We talked to well-known food critic Ole Troelsø about what Danes eat, Nordic Cuisine and food festivals…
What do you associate with the Danish food culture? Danish food culture to me is rooted in bread, meat, potatoes and herring in the order mentioned. In the old days we lived almost only on potatoes and bread. Since the 1800’s the Danish open sandwich has played an important role as well. In the 1960’s the use of meat exploded and until the 1970/80’s the open sandwich was regular lunch for most Danes. After a few decades where pizzas, burgers and shawarma to some extend have cornered the Danish hot dog stands (pølsevogne)
and the traditional open sandwiches, the latter has had a renaissance in the restaurant scene. Today Danish food culture is more varied than mentioned above, and the new Nordic Cuisine is now an integrated part at the top of the food chain so to speak. When it comes to the restaurant culture there is no doubt that the new Nordic Kitchen has played an essential role.
What do you recommend trying at the Copenhagen and Aarhus Food Festival this year? At Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival I recommend that you try CPH Food District which is a new three day food festival in the meat packing district from 19-21 August. Here you can try Danish products, experience chef competitions, watch open air food documentaries in English, visit the special cocktail area and much more! So this is a nice opportunity to try out a lot of fun and different food experiences all in one place. You can read more about CPH Food District here http://www.copenhagencooking.dk/cphfood-district/
At the Food Festival in Aarhus I recommend trying the Danish Championship in Hotdogs Sunday September 4th, where some of the best Danish chefs offer their unique view on a gourmet hotdog. You can see the chefs in action and buy yourself a taste of these alternative hotdogs. This is a nice way to experience a Danish classic in new clothes. The money is for charity and goes to BĂ˜RNEfonden. Last year more than 200,000 DKK were donated.
Which trends do you see as upcoming on the Scandinavian food scene? An increasing interest in exotique cuisines such as Latin America and Asia, and also vegetarian based food.
People often wonder about the difference between the Nordic Kitchen with an international, acknowledged reputation, and then what regular Danes eat every day – do you see a difference as well? Definitely! It is two different worlds, and when you move outside the big cities, the Nordic Cuisine is only vaguely represented. But it is spreading. 10 years ago you would only see it in Copenhagen, but now it is in all the large cities and served in ambitious restaurants all over the country.
Read more about Aarhus Food Festival http://www.foodfestival.dk/
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What do you think of the development of the Danish food culture - both in restaurants but also in Danish homes? I have actually written a whole book on this subject, Denmark’s Gastronomic Revolution! To put it shortly, I think it is fantastic that 30 years ago we were a gastronomic desert, and today we are known all over the world as a top culinary destination!