A feast of cakes

upcoming dates

• 12/9 kl. 14.30
• 10/10 kl. 14.30
• 14/11 kl. 14.30
• 12/12 kl. 14.30

Or maybe we in plain language simply should say: the great cake bonanza! Today it’s almost only to be found in Northern Schleswig - the southern part of Jutland. And nobody precisely knows where and how the tradition was born. But we are sure that the people in Sønderjylland (Northern Schleswig) still has an appetite (a good one) with a bearing in direction of sweet cookies in the most different ways. In this case it means 29 different sorts of cakes and cookies when good people are gathering for a nice talk and a lot of calories at the “full coffee table” the second Sunday every month at Den gamle Kro (The old Inn) in Graasten. Foreign visitors are most welcome.

The names of all the delicious things can get even Danes from the northern part of the country to shake their heads. But forgetting all about the curious names of the cakes the guests are happily coming to taste the miracles of Svedsketorte (Layer cake with prunes), Pumler (Wheatmuffins with butter), Strifftorte (layer cake with six to ten layers and jelly of the famous Graasten apples between), Brødtorte (layer cake with a mash of dark rye bread jelly and whipped cream) and not to forget the “Stopcake!” -  the very heavy one from the big roasting-pan which in old times on the farms should prevent the guests from taking too much of the expensive delicacies such as the “French Waffles”. But of course: nowadays nobody is being controlled at “the full coffee table” at Den gamle Kro. From the buffet you can take what you want and so much as you want. The tradition says that it is more than accepted to put so much and so many of the different cakes on your dish as you like - and of course you may return to the cake buffet again and again - if you can stand the challenge.

Of course Det sønderjyske Kaffebord means a lot of coffee - maybe with sugar and cream. It has nothing to do with teatime in the UK or fast food traditions and Coke in the USA. If you are a little bit confused of it all please ask anybody nearby at the buffet and they should be more than pleased to tell you about this very special Danish and Northern Schleswig tradition. The young ones will like to have a chat with you and the old farmers and their wives (may be not speaking too much English) will show you how to behave at the beautiful Sunday feast of cakes. Anyway you can be more than sure that you will not leave “the full coffee table” hungry.

It all happens at Den gamle Kro in Graasten the second Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. every month the year around and we assure you that everything you can find at the buffet is homemade as you know it from your grandmothers kitchen. She never failed and in Graasten it will be the same.