In this category you will find Danish recipes.

Among the Nordic countries, Denmark is the southernmost and also the smallest. The peninsula of Jutland shares its southern border with Germany and is connected to the two major islands of Funen and Zealand by bridges. Formed by the movement and melting of Ice Age glaciers, the 4.3 million hectares landscape is fl at and fertile, and more than 60 percent of the land is cultivated. The climate is tempered and fairly distinct in four annual seasons. Denmark is home to various types of agricultural production from animal products such as pork, beef, poultry and dairy to vegetable products including potato starch and grass seeds, as well as traditional grain and vegetable crops. New trends in Scandinavian gastronomy have propelled Danish chefs and food products to international fame.

Danish culinary heritage has been cultivated and improved for many generations and is mainly rooted from the old country kitchen with ancient food recipes from all over the Danish kingdom, created first and foremost - as a shield to protect the Danes against the cold weather conditions in Denmark. This is why the Danes for centuries have eaten a lot of meat - especially loads of pork - but also beef together with plenty of potatoes and vegetables. Poultry and fish products are the Danes second choice. The cold and often wet climate in Denmark requires a lot of food with high nutritional values that contains many vitamins - minerals and proteins to mobilise a great potion of energy - which is a vital source - needed for work - at school - for sports and other form of daily activities. The natural content and ingredients in Danish food has been built up for centuries and flavoured to match the taste of the traditional eating habits of the Danish people from region to region and up to this century. To preserve food in olden days - the items of meat - fish and fruit was either salted - smoked or brine-pickled and could be stored for a very long time. The modern Danish kitchen uses many old recipes from the non refrigeration period - and is still highly preferred and enjoyed at the dinner tables in Denmark.

Rye bread and beer has for thousands of years been a basic part of the daily food consumption and later potatoes and heavy gravy was the main supplement to fish and meat dishes. The present Danish food culture is still very traditional and conservative - and is nevertheless based on deep-rooted recipes prepared during generations and centuries - in spite of influence from foreign countries and cultures. Almost every Danish restaurant in Copenhagen serve the traditional "open faced sandwich" called "smørrebrød" - with many different potions of food items as cold cuts - pieces of meat or fish - various pastes - salad dressings and cheese on buttered rye bread and decorated with all types of toppings that gives the creation a great visual appeal - and is surely a piece of genuine art - when presented on a well laid table with cold Danish beer and snaps.

Danish cheese

We have the following Danish cheese category, though we could do with some help with the images as some of these are difficult to obtain in the United Kingdom.

• Danish and Icelandic cheeses

BGB ingredients

BGB stands for Beskyttet Geografisk Betegnelse which in the UK we know as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). Under the EU agricultural product quality policy, this "covers agricultural products and foodstuffs closely linked to the geographical area. At least one of the stages of production, processing or preparation takes place in the area." The following Danish ingredients are those which are registered as BGB.

• Click to preview 3 randomly chosen illustrated recipes from within the Danish recipes category

DANISH RECIPES