Rupal and Flemming hosted us at their beautiful home in Denmark and treated us to a traditional Danish Christmas. We spent a night in Copenhagen and then spent the remainder of our trip in Kolding for all of the family Christmas festivities.
Christmas Eve is the big day in Denmark. That is when the candles on the tree are lit, Christmas songs are sung, the traditional Christmas dinner (Duck, caramelized potatoes, cabbage and rice pudding with almonds and cherry sauce) is cooked and eaten, and presents are exchanged. The following day is Christmas lunch, which is a multi-hour affair with bread, a variety of fish courses, remoulade, rye bread, pate, cheeses, and lots of beer and snaps. (Snaps are small shots that are taken throughout the meal following the toast of "skal!") Christina and Jonathan joined us on Christmas eve, and then we met Flemming's lovely extended family on his mom's side when they joined us for Christmas lunch. We didn't take too many pictures during the trip, but here are a few:
Exploring Copenhagen
The Christmas tree on City Hall Square:
Reindeer!
Walking through Tivoli Gardens (famous amusement park and garden):
Time for some shopping ... the prices of most things in Denmark tend to be on the jaw-dropping side for our American sensibilities, so it was only window shopping for us.
Picking up Christmas provisions at the fancy Copenhagen market. If grocery shopping were televised on ESPN, Pranav and I would definitely watch.
These look like oils/vinegars, but I think they were liquors/liqueurs (which is why Pranav was particularly intrigued).
Fromage:
Outside the market:
So Euro.
Back in Kolding
Jonathan preparing to decorate the tree. Before ...
... and after. Note the real candles that will be lit on Christmas eve.
Beautiful view of the fjord from the dining room:
Out and about exploring Kolding:
Quick visit to Santa's house:
The table ready for Chef Flemming's masterful Christmas Eve feast. There was one exploding potato incident, but that only made the remaining potatoes that much more delicious.
Jonathan & Christina. So much love.
Cheesy crostini appetizer:
Flemming was kind enough to insert some delish fish into the meal for me:
Time to light the candles ...
... and sing some carols.
After we opened presents, Jonathan immediately began trying out his new DJing device.
Looking legit.
Thanks for a wonderful Christmas, Mortensen family!
Christmas Eve is the big day in Denmark. That is when the candles on the tree are lit, Christmas songs are sung, the traditional Christmas dinner (Duck, caramelized potatoes, cabbage and rice pudding with almonds and cherry sauce) is cooked and eaten, and presents are exchanged. The following day is Christmas lunch, which is a multi-hour affair with bread, a variety of fish courses, remoulade, rye bread, pate, cheeses, and lots of beer and snaps. (Snaps are small shots that are taken throughout the meal following the toast of "skal!") Christina and Jonathan joined us on Christmas eve, and then we met Flemming's lovely extended family on his mom's side when they joined us for Christmas lunch. We didn't take too many pictures during the trip, but here are a few:
Exploring Copenhagen
The Christmas tree on City Hall Square:
Reindeer!
Walking through Tivoli Gardens (famous amusement park and garden):
Time for some shopping ... the prices of most things in Denmark tend to be on the jaw-dropping side for our American sensibilities, so it was only window shopping for us.
Picking up Christmas provisions at the fancy Copenhagen market. If grocery shopping were televised on ESPN, Pranav and I would definitely watch.
These look like oils/vinegars, but I think they were liquors/liqueurs (which is why Pranav was particularly intrigued).
Fromage:
Outside the market:
So Euro.
Back in Kolding
Jonathan preparing to decorate the tree. Before ...
... and after. Note the real candles that will be lit on Christmas eve.
Rupal making Ebelskivers (stuffed spherical pancakes):
Beautiful view of the fjord from the dining room:
Out and about exploring Kolding:
Quick visit to Santa's house:
The table ready for Chef Flemming's masterful Christmas Eve feast. There was one exploding potato incident, but that only made the remaining potatoes that much more delicious.
Jonathan & Christina. So much love.
Cheesy crostini appetizer:
Flemming was kind enough to insert some delish fish into the meal for me:
Time to light the candles ...
... and sing some carols.
After we opened presents, Jonathan immediately began trying out his new DJing device.
Looking legit.
Thanks for a wonderful Christmas, Mortensen family!
