Hej! First of all, I would just like to say that I think I'm really beginning to get the hang of Copenhagen. I think the highlight of my week is that a couple of tourists asked me for directions, and I was actually able to help them! This is officially my city! This week was a pretty busy week for me, so I'm going to focus on the food. Before I got here, I really had no idea what to expect food wise. A part of me was afraid that Danes at nothing but raw fish all day, or something weird like that. I am happy to say that Danish cuisine is absolutely delicious, and generally very healthy. I feel like I eat so many more vegetables with my host family, which is a good thing, if unexpected. This week included several wonderful food discoveries. On Monday I went on a "Coffee Crawl" with a few new friends from Hillsong Church. We were basically introduced to a couple of really nice little coffee shops around Copenhagen. I'm not much of a coffee person, but but these places were really awesome, and one served really good coffee ice cream. Apparently it is only more recently that cafes and coffee shops became a big thing in Copenhagen, but now they are everywhere in the city. So, whether you're looking for a caffeine break or just a cool place to hang out with some friends, there are plenty of places around the city just for you. Another very important food discovery: Denmark really knows how to do pastries. Bread and baked goods are literally my reason for life, and Denmark does them so right. You cannot come here without eating a kanelsnegl, which is a cinnamon roll (or more accurately, a cinnamon snail). They taste delicious when you get them from the bakery, and they taste especially delicious when you have them home made by your host mom. My host mom, Franca, is a great cook, and I love when she makes fresh bread and other treats. Between me and my host siblings, they definitely didn't last long. Another surprisingly good place to get a kanelsnegl is at 7-Eleven. 7-Elevens in Denmark are nothing like the ones back home. Besides just looking cleaner, they seem to have a lot more items and a serious bakery section. It's a great idea if you need to make a really quick breakfast run before class. This week I also went to a couple of BBQs, both hosted by churches in Copenhagen. They were great primarily because of the company and getting to meet other students from different universities in Copenhagen (I've met people from Poland, Australia, Sweden, Macedonia, the Netherlands, and so many other places!), but they were also awesome because of amazing food. On Friday I got to eat a hot dog the Danish way, which includes ketchup, mustard, remoulade, fried onions, and pickles (though I opted out of the pickles - blegh!). I'm not sure what about it made it the best hot dog I've ever eaten, but I am completely sure that it was actually the best hot dog I've ever eaten. It must've been the remoulade, because my vegetarian friend just ate a bun with that and fried onions, and she also enjoyed it immensely. I wonder if they sell it at all in America... Not only have I been eating delicious food made by other people, but this week began my family's new weekly tradition of having me cook dinner on Thursdays. Every now and then we get a pre-planned week of recipes, so I didn't actually have to plan the meal myself. I just had to follow the recipe given to me. This is what the instructions looked like: I wasn't completely thrown to the wolves here. Franca helped me translate the ingredients beforehand and helped me to read some of the other instructions. The meal itself (chicken, potatoes, and vegetables) wasn't actually that difficult, and it ended up tasting really good. I have now added a new recipe to my repetoire, and I also now know the Danish words for onion, carrots, and oven-bake. Today was a pretty good end to a long but fun (and delicious) week. I began the morning with a Swedish apple cake/pastry, which was really good. Later we went to the circus, where the snack of choice was popcorn and fruit snacks. One of the kids' friends from school was also with us and made some more kanelsnegle for us while we were there. I will never get tired of cinnamon snails! We walked back home from the circus, which was good, because it helped to burn off some of those snails that have been accumulating in my stomach. For lunch I finally tried herring, a very Danish thing. My host parents always seem a little surprised that I'm so quick to say yes whenever they offer me something to try. I'm of the opinion that I should be willing to try almost anything at least once. Some things I won't like, like this really nasty ammonia licorice hard candy (Why do Danish people like this?). Other things, like the herring, I will like (although that's something I'd still eat more in moderation). You never know if something is good until you try, and I am happy to say that a lot of Danish foods I really do like. The day ended with a birthday party for my host dad's nephew. It was a small affair, just the family (and me), but it was really nice. Danish flags decorated the place, which is very important to do for a person's birthday here in Denmark. We ate a great dinner, involving a potato dish with bacon and a broccoli salad with bacon. Someone must've told them about my love of bacon before hand, because it felt like that meal was prepared just for me. Afterward we had cake, a delicious tart of chocolatey goodness with some berries on top, so that it looked healthier than it was. Overall it was a great time, and I got to meet a little more of the family. If there's any conclusion to this post, it's that meals are a wonderful thing to take advantage of. They are a great way to meet new people. They're a great way to get to know old friends even better, and just spend time with people. They're also a great way to push yourself to try new things. Danish food isn't as weird as I thought it would be. Some things are different, and many are the same, but I have discovered a lot of new things that I really, really like. If anyone reading this is coming to Copenhagen any time soon, explore the city and try everything you can! Until next time,
Vi ses!
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AuthorOn ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. Part of my heart I'm leaving behind in the United States. Join me as I take the rest on an amazing adventure to Copenhagen, Denmark! ArchivesCategories
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