Copenhagen is the jewel of Scandinavia’s culinary scene and in recent years gained the international spotlight thanks to Noma, which has four times been crowned the World’s Best Restaurant. Aside from Michelin starred restaurants and pastries (known here as weinerbrod or “Vienna bread” instead of danish), I sadly knew little of Denmark’s cuisine. In my opinion one of the best ways to learn about a culture is in the kitchen so on my recent trip to Copenhagen I took a class with Mia Kristensen of CPH Good Food to find out what Nordic cuisine is all about.
A quick train ride to the outskirts of Copenhagen delivered me to Mia’s home where she warmly welcomes guests into her kitchen. Her bright flat was efficient and cozy, equal parts Danish minimalism and warmth; which was currently stocked with overflowing bowls of late spring produce. Mia, who is currently pursuing her Master’s in Food Science, has authored several cookbooks and showcases local farmers and food purveyors highlighting the best of what makes Nordic cuisine unique.
After a quick introduction to our fellow classmate Javier, a yoga instructor from Mexico City, we were quickly put to work. Bread has been an integral part of the Danish table for centuries and provides the base of everything from smorrebrod (traditional Danish open faced sandwiches) to desserts. On board for this afternoon was parsnip bread, often served for breakfast or as an accompaniment for dinner; as well as rugbrod, a traditional Danish whole-grain sourdough rye bread that is dense and wonderfully malty. As we busied our hands peeling parsnips and kneading dough Mia instructed us not in times or amounts but rather by feel and intuition. Flour was added until the dough was no longer sticky and kneaded until it had the “texture of chewing gum”. We set our breads aside to rise and got to work on traditional Danish crispbreads. Again mixing and kneading by feel, we added sesame, flax and dill seeds to give our free-form crackers a little extra texture and flavor. After fifteen minutes in the oven I couldn’t resist sampling the results of my labor; these crispbreads were crunchy and nutty with an herbal pop from the dill, and they were just perfect topped with smoked cream cheese from a local creamery.
With the breads baking it was time to get to work on the main course. After a visit to her favorite butcher earlier in the day, Mia procured some pork cheeks vacuum sealed with mustard seed, thyme, garlic and juniper. Pork cheeks, typically very lean with a lot of connective tissue, do best with a longer braise.Smoked flavors, long ago necessary as a preservation method, remain a hallmark of Danish cuisine. Hay-smoked oil and bacon provided a smoky base for our pork cheeks while a local beer brewed from hay offered up some brighter notes to the dish.
As our main course continued it’s slow braise it was time to make our butter — by hand. If you have never whisked your own butter by hand let me assure you, it’s a workout but completely worth it. Creme fraiche, a 15 minute biceps workout and salt combine to produce some of the best butter I’ve ever tasted.
The bounty of late spring produce would be highlighted in a fresh grain salad. “Grandma Dressing”, a cream based vinaigrette studded with horseradish provided a surprising light foil for pearled barley, cabbage, ramps and freshly shelled peas. Nasturtium and other flowers, often foraged, are frequently featured in Nordic dishes.
After several hours of baking, cooking, talking and laughing it was finally time to reap the rewards of our afternoon’s work. Our table was graced with wonderfully complex breads full of character, richly flavorful pork that was fork tender, and a healthy flavorful salad each of which paired nicely with a selection of some of Copenhagen’s best craft beer.
Not only was my afternoon with Mia a wonderful introduction to Nordic food and flavors but also introduced me to the Danish concept of hygge; which loosely means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. It’s an atmosphere that Mia fosters perfectly and what makes a day with CPH Good Food a highlight of any trip to Copenhagen.
I was graciously hosted by CPH Good Food but as always all opinions remain my own. Please contact Mia at CPH Good Food for information on class schedules and offerings.
Michael Huxley says
Totally agree with you that the best way to learn about cuisine is in the kitchen! Would love to do more cooking classes like this, I haven’t done one in years (last one was in India and I still use the curry recipe now!) I think gaining a skill like this that you can use at home is one of the best souvenirs you can get from any trip!
Brianna says
I agree! I’ll be throwing a Nordic dinner party for my friends in the fall thanks to this class 🙂
Roma says
oo! This looks really fun! I really enjoy cooking classes abroad, might have to pencil this in for my next CPN trip 🙂
Brianna says
This class with Mia was definitely one of the highlights of my trip, I definitely recommend it
Alejandra Gil says
Wow that salad looks delicious! everything looks so fresh. I’ve never done a cooking class when traveling but now that im traveling to Peru I would def take a cooking class.
Brianna says
Peru would be a fantastic place to take a cooking class, especially as a vegetarian.
Elaine J. Masters says
I could use some of that guidance. I always manage to kill my yeast! Lovely pictures.
Brianna says
Only fresh live yeast is available in Denmark, I’m sure that’s one of the secrets of their amazing bread!
Els says
Great opportunity to sample the real Danish cuisine! I might head over to Copenhagen in a few weeks, tasting buds are looking forward to it!
Brianna says
I highly recommend a class with Mia, but there are plenty of great places to eat in CPH.
Alouise says
I love doing a cooking class when I travel. Honestly, I would have been pretty clueless to what Nordic cuisine entails, but it looks and sounds pretty delicious.
Brianna says
What really surprised me was how light and floral Danish food was.
Suzanne Fluhr says
I have yet to try a cooking class during my travels. I’m afraid I’ve done my food tourism from the eating end.
Brianna says
There’s nothing wrong with that Suzanne!
alexa says
Now, I’m starving! Great photos!
Brianna says
Thanks, it was a great class!
Betsy Wuebker | PassingThru says
Everything looks so fresh and springy-summery! I love Scandinavian food and would enjoy every bit of this dinner. I didn’t realize how easy it is to make your own butter. Fun!
Brianna says
I was amazed how how easy ( in theory ) making butter was, its definitely a good arm workout.
Jennifer says
Looks like a deliciously good time! Thanks for sharing – I love taking cooking classes and this looks like a really good one.
Brianna says
Mia definitely gave one of the best classes I’ve been to. I highly recommend joining her next time you’re in Copenhagen.
Fiona says
Looks delicious and fresh. Scandi cuisine is very popular here in London and as you point out Copenhagen is a culinary centre of excellence. I’m quite jealous as I’ve never been to Denmark!
Brianna says
Mia also does classes in London!
Brianna says
It’s a quick flight for you, I highly recommend it!
Eric Stoen says
You’ve totally inspired me. I have Norwegian heritage, and I love doing cooking classes when traveling (especially with my kids), yet I’ve never combined the two of them. I was even in Oslo for a couple of days last month with my son and forgot to look for cooking classes. Next time I will!
Wandering Carol says
I had no idea that Copenhagen was any kind of food capital. You learn something new all the time. I’d love to go to Norma – and a cooking class sounds like fun, too.
Brianna says
Noma is ranked as one of the best restaurants in the world for a reason, definitely a bucket list experience.
Gemma Two Scots Abroad says
Copenhagen was never on our radar until we spent time with two Danes in Cuba and now I think we will put it into the Europe leg of our career break next Summer. This cooking class looks tasty.
Brianna says
I loved Copenhagen though it can be a little pricey.
Francesca @onegrloneworld says
I’ve never done a food tour or cooking class before, but posts like this make me really want to give it a try! I can’t believe you got to make your own butter! I wish I could taste your final result!
Brianna says
Food tours and cooking classes are some of my favorite travel experiences, you should definitely give them a go!
Ana says
Uuuuum food is one of the main reasons I travel! I did a cooking class in Chiang Mai, Thailand and also loved it! You learn a lot about the culture through cooking and at the end you can taste your own creations. I will make sure to check CPH Good Food when I finally visit Copenhagen!
Brianna says
You won’t be dissapointed, Mia puts on a fabulous class 🙂
Natasha Hecher says
Wow, I have always wanted to take a cooking class. This looks educational and cosy 🙂
Brianna says
I highly recommend joining Mia.
Melody Pittman says
Nice! I love cooking classes and this one looks spectacular. 😉
Vanessa says
I am super excited about parsnip bread – in part because we once over-planted parsnip in our own garden , leaving us with a massive abundance of it. Someone once told me that parsnip was used to make fudge in England during World War II when rationing was in effect – it really is a versatile veggie!
Vicky and Buddy says
Everything looks so good! I’ve been interested in Danish food for awhile now, since hearing of Noma. I can’t wait to go and experience it for myself one day!
Andrew says
This is a great idea. We’ve arrived in Peru and are thinking that the best way to really dive into the food culture will be a cooking class. This looks like a really enjoyable one!
Brianna says
Peruvian food is delicious, I definitely think you should try it!
Carol Colborn says
I’ve never done this…almost did in Italy but opted for a tour instead. I should really try this on my next trip. Looks like so much fun, you learn about the culture and gain a skill, too!
Koen says
Thank you for sharing. Reading the article, and watching your nice pictures made me both hungry and ready to try some of the recipes 🙂
Koen
Brianna says
I’m hungry again just thinking about the class!
vagrants of the world says
Do you do take out? Amazing, love cooking classes but better still the eating. Very nice pics. This outing will be on our list when we hit Copenhagen
Brianna says
She does do a pop up ice cream stand on the weekends 🙂
Catherine Houlahan says
Yummm, the food looks sooo good 🙂 I love your photography. I always find it difficult taking photos of my food 🙂 Any advice?
Brianna says
Good lighting is key which can be hard in a lot of restaurants.
Pola (Jetting Around) says
I really enjoy taking cooking classes – when I travel and at home in Chicago (I recently did a French bistro class here). With the right chef leading the class, you can truly learn. It seems like your experience was just like that, and I’d like to try making bread one of these days. Excellent photos, it’s like I was there with you.
Brianna says
Mia gave one of the best cooking classes I’ve had. I love making bread by hand, it always amazes me how a few simple ingredients can turn into something so delicious.
Cindy Anning says
What an amazing experience!!
Brianna says
It was fantastic!
Tami says
All the food looks great! Bet it was so satisfying to learn how to make it!
Lara Dunning says
What a great way to learning about a country-dive right into learning and making its food.
Brianna says
I’ve made these dishes at home too!
Anne says
Looks absolutely delicious! I’ve been reading a lot about Nordic food recently, never realising how tasty an adventure there could be. One day – thanks for the inspiration.
Brianna says
The class with Mia was one of the best cooking classes I’ve ever taken.