A classic smørrebrød combination you will see all over Denmark is roast beef topped with pickles, onions and horseradish,” write the editors of Lonely Planet’s new guide the ULTIMATE EATLIST. The guide ranks the 500 best eating experiences in the world. Smørrebrød comes in at 6th place.
“When we travel, the food we eat tells a story, unlocking social customs and revealing ancient traditions, all while offering us a chance to connect with the locals in an organic way,” write the people behind Lonely Planet, arguably the world’s most influential travel guide publishing house.
They add: “The inextricable link between food and travel is so fascinating (not to mention, delicious!) that we set our community of bloggers, writers and staff the task of trawling the planet for epic foodie adventures.”
The result is the ULTIMATE EATLIST ranking the 500 best eating experiences in the world. As Danes we are very proud to report that our national icon, smørrebrød, ranks 6th.
The simple guide to enjoying smørrebrød
“Want to know what the best thing is since sliced bread?” ask the ULTIMATE EATLIST rhetorically. And offers the answer themselves: “Danish smørrebrød, that’s what.”
They have done their research and are delighted to teach their readers the basic elements of preparing and enjoying smørrebrød:
“Take a slice of rye bread, put some butter on it and then heap it with whatever tasty ingredients you like. Actually, it’s not that simple. There are some rules to smørrebrød that help to elevate it to something beyond just a piece of bread with toppings. Firstly, thin toppings go on first, followed by the bulkier kind; secondly, when eating more than one kind of smørrebrød at once (and this is nearly always the case, good luck stopping at one) you start with the slice that features herring, move on to fish, then meat and finish with cheese. This carefully choreographed sequence is designed to gently walk your palate through the flavour combinations, so that one never overpowers the other.
Learn more at the ULTIMATE EATLIST
We definitely approve of the editors’ meticulous approach, and if your appetite has been whetted we recommend you learn more about smørrebrød and 499 other delectable delicacies at Lonely Planet’s ULTIMATE EATLIST.
Photo by Chris Tonnesen