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Celebrating a Danish Christmas dinner in New York.

Holiday celebrations always involve special foods. We'll be using our Georg Jensen flatware this year to eat a Danish Christmas dinner. Click here if you would like to learn more about a traditional Danish Christmas meal.

My mouth is already watering just thinking of the crispy duck.

Christmas dinner in Denmark is on December 24th, at six o'clock sharp. A rather large duck, (most likely from the fairway) is stuffed with apples and prunes and cooked till the skin is crispy and the meat juicy and tender. There is a saying in Denmark: “If two people having Christmas dinner together, one duck is not enough and two ducks would be too much!” A rich brown sauce also made from a reduction of the rich stock remaining from the duck. Red cabbage is often cooked in red wine and fruit jelly. Served alongside are fine small peeled potatoes glazed with sugar. Bigger potatoes are served peeled and cut.
Dessert is typically a rice pudding with hot cherry sauce, always with one almond in the rice pudding. Whoever finds the almond wins a present: a marzipan pig with a red neck tie.

Of course, the table is very beautifully set during the afternoon and this year we will be eating with our Cypress flatware. We have 6 place settings, just perfect for the number of people we will be this evening. I guess that we will need salt and pepper, but that won't be a problem. Gløgg will be served before dinner, and we will use a huge beautiful and early marked cactus ladle Later, when nuts and fruits are put on the table, we have a small arsenal of jensen tools to help out, nut picks (in Fuchsia), fruit peelers (in Continental and Lily of the Valley, among other patterns), fruit knives (in Beaded and others), the next big event of the evening would be coffee and brandy, our 3 piece Jensen Blossom set. will be ready, hand polished of course, we have a couple of nice servers (in Cactus, Acorn, Parallel, Pyramid, and others), to help out with the Danish pastries. well, since I'm not allowed to light my cigar inside, remember this is New York, I'm not going to use the great smoking items I have, but my letteropeners will be helpful with all the postcards and letters I have received from my family in Denmark!

Sounds like a rather nice evening!

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Thoughts About a Trip to Denmark

I have been thinking often about bringing a small group of people who are interested in learning about the strong Danish design, silversmithy, Georg Jensen and in general, Denmark itself. The fabulous Danish cooking, unique places, and friendly people are not to be missed. I am certain you would enjoy it and be cable to show a side of Denmark the typical tourist would not often get to see!

Unfortunately, when I often thought about doing this before, reality has reminded me that it would be impossible for me to do myself. I have neither the time nor experience to make such arrangements. It simply would not work if I handled everything myself. However, a couple of weeks ago, a young fellow Dane visited my shop. He saw a small group toy soldiers in my window, a copy of the queens guard dressed in their summer uniform, and he told me that he had once been an officer in that regiment! It turns out he is a travel guide: just the man I needed. We spent hours discussing how to arrange a trip to Denmark and allow for a group to see all the things I would like to show. He said would be able take care of arranging everything, from setting up reservations to making sure that even the little details are given attention.

Just to mention some ideas we could do in and around Copenhagen:

We could visit the Danish Museum of Decorative Art where you would be able to see the evolution of Danish design throughout the 20th century. Next, the Georg Jensen Museum and shop, and the Georg Jensen Society would be a must see. After learning about Georg Jensen’s life and work, a visit to Georg Jensen’s grave stone in Hellerup were we could pay our respects to such a great and fascinating man.
We could also see the exhibits at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, just north of Copenhagen, and rated as one of the places one must see in their lifetime.
Afterwards we can see the architecture of the renowned Arne Jacobsen, north of Copenhagen, whose works included the SAS hotel in Copenhagen, Danmarks National Bank, St. Catherine’s College, of the University of Oxford, as well as designing furniture such as the Ant and Egg Chairs. We’d take a small break at one of his designed buildings that has been converted into a café to take in the view.

Also, I could arrange a meeting with some of the Georg Jensen designers where they would be willing to talk of themselves and answer questions you might have about their experiences with the Georg Jensen Company. Following this, we could also visit some of the current silversmith workshops in Denmark and learn about the intricacies of the craft today.

Don’t worry, I would also make sure there‘s plenty of time for shopping along the way.

We could also take a few days to visit Fyn, and stay at a privately owned castle. Fyn (also known as Funen), is the third largest island in Denmark and the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen. The scenery is beautiful.

Afterwards, we could head to Jutland, where the Koldinghus Museum is. Koldinghus is one of the last of the royal castles with amazing architecture and a very remarkable and detailed history. Part of the museum also features an exhibit to Danish silver, including Jensen, Hans Hansen, Cohr, Hingelberg, Bindesboel, Ballin and more. The collection is truly out of this world.

Also Jutland has many Danish antique shows during the fall, so it might be possible to make visiting them a part of the trip too.
Another possibility might be that if scheduled during the right time, we could see the Vejen Art Museum. Between 08/16 and 11/23, they will feature a show about Mogens Ballin. For those of you familiar with the history of Georg Jensen, you’ll probably remember that Jensen worked in Ballin's work shop before he opened his own in 1904.

If you are interested, please contact me and let me know what you think.

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