Typical Danish: Hot dogs

Feb 28 Written by

Honestly, I can’t believe I’ve been writing this blog for over a year now without a post on hot dogs!

Hot dogs are the Danish fast food, it’s as easy as that. The “pølsevogn” (hot dog stand/ cart) is omnipresent in the city - in the shopping streets, on squares, at train stations, at the airport. My theory is that, wherever you are in Copenhagen, you’re never more than 3 minutes away from the next hot dog stand! After a night out, a hot dog and a Cocio (Danish chocolate milk brand) on the way home are an absolute must for many young Danes.

So, I’ve put together a handy overview over the different possibilities for eating a hot dog in Copenhagen. Enjoy!

 

The classic

Your standard, classic “pølsevogn” is either by Steff Houlberg or by Tulip (they are actually the same brand, operating about 4,300 stands across Denmark). At the airport, they’re called Steff’s Place. Their product range is always the same:

  • Fransk hotdog (“French hot dog”): A grilled sausage in a little “pocket” of bread, with your choice of dressing - my favorite is Danish remoulade and ketchup
  • Ristet hotdog med det hele: My go-to order, pictured above, a grilled sausage in a classic hot dog bun, served with mustard, ketchup and remoulade, and topped with raw onions, roasted onions, and pickles
  • Rød pølse med brød: This is the classic Danish “red sausage”, which is boiled instead of grilled. Served with your choice of dressing and a piece of white bread on the side

In each of these, the variety of sausage can be switched out (i.e. you can get your hot dog with red sausage, or a grilled sausage with bread). For the frisky ones, there’s often also “pølse i svøb”, sausage wrapped in bacon. Yum!

 

The last resort

Sometimes, you don’t have cash on you (which you need for the classic hot dog stand), or it’s 3am and you’re really craving a hot dog - and there’s no pølsevogn in sight. Then, you’ll head to the nearest 7Eleven, where they’ll not only sell you pizza slices and Cocio, but also all the classic types of hot dogs. Let’s just put it like this: 7Eleven hot dogs aren’t your first choice, but they will do the trick when all your other options are unavailable!

 

The organic

 

Whether you’re sporting a massive hipster beard and thick-framed glasses, or you just like your food to be a bit more sustainable, you may want to try out Den Økologiske Pølsemand (DØP). The cart is located at the foot of the Round Tower (Rundetårn). Their offer includes the classics (sausage and bread, French hot dog), but you’ll also get some more exotic stuff, like mashed root vegetables and vegetarian sausages. Instead of the standard white bread, their hot dogs are served in a sourdough bun, which adds a nice texture to the mix.

 

The gourmet

Photo via polsekompagniet.dk

Doesn’t this look tasty? I think so! Pølsekompagniet‘s gourmet hot dogs are a new twist on a Danish classic, for example an onion sausage with Caribbean sauce or a “Red Devil” sausage with bell peppers and spicy mayo (pictured). You can find them at Torvehallerne, at Copenhagen Street Food, and in Østerbro, and in the summer, they are also present at festivals like Roskilde.

 

The super fancy

If gourmet hot dogs are your thing, but they are just not quite fancy enough, then I suggest you head to Foderbrættet on Vesterbrogade, where you’ll be served delicious homemade sausages and buns with amazing toppings in exotic combinations, alongside a glass (or bottle, if you’re so inclined) of champagne or an expertly mixed cocktail.

Where do you get your hot dog fix?

Richard Mosse “The Enclave” at Louisiana museum

Feb 24 Written by

Two weeks ago, my mom came to visit, just for 2 days, in the middle of the week. So naturally, I jumped at the opportunity, took a day off, and took mom up to Humlebæk for a trip to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. I’ve written about Louisiana before, and it’s one of my favorite places for a little day trip out of the city. It’s just about 45min out of the city, either by regional train, or by car. I strongly suggest to take the route up Strandvejen - mom and I did that on the way back and were completely fascinated by all the amazing villas and mansions. We also discovered that, if you want to be part of the gang on Strandvejen, your house had better have some sort of tower!

Next to its permanent collection, Louisiana currently hosts an absolutely amazing photography exhibit by Irish conceptual documentary artist Richard Mosse. The exhibit is called “The Enclave” and is unlike any photo exhibition I’ve ever seen so far. The photographer wanted to document the civil war in the Congo, and his entire exhibit centers around the question

How do you communicate a war that has no center, a war where violence has become a permanent state stoked by fear and rumor, tribal conflict, superstition and corruption, a war that cannot be reduced to a clear-cut story?”

There are no images of bombed cities, as the people live in small, rural villages that, once destroyed, don’t leave much behind for the world to see. And in a world where war is on the daily news, we’ve become so accustomed to the images of violence that we’re nearly numb to them.

 

Richard Mosse’s approach is completely new, even though it uses old, even outdated material: a special military film called Kodak Aerochrome that reflects on the infrared particles in plants - originally used to detect soldiers in camouflage, as their clothing would not reflect in the same way. This film makes trees, plants and grass in a come out in bright pink tones, which creates stunning landscapes. You can read an interview with Mosse about the use of the film here.

But walking through the exhibit, you inadvertently get a very uneasy feeling at the stark contrast between the beautiful landscapes and the horrors that are only partially shown or entirely omitted, looming in the back of your head. Louisiana calls the exhibit “horrifying, highly moving, and disturbingly beautiful”, and I would agree.

 

It is a fascinating, thought-provoking installation, and I strongly recommend you to go visit. The exhibit, which consists of both photography and a very intense video installation, will be shown until May 25th. Entrance to Louisiana is DKK 110.

 

If you’d like to donate towards the relief of war victims in the Democratic Republic of Congo, take a look at these campaigns and organizations:

  • Women for Women runs an educational program for women in the DR Congo, with the goal to enable them to lead better lives
  • Raise Hope for Congo aims to build a network of activists that will advocate for the human rights of all Congolese citizens and work towards ending the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo - you can donate or engage on social media and in other campaigns to promote awareness
  • Save the Children has a special program that focuses on child survival, protection, and education in the DR Congo

Copenhagen favorites: 1656 cocktail bar

Feb 21 Written by

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed quite a few pictures of cocktails. I’m the first to admit, I love a good drink (or two), and I’m always looking for new cocktail bars to try out. Copenhagen has a solid cocktail scene, with bars like Ruby or 1105, and I can say that I tried most of the “big names” (there’s a “Top 10 cocktail bars in Copenhagen” post coming up soon, so watch this space).

One of the newer cocktail bars is 1656, located on Gasværksvej in the trendy Kødbyen district. It has a speakeasy feeling - just a blackened-out window front with a simple black door, and the four-digit name in small white letters on the side. With its living room-like cozy style and its amazingly well-mixed cocktails, it has quickly become one of my favorite bars in Copenhagen.

 

The bar itself is relatively small, dark, and extremely “hyggelig”: vintage, one-of-a-kind furniture, heavy curtains, velvet sofas, brass tables, candle light. And of course these awesome lamps with metal feathers!

 

Their drinks menu is seasonal and has classic cocktails, like the Bellini, but also some very innovative own creations. They also have champagne by the glass or bottle, for when you’ve got a special occasion to celebrate!

 

Two of my favorite cocktails here - although I haven’t tried them all, by far! - are the Kentucky Milk, a deliciously decadent concoction with almond milk and cinnamon, and the Past Eight, with pear, white chocolate, and a hint of mint. Both of these are better described as dessert in a glass, to be honest!

 

The staff at 1656 are extremely sweet and very knowledgeable about the drinks. They’ll sit down with you and help you navigate the menu to find your drink - a very hard decision since everything looks and sounds absolutely fantastic! Their cocktails are all DKK 110, which is in line with the general price levels in Copenhagen, and absolutely fair considering the quality of the drinks. They are open Tuesday through Saturday from 7pm, though Fridays from 4pm - perfect for a happy hour drink! I also love this place for a little nightcap after dinner in one of the Meatpacking District’s many great restaurants.

Have you been to 1656? And what are your favorite cocktail spots in Copenhagen? Happy weekend!