Weekend in Copenhagen #8

Toto, we're not in Paris anymore.

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The iconic Nyhavn rowhouses

From time to time, there’s an unexplained three-day weekend that graces our school calendar. Rather than question the random Monday off, my philosophy is to seize the day instead…and that’s exactly why I booked myself an Easyjet flight to Denmark.

In today’s letter, you’ll find:

• 🥐 A report on Copenhagen’s extremely sophisticated pastry scene,

• 🩰 My evening at the ballet, and

• 🍺 My first brush with homesickness, brought on by barbecue and craft beer.

Copenhagen has an A+ public transportation system, from its regional rail lines to its buses to its metro, and I was committed to taking it everywhere this weekend.

So I was particularly proud of myself for getting to my home base, the adorable Coco Hotel in the centrally-located Vesterbro neighborhood, after sunset on Friday night.

Getting in on Friday meant that I was ready to hit the streets on Saturday morning, which is when I walked to Københavns Bageri for my first pastry haul of the trip.

Copenhagen has a creative, boundary-pushing food scene—bakeries included—in part because so many establishments are run by alums of Noma, the world-renowned, multiple-Michelin-starred restaurant.

Københavns Bageri leans in a proudly contrarian direction; instead of breaking brand-new creative ground, they specialize in making the absolute best versions of traditional Danish pastries, which made their shop my ideal first visit.

I bought a tangy buttermilk roll, a tebirkes pastry filled with almond paste, and two buns—one bursting with the most fragrant cinnamon imaginable, the other stuffed with cracked cardamom (no skimping here). Reader: it was love at first bite!

Between all that sugar, plus an incredible cup of joe from Coffee Collective, I was ready for a well-fueled run along Copenhagen’s waterfront.

After a quick shower, I grabbed a cup of rooibos tea with a new acquaintance—one who generously filled me in on all the details of bakery life in Copenhagen—before heading to the opera house for a glass of rosé and a bit of culture.

Sleeping Beauty was on the program that night, and I was absolutely transfixed by the athletic abilities of the dancers in the Royal Danish Ballet.

On Sunday morning, I woke up bright and early to make my pilgrimage to Juno the Bakery.

We’ll see if I’m still a morning person when my workdays start at 3 or 4am, but right now, I’m actually quite enjoying my comparatively lazy 5am starts—if only to take in my peaceful surroundings when the rest of the world is asleep.

I snagged another fabulous cardamom bun, a sesame roll with butter and cheese, a slice of cake piled high with coconut and (I think?) some kind of rich espresso glaze, plus a mind-blowing vanilla bun that offered the most concentrated smell and taste of the stuff that I’ve ever experienced.

It was still early enough that I decided to take the bus to Refshaleøen, a far-flung destination clear on the other side of town. It’s the kind of industrial setting that, if it hadn’t become a trendy food-centric destination, would’ve felt unsettling to visit alone.

Fortunately, the Reffen market was just opening for the day, which meant a stream of hungry tourists were headed to this collection of graffitied shipping containers slinging plates of mouthwatering street food.

Unsurprisingly, I hooked left to buy more pastries instead: first at one of Hart Bageri’s many outposts, and then at Lille Bakery.

I’m so glad I found time to visit both of these spots. Not only did I get to try two different spandauers—yet another fantastic traditional Danish pastry—but I got to enjoy Hart’s tebirkes cookie and Lille’s whole-grain mastery (which included a laminated bun sprinkled with dried flowers).

Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I dropped by Andersen & Maillard to sample brunsviger, a pastry crowned with a buttery brown sugar topping.

By that evening, I was desperate for a meal that didn’t involve sugar, and I found it at the barbecue-centric Mikkeller Warpigs Brewpub.

I’ve been away for almost two months, and while I miss home dearly, I hadn’t yet been struck with homesickness.

That is, until I sat down with a pulled pork sandwich and a West Coast IPA while listening to classic rock blasting through Mikkeller’s loudspeakers. If you’ve never been brought to tears by Toto’s “Africa,” let me tell you: it’s an experience.

As I packed for my return flight, things took a more positive turn.

It was then that I had my proudest moment of the trip: making room in my already-stuffed suitcase for an entire Hart Bageri city loaf, a jar of pumpkin seed praliné flavored with parsley and pine oil from Noma Projects, and a tin of Juno the Bakery butter cookies—all to share with my classmates the following day.

Precious cargo, indeed!

And with that, it’s back to the (fabulous) grind. I’ll be back with another baking school recap on Friday!

Warmly,
Maddie

Breakfast Club is a newsletter about pastries with a side of personal growth, from an ex-financial planner turned baker. If you savored this edition, click the ❤️ (or share with a friend!) to help new readers discover it—and subscribe to get each letter fresh from the oven.