Skankynavia: Countryside Luncheon

It's been such a nice summer here in Denmark for a change. After literally 6 months of cold, dark and snowy weather it was finally time for the sun to return to the land of vikings and LEGO. It's bright from 4 in the morning until 1am = three hours of darkness. Which means everyone is outside all the time barbecuing, binge drinking and sucking in the few sparse sunbeams until it's time for another season of depression.


Our garden terrace


Danish handmade milk pitcher with roadside flowers

A month ago I went to my parents' home in the countryside for my dad's 70 year birthday lunch party. He loves the traditional Danish lunch menu + a nice amount of beer and schnapps. My mom spent two days in the kitchen preparing and so that's what he got.



The garden is boosting its greens -- the apple tree flower buds soon to become shiny, organic apples. (At least I think they're organic? Not sure if my dad sprinkles them with bug spray but I seriously doubt it. He's too busy with other stuff).


The fjord beach

The chickens are delivering a nice heap of eggs for the birthday lunch. Can you believe a hen makes an egg every day? Busy ovaries!



Scrolling through old 1970's Danish cookbooks in my mom's kitchen. I love this book design -- it even displays a very adventurous recipe of Camembert with kiwi fruit!



My mom loves to decorate tables. This time I think it is a mixture of all kinds of vintage plates and glass, but in the same colour tones.



She chose to keep the decor rather light for this event (no big flower arrangements etc.), as all the different cold and warm lunch dishes require a lot of table space when passed around.

For dessert and coffee, extra plates, cups and saucers are stacked on an extra table in the kitchen. All Danish and Swedish porcelain and clayware.



She also recently re-tiled the back of the stove area in order to add more fun to the mix.


Not really my style, but I can see what she was trying to go for; a Greek/Mexican disco floor.

When an old style Danish lunch is served, small plates are carried out of the kitchen in a traditional order. Ice cold schnapps is served in small glasses and you only drink it when everyone is ready to say cheers. The men will usually drink the entire glass, while the women "bite it off" in half since it's really strong and after a few of these plus a beer you find yourself in a very good party mood.

I didn't manage to catch a photo of each and every dish, but here is a selection of what I did manage to pass by in the kitchen before being served and quickly eaten.

First off is pickled herring with capers, raw onion and home grown garden cress.



Along with the normal pickled herring, a fried herring is served as well in an old earthenware bowl, especially for serving herring:



And last, curried herring salad:



Warm leverpostej (pork paté) with bacon:



More bacon! Danes love them some pork:



Freshly made warm pork meatballs with pickled beetroot:



Patty with chicken & aspargus. Hot and steamy!



And to finish off the main meals: caviar rand (mousse) with paprika creme fraiche and lemon:



After these main course dishes, cheese & crackers are served. And later after a walk on the beach the guests are offered coffee and home-baked cakes and pies.



Cheers, everyone!