When I met Scott, I knew he had this loonnnngggg Scandinavian name, and that he sort of looked Scandinavian.  But when you are 14 you don’t pay too much attention to things like family heritage, I was much more interested in things like skiing and going to the movies.

By the time we married, I knew a lot more about it.  I knew he was not just Scandinavian, he was, in fact Danish.  His Grandfather was a Danish speaking immigrant artist who moved here for love. – That, my friends is a whole other story.  I knew his extended family were long-standing members of an especially adorable Danish community in California called Solvang.  I knew we had to have a Danish wedding cake called a Kransekag and after the wedding toast we should all shout SKOL!

What I also learned was that the Danes love a good smorgasbord.  Those dry little squares of rye and pumpernickel that masquerade as bread, topped with all kinds of toppings re served open-face.  Toppings like pickled herring.  Pickled beets.  Pickled cabbage.  Pickled cucumbers.  Herring in some sort of cream. A shrimp, a wafer thin slice of salmon.  Red onions.  They are surprisingly beautiful, sturdy and delicate at the same time.

Every holiday season we have one “Danish Dinner Night.”  Scott and his mother love it, and truth-be-told so do a couple of my daughters.  Some of it has grown on me too.   I even like the rice pudding – the one who gets the hidden almond is the winner! So look smorgasbord up on pinterest.  Make sure it is a true Danish smorgasbord, have some Aquivit and cheer SKOL to friends and family.

A link to a fairly authentic looking website with recipes: Saveur

We do not go to Solvang without a visit to this place for smorgasbord:

Pictures from one of our “Danish Dinners”