Suttetræt - The Pacifier Tree

Frederiksberg Gardens has many attractions.  There are walking paths, a lake, boat rides, a palace, pavilions, playgrounds, a zoo and much more!  

Zoom in to see all of the attractions

It really is a gorgeous setting.

The Lake

I went to Frederiksberg Gardens in search of this.  Suttetræt, the Pacifier Tree.

Suttetræt

In Denmark, it's the tradition for children to give up their pacifiers at around the age of 3.  It's a rite of passage where they package them up, perhaps write a little farewell note, and hang them on the Pacifier Tree.  

Because Copenhagen is an international city, this one is written in Spanish.

Dear Pacifier Tree: Today I leave you my binkies.
 I have loved them a lot, but now I'm a big kid.  
I don't need them anymore.  Take care of them.
I would love it if you gave me a Graveko in exchange.  Hugs, Silvio

From a distance, the pacifiers remind me of Tibetan prayer ribbons.

Take good care of my pacifiers.  Now your big boy is 3 years old
and I can sleep without my binkies.  Best Regards, Sylvester.

This one was quite elaborate.  A photo montage farewell.

Goodbye to Mine
from the Big Girl Aviaya

I can see how it would be comforting for little kids to visit this tree before and after the big event.  They can see how other boys and girls have given up their pacifiers.  I'm sure reading a note from a brave big girl, like this one from Nicolina, would be a huge comfort.

Thanks for helping me and giving me peace of mind for  2-1/2 years.
I'm a big girl now, so it's time to give you away.
Thanks for everything.  Nicolina

There is more than one Pacifier Tree in Copenhagen.  In November, when gardeners prepare the trees for Winter, they strip them of a year's worth of pacifiers.

Gaius is a big boy now!  LOL

Bye Bye Binkies

Bye Bye, Pacifier Tree!

Suttetræt

På gensyn!

Lost and Found

For the last few weeks, I have noticed signs popping up everywhere, warning people about pickpockets in the touristy areas of Copenhagen.  Now that summer is here, so are the crowds, and the crooks.  Today, while I was sitting at Cafe Norden on the Strøget visiting with my friend Pernille (a Dane from Williamsburg!), I had my purse hanging on the back of my chair.  I could feel that someone was jostling my purse behind me, but I didn't stop to check and see if anything had been taken.  Unfortunately, someone stole my wallet!

Pernille & I at the Scene of the Crime

When I first arrived in Copenhagen, I took photos of all of the things in my wallet.  This made it easy for me to contact all of my credit card companies today to cancel my cards.  I was really worried because my residency permit was also stolen.  I'm traveling to Berlin next month, and I will need that residency card to re-enter Denmark.  Also stolen was my drivers license.  What a hassle!  Some other sentimental things that I lost were Gaius' hockey player card and the prayer card from Bric's funeral.  Oh, and my "Woman Card" from Hillary Clinton.

Lost Cards & Permits

Don't even get me started on the wallet.  I love this wallet!  This is a BREE wallet, made in Germany that I bought on eBay.  It's a wonderful wallet.  So wonderful, in fact, that the person who sold it to me on eBay contacted me a year later to ask me if I'd sell it back to her.  She missed this wallet.  I told her, "No dice."  I also told her she could be happy knowing her wallet was well loved.

The Loved Wallet

So, there was actually no cash in my wallet.  I keep all of my cash in this cute little coin purse that I bought in Denmark.  

My Cute Danish Coin Purse

So, the thieves didn't get what they wanted (cash). Apparently, they ditched my wallet in someone's bicycle basket, and that is where this lovely lady, Brigette found it.  I don't know how she tracked us down, but she did!  She phoned Christopher and arranged to give back my wallet! 

My Danish Angel

Can you believe it?!  I didn't lose anything after all!  Everything was returned to me!  This is just one more reason why I love love love Denmark.

På gensyn!

Wienerbrød

Let me tell you all about my Terrible Pastry Class.  The class took place at Terrible French Pastry School, which is owned by the chef, Frédéric Terrible.  It was excellent!

I learned how to make Wienerbrød, or "Viennese Bread," also known as Danish pastry (in America) or Viennoiserie (in France.)

Our Teacher

The class was taught in a really cool cooking studio in Frederiksberg.  There were like 6 or 8 ovens in there!  There were 8 students in my class.  We learned how to make the Spandauer (Christopher's favorite), a couple of Frøsnapper (pastry twists), and two types of Snagl (snails) which were cinnamon rolls and cranberry/matcha rolls.  

The Kanelsnagl (cinnamon roll) is my favorite Danish pastry.  It is filled with cinnamon, sugar and butter.

Cinnamon, Sugar & Butter for the Kanelsnagl

Kanel Snagl (Before)

Kanel Snagl & Cranberry Matcha Snagl (After)

Christopher's favorite Danish pastry is the Spandauer.  It's filled with Light Remonce, which is also called Lord Mayor cream.  It's basically a marzipan (almond, butter and sugar) cream.  There are different ways of folding the dough, but since the filling is the same, they are all basically Spandauers.  The Greque is folded like a picture frame.  

This pastry fold is called the Greque (Greek)

The Losange is more like a diamond twisty frame.  The Moulin is folded like a windmill.  

Losange, Moulin and Greque styles of folding 

In the end, they all look delicious.

Spandauer (After)

The Frøsnapper twists are usually covered with poppy seed and sesame seeds.  The name translates to "frog snappers," maybe because they are long like a frog's tongue.  We made two kinds, one with chocolate chips and one with seeds.  I used to eat the chocolate style in France all the time, where it was not twisted and called a Snoopy, Suisse Longue or Gourmandise (depending on the French pastry shop.). When making the traditional frøsnapper, the seeds get everywhere!

Chocolate Chip Frøsnapper (Before)

Chocolate Chip Frøsnapper (After)

Traditional Seeded Frøsnapper

We all baked our pastries together on the same trays.  To keep them from getting mixed up, we wrote our name/initials next to our pastries.  For some reason, I wrote "HD" next to mine, not "HB."  I didn't want to explain HB vs. HD to my classmates, I guess.  Not that they even know my full name.  Anyway, it felt so weird to me, so eventually I labeled my pastries "Heather."  I wanted to explain this because I know some eagle eye would notice and point this out and think that I am no longer "HB."  Rest assured, I will always be "HB!"

I am now on my way to the pastry shop to buy some of this yummy Wienerbrød!

P.S.  Just got back from Lakagehuset (the bakery) and discovered my new favorite Danish pastry!  The Kanelstang (Danish Cinnamon Twist.)

Kanelstang (My New Favorite)

På gensyn!