Where Copenhagen leads, the food world still follows

The useful part

During 12 years of living Danishly, with regular trips to the capital, I just … liked most things. Danes specialise in high-quality, organic produce, eaten as close to its natural state as possible. Denmark has very specific, diverse climatic conditions, making seasonal eating a science.

How it works

• Forget root vegetables in autumn and strawberries in summer – we're talking micro seasons, week to week, with cabbage, kale, apples, potatoes, berries and rye a speciality.
• None are around for long, but when they are, they're fabulous – and the seasonal Nordic diet has been proven to be as healthy as the renowned Mediterranean diet and better for the planet.
• Many who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s report being reared on canned food and frozen vegetables, with pork and potatoes, smørrebrød (open sandwiches) or junk food making up much of the offerings.

Details worth keeping

Two decades after chefs rewrote the rules at Noma, Copenhagen's food scene still flies the flag for seasonality and innovation – progressive, sustainable and uniquely Danish I didn't realise I was a fussy eater until I left Denmark. The city's food scene hasn't always been so good.