Ok, so today I am going to write about milk. Ever since I moved here (and probably a long time before) milk, milk products and yoghurt have been baffling newly arrived (and not so new) expats. Everyone has a tale of either themselves or someone they know who inadvertently bought a litre of yoghurt thinking it was milk and ruined a very decent cup of tea! 

So this is the quick and dirty on milk etc

Milk (available as organic (økologisk) and non organic)

Sødmælk – this is one of the highest fat milk sold here at 3.5% fat. You may find variations of this made with Jersey milk or especially formulated for coffee.

Letmælk – next one down in fat content at 1.5% fat.

Minimælk – milk with 0.4% fat

Skummetmælk – the lowest fat one at 0.1%

Gårdmælk – this is literally translated at farm milk. It is high in fat, between 3 and 4.5%. The fat levels vary as this milk is not regulated for fat content and it fluctuates depending on calving times, weather, season and the cows’ diet.

A38

This is a milk with acidophilus added along with another milk acids, which are reportedly good for your stomach. This comes in various fat percentages are well. It is usually used for breakfast with muesli and porridge.

Ymer

Another baffling one which I have stayed away from. It is a milk with concentrated milk proteins and is therefore very protein rich. It takes a little acidic and is used at breakfast.

Tykmælk

Another breakfast milk, this time with a high fat content as it is made from 3.5% sødmælk. It is creamy and also contains added milk acids (lactic acid).

Kærnemælk

Buttermilk, this is high in protein, low in fat and has a sharp taste. It is used as the basis for koldskål (sweet thick milk dessert served in the summer with little biscuits, which can be bought everywhere over the summer months). If you need buttermilk in recipes this is the product to buy.

Yoghurt

This is called yoghurt and comes in various fat percentages again. It can be plain but also with fruit flavours (but not that many to choose from – pear and banana being a popular one). These kinds of yoghurt come in litre cartons a lot like milk and not very often in single serve pots, hence the confusion with milk.

Skyr

This is a thick, sharp tasting yoghurt from Iceland. Generally high in protein and low in fat. Use as you would greek yoghurt.

Cream

There are around three main varieties of cream. Kaffefløde, which is coffee cream; piskefløde, with is whipping cream but not double cream (for UK readers); and madlavnings fløde, which is cooking cream and has a thickener added.

Other milk products should be familiar to expats such as fromage frais, græsk (greek) yoghurt, creme fraiche (best substitute you will get for sour cream), and Kvark (quark).

This guide in Danish is helpful too.