Stammershalle Badehotel

5/23/2015

Henriette & Henrik

Stammershalle Badehotel was our home on Bornholm for three days when we were there with Visit Denmark. We say home because that's what it felt like. Stammershalle is nothing like a hotel in the traditional sense. The owners, Henriette Lassen & Henrik Petersen, make you feel welcome like a dear friend from the past. All of the decoration inside is done by Henriette, as she is an upholstery professional, and it feels like she has made the entire hotel her house.

More than anything Henrik & Henriette wanted to make their hotel restaurant a destination for the locals on the island. If a local Bornholmer would be asked by a tourist where to go, then Stammershalle should be in the top five list of advices. We find this to be a great philosophy, and even believe they have succeed with this goal to a great extent. This also makes them less dependent on tourism, which is concentrated around the spring and summer months on Bornholm.

Built by a German in 1911 who had his own zoo in the backyard with lions and bears. One hundred years later, in 2011, it was bought by Henrik & Henriette. Located along the northern coastline of Bornholm, not far from the city of Gudhjem (God's home), in a beautiful rocky scenery. Waking up to the view of the Baltic Sea every morning is the best start of a day we could imagine, and it makes us want to go back to Bornholm as soon as possible.

Good morning, Bornholm!

The hotel restaurant "Lassens" is also one of the main destination for foodies visiting Bornholm, in addition to Melsted Badehotel and of course restaurant Kadeau. Head chef, Daniel Kruse, is part of the Danish culinary team and was named chef of the year in 2012. He has previously worked as a pastry chef at Michelin star restaurants Formel B and Søllerød Kro, and won many prizes for his sweet creations.

Coffee and cakes in the lounge - Stammershalle style

In Lassens restaurant they strive to satisfy all the senses, and the food looks as great as it tastes. As many of the ingredients as possible are gathered from the local area, very much in line with the Bornholm mentality. However, Henrik points out, sometimes they simply feel like oysters and foie gras. Hard work the last couple of years has even resulted in a place in the White Guide. Without further ado, we present to you the evening's meal.

Before dinner we were welcomed in the lounge with some snacks and a glass of champagne. Pickled celeriac and smoked "Nyr". The "cigars" are filled with brandade.

Nordic nibble. Kohlrabi with tartar of trout.

Our favorite flower on Bornholm, "Kodriver" or Primula, on the left.

More snacks as we sat down at the table, presented in an egg shell with smoked foam

Cured reindeer and a dust of cheese powder

Even the bread & butter serving looked beautiful. The malt bread tasted with honey was almost fought over at the table, but luckily the kitchen kept it coming.

First dish; lumpfish roe with cucumber and apple marbles, and sour cream with mussel broth

One of many delicious wines we had during the dinner, old and new world. Here is a Chardonnay 2012 from Hamilton Russell Vineyards in South Africa

Grilled octopus, deep fried octopus ring, onion filled with potato, pickled onion, a soy sauce with ginger and decorated with ramson flowers

French rooster leg, smoked pork belly, rhubarb, potato, parsley cream and nasturtium

Second rooster serving! This time it was the breast with parsley butter

Savory dessert; Jerusalem artichoke, lemon and hazelnut

A deconstructed pineapple Solero, vanilla panna cotta ball, raw milk ice cream and white chocolate crumble

Stammershalle's take on the "Karen Blixen" cake originating from the pastry shop La Glace in Copenhagen. Karen Blixen was a Danish author who had a coffee farm in Africa. A kind of Sachertorte with coffee mousse and variations of chocolate.

A chef preparing our coffee snacks

Canelés and macarons for the coffee

The breakfast at Stammershalle is one of the best hotel breakfast we have experienced. Everything was freshly made from the same kitchen we dined in the previous evening. We could choose between a variety of ham & cheese, bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, tomato salad, five types of homemade bread, overnight oats, five types of homemade jams, four different beverages, and more variety of yoghurt and cereal toppings than we knew existed.

Yoghurts made with love by the host, for the guests to enjoy

Homemade jams in flavor combinations like seabuckthorn & apple, vanilla & lemon, strawberry and lavender, gooseberries & star anis and blood orange & grape.