LOS ANGELES — They come in slippery, tongue-twisting names such as "spandauer," ''hyldeblomst sorbet" and "gelehallon." And they are spreading across America.
They are the sweets of Scandinavia, treats once relegated mostly to the Midwest, where Norwegians and Swedes have settled for generations. But in recent years stores specializing in the confections have increasingly shown up in urban areas, such as Los Angeles and New York City, ushering in a growing curiosity among foodies.
These stores represent the exotic new kid on the block in places long dominated by Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and Indian foods.
"My thing, when I opened, was that everybody here knows what a 'Danish' is, quote, unquote, but they don't really know what a real one is," said Copenhagen-born Rasmus "Ray" Lee, 41, co-owner of two-year-old Hygge (pronounced "hyoo-geh"), believed to be the first Danish bakery to open in Los Angeles.
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