Copenhagen Cooking & Food Festival 18.08
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A CITY THAT NEVER STOPS COOKING Nobody goes for the ‘more of the same’ theme at a festival. “This year, our output will be ex- actly the same as last year” – the popular wis- dom is why fix something that isn’t broken. If it isn’t new, or reinvented, or remoulded, or reinvigorated, then you’re standing still – no- body wants a festival that reiterates the same mantra every year, unless it is something like “Get your free bacon here”. Nevertheless, while we’re not sure most peo- ple would notice between ravenous mouthfuls whether the Copenhagen Cooking and Food Festival organisers are daring (or not, depend- ing on your perspective) to be different, their ‘Breaking the new’ theme promises copious amount of envelope pushing and trail blazing. THE GASTRO-METROPOLIS! restaurants such as Taller and Naes will be manning the grill. The organisers explain that this year’s theme will enable the Danish capital to take The admission price includes a welcome a step backwards and admire its handiwork drink, four barbecue dishes and as much over the course of this century, as it has Jacobsen beer as you like until 20:00, in- “evolved from a gastronomically unknown cluding a special one commissioned for the capital to a world-class food metropolis”. festival. Armed with an innovative mindset, courage, skilled practitioners and strong pioneers in ULTIMATE the front line, Copenhagen has gone from BARBECUE PARTY strength to strength, taking its Danish gas- Aug 18 tronomy and food production to the high 17:30-22:00 WHAT OLIVER ASKED FOR level it finds itself enjoying today. Israels Plads, But we had hot dogs last year, we hear you say. And For many years, the festival has been the Linnesgade 17, Cph K; a barbecue! What’s wrong with ‘more of the same’? cooking point where new ideas, trends, 595kr initiatives, products, knowledge, business Take note, organisers – sometimes you don’t platforms and experiences gather to fuel need to reinvent the wheel if your festival’s the gastro-metropolis that we call home. GOURMET HOT DOGS reputation is already this well-rounded! And remember the location well, as you’ll In truth, Copenhagen never stops cooking, want to return there three days later when it breaking new ground at every opportunity. TOP DOG CHARITY hosts the unofficial world hot dog com- petition – a charity event at which diners Aug 21 will be invited to make a donation to CARE 15:00-19:00, BEGINS WITH A BARBIE contest from 17:00 Denmark’s charity work in Laos. Israels Plads, Linnesgade 17 Every juggernaut needs a furnace, and this Cph K; free adm year that honour befalls Israels Plads, a his- Each competitor will make 100 gourmet hot toric square in the city centre that like its dogs each as they seek to impress a judging food scene has never stopped embracing panel that includes three Michelin star chefs. the new this century. Publisher: CPH POST • Editor: Hans Hermansen While the main contest starts at 17:00, the Journalists: Aaron Hathaway, Lara Spirit, Sarah On August 18, make sure you don’t miss event is kicking off two hours earlier with B Haider • Layout: All About Digital, Copenhagen the festival’s official opening party, the music, beer and hot dogs for the kids – a Co-ordinator: Marin Milosavljevic, Ultimate Barbecue Party (details be- cunning move to ensure they’re full up by Director: Hans Hermansen, [email protected], low), where four professional chefs from the time the gourmet range hits the platter. Tel: +45 2420 2411 2 MAKINGMAKING HOT HOT POT POT GREATGREAT AGAIN AGAIN By Lara Spirit In less ominous terms than the leader of the pairings with the various broths makes for a world’s largest democracy, entrepreneur turned range of markedly contrasting tastes. The spin- cooking-maestro Fanshuang Kong of Hot Pot ach goes especially well with the curry broth, Republic borrows Donald Trump’s famous line for instance, while the mushrooms were more and promises to “make hot pot great again”. suited to the tomato soup. Subjectivity is the lynchpin of the hot pot experience: play around, The mergers and acquisitions analyst isn’t find your favourites. promising to restore America to its Golden Days, but makes a more appealing – and plau- The meat offers no less room for manoeuvre. sible – pitch to the residents of Copenhagen: Thinly sliced beef ensures it tends to be the come and learn about Asian hot pot this August. first out; spicy or mild, the emerging pieces can either wait for their vegetable counterparts or CONFUCIAN SENSIBILITIES be consumed solo. A failing of the hot pot can be the flavour of the broth – a risk Kong has safely avoided. The Indeed, Confucian cultures of sociability have LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC standout of the night was a spicy broth with informed the nature of hot pot in Asia for over ten different spices and herbs added for hundreds of years. It remains one of the most Kong certainly respects the example offered by seasoning. A homemade spicy add-on was popular choices in these countries today, but it the hot pot conglomerates around the world, available for those in need of a further kick, and has also become a ubiquitous player in North but this isn’t to say Hot Pot Republic doesn’t it seemed to complement everything dunked America and across Europe. In London, for in- have its own twist on the brand. I’d certainly its way. stance, there are well over a dozen restaurants never come across the satay-meets-tahini-es- specialising in hot pot cuisine – a number that que sauce that accompanied the meal from AND HEALTHY TOO is set to rise. start to finish before. Fresh garlic was added to Given the ultimate gluttony of the hot pot, it’s the nutty offering, and it was soon lathered on at first hard to believe the dish is in fact very For those new to the game, a serving of hot pot everything being eaten. healthy. The whole thing is composed of incred- tends to include two broths. Hungry diners are ibly low carbohydrate and gluten foods, which then invited to place all sorts of food items in if you so choose could be entirely composed of these rich and variant soups and allow them to ASIAN HOT POT fresh root vegetables. simmer in front of their eyes, quickly hoisting CULINARY EXPERIENCE them out when they’re cooked. Aug 20, 18:00-21:30; It seems surprising, given Copenhagen’s gas- CPH Food Space, Slagtehusgade tronomical status – a well-deserved one at that FIND YOUR FAVOURITES 11, Cph V; – that there’s no hot pot restaurant yet making Aug 22, 13:30-22:30; waves in the capital. Kong promises to change It’s hard to emphasise enough the possible Israels Plads, Linnesgade 17, this, and if you get in quick they’re still places to scope here. As well as trying all range of veg- Cph V; 249kr attend their events on both August 20 and 22. etables – my personal favourites being taro, butternut squash and spinach – the different 3 They provide Copenhagen Cooking with a certain spirit. After all, luxuriating over a plate of food without a glass of wine or beer wouldn’t hold the same appeal. Alcohol plays an integral role in Danish food culture, and accordingly there are a variety of events this festival that embrace its im- portance. We’ve got dinners with beer pairings, li- queur tastings, cider and schnapps festivals HIGH SPIRITS, – you name it. Here are some of the highlights you don’t want to miss! BOTTOMS UP By Ella Navarro BEER TASTINGS ORGANIC LIQUEUR, RECYCLING to three tastings. When the evening approach- es, long tables will be set up for a cosy dinner Aug 19-20, 18:00-23:00; AND LITERATURE with more cider. Carlsberg Laboratorium, Valby Aug 20, 16:00-18:00; Langgade 1, Cph V; 495kr Frederiksberg Bredegade 1, SCHNAPPS AND AQUAVIT Frederiksberg; 150kr FESTIVAL Throughout the week there will be many op- Aug 26, 12:00-22:00; tions for dining and drinking as the Danes do. Bringing ecology to everyday life, alcoholic Try beer at Glyptotek Hall at Carlsberg with drinks can also be sustainable. Join the talk on Copenhagen Distillery, different nibbles such as caramelised popcorn. sustainability and recycling at the Loppehylder Kløvermarksvej 70D, Cph S; The goal behind the tasting is to give you a flea market, where the guys from the Secret 395-495kr different kind of explosion in your mouth. Led Liqueur Society (Det Hemmelige Likørselskab) by well-known chef Christian Hoffman, experi- will explain how they make their organic liqueur Spirit producers from Scandinavia and the US, ment with beer at this lovely setting and learn from pure raw materials. While you listen you’ll plus chefs from the best restaurants in Copen- more about mixing and matching. Meanwhile, get liqueur tasting and organic cakes spiced hagen (Fiskebaren, Folkets Madhus, Nabo, No the brewery Herslev Bryghus (various times; with their exquisite liqueur. Stick around after- 2 and Restaurant Palægade) team up for this Dronningens Tværgade 22, Cph K; 295kr) brings wards to do some thrift shopping. Elsewhere, if unique first ever-held festival, where you will a twist to beer tasting with a new trend: tast- you speak Danish and want more of that liqueur be able to taste about 30 distilleries together ing spontaneous fermentation beer. During the you might also want to check out the tastings with amazing street food. It is a unique chance event you will try a minimum of four beers to- that are being served along with the humorous “to see the elephants that make the schnapps gether with four seasonal Danish dishes.