No, I didn't mean to say "Smorgasbord", as in Swedish buffet, which most Americans are familiar with. I'm talking about "Smorrebrod" a modern Danish word meaning, in literal terms, bread and butter. To a hungry luncheon crowd in Denmark, Smorrebrod means an assortment of open face sandwiches, or "Topless Bread" with endless possibility. 
A typical smørrebrød is made with one piece of hard, whole-grain buttered bread, usually rye or pumpernickel, topped with any of a variety of meats, including cold cuts, bacon, herring, fish fillets, eggs, pate', some vegetable, i.e., sliced cucumber, tomato or pickled beets, then condiments, such as mayonnaise or toasted onion bits often times replace the need for butter.
While Smorrebrod is Denmark's national dish, it can found in other European countries such as Austria, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands and more.
A typical smørrebrød is made with one piece of hard, whole-grain buttered bread, usually rye or pumpernickel, topped with any of a variety of meats, including cold cuts, bacon, herring, fish fillets, eggs, pate', some vegetable, i.e., sliced cucumber, tomato or pickled beets, then condiments, such as mayonnaise or toasted onion bits often times replace the need for butter.While Smorrebrod is Denmark's national dish, it can found in other European countries such as Austria, Germany, Hungary, The Netherlands and more. I love this way of eating, and while Smorrebrod is typically served as a cold dish, my way of putting an American spin on the Topless Bread would be to put a piece of delicious cheese atop one of these delicate open facers and pop it under the broiler for a few seconds. I'm such a rebel!
For everything else there is to know about Smorrebrod, visit my friend, Karen at Topless Bread, "The blog dedicated to modern danish open face sandwiches + other gastronomic thoughts". I would highly recommend a cruise through her fabulous Topless Video Archive where some of Denmark's top Smorrebrod chefs, restaurants and recipes can be seen first hand. Bon!
I believe I could survive just fine in Denmark eating those.
ReplyDeleteI really like the look of this sandwiches. I wish there was a Danish restaurant close by.
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! The sandwiches that you created are works of art! I'll have to try this soon.
ReplyDeleteI want to visit Denmark really soon! The sandwiches look incredibly delicious. You are a rebel! Great post!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!!!! Those pics really ARE a work of art. I've got to say those Northern Europeans really do have the edge on delicious topless butties!
ReplyDeleteI think I like open sandwiches like these the best!
ReplyDeletethese look too wonderful to eat! I love how something as simple as sandwiches can be so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI ate many Smorrebrod when I was in Denmark for a family reunion last year and can attest to the variety. But it's the bread that is sooo fantastic. Yes, it seems dense and hard but it's a revelation of sourdough meets grains and seeds. Spectacular.
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