Vorterkaker

My husband and I just finalized plans to visit our son in Copenhagen later this year. I asked him what kind of bread is eaten there. “Well, they seem to eat lots of rye bread,” was his response, so I decided to bake a rye bread from that region to include as part of the World Communion celebration at our church. Vorterkaker is a round, flat loaf with a hole in the center. This dry, crisp loaf would keep for months when stored in an outdoor granary, and the hole allowed it to be hung up to dry. I’ve always loved the taste of black licorice, so I was thrilled to learn the ingredients include anise and fennel seeds. I don’t own a docking wheel, which creates the small holes for a more even bake, but my chocolate chipper worked perfectly. As I tasted a bite fresh out of the oven, I thought, how unusual! Over the years my taste buds have been awakened by the unique, tantalizing flavors discovered through breads from different nationalities. My eyes have been opened.