In the 1880s, the smørrebrød became popular in Danish restaurants, where it was innovated and showed its potential. Since then it has been a Danish classic, and Nyhavn is the perfect place to experience it.
A handful of years ago, the German TV program "DW TV" chose to do a report on Danish smørrebrød and what it means to Danes. We at Hyttefadet were asked if we wanted to be part of the program - and of course we wanted to show our version. However, it should be mentioned that it's our old smørrebrød menu you see in the TV report, and we have since developed and perfected our repertoire of Danish classics.
As industrialization hit Denmark, the "Smørrebrød" tradition emerged. Men had to take packed lunches to work, so they were given smørrebrød, which was a practical solution for the lunch box. The word smørrebrød comes from 'butter on bread', meaning to put butter or fat on slices of bread.
The sandwich is meant to be a snack outside the four walls of your home, so you can easily and quickly satisfy the worst hunger on the go. The variations are many, and the possibilities of what the sandwich can do come with the many possibilities:
The famous flavors of the sandwich:
Handmad: A handmad is a typical food to eat at home. It can be made simply with a piece of bread, butter and desired toppings. As the name suggests, it is eaten by hand and there is no need for a knife and fork.
Amagermad: Consists of a slice of French bread and rye bread put together with butter in between.
Klapsammen: A klapsammen is a great kid-friendly sandwich that can be eaten without a knife and fork, consisting of cold cuts between two pieces of bread. This makes it suitable for packed lunches and a great idea to take on the go. Not to be confused with a sandwich!
High plated: An elevated is an upgraded version of the hand sandwich, enjoyed with a knife and fork, and is most often sold in restaurants. Characterized by its height and the extravagant appearance it gets from being built up.
Stick sandwiches: A typical meal at standing events, consisting of bread with cold cuts and garnish held together by a stick, making it easy to pick up the piece when the dish is carried around.
Smørrebrødlagkage: A layer cake made of wheat bread, layered with toppings in between.
Canapé: A small, toasted wheat bread served with fine cold cuts as a starter or at receptions.
All these possibilities may be one of the reasons why the smørrebrød is still so popular after 170 years.
The smørrebrød is simple, hits all the taste buds, it is a piece of Danish history and there are countless variations of it, which time and again makes chefs challenge our perception of what a smørrebrød can do.
If you have any questions or need further assistance, we can be contacted at booking@hyttefadet.dk or on tel. +45 33 12 01 07
