From picture to pastry.
A journey from photography to baking, via Denmark, Cyprus and south Wales.
Read MoreA journey from photography to baking, via Denmark, Cyprus and south Wales.
Read MoreWe’ve all had a lot of time during lock down, to think about what home is, over the past few months. It has been at times both a place of safety and a prison!
But as we slowly emerge, and lockdown restrictions begin to be lifted, our homes can now return to being places where we enjoy spending time, and not simply feeling confined to.
As we’ve adapted to serving you on our doorstep (quite literally), we’ve also been thinking more about all the places our pastries are heading to - into people’s homes and gardens as well as some local parks. We like to think that in these places our products help create moments to pause.
An opportunity to take short breaks from the worries and pressures of the pandemic and help us remember better times. We’ve seen glimpses of these moments on social media - some lovely images of breakfast tables, mugs of coffee - and of socially distanced sharing. Thank you for sharing them.
Of course, we hope to welcome you all back inside our premises in Penarth and Pontcanna soon, but for now, we’ve just been happy to be able to meet you on our doorstep and hear a little about your experiences - and to thank you for continuing to share and support us.
Even more Danish
One last thought. I do wonder in this ‘take-away' mode, whether we might just have become even more Danish. When I was dreaming up the idea of Brød, it started as a simple bakery - much like those you’d see in Denmark - a bakery and a counter, but no coffee shop. The tradition back in Denmark was always about picking up pastries and taking them home - or to the office or a party - for people to share.
Of course, as we adapted the idea to work in Wales, we felt strongly that a coffee shop was needed - to create a place where people could come to meet, talk and just share some time together. But back home, this is not as common.
So, as you pick up your pastries from us, and take them home to enjoy, perhaps you’ve all become a tiny bit more Danish in the process. There’s something to chew on!
We love a celebration at Brød from birthdays, hen dos, anniversaries or just because and if you’re looking to make your celebration extra special then we can help, the Danish way.
How do we celebrate birthdays? With a Kagemand or Cake Lady or Cake Man of course.
Kagemand is a traditional kids birthday cake, baked in the shape of the birthday girl or boy and is made with a soft sweet dough, covered in a brown remonce (brown sugar) and decorated from top-to-toe in sweets.
Birthday Cake options:
Kagemand - lady or man:
Small (40cm) approx 6-8 people
Medium (50cm) approx 10-12 people
Large (60cm) Approx 16-25 people
Kringle
A kringle is made for celebrations like birthdays, leaving parties or just a Friday treat to share in the office. It’s a traditional sharing pastry, baked in the shape of the Danish bakery logo. The dough is filled with custard and marzipan and decorated with chopped nuts (optional) sugar and icing.
Small (40cm wide) approx 4-6 people
Medium (50cm wide) approx 7-9 people
Large (60cm wide) approx 10-18 people
We can also do customised shapes like this 18 cake to celebrate your special day.
Just get in touch to discuss your idea with us and we’ll see what we can do!
If you’d like to order any of these cakes then please pop in the shop, give us a ring or email.
Brød, the Danish Bakery have just opened their second premises in 6 Glebe Street, Penarth. This marks the first expansion of the popular bakery and coffee shop, since their first premises opened in Pontcanna in November 2015.
The cafe will be selling traditional Danish pastries such as ‘snegl’ and ‘spandaeur’ alongside speciality sourdough loaves and a selection of hot and cold drinks.
Brød is the dream and realisation of Betina Skovbro who moved from Copenhagen to Cardiff in 1998. She felt very quickly at home but missed the bread and this started a catalyst for this venture in bringing traditional Danish baking to Wales.
Baking was in the family for Betina whose grandfather was a baker in central København and she baked at home with her mother and grandmother and is a tradition she has kept going with her own children.
Betina Skovbro, Brod owner says, “We are so excited to open our new cafe in Penarth. We’ve been looking for an opportunity to open a second location for a while, and we’re really excited to be extending the Brød experience to the Vale.
It seemed like such a good fit for our business - we feel really firmly rooted in the community in and around Pontcanna and we’re looking forward to being part of what we’ve already discovered is a vibrant community in Penarth.
Five years on, we’re still excited, still love meeting new - and old - faces every day, and proud to have been able to bring a little taste of Denmark to Wales”.
For more information please follow Brod on social media @thedanishbakery on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Address
6 Glebe St, Penarth, CF64 1ED
Open
Tuesday - Saturday: 9am - 5pm. Sunday: 10am - 4.30pm
Penarth is dog friendly.
More good news from Brød we have been shortlisted twice for this year’s Apprenticeship Awards Cymru, the annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships.
Becky Chatfield is a finalist in the Apprentice of the Year category and Brød is shortlisted in the Small employer of the year.
Thirty-four finalists in a dozen categories are in the running for the prestigious awards which will be presented at a high-profile ceremony at the new International Convention Centre Wales in Newport on October 24.
The awards showcase the successes of the best learners, employers, tutors and assessors in Wales who have excelled in contributing to the development of the Welsh Government’s traineeship and apprenticeship programmes.
Becky says, “I’m very proud to have been nominated and for the business to be shortlisted too is an amazing achievement for the whole team”.
Betina added, “My dream and goal when I started this business was to bring more artisan bakers to the industry. Teaching apprentices true craftsmanship, skills, working in an open and honest environment and learning traditional baking techniques. This means baking from scratch like your old fashioned baker would have done. I’m really proud of our small team”.
Wish us luck!
Yes, the rumours are true! We are delighted to announce that we’re opening a cafe in Penarth; 6 Glebe Street.
Renovations, recipe development and much more is happening behind the scenes and we expect to be open this autumn.
We’re really happy to be surrounded by a thriving community with lots of independent businesses and look forward to meeting our neighbours and lots of lovely people in the cafe.
A huge thanks to all our customers, friends and family for their support and well wishes.
In the meantime we are going to be selling our Danish delights at the Penarth Picnic on September 14 and 15 on Windsor Rd and lower Glebe Street - we hope to see you there!
Our apprentice baker, Danny visited Copenhagen to get training and experience with a busy bakery. We got his thoughts from his time in Denmark.
What attracted you to be an apprentice baker at Brød?
I've enjoyed cooking and baking as a hobby since I was a kid and always considered having a career in it. It's something I'm really passionate about but didn't know where to get training or experience from. I saw the vacancy advertised and applied as i didn't want to regret not going for it in the future.
Before the trip feelings
I felt a little apprehensive but once I had a chance to research the bakeries, city, tourist sites and getting around then I was super excited. A little nervous going over there to work as a student but what an incredible once in a life time opportunity.
At Den Helt Rigtige Bager
I started Thursday morning at 8 am at a very busy time. The bakery and front of house was buzzing with activity as orders were being packed up in one area, sandwiches being made, customers being served, cakes being decorated and a whole host of things were being prepared in the bakery. I was greeted by the owner Berit introduced me to everyone then I got changed into Brød uniform and started immediately.
I was taken under the wing of head bakers Klaus and Tommy, while working alongside an apprentice. The bakery was split into two shifts 7am-2.30pm (day shift) and 1am -9.30am (night shift). I started by laying pastry into cases for strawberry tarts (Jordbærtærte), this would be the beginning of having to make, decorate and package over 1000 of them. The day continued preparing pastry products, cleaning trays, shaping bread and other various tasks. During the night shifts we made bread rolls, baked off product and I assisted with whatever I could.
I started to feel more confident, as it was like nothing I’d experienced before, the slight language barrier made things interesting and fun. On my last day I was thanked by the owners and other staff while enjoying a leaving beer.
Favourite things
Although I did make a lot of strawberry tarts, it was an excellent experience to be part of the whole process. The bakery made a huge variety of products so it was nice to taste my way around what was on display. There were some really tasty spinach filled rolls which I would like to try back in our bakery.
Experiencing Copenhagen
After adjusting to the night shifts I tried to get out in the mornings after my shifts. Thoughtfully, the bakery lent me a bike so I was able to cycle around which was really handy and nice to feel apart of the city. The weather was very hot while I was there so I visited a couple of tourist spots but mostly wanted to relax and soak up the culture and food. I was also lucky to be in the city as Denmark celebrated 'Sankt Hans' a traditional festival where everyone has a knees up overlooking large bonfires in harbours and out on lakes.
The next step
I was really inspired by the food culture in Denmark and how people are so passionate about it, it's definitely something I want to bring back and hopefully use inspiration from my trip to inspire new baked goods at Brød.
Baking at Brød
Since opening the bakery in 2015 we’ve been recreating and perfecting our favourite Danish bread recipes and making our own loaves based on experiences and tastes for you to enjoy in Wales.
We only use traditional ingredients including the finest stone ground organic spelt flour and organic semolina. Our small team of bakers start at 4am each morning and use original Danish baking methods of hand crafting the dough, baking in our steamed stone ovens, depending on the crust ‘crunch’ we want.
We were inspired by our friends, local makers and producers to show you how we think our bread could be used to its full potential, so you get the best of each slice. Special thanks to chef Tommy Heaney who helped us prepare, cook and style the ingredients and use his fantastic restaurant for the photo shoot. All photos by Betina Skovbro.
Breads
Rye bread (plain or topped with sunflower seeds)
Our organic dark rye bread is a Danish staple with its dense middle and a delicious chewy crust that develops over time. Thickly sliced, it makes the perfect base for a smørrebrød - an open face sandwich with an array of toppings from meatballs, smoked salmon and salami with crispy onions and pickled vegetables. (Beef from Oriel Jones and salad/vegetables from Windsor Fruit Stores).
Oat loaf
This square oaty loaf is slightly sweet and uses premium white flour and organic semolina and is coated in rolled oats to give a crunchy bite. We’ve made the ultimate lunch box sandwich packed with fresh salad and vegetables from Windsor Fruit Stores in Penarth. Perfect for adults or kids and beats a meal deal soggy sandwich.
Italian White Loaf
An everyday bread for the family, more than just your typical white bloomer, this bread is handcrafted using white premium flour and organic semolina. Crusty on the outside and light and airy on the inside. Perfect for toasting too. We’ve topped our Italian loaf with smashed avocado, poached and a creamy white sauce for a brunch treat. A soft-boiled egg deserves a good soldier and this loaf is perfect for the occasion.
Sourdough (seeded or unseeded)
Our sourdough takes 74 hours to make from infancy to full bloomer, great for toasting and lasting longer than other breads, it is made from 4 simple ingredients: water, flour, salt and time. We think it’s perfect for the ultimate breakfast sandwich with back bacon from Canton butcher Oriel Jones and free-range eggs, scrambled, buttery and coming out of the side.
Muesli loaf
Our muesli loaf is round, sweet and packed with oats, fruits and seeds. We had to pair it with welsh butter and delicious fruit jams and preserves from the award winning Penylan Preserves. We used three fruit marmalade, plum jam and mixed berry jam with berries from the allotment.
Spelt loaf
We use stone ground organic spelt flour to create our spelt loaf which contains like all our loafs a sourdough starter, for a healthy loaf with a light crust on the outside and super soft centre. To make a truly delicious sandwich we added cheese from the Cheese Pantry in Cardiff Market and added a pop of flavour with Inner City Pickle’s famous bread and butter pickles made locally and sold at Roath Farmer’s Market most Saturdays.
Holgar Danske
A special bread using our own secret recipe, named after fearsome Viking warrior Holgar Danske, who, legends say possessed an enchanted sword. It’s made with a rye sourdough and has a unique cross shape design on the crust which recreates the markings of his famous weapon. We chose a delicious vegan cawl recipe for this robust bread made by Swansea based Sarah Philpott, author of The Occasional Vegan recipe book.
Malted loaf (five seeded)
The Malted five seed loaf packs nutritious seeds into this dough, linseed, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, poppy seeds give a great flavour. The ultimate snack is Welsh rarebit made with cheese from the Cheese Pantry in Cardiff market and a crisp IPA from Cardiff based Rival Brewing Co.
Carrot and linseed loaf
A loaf born out of one of our bakers’ undying love for sweet carrot cake with a Danish twist. This is a white loaf prepared in the Danish style with a blend of carrot and linseed to give a sweet taste. Spread with butter and eat with a tangy tomato soup. We serve homemade soups and crusty rolls in our café and to take way for a hearty lunch.
Thanks to all our friends:
Tommy Heaney at Heaneys, Penylan Preserves, Oriel Jones, Cheese Pantry, Rival Brewing Co, Windsor Fruit Stores, Inner City Pickle and Sarah Philpott.
This week, 14 year old Alice came to join the bakery team for a morning and did a great job.
Alice loves baking and was curious to learn more about what it’s like to be a baker. We invited her in to the bakery for a two hour work experience so she could learn some new skills and practice in a professional set up.
She said, “I just want to say thank you for letting me experience what it is like working at your bakery.
Becky and Danny really kind and helpful showing me what to do and their tips to improve my skills.
I found the experience really fun and inspiring and once again thank you for the opportunity”.
We’re celebrating a win for our Indian inspired loaf in the innovation category of Britain's Best Loaf at the Farm Shop & Deli Show at Birmingham’s NEC on Monday (8 April).
The loaf named 'Pappa-G's Taste of India' was praised for being "wonderfully crazy with beautiful craftsmanship". The loaf is a savoury sourdough, jam packed full of flavours which seem to change flavours as you eat it.
It was inspired by William, one of our apprentice bakers, during his travels in India. He wanted it to be a loaf to that reflected that amazing country: beautiful, full of colour and flavour.
The symbol on the top is hand crafted by William and means ‘Aum’ (or ‘Om’), the most sacred syllable, symbol or mantra in Hinduism. The syllable is often chanted either independently or before a mantra; it signifies the essence of the ultimate reality, consciousness or Atman.
Betina Skovbro, Founder of Brød said, “The whole bakery team helped perfect the loaf, which itself is quite intensive to bake; several temperature checks, interesting ingredients and complex preparations, including a 72hr fermentation process. For a loaf to be ready on Saturday we start working on it on Thursday. It’s a labour of love in loaf form!”
The national competition sees bakers compete across five categories including gluten-free, innovation, sourdough, white and wholegrain. Judges sample and test each loaf live on-site, assessing them on external appearance, internal structure, aroma and taste.
Betina added: “I’m so proud of our small bakery team. We all support each other with ideas and inspiration - and it’s great to see the result of that process rewarded in this way. If someone has an idea we encourage the team to try it out. It’s so good when we experiment and come up with wonderful new creations like this loaf.
Not all inventions make it, but every time we try something we all learn something new - it’s part our our collective learning process.. That’s the beauty of baking - you are never done - there is always something new to try. “
The loaf will be on sale on weekends very soon and orders can be taken in advance, you can pop in to the shop or call 02920 251822.
If you’ve visited Brod in the last few weeks, you’ll have noticed we’re serving our delicious baked goods on blue plates. Have you taken time to study them? Next time, take a closer look…
Danish Christmas plates are collectables and issued annually by Danish porcelain manufacturers. Bing & Grøndahl produced the first annual Christmas plate in 1895 and Royal Copenhagen in 1908.
The blue and white plates always feature their issue date and are collectable and desirable because the mould is discontinued after Christmas Eve.
Design
The very first design of the Christmas plate was the result of a competition and different artists were invited to provide designs for the plates, often focusing on current events.
Well-known symbols of Denmark have appeared on the plates including The Little Mermaid and Tivoli's Pantomime Theatre. Hans Christian Andersen's childhood home appeared in 2005 on the author's 200th anniversary.
Betina’s plate story
“The blue plates used to hang on my farmor (grandmothers) wall in the living room. She would collect them every year for Christmas. As a child I used to love looking at them and their beautiful, magic Christmas designs. These plates are just another small reminder of my childhood in Denmark and the magic of Christmas through a child’s eyes”.
Original information.
This month we've been lucky to have Tina work with us, she's 39 and a baker from Copenhagen. She spent time with our bakery team wanting to learn new methods and discover life in Cardiff.
Why Brod?
"I saw the news story about Becky going to Denmark, so I contacted Betina in May and asked if I could come to Cardiff during the summer to help out in the bakery and use the time to help improve my English.
I recently sat my English exam in Denmark and was very nervous about it, unsure if I would pass it so I thought ‘ it would be good to practice my English in the summer holidays?' Cardiff seemed a great choice to do this.
Neighbours close to the bakery had a spare room that I rented and were extremely helpful and lovely. I had my own room with just a 25 second walk to the bakery every morning!
My Experience
Everyone has been so helpful. Maria, took me on a long walk up the mountain on our day off and the people I met in Cardiff were all so nice and helpful.
I've had a lovely and informative stay with the bakery and have seen and learnt new bakery methods to take home with me to Denmark. I got to use my English, which came naturally when I worked in the bakery, as well as around the city in my spare time.
Cardiff vs Denmark
The bakery team and products here in Cardiff are of a really high quality. The bread is made from proper sourdough and mixed from scratch and everything at Brod is “the best” - from the quality of the products to the team behind the scenes. Attention to detail is top priority, and the staff seemed to have a great relationship with each other and with Betina. The coffee served in the bakery is also top notch and I've gladly tested it a lot during my stay!
I love that Betina has given the opportunity to and taken on team members who have no bakery background and brought them up to such a high standard of baker. It shows that if people have the ambition to be a baker and want to produce top quality baked goods everyday this is a great place to learn.
The Future
If I hadn't started a new education course back home in Denmark, I would love to work at the Danish Bakery, but I’d like to say thank you to Betina for giving me the opportunity to come over this summer.
Betina added, "It was a real pleasure to have Tina over from Denmark to visit us. We spent a lot of time comparing notes, on work flow, on how things are done back home in Denmark, the work ethic, recipes and most of all, on the quality of our produce.
It’s always good for us to have input from people working in the industry in Denmark - it keeps us on our toes!".
Becky from our bakery team went to Kulmbach, Germany as part of a group of bakers from BAKO Wales (one of our suppliers) and IREKS. Here she writes about her experience.
First evening
"We had an amazing meal together, it was fascinating talking to people from other bakeries around the country, both big and small and specialising in different areas. Everyone on the trip was lovely, welcoming and open to discussing new ideas together.
Day 2
We started bright and early to visit Kreuzer’s Bakeria, in Kulmbach. After a breakfast of local delicacies (including some pastries not dissimilar to the ones you see at Brød) we got a behind the scenes tour and unique insight into the crazy, yet brilliant, mind of owner, Jochen Kruezer.
Jochen told us how he's created a successful business when local bakeries are closing in that area due to supermarkets. After that we visited a bakery museum, giving an incredible insight into the history of baking in Germany, in particular its links to the brewing industry.
We went to Bamberg, a stunning, UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the only remaining true medieval cities in Germany. We were taken on a tour by lovely local guide Dirk, no mean feat in the 36°C heat! Luckily chilled refreshments were found on the way in the form of a local type of smoked beer (think frazzles crossed with Guinness!).
Final day and beerfest!
We went to the gigantic IREKS factory based in Kulmbach and were given some very fetching safety gear to wear. We saw the production plant which has robots driving huge vats around, collecting various ingredients to prepare specific products.
I enjoyed visiting the labs and seeing first-hand the ultra-trace analysis quality control checks, which are performed on each and every product both before it enters and leaves the factory.
After a trip around the test bakeries and sampling a very large number of products, we headed off to Kulmbach’s annual Beerfest. We enjoyed some delicious traditional German food and drank Kulmbach’s finest brews! Safe to say there were a few sore heads the morning after!
Thank you
I had an absolutely incredible time, mainly due to the hospitality of everyone involved at IREKS, IREKS UK, Bako Wales, and of course my fellow bakers.
Massive thanks go to Maurice van Tongeren and Tak-Zing Yuen from IREKS, and Lee Pugh from IREKS UK for putting together such an unforgettable few days and Betina for sending me on the trip. It was a truly eye-opening experience in an area of the industry which as a small-scale artisan I have very little experience (but is totally brilliant - Editor).
I definitely came back with a few new product ideas and a new appreciation for what it means to be a baker!".
How do you treat that special man in your life? With a Napoleon Hat of course. These lovely pastries are on sale Tuesday June 12 until Father's Day on Sunday June 17.
This is a classic Danish “tørkage” – A Napoleon’s Hat. “Tørkage” translates to “dry cake” and is a Danish bakery staple,
A Napoleon’s Hat is a sweet shortcake pastry shaped like a triangular hat filled with soft marzipan, the bottom of the cake is dipped in chocolate.
It's said that the cake was invented in the second half of the 1800s and at that time many cakes in Denmark were named after Napoleon.
Make sure to get yours before they're gone!
Brød owner, Betina Skovbro, was nominated and shortlisted for the Chwarae Teg Womenspire 18 Awards held at Wales Millennium Centre on June 5, 2018.
Her nomination was in the Business category and celebrates those women who have bucked the trend and set up successful businesses with real growth potential.
Chwarae Teg is Wales’ leading gender equality charity and Womenspire recognises women for every aspect of life, from personal achievements to outstanding contribution, and we want you to be a part of these celebrations.
Betina said,
"It's a great honour to be nominated for this award and although I didn't win, every story told by each of the nominees is a great inspiration to me. I'm very proud to have been part of the brilliant Womenspire celebrations and congratulations to all nominees and winners. Don't give up on your dreams".
Watch the video to find out more:
The Great Prayer Day or Store Bededag in Danish, is held this year on Friday 27th April and is a tradition we'll be celebrating in our Cardiff bakery.
You'll be very pleased to know it involves eating buns or hveder! The buns will be on sale today and tomorrow, Thurs 26th and Friday 27th.
The buns (hveder) are best enjoyed toasted and buttered.
During Great Prayer Day, Danes traditionally enjoy a national holiday where they pray on the Friday. Enterprising bakers who had the Friday off would make and sell the buns on Thursday to be warmed up and eaten the next day.
Great Prayer Day Facts
How do you mark the success of one of Cardiff’s premier sports teams? Last week, Brød took a traditional Danish speciality, and gave it a devilish twist to celebrate the Cardiff Devils’ second successive Elite Ice Hockey League Championship title win.
In Denmark, birthdays and celebrations call for a kagemand (cake man) a soft dough topped with sugar, icing and sweets - and we’ve baked a fair few of them over the past couple of years. But this was a very special version.
The kagemand was delivered to the players after a training session by owner Betina and bakery team Becky and Alice and it didn’t take long before everyone was tucking in right beside the ice.
Betina said, “It was a lot of fun to put a little twist on the traditional kagemand - and great to be able to celebrate the team’s success. Special thanks too to Fie Adolfsen, social media manager at the Devils (and fellow Dane!) for making it all happen".
If you’d like to order your own kagemand for a special occasion, please contact us via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram or pop in and see us.
Over the past two and a half years, we’ve been proud to bring a taste of Danish food culture to Wales. This week however, is a bit special, as we get to bake a traditional Danish cake - known as the Waleskringle - here in Wales for the first time.
The cake - a choux pastry filled with fresh cream and raspberry jam, topped with chocolate icing, cream and fresh fruit - is a real treat, and we’re excited to be able to bake it as we mark of St David’s Day.
The origins of the Wales Kringle are unclear - and we’ve asked many bakers across Denmark about this. One theory suggests that it was first baked in the late 1800s following the marriage in 1863 of Princess Alexandra of Denmark to the then Prince Of Wales, Edward, son of Queen Victoria. Alexandra later become queen-consort Queen Alexandra when Edward become King Edward VII following the death of Queen Victoria in 1901.
However, we’re open to any further suggestions or theories. It’s clear that many in Denmark know the cake, even if they don’t know it’s origins. But we’re happy to create a new tradition for it, here in Wales, on St David’s Day. Enjoy/Mwynhewch!
Our apprentice baker, Becky, has just returned from a ten day visit to Copenhagen to hone her skills at two of the city's bakeries. We caught up with her, after her jam-packed trip.
Before her trip
"I was definitely a little nervous, but mostly excited because we had been planning this trip for so long. I was just really looking forward to finally getting out there and into the bakeries".
Bakery #1: Bageriet Diget
"I spent two days working with the owner, Rene. His technical knowledge of all baking aspects was amazing and I learned so much from him. I was introduced to quite a few new products too, including the ‘Wales Kringle’, flødeboller and honey hearts".
Bakery #2: Den Helt Rigtige Bager
"I worked for four days alongside a team of bakers, mainly Claus, Tommy and Roland. I
focused on bread, learned several new recipes as well as some new tips about flødeboller using a different method and flavours. I was also introduced to several new pastry types and different folding techniques".
Any difficulties?
"There were one or two language barriers, which made a few of the more technical points difficult to take in, but we got by fairly well with the help of some dodgy sign language! It was quite intense as there was so much I wanted to get through in quite a short space of time".
Baking in Cardiff vs baking in Copenhagen
"It was really interesting - everything was very familiar but with a few small differences. It was really good to see it first hand, because it shows how everything we do in Brød follows the authentic ‘Danish way’. The two bakeries were a lot bigger, so produced more per day than I think we bake in a whole week, which certainly took some getting used to!”
Trip highlights
“A real highlight was how friendly and generous everyone I worked with was - explaining techniques, putting up with my almost constant questions and making me feel really welcome! The night I arrived, Rene and Dorthe from Bageriet Diget and Berit and Steen from Det Helt Rigtige Bager all took me out for a lovely meal, which was a great start to the visit.
I was also really lucky to meet the wonderful Julie, a konditor (patisserie) apprentice at Det Helt Rigtige Bager who took me around Copenhagen to see the sights. I also experienced the Danish art of hygge with an evening of traditional Danish food and beer with her family, so I definitely got a taste of some real Danish culture as well as training in the bakeries".
What can we expect next?
"There are a lot of new ideas in the pipeline, and we're currently perfecting our bespoke version of flødeboller. There are one or two new bread recipes in development, including a chilli baguette, which takes 24 hours to make from start to finish and tastes amazing.
We’ve also tweaked a few of our existing products to make them even more delicious and
authentically Danish. Look out for some new variations on rye bread too!
This Sunday, 23 February Danes will celebrate Fastelavn (Shrovetide). This traditional Danish carnival is celebrated on the last Sunday before the start of Lent. It’s a popular event - particularly for children who dress up in costume and visit all the houses in the neighbourhood to sing the special Fastelavn song in exchange for sweets (a little like Halloween).
If you're around do pop in and sample our special Fastelavnsboller - a round sweet pastry covered with icing and filled with custard cream.
The significance of the bun is noted is a traditional Fastelavn song sung by children.
Original Danish
Fastelavn er mit navn,
boller vil jeg have.
Hvis jeg ingen boller får,
så laver jeg ballade.
Boller op, boller ned
boller i min mave.
Hvis jeg ingen boller får,
så laver jeg ballade.
Translation:
Shrovetide is my name,
buns I want.
If I get no buns,
I will make trouble.
Buns up, buns down
buns in my tummy.
If I get no buns,
I will make trouble.
Moral of the story? Never get between a Dane and their bun.
Back in Denmark, schools also host a Fastelavn event in which children take turns at ‘hitting the cat out of the barrel’. Traditionally there was a cat inside, but nowadays it’s just sweets (phew!). The child who knocks out the bottom of the barrel so that all the sweets spill out onto the floor is named ‘cat king’ or ‘cat queen’ and gets to claim the sweets.
Another popular custom is the Fastelavnsris, with which children wake their parents up on the Sunday morning. They do so by beating them with a bunch of branches tied up with elastic and decorated with feathers, cardboard cats, and sweets.
During the half term week, we’ll also be hosting a drawing competition for children. Simply draw your best fastelavn picture and we’ll pick winners from ages 0-7 and 8-13 at the end of the week who will each receive their own Fastelavnsris.
So pop in any point this week, for a taste of Fastelavn.