The Kringle Topic

[rlibkind]

I've written in other topics about the kringles of Racine, Wisconsin, but decided -- after returning from another Wisconsin sojourn -- that they deserve their own topic.

Racine is a city that until recently had more Danes than any other in the world save Copenhagen. And where there are Danes there's Danish.

The highest expression of the baker's art in Racine is the Kringle, the oval pastry pictured here at Bendtsten's. They come in myriad flavors, though the most popular for very good reason is the pecan; my favorite, though, is the almond macaroon.

Bendtsten's is one of three bakeries in Racine known for their kringle (the others are O&H and Larsen's), and each has their partisans. A few other bakeries make kringles, but only these three are worth eating.

I'm solidly a Bendtsen's enthusiastic Maybe it's the 1920s era oven shown here.

More likely is the fact that while the other bakers introduce vegetable shortening to their pastry, at Bendsten's its strictly butter, and lots of it. Whether you get one of the smaller single-serving pastries, a large kringle or any of their other goodies, Bendsten's has what my in-laws admitted is a flavor that "is how kringles used to taste".

Which is not to say that you should pass by the other bakeries. If cake is your thing, Larsen's is tops, especially their Danish layer cake, a soft yellow cake with raspberry filling and a luscious butter cream icing. Over at O&H, She Who Must Be Obeyed adores the poppyseed sweet rolls (your basic Danish pastry). However, at O&H's Danish Uncle specialty store I make a beeline for the deli counter where I order the rollepølse, a brined, pressed lamb cold cut. Two pounds are now sitting in my home freezer.

All three bakeries also produce Seven Sisters, a coffee cake made by layering Danish pastry dough, creamed almond filling, custard and seven spiraled rolls. I haven't made a taste comparion, but any of them will demand a full urb of strong brew.

[LindaK]

The Danish Pastry House in Watertown and Medford, MA.

I'd never heard of kringle or their other fabulous Danish pastries until they turned up at one of my local farmers markets. Oh my. Anything they make with their excellent marzipan is to die for, but the kringle is especially good. I never thought I had a sweet tooth until I tried it. I'm counting the days until the farmers market near my office opens for the season. Then it's kringle twice a week for me.

[blue_dolphin]

Faced with a Danish Kringle from Larsen's Bakery in Seattle, I can't stop myself.

Probably a good thing I don't live there.