Oysters have been eaten in Denmark since 5000 BC, and the slippery delicacy, which can be found on the menu of world-renowned restaurants such as Noma, is as popular as ever. October is the beginning of the oyster season, and the 12-day Oyster Trophy Week festival is dedicated to the celebration of this.
The festival kicks off with the traditional arrival of the first oysters from Limfjorden in Copenhagen, and it features a number of opportunities to taste and experience oysters in both traditional and modern ways.
Oyster sauce workshop
Oysters are not only eaten raw – they are also used for making oyster sauce, which is a central ingredient in many Asian and also European dishes. On Thursday you can learn how to make your own oyster sauce at a workshop overseen by Michelin star chef Henrik Yde.
The Ricemarket, Hausergade 38, Cph K; Thu (Oct 17) 16:00; tickets: 250kr, www.billetto.dk/oestersseminar
Gourmet dinner with oysters
Next Friday, the well-known chef and owner of Restaurant Lumskebugten, Erwin Lauterbach, invites you to taste an oyster menu out of the ordinary. The event starts off with appetisers on a sailing boat in the harbour followed by an oyster-themed dinner. The ticket price includes drinks.
Restaurant Lumskebugten, Esplanaden 21, Cph K; Fri Oct 18, 17:30; tickets 895kr
Oysters at Nørreport
In order to try the season’s first oysters fresh out of the water in Limfjorden, you need to head to Torvehallerne on Friday. Here you can meet fellow oyster enthusiasts, try samples and maybe buy a few to take home. If this puts you in the mood for more oysters, continue on to Nørreport Fiskehus, the city’s oldest fishmonger, where you can choose between a Limfjorden oyster with a glass of Limfjorden porter (50kr) or a French menu consisting of three French oysters with a glass of champagne (100kr). The fishmonger’s event is on from 19:00-22:00.
Torvehallerne (near Nørreport station), Cph K; Fri 15:00-17:00
The Danish & World Oyster Cup
The best oyster openers can crack open 30 oysters in less than three minutes, and this is exactly what they need to do when they meet at the Danish & World Oyster Cup at Frederiksberg Runddel. It’s not just a matter of speed however – if the shells are split or the meat is torn, there will be penalty points. All those opened oysters mean there will be thousands to sample in the bar, along with champagne.
Frederiksberg Runddel (at the Allegade entrance to Frederiksberg Have); Sat Oct 19, 11:00-17:00; free adm
Oyster Trophy Week
Various venues in Cph; starts Fri, end Oct 20; www.oysterweek.dk
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