Denmark Day 1

I'm homesick. And jet-lagged. A pretty sucky combination.

So far, every person I have interacted with in Denmark has been overwhelmingly friendly. The weather not so much: it's pouring out, and what my body needs to adjust time zones right now is sun. (Denmark, like most of Europe, is nine hours off from the US West Coast.)

But you didn't come here to hear me gripe about the jet-lag — you came for the food. The meals so far have been edible. I am borrowing a studio apartment, in which the owner left some minimal ingredients, so dinner last night was comfort food: parsnips, potatoes, and onions, cooked in butter. (Wash, peel, and chop parsnips and potatoes, and boil for a bit; meanwhile, sauté in a large fry-pan onions in butter and olive oil until translucent; drain the root veggies and add to the pan, sautéing, until well-cooked; salt heavily.) For breakfast I scrounged up eggs and tea, hoping to find a coffee-to-go shop (there aren't any, but there is coffee at the math department; if I come here again, I'm bringing my French Press). Lunch was at the Cantina, a cafeteria in the ground floor of the department. My hosts say it was typical Danish fair: lots of meat dishes that I skipped, a tasty cauliflower pie, boiled peas and carrots and potatoes with creamy asparagus sauce, and a salad bar of prepared salads (including a cold dish of navy beans, parsley, and mango). I will find the grocery store on my way home today.

I've spent most of the day talking math, which is good.