What places in Denmark do you particularly like?
“Many people don’t know this, but in the Magasin department store at Kongens Nytorv, there’s a little room where Hans Christian Andersen once lived. You need to go up to the third floor and through a door by the coffee machine department. It’s not very well signposted, so sometimes you may need to ask an employee for help. The room is set up just as it was when Hans Christian Andersen lived there and wrote several of his fairy tales, so if you’re in the area, I recommend stopping by.
Right nearby is Christiansborg, where you can go up the tower for free and take in the most incredible view over Copenhagen. Afterward, you can sit with a book in the Royal Library Garden, which is also called “the secret garden.” It’s really wonderful there.
My favourite town in Denmark is Ribe, which is Denmark’s oldest town. I love old, crooked houses, and Ribe is full of them. You’ll also find them in, for example, Ærøskøbing on Ærø and in Faaborg on South Funen, which are both lovely towns as well.”
What is the best Danish dish you know?
“I love smørrebrød, especially ‘kartoffelmadder’ – rye bread with potatoes.
You can get many good versions in different places, but here’s my recipe for the best ‘kartoffelmad’:
- Toast the rye bread
- Spread a good layer of butter on the bread
- Slice cooked potatoes (preferably new potatoes, if possible) and place them on top
- Finish with mayonnaise, chives, salt, and pepper to taste. You can also add a piece of bacon
There you go! The best smørrebrød in the world.”