Taste of Denmark - A Southern Sonoma Country Pentecostal Feast

Summer's gradual arrival here in California is a slow and steady affair and one we take for granted. But for Danish American communities, the idea of summer season remains a warm and welcoming concept worthy of the merriest of celebratory gatherings.

 

I was thrilled to attend my first Danish Pentecost Luncheon in Southern Sonoma County, this late May. Though Pentecost falls on June 8th, in 2014, its early celebration was brought forward on the social calendar to accommodate impending summer travels amongst guests.

 

Denmark is an island nation, tied to the sea. Many of the culture's traditional dishes are fish based.

 

Danish cuisine is chic on the East Coast these days, though we haven't seen many restaurateurs embrace their Danish backgrounds in the Bay Area as yet. This cultural aesthetic of oceanic hues and flavors, simple lines in decor and furnishing, too, is perfect for California, I expect we'll see more Danish influence in the future.

 

According to the official web site of Denmark: "Pentecost is a Church festival celebrated to mark the advent of the Holy Spirit and the founding of the Church. The Christian Pentecost is also associated with the awakening of nature at Whitsun. It falls 50 days after Easter, i.e. at the earliest on 11 May and at the latest on 14 June.

Although it is actually on Easter Morning that the sun dances with joy at Christ’s resurrection, it is Whitsunday morning which – probably because of the Danish climate – has come to prevail as the morning when the Danes go to see the sun dance.

Since the mid 19th century, it has been a widespread custom either not to go to bed after the festivities on Whit Saturday and night or to get up early to drink morning coffee and perhaps a glass of aquavit and bitters (‘Gammel Dansk’) near the places where the sun can be seen."

Whitsun is also popular for picnics in the woods and other such forays into nature, especially for urban workers. In the country, buildings were traditionally white-washed before Whitsun and in some places Whitsun ‘summer-comes-to-town’ festivals still take place.

For the last couple of decades, there has been a Whitsun Carnival in Copenhagen, where costumed processions dance through the city to gather in one of the city parks. 

With 406 islands around the mainland, Denmark's highest point is only 170 meters above sea level. Danish/Californian Lotte Gonzalez (Nielsen) hosts a stunning and delicious annual Pentecost feast for a lively gathering of fellow Danes in the Northern San Francisco Bay Area as well as a few most-fortunate of her multi-cultural friends. 

Lotte's family on her paternal side have hosted a traditional Pentecost Luncheon, in Denmark for at least the past hundred years of recorded family history. This year, her father and sister Ulla will host at the family's coastal summer house. 

The word 'Denmark' dates back to the Viking age. A monarchy (currently The Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II) dating back more than 1,000 years rules this smallest of the Scandinavian countries, a sailing and fishing nation and its five and a half million people. 

Danes rank amongst the happiest people in the world. Not suprisingly, Lotte and her Danish friends show the rest of the party how to raise a rousing old Norse toast. Skål!

 

Aquavit, a highly potent, flavored, distilled liquor is served chilled in shot glasses. Distilled from a fermented mash of grain or potato, it's redistilled with flavouring agents and filtered with charcoal. Aromatic flavourings such as aniseed, fennel, cardamom, caraway, cumin, orange or lemon peel add to the dynamic of the snaps. 

 

 

 

 

As with most Danish festive meals, Lotte's Pentecost feast began with two types of tasty, traditional Marinerede Sild og Karry Sild - (Pickled Herring and Curry Herring not pictured) served with home made Rugbroed (Danish Rye Bread - leavened for two days), cucumbers, tomatoes and hard boiled eggs. 

 

Fresh, light and lemony, Rejesalat med Asparges (Shrimp and White Asparagus) was followed in swift succession by a splendid Fiskefilet (Fish Fillet and Remoulade). 

 

 

Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) and Rødkål (Red Cabbage) represents one of Denmark's most popular national dishes and I could certainly taste why. There's nothing stodgy about Danish cuisine. Beautifully balanced, especially when experienced in a multi-course meal.

 

After taking a break to stand and stretch and carouse, Leverpostej (Liverpaté) with Bacon is served, warm with bacon strips and mushrooms, along with more of the tasty Rye Bread. 

 

Roast Pork, Pork Crackling Rinds, smoked cheeses and, after music and dancing, a refreshing dessert of Danish Frugt Salat (Fruit Salad with whipping cream and chocolate) paired with plentiful Pilsner style beer, iced water and crisp white wines. 

It's not very often these days that we dine at table at one another's homes for multi-course, home-cooked meals of such extraordinary structure and style, not least flavor. 

 

The division of several individual dish duties makes it a manageable feast, yet Lotte most certainly conjures up her brand of Nordic magic to make this meal such a flawless, unrivaled, delightfully rowdy success. 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Kathy Sullivan]

My finace Eric is half Danish. The food and traditions are going strong in his family too. It is heavily influenced by the maritime, as you point out, which is quite a contrast to my upbringing in Northern New Mexico.