The story behind many a culinary masterpiece begins with leftovers, and so it is with øllebrød, the traditional Danish specialty of stale rye bread soaked in beer and seasoned with citrus or spices. Magnus Nilsson’s The Nordic Cookbook refers to it as an iconic soup, while the menu at Claus Meyer’s Great Northern Food Hall, where it is served at the Grain Bar, calls it porridge. Either way, it’s a surprisingly luxurious concoction, considering its humble roots, dressed up for New York diners with frothy milk foam, sea buckthorn berries, and tarragon sugar.
On the menu at Great Northern Food Hall; $8; Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal 646-568-4020
*This article appears in the December 12, 2016, issue of New York Magazine.
