Vejle: a cheese worth the trip

Are two BMOs in one day too many?

Last week I inadvertently put this to the test. I was in Vejle visiting my family to celebrate my grandfather’s 90th birthday. My parents had planned a BMO review outing before I’d even arrived, in the spirit of supporting this fledgling newsletter.

I’m fortunate to have parents who have always actively supported my endeavours. In my younger years, this involved travelling to amateur gymnastic competitions (including one where I ran head-first into the vault) or enduring the plays and choreographed routines that my sister and I cooked up.

In my twenties, at a time when I was particularly strapped for cash, I made a framed gift for my mum’s birthday despite lacking any crafting skills. My parents have recently moved to a new home and that frame is still on display in all its shabby glory. They also still use the branded pens from my now-deceased startup, although that may just be because they are decent pens.

Cafebutikken

We started at Cafebutikken in Vestergade in Vejle, which my mum and aunt had previously enjoyed visiting for brunch. Cafebutikken is unusual in that it is a social enterprise café staffed by people with mental health vulnerabilities and acquired brain injuries who are working towards employment.

In the menu there’s a leaflet explaining: “At Cafebutikken we aren’t very good at stress, so sometimes we take a little longer over things. In return, we take real care with everything.” It’s an invitation to slow down and enjoy what Cafebutikken has to offer.

Onto the BMO

This BMO came with a whole host of other things that I’ve never seen served with a BMO before, including a side salad, red pepper and salted almonds. Toto, we’re not in Copenhagen anymore.

Honestly, the bun didn’t set my world alight - it was a little too soft for my taste and reminded me a bit too much of the buns you can buy in packs of eight at the supermarket. However, the salted butter was very good and plentiful, while the Danbo cheese was a classic choice. The highlight was a little pot of homemade raspberry jam, which was tangy and sweet. The salted almonds on the side were a little odd, but not a bad addition.

My black filter coffee arrived in a cute ceramic mug and was perfectly drinkable.

Where to sit

Cafebutikken has a cosy interior, with a good amount of inside seating including tables by the window. The weather was cloudy but warm when we visited, so we gathered some tables together and sat out the front of the café on the street. This was magnificent for people-watching and my daughter enjoyed yelling at each dog that passed. Near this seating area is a public bench, where a man smoked a cigarette then farted loudly before getting up to open a shop nearby. Perhaps not quite the ambience that Cafebutikken strives for, but we did have a good giggle!

Folmers Mikrobageri

After Cafebutikken, we did some shopping (I could have spent hours exploring the jewellery and prints in Fabrikanterne), then found ourselves towards the other end of town and ready for a light lunch. I’d been wanting to try Folmers Mikrobageri for ages, which describes itself as “a gathering spot where the magic of sourdough can be experienced”.

Onto the BMO

I opted for the plain sourdough bun, although you can also choose with sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds on top. The bun had a firm outer crust and a soft, springy centre, with plenty of magical sourdough holes for the butter to hide in. Honestly though, my standout memory from Folmers was the cheese; they use a matured havarti called Omsorg (Mammen). It has a mellow flavour and delightfully creamy texture. It worked wonderfully with the sourdough; complementing the taste of the bread without overpowering it.

I wondered why I haven’t seen it in BMOs elsewhere, and it turns out that this is part of Mammen’s “Danish cheeses with personality” range, which is a series of nine speciality cheeses offered only through selected restaurants and cheesemongers rather than general retail.

Stillfield Coffee runs the coffee bar in Folmers, but I’d had enough coffee by this point in the day, so I went for the chai latte instead, which was milky, smooth and with a pleasant spiciness.

Where to sit

There is some indoor seating, but it is quite limited. Folmers feels like a transient place, where you perch to enjoy your coffee and bakery treat, and then scoot on your way rather than somewhere you’d lounge for hours. Outside in the small courtyard, there is also some seating and if you’re seeking some green space then Mariaparken is only a three minute walk down the road.

We sat indoors to enjoy our drinks and BMOs, while my daughter slept outside in the courtyard and my 8-month-old nephew licked the window. A steady flow of customers came and we shuffled across to make space for two friends seeking a perch for their few minutes basking in the magic of sourdough.

The verdict

If you only have time or dietary capacity for one BMO in Vejle, then I would recommend Folmers Mikrobageri. The freshly-baked sourdough bun is good but I mostly keep raving about the cheese - it was delicious and one that you won’t find in many other places. If you find yourself in need of a caffeine hit when you reach the other end of town, then I recommend stopping for a coffee at Cafebutikken. It has a cosy atmosphere and a shop with lovely handmade goods.

In the interest of a balanced diet, two BMOs in a day may be too many. In our case, they turned out to be the fuel we needed to stomp the streets of Vejle while wrangling two small humans.

A final thank you to my parents for initiating this BMO review and their continued patient support of my hare-brained schemes.