Smokehouses on Frederiksoe

The small old white chimnies are easy to spot from a distance. They were build to smoke herring and other fish and even today, from time to time, the locals celebrate the old times, smoking fish and drinking beer on Ertholmene islands

Smoked herring day

Watercolor and text by Frits Ahlefeldt

Most of the time the group of small huts on the top of Frederiksø are mostly used by children of the old fishermen, when they come to stay. But from time to time they are still smoking fish here

It is a special time, when it happens, when the smoke comes out of the chimney and fresh smoked fish – mostly herring are again available. I walk over, getting more hungry by every step.

The tradition is to eat the fresh smoked fish with wild chive ( purløg) and raw egg on rye bread. And with a local beer, if possible.

It’s a tradition I am lucky enough to stumble into some years on Ertholmene islands.

keywords: food, smoked herring, eating, silderøgeri, Frederiksø, Ertholmene, Christiansoe, Christiansø, Baltic sea, architecture, buildings, art, akvarel, Denmark