Visit a Danish city without leaving the United States.
It is a beautiful fall day. You are walking along quaint cobblestone streets, enjoying the variety of shops and sights. You are feeling a bit hungry so you stop in to the Red Viking Restaurant on Copenhagen Drive. The beams along the ceiling are carved with Danish sayings and you ponder them as you wait for your Aebleskiver and jam. What is an Aebleskiver?, you might ask. This authentic Danish dish is, well, basically a pancake shaped like a ball. Aebleskivers are made in a special pan. This pan is usually made of iron, is very heavy, and has a series of deep round indentations in it. The batter is poured into the indentations and is turned periodically as it cooks. My mom always used a knitting needle to turn them. Served with jam or syrup they are delicious!
Solvang is a city dotted with windmills, quaint Danish shops, restaurants, antique stores, and more recently wine tasting rooms from local wineries. Some shops that I have always enjoyed visiting are Rasmussens, where you can find a variety of items for your home; Berengaria, a wonderful clothing and gift store where the staff is always friendly, helpful, and informative; Edelweiss, and Jule Hus, Inc., a year round Christmas shop filled to bursting with wonderful ornaments and decorations some of them handmade. One of my great, great, great grandparents opened the first bakery in Solvang. A great place to find out about Solvang's history is the Elverhoj Museum of History & Art . While in Solvang you should visit the Hans Christen Andersen Park and the Solvang Park , take a ride on the horse drawn trolley and browse the many stores while you stroll the streets.
Solvang - the name is a Danish word meaning "sunny field" - was founded in 1911 on 9,000 acres of former Spanish land grant. To the small group of Danish settlers, refugees from Midwestern winters, the area must have looked like heaven. It was a group of Danish educators who founded Solvang and they immediately went to work building a Danish folk school.
In 1914 the school moved to newly constructed Atterdag College, where students learned the basics and a love of Danish culture. Atterdag College is gone, but it's spirit still infuses the town.
In 1936, on Solvang's 25th birthday, the future Danish king and queen visited, sparking interest in the local colony and the local annual festival known as Danish Days.
Visit Solvang Sept. 19 th through the 21 st for Danish Days where you can enjoy a parade, music, dancing, traditional foods, folk art demonstrations, singing, games, aebleskive eating contests, akvavit tasting, and more. Visit the Solvang Visitors website for more information on this wonderful place to visit. Before you leave you must stop in to Gaveaesken (The Gift Box) and get yourself a handmade Nisser. Nisser are adorable little Skandinavian elves. Ask the clerk about the story behind these little guys and then take one or two home with you! I have 12 of them, myself! You may also want to visit the nearby Santa Ynez Valley while you are staying in Solvang. Enjoy your visit and hope you come back soon!
