and co-workers, but finally I was in the motherland where I could eat pickled herring with wild abandon and nobody complained about the wafting scent of mackerel.

In case you’d like more insight into eating Danish sandwiches, you can follow my personal guide for a typical Saturday lunch.

First, fish.

• one or two pickled herring sandwiches on ryebread with white onion garnish
• a mackerel in tomato sauce sandwich
• if you’re lucky to have it, a breaded fish filet sandwich with remoulade
• or a fried bit of torsk with lemon

Then, more stuff, sans fish.

• liverpaste, perhaps with some bacon or crispy onions on top
• various salami on ryebread combinations
• my favorite: roast beef on rye bread with both remoulade and crispy onions
• assorted pålæg like cold mixed salad toppings, and other kinds of pressed meats
• cucumber slices, tomatoes, and hard boiled egg

And don’t forget you can add a round of cheese on white bread and crackers at the end! By now you should be full, and starting to plan your next meal. Tak for mad!