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Christmas, Danish-style: Welcome to one of the Lower Mainland's last Danish bakeries

Holiday traditions come in all shapes and sizes, but some are easier to keep up with than others. For people who celebrate Christmas the Danish way, keeping those traditions alive is challenging because traditional Danish foods are tough to find.

Fijian family in Cloverdale runs one of the region's last Danish bakeries

CBC News ·
Wienerbrød — or as Canadians might call them, "Danishes" — might be the most famous example of Danish cuisine in Canada. (OLIVER-stockphoto/Shutterstock)

Holiday traditions come in all shapes and sizes, but some are easier to keep up with than others.

For people who celebrate Christmas the Danish way, keeping those traditions alive is challenging because traditional Danish foods are tough to find.

One of the few Danish bakeries in the province is found in the Surrey neighbourhood of Cloverdale, in a shop owned by Kristy Raman and her father Kris Raman.

Kris Raman has run the Cloverdale Bakery, a Danish bakery, since 1991. (Lisa Christiansen/CBC)

"I just love the food," Kris told On The Coast's Lisa Christiansen. "There's not many Danes left now."

According to the Government of Canada archives, after World War II and until the early 1960s, the economic prosperity of Canada attracted thousands of Danes, and the number of Canadians of Danish origin more than doubled. With this migration came Danish food and bakeries.

In 2006, more than 200,000 Canadians reported Danish ancestry, but there are few Danish shops remaining.

Unlikely torchbearers

The Ramans might seem like unlikely torchbearers for Danish food because they are from Fiji.

Kristy said her father worked for a Danish bakery for many years and developed a love for the culture. He's kept that passion alive at the Cloverdale Bakery since 1991.

Tebirkes on sale at Cloverdale Bakery. (Lisa Christiansen/CBC)

"We're Fijians who love the Danes," Kristy said. "He just found it really interesting. The flavours he really loved … he just rolled with it."

She says since a 60-year-old Danish bakery in Burnaby closed this year, Cloverdale Bakery might be the last Danish bakery in the Lower Mainland.

But, perhaps not coincidentally, one of the region's few Danish delis still in operation is just across the street from them at Hansel Deli Cloverdale Sausage & Meats.

Perhaps in time, Cloverdale could become B.C.'s "Little Copenhagen."

What is Danish cuisine?

The Ramans specialize in Danish baking. Here are some examples of Danish baked goods:

  • Kransekake: a tall, elaborate showpiece pastry often eaten at weddings and Christmas.
  • Kringle: a type of pretzel stuffed with fruity or sugary fillings.
  • Wienerbrød: a type of pastry Canadians might call simply "a Danish." Sweet pastry stuffed with fruit filling.
  • Tebirkes: similar to a French croissant, but heavily coated in poppy seeds.
An example of an elaborate Kransekake. (kavring/Shutterstock)

Listen to the full story:

With files from CBC Radio One's On The Coast

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