Denmark

Despite the extreme cold, an outstanding visit to Copenhagen and the Denmark countryside was one of our most anticipated destinations. Copenhagen is bike city and after seeing grandmothers biking around in the late night in bitter cold snowy conditions we really couldn't complain about the weather. We had an appointment in a few days to meet with Rene Redzepi and Peter Kreiner of renowned Noma Restaurant but first it was time for dinner at Kodbyens Fiskebar in Copenhagen. Owned by Anders Selmer, former wine director at Noma, Fiskebar is a beautiful restaurant located in a redone classic old meat market. Delicious and unfamiliar Nordic seafood (to us) are featured. Anders enthusiasm for Denmark products soon led to a long list of potential farms and seacoast sites to visit.

Noma

Copenhagen's Noma restaurant is part of the New Nordic Cuisine Movement. The Nordic Cuisine Manifesto can be seen here. Noma's culinary philosophy fits right in with the ideals and goals of Outstanding in the field. Chef Rene Redzepi and Noma believes nordic restaurants should have the signature of place. Jim, Katy and Dave had a warm and enthusiastic meeting with Chef Rene Redzepi and Director Peter Kriener of Noma. A collaboration for late August was agreed upon and several possible sites were mentioned. Peter generously made a few phone calls setting us up with farm visits for the next day. The farmers and foragers central role in our summer event in Denmark was agreed to be the most important aspect of a collaboration. With the meeting out of the way we went for a walk in anticipation of dinner.

We arrived at Noma later in the evening to experience the tasting menu. What an amazing and delicious dining experience! Katy and Jim both thought it was the best meal they had ever had. The menu was composed solely of mid winter Nordic ingredients-quite a feat. For service knowledgeable and warm members of the kitchen staff brought out and described each dish. Sated, we headed out into the Copenhagen night thinking of Denmark farms and the potential dining sites we would visit the next day. Check here for an excellent description of the Noma experience.

First stop was the biodynamic dairy farm of Niels Stokholm and his herd of 60 red Danish cow. We were welcomed into the farmhouse by Niels and enjoyed hot tea Danish breads, farm butter, preserves and fresh cheeses. We heard Niels' story of his work as a bridge engineer traveling the world until one day he decided he really wanted to be a farmer, found some land and made a life of it. He gave us a detailed explanation of his farming practices and then it was time to take a look around. First stop was the cow barn where Niels convinced Katy to ride the bull. As Niels explained, modern farming practices ignore the welfare of the individual animal giving them the ‘cold shoulder’and just like any relationship with that kind of treatment things tend to not go well in the long run. And as Katy learned, bulls treated well are gentle enough to ride!

After our walk around the farm Niels said he had something special to show us. We drove a few miles down the road to see an amazing ancient Druid earthwork believed to be constructed around 3000 BC. Niels and Jim sang together in harmony which when resonating correctly caused the an eerie humming noise that shook the ground, something many other visitors surely practiced in the same space thousands of years ago.

Our next visit was Camilla Plum's fuglebjerggaard farm. Camilla greeted us in the kitchen and quickly offered us some delicious danish black bread. Besides baking bread, herding cows, raising fruits and vegetables organically and growing plants for seeds and growing and milling their own wheat that they grow on the farm and having there own farm market... they grow hops for their own beer!! Camilla has several cookbooks in print many of which were on display in the small market. We walked around the farm that evening in bitter cold. Probably much more comfortable when we return in the late summer.

After leaving the farm we decided to go visit the nearby Louisiana Art Museum so Jim could meet with a curator. Among other things we spied this group of thin Giocomettis.

The Sportsman

It was a short train ride to snowy Whitstable, England and then a short cab ride to nearby Seasalter for a visit with chef Stephen Harris of The Sportsman restaurant. Steven has received international accolades for his cuisine which is quite an accomplishment for a chef that started his career rather late at 36 years old. Steven makes his own salt and makes his own butter and both were the best Jim and Dave have ever tasted. Monkshill Farm is the source of sheep and pigs for the restaurant and is close by. The sea, the source of Stephen's house made salt, is a short walk in the other direction. We hoped to take a look at the farm but with the days being so short at this time of year it was not possible. After several delicious courses brought out by Stephen's lovely girlfriend Emma we thanked our hosts and agreed it would be great to try and meet up in the spring when Stephen and Emma will be visiting California.

After another night in London we were on our way to Trealy Farm in Wales. Snow was forecast and there was concern that the roads might be icy and dangerous. A few scenic detours and near mishaps later we arrived at the farm. We met James, Ruth and Graham and enjoyed some tea in the farmhouse before a full tour of the site. Numerous sheep dotted the property set on a sunny hillside with a great view of the surroundings. We heard the tale of the hill behind the farm being the site of an important battle, the last victory of the Welsh over the English. Thankfully the two parties get along for the most part now. Ruth brought us up the hillside to view the animals and James gave us a look at the charcuterie operation.

James and Ruth of Trealy Farm with Dave

London Time

With our appointment to visit Trealy Farm a few days away we set off to the opposite coast of England and a quick visit to the Sportsman Restaurant and chef Stephen Harris.

London being on the way we stopped for a visit. Jim visited the Tate Modern Museum on the banks of the Thames to check out the huge gallery space, hoping to fit something of his art work there someday. While touring the museum Jim received a message from the chief adjudicator of the Guinness Book of World Records stating that Jim had been confirmed as holding the world record for the "largest artwork in history".

We dined at St. John Restaurant near the Smithfield Market, a London classic that should not be missed.

Jim at St John

Another kind relative of Dave's, Dora's sister Lucy, put us up for the night at her place in the Bethnel Green area of East London.

Weather conditions were icy cold so Jim made a quick ice drawing.

Across the Pond

Our first destination after a smooth flight to London was Dave's cousin Dora Marlow and her husband Robin at their house in Bristol, England. We were greeted warmly into the Marlow home and served tea and traditional English fruitcake that Robin had prepared. The large city of Bristol is very close to the border of Wales. Wales is the place where things are really happening in the U.K. food world and the site of two major food festivals, Abergavenny and Ludlow. Chefs, farmers and artisan producers in the area enjoy access to a large population of interested and hungry fans of their work.

On the walk to Dora's house Jim spied a healthy fox running between cottages, seems many Bristol residents raise chickens and quite a few of those chickens are taken off by local foxes. These two chickens, located in the backyard of our hosts Dora and Robin, are safe for now.

Bristol is famous as the place where legendary graffiti artist/vandal Banksy got his start. Soon enough there it was, a Banksy original, high on a wall. A nice work had in turn been vandalized with paint bombs from another 'artist'.

Considering Banksy's frequent night time graffiti forays and his many years of successfully eluding capture and identification by police it comes to mind that the stealth of Bristol's foxes may have been an artists inspiration.

Near Abergavenny, Wales

Wales countryside

We rented a car (careful which side you are driving on Dave) and as we entered Wales the rural countryside became more and more green. Sheep multiplied and our appetites grew as we pulled up for lunch at the Hardwick and our first chef visit! Stephen Terry was recommended to us by our potential dinner site, nearby Trealy Farm. Hugh Fernley- Whittingstall has described Trealy Farm as the best charcuterie maker in the UK. Soon we were comfortably seated and sharing several tasty Trealy Farm favorites. The handsome restaurant is in the style of a traditional English pub with an atmosphere that retains the casual pub style but is elevated in food quality with excellent ingredients and creative technique. As we traveled and learned more about the UK food scene we saw this theme repeated at many places we visited; very good food served in a more easy going setting. Stephen is a noted champion of local Wales sourced ingredients in an area that already has become the epicenter of the UK's growing interest in local food. Stephen expressed great enthusiasm for the Outstanding mission and plans were made for a late summer collaboration at Trealy Farm.

Sheep!

BBC Radio classical station - perfect for a drive in the Wales countryside...

Trealy farm charcuterie served at the Hardwick in Wales

Chef Stephen Terry of the Hardwick