The Moonlight Dinner series at Arapahoe basin welcomes attendees to ski or snowshoe under the stars to Black Mountain Lodge (mid-mountain) themed gourmet meals highlighting different parts of the world.

The fourth in the 2023-2024 series featured food, music and other elements of culture from Scandinavia Saturday, March 23, 2024.

Guests arrive to a regional cocktail and entertainment from the highlighted region. Sarah Jylkka, violinist, helped transport attendees to the snow-covered hillsides of Norway before and during the four-course dinner.

A luxurious Hors D’Oeuvres course kicks off the feast:

Smörgåsbord
Selection of Swedish meats, cheese, pickles, spreads, and bread

Norwegian Cured Gravlax
Lemon-dill cured salmon with horseradish crème fraîche, pickled red onion, cucumbers, mustard sauce and crackers

Köttbullar med Gräddsås
Swedish style meatballs with mashed potatoes and cream sauce

Fiskekaker med Remulade
Hand-pressed fish cakes with herbs and remoulade

Skagenröra
Creamy shrimp salad served with rye toast

The gravlax was fresh and sweet with a different texture than a smoke-cured fish more typical of America. The Köttbullar was rich in flavor and complemented by the velvet feel of the creamy potatoes. The highlight for our table was the lightly crisped Kiskekaker and delicious Skagenröra, both of which got a second helping. The Skagenröra was lightly seasoned as you’d want for shrimp and paired well with the delicate toasted rye triangles.

The soup and salad course featured a Norwegian split-pea soup with leeks, potatoes, and rutabega. Peppery and hearty, the soup was complemented by a spiced chickpea and cucumber salad. The pink peppercorn-yogurt dressing got a crunchy contrast from the cardamom and juniper-spiced chickpeas.

Protein and vegetable dishes highlight the entree course:

Flæskesteg Og
Danish pork roast with cider jus

Älggryta med svamp och lingon
Braised elk casserole with wild mushrooms and lingonberries

Andesteg
Roast duck with apples

Rødkål
Red-wine braised cabbage with warming spices

Brunede kartofler
Petitie potatoes stewed with butter and sugar

Hearty and rich, the main courses show-cased the talented chefs wide ranging skills. The slow-cooked elk was fork tender, rich with the complementing wild-mushrooms and brightened with the lingonberries. Considered one of the main national dishes of Denmark, the pork was moist and sweet when paired with the cider jus. The leg of roast duck on my plate was very deep in flavor – the apples lightened the richness of the meat.

The light Rødkål was similar to a sauerkraut, but sweeter and was a welcome palette cleanser between tastes of the protein dishes. Having never had Brunede kartofler, let me tell you that potatoes stewed in butter and sugar are as good as they sound. A lightly touched caramelization on the edges provided a welcome crisp during bites.

A moist and heavy dark chocolate cake called Kladdkaka was the dessert highlight at our table, but I couldn’t resist dipping my Kanelbulle miniature cinnamon rolls in my cup of coffee.

The evening ends with a trip down the mountain on skis or shoes via a headlamp, or a downhill ride on the ski lift with the lights of the quaint base of A-basin down below.

The final moonlight dinner of the year on April 20 is a Luau features Polynesian cuisine and entertainment by the Kalama Polynesian Dancers. Tickets can be reserved on the Arapahoe Basin website.