KACHEN 14 - Spring 2018 - EN

KACHEN

SPRING 2018

WWW.KACHEN.LU

LUXEMBOURG’S

AND

LIFESTYLE

MAGAZ I N E

A Taste of Luxembourg

I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N

NATURALLY DIFFERENT

FOOD

Spring

EASTER MENU Sunday Roasts

HOT AND SPICY

More than 50 recipes

Aphrodisiac Delights

SEASONAL VEGGIES Asparagus & Artichokes

DETOX

L U X E M B O U R G ’ S F O O D M AG A Z I N E

A

L A R G E

S E L E C T I O N

O F

R E G I O N A L

P R O D U C T S

pallcenter.lu COUV KACHEN 14 ENGLISH.indd 1

9,95 ¤

H e i d e r s c h e i d | M e r t z i g | O b e r p a l l e n | S te i n s e l | S t ra s s e n | U s e l d a n g e

01/2018 - € 9,95

KACHEN

From Nature

IN

TE RN ED AT IN IT EN IO ION G N A LIS

H

L

KACHEN ON TOUR Luxembourg - Nice - Lille

21/02/2018 10:03

SUNDAY, 11TH MARCH

The «Bretzelsonndeg»

This year it’s the man’s turn to offer the Bretzel !

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EDITORIAL n

Dear Reader, Well, how are you coming along with those New Year’s resolutions?

What, have they been forgotten already?

You were just making resolutions and now it’s already spring? Wait, not so fast! It’s not too late to make some changes, and we’re here to help. How about a couple of detox days, before the spring dresses and shorts come out of storage? In our ‘detox special’ we have put together a few delicious recipes with simple ingredients from nature, that are not only easy to make, but will also help you feel lighter.

Elsewhere in this issue you will also find many ideas and recipes for light, springtime fare.

By and large we Luxembourgers don’t let the weather get us down, but this year we’re hearing, even from the less sensitive among us, a longing for these dark clouds to finally depart and let in a few rays of sun to warm the soul. If it stays grey and cloudy and you are getting sick of rain gear, then you’ll find good suggestions in our travel section for weekend excursions in the greater area or in southern lands. And if you’ve no time for travel, try out one of our aphrodisiac recipes. They’re guaranteed to warm your heart!

And naturally we have a hearty Easter menu. This time KACHEN chef Carlo Sauber has teamed up with his students at the Lycée Technique in Bonnevoie to come up with not just one but three great Sunday roasts for your Easter table! You may have difficulty choosing just one.

Alongside many familiar sections, from restaurant tips and chef portraits to design and wellness, this issue has a few new items which we hope you'll like. We wish you much pleasure in reading, cooking, and savouring!

Yours,

Bibi Wintersdorf

and the entire KACHEN Team

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46 60

26

16

65

36

Claude Neu: Neu à la carte

46 With the power of nature into spring Detox with wild herbs

80 The love of cooking transcends borders

6

Restaurant and shopping news

54 DIY - Breakfast gifts from the kitchen

86 Liqueurs: Supersweet seduction

8

Subscription information

58

9

Books

90 Luxembourg’s wine families Caves Gales NEW

10

Lëtzebuerger Shopping

11

Product news

12

Welcome to Luxembourg

15

Where to spend it Book club

4

Our team

5

16

Easter: 3 Sunday roasts

26 Aphrodisiac foods

60 Step by step: Artichokes 65 Seasonal Veggies NEW 5 facts about … asparagus 72

Farm house recipes Kiermeskuch mat Kréischelsgebeess

74

Lëtzebuerger Rëndfleesch Oxtail confit

76

Typically Luxembourgish: Kuddelfleck

78

Expat recipes: Turkey

34 Food Summit 2018 36 Breakfast at Fabienne‘s

Les Sucrés du Lux Lime tartelettes

93 Télévie dinner 96 Culinary dynasties Pall Center 100 Chef portrait: Roberto Fani 103 Jonk Chefs: Mathieu Morvan 104 Restaurant portrait Ma Langue Sourit 106 Hotel news NEW

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SUMMARY n

134

96

90 138 80

DESIGN

130 What we’re doing this spring

108 Spring fever

132 Mountain bike

112 Kitchen design

133 24 hours with… Andy Schleck

115 Bloggers in Luxembourg

134 With Luxair-Metropolis to Nice

119 Anne‘s meat-free Monday Fried halloumi with minted couscous

138 L’Auberge, Cave and Domaine de la Klauss

HEALTH & FITNESS

142 With CFL to Lille NEW

142

141 Wraps in Venezuela

120 Mental fitness: memory and brain 122 Birch water

146 Recipe directory and imprint

124 Food trends 2018

148 Outlook

KACHEN ON TOUR 125 Culture to suit everyone‘s taste Luxembourg‘s museums 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 3

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Paul Fourier Jonathan Szymkowiak

Roberto Fani Carlo Sauber

Yves Jehanne

Mathieu Morvan

Minh Doan

Roberto Beltramini

CHEFS IN THIS EDITION

OUR TEAM

Ramunas Astrauskas

Elisabeth Beckers

Marcel Biver

Anne Faber

Barbara Fischer-Fürwentsches

Claude François

Massimo Gherardi

Susanne Jaspers

Claude Neu

Martina Schmitt-Jamek

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NEU À LA CARTE n

TRENDS IN 2018:

PLANT BASED, NATURALLY F

orbes, eater.com, food&wine.com, trendsetting magazines from Elle to Vanity Fair: speciality blogs and fashion magazines all discussed coming culinary trends at year’s end and everyone agrees that elite chefs, the pioneers in cookery, are increasingly placing focus on vegetarian cuisine. Fresh, predominantly regional products from local businesses and gardens are being brought to table. This ‘back to basics’ concept has even reached fast food chains, which are now offering veggie burgers and promising healthier fare.

Food trucks, now a permanent part of the urban landscape, are also getting on board. For little money, vegetarians and vegans are being offered green fare and a healthier alternative to burgers.

These alternatives often come from Oriental cuisine, for example falafel, which consists primarily of chickpeas and is served with diverse salads and tasty yoghurt sauce.

Which brings us to trend number two: the delicious specialities from Oriental cookery. The pop-up restaurant ‘Syriously’ in Hollerich, conceived to assist in the integration of Syrian refugees, has been so successful that a second restaurant has opened under the name ‘Chiche’. It is recommended to make reservations for either restaurant if you want to be sure to get a table.

It used to be that vacant buildings awaiting renovation were used exclusively to house boutiques and art galleries, but now restaurants are discovering this niche as well. A few hundred metres from Chiche, film designer and oenophile François Dickes has opened an original restaurant called ‘The Farm’ in the tiled spaces which used to hold the kitchens of catering company Wengé. Here one can enjoy fresh, simple products from the land alongside agreeable wines for the next two years, until the wrecking ball is brought in to make the way for lucrative flats.

Back to the beginning of our article. One of the most active champions for plant-based cuisine here in Luxembourg is René Mathieu, starred chef of the restaurant ‘La Distillerie’ in Burglinster Castle, where he also runs the brasserie ‘Côté Cour’. The gastronome recently expressed during the first ‘Night of Ideas’ in Mudam that gourmet cookery can also do without all the hard-to-digest ingredients and thus accommodate the increasing number of diners with intolerances and allergies. In René Mathieu’s kitchen, one will find neither milk nor cream nor sugar. Much can be substituted, says the bustling chef. It’s worth experimenting and one can find the right plant-based substitutes with a little innovation. His own vegetarian cheeses, which look exactly like a proper cheese plate, are strikingly close. Naturally meat and fish haven’t been renounced entirely, but both make up barely twenty percent of the products used, in contrast to the domination of vegetables. Desserts, too, are lighter and airier from using less cream.

One last trend will delight all night owls. In Berlin, London, and Paris there are establishments that now serve breakfast or brunch until four o’clock in the afternoon. As Luxembourg’s lag in following trends as been decreasing, we hope that maybe we too can soon enjoy an abundant hangover breakfast in the afternoon! This would be especially welcome on weekends ... to whom it may concern, we hope you’re listening!

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Restaurants & ShopsNews The Farm Following the success of ‘Vins Fins Grund’, Fanz Dickes and Rossi Petkova have now recently opened ‘The Farm’ in Hollerich. The simple and yet grandiose concept: from farm to table! Regionality and seasonality are crucial for the quality of its simple dishes. Organic products are used wherever possible. Biodynamic wines are also served in a modern, industrial ambience.

Opening hours: Thur - Fri: 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m., Wed - Sat: 6:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

80-82, rue de l’Aciérie - L-1112 Luxembourg Tel: (+352) 691 262 696 Facebook: thefarmlux

Restaurant - Brasserie

Broutgaass

The authentic cuisine of ‘Broutgaass’, with its seasonal and regional ingredients, spans tradition and innovation. Great value is placed on close relationship to producers, which is also reflected by what’s on your plate.

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11:45 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Mon + Wed - Fri: 6:30 p.m. 10:30 p.m., Sat: 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

8, rue des Prés - L-8039 Strassen - Tel: (+352) 26 31 03 16 www.broutgaass.lu

dean&david In March the German chain ‘dean&david’ is opening its second branch in Luxembourg, joining its first shop in Kinepolis Kirchberg. Its primary focus is the uncompromising freshness of healthy, light food. Try the new Hot Bowls!

Opening: March 2018 Opening hours: Mon - Sun: 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m., closed holidays Address: 29, Boulevard F.D. Roosevelt - L-2450 Luxembourg Contact: notre-dame.lux@deananddavid.com www.deananddavid.de

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NEWS n

Meat Point

Cocottes Pall Center

Adhering to the motto ‘Meat zu Miersch’ the new restaurant ‘Meat Point’ is all about meat – whether it’s chicken, beef, buffalo or ostrich. The meats are prepared in a special Mibrasa charcoal oven. The chef’s recommendations are presented to guests on a slate, and of course there’s a wine appropriately paired for each.

For almost 1 year the dishes of ‘Cocottes’ are being offered in the Pall Center Strassen and since December also in the Pall Center Oberpallen.

There one finds a selection of classic ‘Cocottes’ dishes in glasses, salads, and desserts as well as a variety of ‘gamme traiteur’ products.

Opening: 1 March 2018 Opening hours: closed Saturday afternoons, Sunday evenings and Mondays 33, rue de la Gare - L-7535 Mersch - Tel: (+352) 27 40 35 35 www.meatpoint.lu

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sun: 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Address: 2, Arelerstrooss - L-8552 Oberpallen Tel: (+352) 23 64 41 www.cocottes.lu - www.pallcenter.lu

Rawdish Central Station This new start-up opened its first location two years ago; in mid-February it’s opening its second location at the Place de Paris! With the motto ‘Bio-Healthy-Go’, Rawdish sells healthy and energy-packed smart food – for take away as well. Everything is 100% fresh, 100% certified organic, 100% home-made, and produced locally in the restaurant’s own factory in Sandweiler.

Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 6:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Sat: 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

2a, Place de Paris - L-2314 Luxemburg Tel: (+352) 28 79 35 62 www.rawdish.lu

Chiche! Chadi's Falafel pop-up The cosmopolitan team at ‘Chiche!’ invites you to embark on a culinary and cultural journey with typical Middle Eastern dishes. It serves grilled meats, falafel, traditional ‘meze’, and Moudi’s legendary baklava. Chef Chadi came to Luxembourg in 2015, fleeing his home country of Syria before the war.

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m., Sat - Sun: 6:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Address: 99, route d'Esch - L-1471 Luxembourg Tel: (+352) 26 48 09 81 chicheluxembourg.business.site

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SUBSCRIBE

KAC

is pub HEN li quart shed 4 x a erly year

4 MAGAZINES FOR 35 € RETAILS SINGLY AT 9,95 € AN ISSUE

Fill in the coupon and return by post or e-mail to: Luxe Taste & Style Publishing Sàrl - 4a, rue de Consdorf - L-6230 Bech - abo@kachen.lu - www.kachen.lu Subscription submission deadline 2018: Spring - 15.02. / Summer: 15.05. / Fall: 15.08. / Winter: 1.11.

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NEWS n

Books we like to read LISSABON - DAS KOCHBUCH Authentische Rezepte aus Portugals Hauptstadt Sylvie Da Silva ISBN: 978-3-517-09611-7 Language: DE - 144 Pages - 20,00 € Publisher: Südwest Available from 12 March 2018

WIN

Simply answer the following question: In what country is Lisbon located?

Send the correct answer with the keyword ‘Lissabon’ to gewinnen@kachen.lu Submission deadline is 16.04.2018

© Sylvia da Silva.

© Sylvia da Silva.

WE'RE GIVING AWAY 3 COPIES OF THE BOOK ‘LISSABON’

LOW CARB VEGETARISCH Die gesunde Alternative Bettina Matthaei ISBN 978-3-95453-146-2 Language: DE - 192 Pages - 29,95 € Publisher: Becker Joest Volk THE LOW CARB COOKING LIFESTYLE More than cooking Stefan Klein ISBN: 978-1973202455 Language: EN – 122 Pages 15,99 € / eBook 17,99 € / Printed Version Publisher: Stefan Klein

2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 9

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n Lëtzebuerger

Shopping n

by LUXEMBOURG HOUSE & KACHEN MAGAZIN

1

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1 BIO ROUDE LÉIW BOUNEKAFFI DUUSSE GOÛT, Will Kreutz, 13,50 € 2 CONFITURE POIRE WILLIAMS, Pretemer Haff, 6,50 € 3 HUILE D'OLIVE AUX PIMENTS, Haff Ditgesbaach, 5,50 € 4 EXQUISE LAIT, Genaveh, 2,75 € 5 SUMSI ON FIRE, Tudorsgeeschter, 7,95 € 6 OPUS GIN, Opus Beverages, 36,90 € 7 KIISCHTE-LIKÖR, Distillerie Artisanale du musée, 17,50 € 8 LAVENDEL-LIKÖR, Distillerie Artisanale du musée, 19,50 € 9 PRALINEN 16X, Genaveh, 15,40 € 10 BRENNESSEL, Téi vum Séi, 4,65 €

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9 2, Rue de l'Eau - L-1449 Luxemburg +352 26 26 26 27 moien@luxembourghouse.lu Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.

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EVENTS: On 16 March Luxembourg House will introduce the new Luxembourg OPUS Gin. Presentation and tasting from 4:00 p.m. until 19:00 p.m. https://opusbeverages.lu

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NEWS n

Products we like to try

Løv is green

Birch water from Belseva

Pall Center is continually surprising customers with expansions to its product range. The latest on offer is the vegetable and fruit-based infusion ‘Løv is green’! The sweet taste of carrot blends perfectly with apple and pear and the astonishing aroma of young spinach leaves.

Bring on the spring!

Now available in 100-g doses for €14.90 in the Shopping Village Pall Center in Oberpallen.

Cactus is currently promoting healthy drinks with natural flavours.

‘Bewosst drénken’ means an awareness for substances found in beverages and their origin. Birch sap is a natural plant-based water, extracted from the trunk, branches, or roots of birch trees. It has a pleasantly light sweetness that makes it perfect for anyone who is interested in healthy nutrition and looking for products which are 100% natural, are low in calories, contain no preservatives, and taste delicious.

Available in 330-ml bottles for €3.50 in all Cactus supermarkets. www.cactus.lu

www.pallcenter.lu

WINNERS FROM THE WINTER ISSUE BOOKS Haute Pâtisserie: Gigi Holstein, Rita Hoffmann Backen in der Winterzeit: Sonja Schmit, Julie Muller, Franz Muller Wild: Rob Müller, Alain Pelles, Marsilia Van der Wiel Kachen ewéi fréier: Hortense Rausch, Astrid Gomez, Josiane Kremp-Graffé

Flavoured mineral water Delhaize presents mineral water directly from the Pyrenees and in three flavourful varieties: lemon/lime, watermelon, and citrus fruit.

A sparkling, fruity springtime beverage - with no calories or added sugar, its a great alternative to natural mineral water or fizzy drinks.

Available in handy 0.5-litre format for €0.49 and in 1-litre bottles for €0.68 in all Delhaize supermarkets. www.delhaize.lu

Wine set: Sylvie Decker Genusswerk cooking course: Monique Sauerwein TRX Yoga course: Claudine Reuter, Anke Eckloff Yoga lesson: Claudine Bohler, Christine Zillig, Christiane Goedert, Andrea Beestermöller, Alain Pelles, Nadine RitterCollette, Marilyne B., Renée Gallo-Holcher, Jeannette Pepin, Florence Risch-Frieden Coaching session: Martine Bellion Luxair trip to Milan: Denise Schweitzer Bollants Spa im Park: Josiane Paquet, Marie-Anne Kaiser Harrys Waldgin: Kersch Claude, G Thommes, Steve Schinhofen 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 11

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© Paul Hilbert LFT

WELCOME!

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You may have noticed that our English issues of KACHEN magazine are slightly different from the original German edition. Our special pages are dedicated to expats, Luxembourg visitors and fans of the Grand-Duchy!

For this issue, we teamed up with Visit Luxembourg, as well as Marina Lai and her team.

Marina, an expat herself, is the founder of TheLuxLife blog and the perfect editor to give you first-hand tips about where to go, what to do – and how to “survive” as a newcomer. You can find Marina’s recommendations on the next pages, but also in our KACHEN on Tour piece at the back of the magazine.

More information and plenty of useful tips can also be found at www.kachen.lu and of course at www.theluxlife.org!

Wishing you fun reading and again WELCOME to Luxembourg!

Your KACHEN Team

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TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH

Luxembourgish Cheat Sheet What to say in the restaurant

© Lukam

Bouchées à la Reine, literally meaning “the queen’s bite”, is also known as Vol au Vent and is originally a French dish. It is a hot dish which consists of a puff pastry case with a removable puff pastry lid, the inside is usually filled with a creamy chicken and mushroom filling. In Luxembourg, this dish is often found as a main course, served with the nation’s favourite side pairings of fries and salad. It can also be found in miniature version, often served as a starter. These make for a great starter or passaround canapés if you are hosting a dinner at home. This delicious comfort food dates back to the 18th Century in Versailles where the queen of France, Marie Leszczynska, is documented as the first person to have enjoyed this recipe. Whilst the traditional French recipe contains diced chicken, mushroom and truffles, there are now so many variations of this classic dish. Those of us who are health conscious and cutting back on meat may want to check out the vegan version of this recipe in this edition of Kachen.

Gromperekichelcher (Potato Pancakes)

© Ramunas Astrauskas

You may recognise these delicious potato pancakes from the Christmas markets, but thankfully they are not limited only to Christmas time! Some restaurants actually serve them all year round. These delicious deep fried potato fritters resemble hash browns but are much finer and much crispier. The potatoes are grated, mixed with eggs and flour to hold their shape and then the mixture is fried in hot oil to form patties of small potato pancakes! They are usually enjoyed with homemade applesauce which is the perfect refreshing condiment to balance out the fried snack, which can be quite heavy.

Whilst some recipes vary, with some including parsley, onions or garlic, they are all so scrumptious in their own way. Though they are recognised as a traditional Luxembourgish snack, we think they are satisfying enough to be considered a meal in itself!

Rieslingspaschtéit (Pâté au Riesling)

© Stefan Schlösser

Not all pies look the same, and they certainly all round.

As the name suggests, this long shaped pie is actually made with meat and Riesling, and is served sliced and cold. Strange as it sounds, this speciality is actually incredibly delicious and moorish., Made with pork pâté or terrine, the meat is surrounded by Riesling-flavoured jelly and is then baked in a pastry. These meat pies make a great snack and are sometimes even enjoyed as a meal with a nice cold beer or Riesling to bring out the flavours of the jelly! You can try one at most traditional bakeries, or even attempt to make one yourself! But be warned, leave plenty of time to attempt this challenge as the jelly takes just under 10 hours to set and the dough needs more than 24 hours to set.

© Ramunas Astrauskas

Bouchée à la Reine (Vol au Vent)

Let’s set the scene, you’re in a traditional Luxembourgish restaurant….You could probably rely on your French to get by, but you really want to impress the Bourgers a little bit. Well, let us give you a fast track way to earn those brownie points with the locals! Here are some phrases that we have found very useful to pull out of our back pockets from time to time, and we’ve decided to share them with you.

• May I have a table for two please?

Kann ech een Dësch fir Zwee kréie wann ech gelift?

• Please can we have a baby chair?

Kéinte mir wann ech gelift ee Kannerstull kréien?

• Is that still water or sparkling water?

Ass dat Platt- oder Spruddelwaasser?

• What is the fish of the day?

Wat ass de Fësch vum Dag? • I don't eat meat, what vegetarian dishes do you recommend?

Ech iesse kee Fleesch, wat fir eng vegetaresch Platen empfeelt dir?

• Do you have a kids menu?

Hutt dir ee Kanner Menü?

• Do you have any chef 's specials?

Wat sinn är Suggestioun vum Chef?

• I am allergic to nuts.

Ech hunn eng Allergie op Nëss • Can I have the bill please?

Kann ech d'Rechnung kréie wann ech gelift?

• Thank you, the meal was great!

Merci, d’Iesse war gutt!

And listen, if all else fails, just remember, any sentence that starts and finishes with wann ech gelift is going to get you a smile at the very least!

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In collaboration with www.theluxlife.org

ARA City Book Club

Where to Spend it We’ve handpicked some of our favourite places where we have been spending our time and money lately!

Extrabold This cool and trendy shop in the Gare sells a handpicked range of luxury leisure and sports clothing for men and women. We particularly love their unique selection of on trend sunglasses and trainers! 24 Avenue de Liberte L-1930

ARA City Book Club is a free monthly book club where book lovers meet to discuss non-fiction and fiction English books. Unlike most book clubs where you must read the book before you attend, this book club happens in reverse. Marina found that in her previous book club, there was a certain pressure to finish every book before the meeting. In reality, we can become too busy in our everyday lives to read a designated book every month. So instead, this book club presents you the book and you decide after each meeting if you feel like reading it! Their monthly meet-ups are also a great way to meet new people, build a healthy habit of reading and also discover great new book titles.

Here are some books that the book club reviewed and loved:

Flower Action We can never seem to say no to more flowers! Florists are popping up all over the city but this one has a large selection of plants and hand-cut flowers. Drop by here for an affordable Easter centrepiece for your dining table. 22 Avenue de Liberte L-1930

Lucien Schweitzer If you have a weakness for beautiful interiors, be prepared to be wowed. This shop really does handpick what it stocks and it is filled with lovely items to make any home cozy. From unique greeting cards, flavoured teas to beautiful larger items such as desks and drinks trolleys. They are also stock the famous Farrow & Ball paints. 16a Avenue de Liberte L-1930

MIYO This is a cool concept shop selling exclusive children’s clothes, inspiring toys, puzzles and unique books in English, French and German. The name stands for Make It Your Own and this shop really let’s you do that! Our favourite kids’ activity is to make our own teddy bears! You can then give it a heart and a fabulous outfit to finish off! MIYO also has their own party room, so children can enjoy their special day. We love the coffee shop (especially for mum & dad!) and children’s play area, it’s the perfect spot for a chilled Sunday morning. Don’t forget to try the Dame Blanche tea! 169 route d’Arlon, Strassen

Monoprix This shop is like the Mary Poppins’ shop of shops! It has everything from affordable, good quality pyjamas to chia seeds and fresh groceries. The Korres skincare range is our favourite, the luxury Greek brand is a sought after yet affordable range uses natural products. We could while away an entire afternoon here, it is so useful to know that this place opens 7 days a week, yes all day, yes even Sundays! 3-11 Rue du Fort Bourbon, Gare

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante This is the first of a trilogy about life in Naples, Italy. The author originally published these novels anonymously and there has been much speculation about the author’s identity. Our members loved how authentic the stories were and were captured by the details of this exciting 3-part series.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang Han Kang’s quirky and unusual novel was one of the first novels to really divide the book club as an audience. Some loved it and gifted friends copies whilst others found it like Marmite, they just couldn’t love it.

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara This book was book of the year for us last year, there wasn’t a single reader who didn’t love it and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house amongst all of us too.

Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari It’s not just fictional books that capture our hearts, Sapiens was a book that was loved by all and it spoke to all types of readers. If we had to pick an all-star, it would likely be this one!

For more information on ARA City Book Club or any other articles mentioned above, please contact info@theluxlife.org or visit www.theluxlife.org.

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FEATURE n

Training Ground for the Culinary Arts

Lycée Technique de Bonnevoie

It didn't take much convincing when we asked KACHEN Chef Carlo Sauber for a suggestion for our Easter menu. Together with his teacher colleagues and the students of the LTB he presents us not one, but three great Sunday roasts for the Easter table!

RECIPES CARLO SAUBER, ROBERTO BELTRAMINI, NICO THIEL PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

T

he Lycée Technique de Bonnevoie has been a renowned vocational training centre for gastronomy and culinary arts for over 25 years

tional vocational competitions like Expogast, the Jean Baptiste Cup, the François Vatel Competition, the Euro Gastro Challenge, the IKA, etc., and they just as regularly win prizes.

This renowned professional school trains over 400 young people for fields in the food industry, to be tomorrow’s waiters, cooks, caterers, butchers, bakers, confectioners, ice cream producers and shop assistants in a bakery or butcher shop. The vocational training, which is completed with the awarding of a vocation aptitude certificate (CCP) and a diploma for vocational maturity (DAP), is carried out in a dual system with classes on theory and practice at the school on one hand, and training in the restaurant on the other.

The art of cookery centres on the creation of sweet and savoury products. The trainees determine the required amounts of ingredients, select the appropriate production techniques, and oversee the presentation of products. Here, the handiwork is learned from the bottom up.

LTB is proud to have a team of expert instructors with industry experience. The trainees participate regularly in national and interna-

All LTB cooking instructors are very enthusiastic about passing on their passion to the students. Students work closely with chefs who assist them continually as part of the dual training. www.ltb.lu

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The photo series was created in the Lycée Technique de Bonnevoie under the direction of KACHEN-Chef Carlo Sauber and his colleagues Roberto Beltramini and Nico Thiel.

Participating classes: 01CU1+2 / 01GR1+2 / 01GR1+2 / C1CU1 / C1GR1 XOTR - Officiating instructors: Josiane Bartz, Minh Doan, Monique Ketter, Anit Petry - Cookery instructors: Patrick Arens, Roberto Beltramini, Lorenzo Mastropietro, Carlo Sauber, Nico Thiel - Confectionary instructors: Ed Ewert, Marc Lorang

Gastronomic evenings at LTB Since 2007 the cookery and waitstaff departments of the restaurant have been organising themed gastronomy evenings, in which the restaurant is open to the general public. Almost 2,400 enthusiastic epicures have since participated in these ‘gastronomical evenings’.

These very popular and successful events put students’ skills to the test. The kitchen develops and prepares dishes under the watchful eye of the head chef. The service crew is responsible for the dining room, including selecting wines, setting tables, and providing expert table service.

Something new as of September 2016: each evening shall feature a different renowned chef who is invited to work with the trainees and allow them to benefit from his or her professional expertise. Famous names like Peter Körner, Henri Brimer, Gérard Mathes, Antonio Pretti, Ernesto Prosperi, Ben Weber and sommelier Gildas Royer have already been welcomed into the LTB kitchens.

Each of these events has been an unforgettable experience for the trainees and had very positive effects on their self esteem and their passion for this wonderful work.

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RECIPES n

Leg of lamb with spring vegetables Serves 6

1 hour + 45 minutes cooking time

• 1 leg of lamb • 1 carrot • 1 leek (green part) • 2 onions • 10 cloves of garlic • 5 sage leaves • 10 peppercorns • 100 ml red wine • 100 ml stock • Coarse salt For the stuffing: • 1 tbsp. breadcrumbs • 1 tbsp. chopped thyme • 1 tbsp. chopped parsley • 1 tsp. Fleur de sel • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped • 1 tbsp. tomato concentrate As a side dish: • 300 g turnips • 1 shallot • Some butter • 300 g sugar snap peas • Salt and pepper 1 Debone the leg of lamb and rub the meat with coarse salt.

5 Sear the lamb on all sides on high heat. Add the vegetables with the sage to a large, oven-proof dish or place on a baking tray with the leg of lamb on top.

6 Roast in the oven for 45 minutes (core temperature 55 °C). Then remove the meat from the oven. When the oven has cooled to 6275 °C, put the lamb back in and keep it warm for 10-15 minutes.

7 In the meantime, deglaze the oven-proof dish with the vegetables with red wine and reduce the liquid to half. Add the stock, simmer for a few minutes and then strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the vegetables.

8 For the garnish, wash and peel the turnips, then cut into cubes or slices.

2 Combine all the ingredients for the stuffing, stuff the leg of lamb and tie together with kitchen yarn.

9 Finely chop a shallot, sauté in butter and add the turnips.

Season with salt and pepper, add some water and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.

3 Peel and roughly chop the carrot, leek and onions. Peel the garlic cloves and stick half of them into the meat.

10 Put the sugar snap peas in boiling salted water for 6-8 minutes and stir in a little butter before serving.

4 Preheat the oven to 150 °C.

11 Slice the leg of lamb and serve with the vegetables and sauce.

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Stuffed breast of veal Serves 6

1 hour + 1.5 hours cooking time

• 2 bread rolls • 200 ml milk • 300 g mixed minced meat (veal and pork) • 50 g chopped parsley • 1.5 kg veal breast • 200 g celery stick • 200 g carrots • 6 medium-sized shallots • 12 cloves of garlic • 30 ml oil • 1 bunch of herbs (bay leaf, rosemary and thyme) • 2 tbsp. tomato concentrate • 200 ml white wine • 700 ml brown veal stock • Salt and pepper

1 For the stuffing: dice the crust-less rolls and soak the bread in milk for a few minutes. Squeeze out the excess and add to a bowl with the minced meat, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.

2 Slice the veal breast lengthwise to 3-4 cm from the edge to form a pocket. Fill with stuffing and tie with kitchen yarn.

3 Chop the celery and carrots into medium-sized chunks. Peel the shallots and slice in half lengthwise. Peel the garlic cloves.

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RECIPES n

4 Preheat the oven to 160 °C. 5 Heat some oil in a large, oven-proof casserole dish and briefly brown the veal breast on both sides. Remove the veal from the pan, add the vegetables and herbs and sauté briefly. Add the tomato concentrate, mix well; then deglaze with white wine and reduce the liquid to half. Add the veal breast and pour in the stock.

Season with salt and pepper. Cover and stew in the oven for about 1.5 hours. Regularly baste the meat with the cooking juices.

6 Remove the veal breast and arrange on a plate with the vegetables. Keep warm for 10-15 minutes.

7 In the meantime, strain the cooking liquid through a sieve and reduce to a thick sauce on the stove. Bind with a little corn starch if needed.

8 Carve the veal breast and serve with the sauce. Ideally served with butter-caramelised endives and duchess potatoes.

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Roast pork with herbs Serves 6

1 hour + 65 minutes cooking time

• 1.5 kg boneless neck of pork.

• 1 tbsp. chopped parsley • 1 tbsp. chopped thyme • 1 tbsp. chopped sage • 1 tbsp. soy sauce • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped • 2 tbsp. mustard • 30 ml oil • 100 g onions • 100 g carrots • 50 g celery • 100 ml white wine • 200 ml stock • Salt & pepper

3 Preheat the oven to 160 °C. 4 Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the meat on all sides.

Season lightly with salt and pepper. Then braise in the oven for about 25 minutes in a large casserole dish.

5 Coarsely chop the onions, carrots and celery. After 25 minutes, add the vegetables to the meat, add white wine and cook for another 40 minutes. Occasionally baste the meat with its own cooking juices.

6 Remove the meat, cover with aluminium foil and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

7 Place the dish with the vegetables on the stove and reduce the liquid by half. Then add the brown stock, simmer for a few minutes and strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the vegetables.

1 Butterfly the pork to get a piece of meat 2 cm thick.

8 For the garnish, wash and cut into chunks or slices. Wash, peel and halve the beetroot. Finely chop a shallot, sauté half of it in butter and add the carrots. Season with salt and pepper, add some water and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Repeat with the beetroot and the other half of the shallot.

2 Mix all the herbs with the soy sauce, garlic and mustard. Brush on to the meat, roll up and tie with kitchen yarn.

9 Carve the pork into slices and serve with the vegetables and sauce.

As a side dish: • 300 g beetroot • 300 g baby carrots • 1 shallot • Some butter • Salt and pepper

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MAKING A PROPER ROAST Handy tips and hacks Suitable cuts of meat: Veal: saddle, tenderloin, fillet Beef: fillet, entrecôte, rib eye, sirloin, rump steak Pork: shoulder, leg, neck Lamb: saddle, leg, shoulder Venison: leg, shoulder Poultry: guinea fowl, duck, chicken, quail

Roasting meat properly:

To make a proper roast, the meat should browned in fat on high heat (200-250 °C) with no lid on, and then cooked in a casserole dish at 110-200 °C. When the meat is cooked, it should be removed from the dish and kept warm for 10-15 minutes at 62 °C (medium-rare) or 75 °C (well-done).

Why let the meat rest?

• Muscle fibres contract during cooking. Letting the meat sit allows the fibres to relax, which makes for more tender meat.

• This also allows the moisture, which is concentrated in the centre, to be reabsorbed into the outer layer which has been dried out by the heat of the oven. As a result, the juices are retained in the meat during carving.

• Resting also allows even distribution of heat to the centre of the meat for uniform cooking and temperature.

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t e r c e s e Th

NT E I D E R G IN

is always

E V O L

f e h C e h t s s i K

COOKING

is true love

People

who lo ve to alway eat ar s the e b

est pe ople.

Julia C hild

Aphrodisiac Foods Sensual Stimulants There’s an old saying that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach – and who hasn’t tried to arouse more than just your partner’s appetite with special foods? Since the Antiquity, certain foods and spices were said to perform true miracles of seduction, whilst chips and a greasy burger will surely keep desire at bay. KACHEN has put together for you a few culinary tips and recipes to make your partner weak in the knees. If and how well they work is something we’ll leave up to you to find out. Here’s to success in seduction!

Natural love drugs Many foods and seasonings are reputed to increase pleasure, potency and fertility. Not all of it is scientifically proven, but belief in their powers goes back thousands of years. Some stimulate blood circulation, others the production of sex hormones, or they contain such hormones. Belief in their effect alone has been known to move mountains.

TEXT & RECIPES BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES

Thus asparagus is considered a phallic symbol, while the peach symbolises the female breast. Once, if a lover brought you a basket of figs, he was making his intentions clear. Why not, then, serve your beloved grilled figs with goats’ milk cream cheese today!

The scent of vanilla is said to drive bitterness from the heart and also tempt one to try the sweet life. It is said that Madame Pompadour perfumed her intimate areas with vanilla. Chocolate is also a sweet conveyer of pleasure – it contains the neurotransmitter phenylethylamine, which gives us a feeling of happiness similar to being in love. The pomegranate – the fruit of sin – was known in ancient times to work magic in love. Its plump, juicy appearance alone makes it a symbol of fertility.

Shellfish such as oysters and scallops are at the top of the list of desire boosters. The high level of zinc found in mussels boosts male

potency and virility, which is why couples who desire children swear by a meal of oysters as an aphrodisiac. On top of that, mussels also deliver a lot of protein. Casanova called eating oysters an ingenious recipe for love. Those who don’t care for oysters can get that loving feeling from other types of shellfish.

Spices, too, which in earlier times were as precious as gold, were said to hold special powers. Chilis, pepper, and ginger are known to be real stimulators – they boost blood circulation, including to the sexual organs. They bring fireworks to the tastebuds and heighten the senses. Nutmeg contains an essential oil that works as a light stimulant and thus can increase sexual activity.

It’s the mix that matters With a lot of dedication and maybe a little scheming, prepared foods and beverages can stimulate love and desire. But a word of caution: overdoing it with aphrodisiacs won't lead to ecstasy, but to bitter disappointment. Too much alcohol brings on fatigue, a too-heavy meal makes one sluggish, and not every aphrodisiacal recipe can make a passionate night out of dull company! The best aphrodisiac is still a nice compliment and a combination of good mood, romantic ambience, and an atmosphere of trust. Preparing and tasting foods together can also be a form of sensual foreplay.

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Lustful menu by KACHEN We have compiled some tantalising yet fairly simple recipes for you. Most of them are are easy to prepare; after all, you wouldn't want to get stressed out in the kitchen on this special occasion.

APPETISER Sparkling champagne with strawberries and basil

Frivolous baconwrapped prunes Serves 2

20 minutes

• 6 prunes, stone removed • ½ cup sherry or dry white wine • 6 walnut halves • 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg • 6 thin slices of bacon • Cocktail sticks

Soak the prunes in sherry or wine for a few hours and blot dry with kitchen paper. Season the walnut halves with nutmeg and wedge one into each prune. Wrap in bacon and skewer with a cocktail stick. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 200 °C. The prunes are easy to prepare, just pop them in the oven at the last minute.

ABC

The of aphrodisiac foods These foods are said to have stimulating or fertility-promoting effects. There’s a wealth of potential for experimentation..

A glass of champagne or a good local Winzersekt will relax the mood and help the conversation flow. Pep up this classic with little aphrodisiac ingredients to make it into the perfect start to a lustful night. Just add some beautiful, ripe strawberries and two leaves of basil to each glass and top with champagne or Sekt. The colour of love, the sparkling wine and stimulating essential oils of basil will definitely get you in the mood.

Artichokes – promote the flow of the female hormone oestrogen, help digestion and stimulate the appetite.

• Strawberries • Basil leaves • Champagne or a good Winzersekt • Serve chilled

Caviar – it has a high luxury factor as well as being high in zinc.

Asparagus – not only a phallic symbol, it also has lots of Vitamin E, which increases libido.

Bananas – are rich in serotonin, a mood lifter.

Cardamom – its seeds are known in Asia as ‘seeds of paradise’.

Champagne – has a whiff of luxury and sets the mood. Its sparkling carbonation sensitises the taste buds and leaves you wanting more.

Chilis – contain capsaicin, which promotes circulation and stimulates the production of endorphins.

Chocolate – this embodiment of sin and pleasure produces feelings of happiness.

Celery – also known in the local parlance as ‘Geilwurz’. It contains an aromatic substance also found in the sweat of young, pubescent men and which apparently has a direct effect on the female brain.

Cinnamon – considered one of the most precious spices for many centuries, cinnamon stimulates the body’s own production of pheromones in both men and women.

There’s a reason tea was always brewed with cinnamon in the harems of the Sultans.

Coffee – puts some swing into the body’s circulation.

Eggs – are considered to be a symbol of fertility.

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The starter represents foreplay - it should whet your appetite, but not be too filling. A hot, spicy soup, some figs or some seafood - here's something to suit every palate.

STARTER Grilled figs Serves 2

20 minutes

• 4 ripe but firm fresh figs • 8 slices of Parma ham • 75 g blue cheese (e.g. Gorgonzola), diced • 100 g fresh rocket leaves • Balsamic vinegar • Olive oil • Salt and pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C. 2 With a sharp knife, score the figs crosswise, then gently squeeze the underside to open them up.

3 Arrange the Gorgonzola cubes on the figs, create some 'nests' with the Parma ham and place the figs on top. 4 Arrange the thus prepared figs on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and bake until the cheese is melted and the ham crispy. 5 To serve, arrange the rocket leaves on a wooden board and carefully place the grilled figs on top. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

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Prawn cocktail Serves 2

20 minutes

• 100 g prawns • 1 ripe avocado • 2 tbsp. crème fraîche • 1 lemon • Young salad leaves • Salt and pepper • 1 pinch cayenne pepper 1 Peel the avocado and cut into small cubes. Combine with the prawns and immediately drizzle with a little lemon juice so that the avocado retains its green colour. 2 Season the crème fraîche with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper.

3 Add a dollop of crème fraîche to a pretty, decorative glass, top with avocado and prawns and garnish with young salad leaves. Your aphrodisiac starter is ready.

Figs – contain lots of sugar, iron, phosphorous and calcium, supplying energy for a long night of romance.

Ginger – the essential oils sensitise the nerves for taste and smell.

Goji Berries – these vitamin bombs are used in Chinese medicine to treat impotence and infertility in men.

Lobster – effective through its luxury status paired with a high level of proteins and minerals.

Mussels – often have a sensual shape; the hinge which holds the shells together resembles a woman’s vulva Nutmeg – contains a natural hallucinogen that, in small amounts, packs a pleasant, stimulating effect.

Hot carrot and ginger soup

A perfect combination of sweet and spicy flavours with the stimulating effects of ginger. Can easily be prepared one day ahead.

Serves 2-3

40 minutes

• 250 g carrots • 20 g ginger • ½ onion • some oil • 400 ml vegetable stock • 100 ml whipping cream 1 Peel the carrots and chop into slices or small pieces. Dice the onion. Peel and finely chop the ginger. 2 Heat a little oil in a large pan and sweat the onions until translucent. Add the carrots, cover with vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the ginger and cook for another 10 minutes until all the ingredients are done. Add a splash of fresh orange juice if desired. 3 With a stick blender, finely purée the soup and strain through a sieve (for a more rustic texture, blend more coarsely and skip the straining step). 4 Semi-whip the cream and fold in. Serve hot.

Oysters – their high zinc content boosts sperm production and stimulates the flow of oestrogen and testosterone.

Pomegranate – when cut open, this fruit brings to mind female genitalia — the abundance of seeds is a symbol of fertility.

Radish – turns up the heat by stimulating circulation.

Rosemary – its taste and aroma set a sensual mood. In ancient Greece it was dedicated to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty, and desire.

Saffron – traditionally used in the Middle East and Far East as a pleasure booster for women.

Strawberries – have a lots of Vitamin C and have a beguiling sweetness and red colour Truffels – contain high levels of pheromones, which is why pigs and dogs love to hunt for them.

Vanilla - the aroma of vanilla has a chemical composition similar to human sexual attractants, which is why vanilla is used as an ingredient in many perfumes and creams.

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RECIPES n

MAIN COURSE The main course should keep the starter's promise and things should be heating up for you right now. Chilli and seafood: an aphrodisiac match made in heaven.

Sexy salmon on seductive spinach Zinc- and protein-rich fish combined with a potency boosting vegetable and hot spices to stimulate the senses. With its high magnesium content, spinach dilates the blood vessels and boosts libido. Add a pinch of nutmeg to break down any remaining obstacles to a romantic night, except perhaps for the dessert.

Serves 2

30 Minutes

• 2 skinless salmon fillets • Pepper • Olive oil • Juice and rind of ½ lemon • 100 g baby spinach • 1 small shallot • ½ clove of garlic • 1 splash dry white wine • 2 tbsp. cream • dried chilli flakes 1 Wash the spinach and spin dry. 2 Finely chop the garlic and shallot. Sweat the shallot in a little olive oil until translucent and then add the garlic and spinach. Reduce the temperature as soon as the spinach wilts and then add the white wine and cream, season with salt and pepper, and add a pinch of nutmeg if desired. 3 Season the salmon fillets and fry in very hot oil for about 5 minutes. Carefully stir with a spatula and briefly fry the other 3 sides. 4 Place the salmon fillet on a bed of spinach on two plates, drizzle with a little lemon juice and sprinkle with grated lemon zest and chilli flakes.

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DE SSERT The crowning glory The conclusion to the menu should be sweet yet stimulating. What better choice than chocolate with a hint of chilli!

Chocolate mousse with chilli An enticing dessert with a spicy touch.

2-3 servings

20 minutes + 3 hours in the fridge

• 100 g dark chocolate (70% or bitter-sweet couverture) • ½ shot of Rum • ½ cup Espresso • 3 egg yolks • ½ dried red chilli • 20 g sugar • 75 ml whipped cream

1 Coarsely chop the couverture and melt in a small pan on medium heat. Keep stirring to make sure it does not burn. 2 Using an electric whisk, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until frothy.

3 Whip the cream until soft peaks form and finely chop the chilli (remove the seeds first if you prefer it less spicy). 4 Stir the chilli, rum and coffee into the melted couverture, add the egg yolk mix and to finish, carefully fold in the whipped cream. 5 Distribute the mousse into some pretty glasses and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.

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ADVERTORIAL n

Caramelised scallops with parsnip and parsley Serves 4

70 minutes

RECIPE ALAIN PIERRON PHOTO RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

• 3 parsnips (not too large) • 1 kg coarse salt • 1 tbsp. double cream or Mascarpone cheese • 200-250 g flat-leaf parsley • 8-12 scallops • 100 g butter • Juice of ½ lemon • a little grated lime zest • 2 tbsp. olive oil • 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil • Fleur de sel • Freshly ground black pepper • Celery leaves and sprouts for decoration Parsnip salad and mash: 1 Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Wash and scrub the parsnips. Spread the coarse salt on a baking sheet or in an ovenproof dish and place the parsnips on the bed of salt. Bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of the parsnips. 2 Take the scallops out of the fridge (at least 30 minutes before cooking). 3 Check if the parsnips are done, pricking them with the tip of a knife. Let cool, peel and cut 3-4 not too thick slices per person. Arrange on a plate and chill in the fridge. 4 For the dressing, combine the lemon juice with the lime zest, olive oil and grapeseed oil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside. 5 Blend the remaining parsnips into a smooth puree and add the cream or Mascarpone. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add to a pastry bag for easier subsequent distribution of the cold purée.

Parsley purée and mousse: 6 Put 1 liter of water in a large saucepan, salt lightly and bring to a boil.

Coarsely chop the parsley leaves and add to the water. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, then drain the parsley, but reserve the cooking liquid. Put the parsley in the fridge and chill to preserve its green colour. 7 Return the parsley to the pan, add about 200 ml cooking water and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend the parsley with a little cooking water. Add more liquid as needed to make a very smooth, thick purée. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside two tablespoons of this purée. 8 For a velvety texture, add 50 g of butter and, if necessary, a little cooking water to the rest

of the parsley purée. Season the parsley mousse and set aside at room temperature. The mousse can also be added to a siphon for dressing.

Scallops and plating: 9 Heat a non-stick pan. Lightly season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear for 2 minutes until slightly caramelised. Then add a little butter to loosen them from the pan. Turn over and fry for 1 minute on the other side.

10 Paint an S-shaped line on each plate with parsley purée. Arrange 3-4 parsnip slices on each plate and drizzle with the dressing. Distribute 2-3 scallops on top and add decorative dots of parsnip purée. Lightly heat the parsley mousse and blend again to create a nice foam. Distribute around the scallops or serve separately in a small bowl. Decorate with celery leaves and sprouts.

The gourmet restaurant ‘Les Roses’ serves a cuisine that combines traditional tastes with bold new creations in a stylish ambience. A modern culinary adventure!

Open Thursday through Monday from 6:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m.

‘Les Roses’ is closed on Wednesdays.

Information & Reservations: (+352)23 611-410

Open daily from 10:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday until 3:00 a.m., Friday through Sunday until 4:00 a.m.

Info: (+352) 23 611 -1 - info@casino2OOO.lu www.casino2OOO.lu Adults only 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 33

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FOOD SUMMIT 2018 1 Minister, 600 visitors and 12 winners

On 6 February the second Luxembourg Food Summit took place, this time with a focus on ‘eat locally’ along with many other current topics. After last year’s success, the organisers of FARVEST were satisfied with the result: committed participants, satisfied guests and happy winners, what more could you want?!

PHOTOS DOMINIQUE GAUL

More information at www.foodsummit.lu

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FEATURE n

Fernand Etgen, Minister for Agriculture, Viticulture und Consumer Protection

AND HERE ARE THE PRIZEWINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S FOOD SUMMIT: FOOD EXCELLENCE AWARD:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dudel Magie COLLECTIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . Frësch a Gutt RETAIL EXCELLENCE AWARD:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grosbusch SUPPLY CHAIN AWARD:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Grosbusch ENVIRONMENT AWARD:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Paniers de Sandrine BEST FOOD EXPERIENCE:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . L’Atelier du Windsor von Jan Schneidewind FOODTECH AWARD:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elior für die App Time Chef

GRAND TASTE AWARD: In the drinks category:.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Domaines de Vinsmoselle In the consumer goods category:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Les Paniers de Sandrine In the manufactured goods category:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............. Kaempff-Kohler Coup de Cœur of the Grand-Taste-Jury:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ......... Laurent & Rita Kox VISITORS' CHOICE AWARD:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................. Cocktail & Co

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J

ust once, to stroll 5th Avenue like Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ and sip coffee at the famous jewellery shop, that’s still the dream of many a young girl since that classic film took the world by storm in 1961.

She personally slipped into the role of style icon Audrey Hepburn with enthusiasm and the team had a great deal of fun making this recipe piece in Fabienne's boutique, even if Luxembourg isn’t quite as swank a location as New York.

When the KACHEN Editorial Team took up the subject of ‘breakfast recipes’, the parallels to the legendary film practically wrote themselves.

Jewellery designer Fabienne Belnou, with whom KACHEN already did a wonderful ‘Food Meets Jewellery’ photo shoot last year together with Chef Damien Klein, didn’t have to be asked twice.

As KACHEN doesn’t just offer coffee and croissants for breakfast ‘to go’, KACHEN staff member and blogger Elisabeth Beckers (her blog is called Breakfast Delights) has come up with a series of simple yet varied breakfast and brunch recipes. We wish you lots of fun making them!

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RECIPES n

JOAILLERIE FABIENNE BELNOU 5 Rue du Marché-aux-Herbes L-1728 Luxembourg - +352 22 18 40 1 www.fabiennebelnou.com 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 37

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Avocado on toast Serves 4

10 minutes

• 2 ripe Hass avocados • ½ lemon • 4 slices of sourdough country loaf • 4 tbsp. olive oil • Freshly ground black pepper • Fleur de sel

RECIPES ELISABETH BECKERS PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

1 Remove the stone and skin from the avocados, cut each half into thin slices and drizzle with a little lemon juice. 2 Toast the sourdough until nice and crispy. 3 Arrange the avocado slices on the bread and drizzle each slice of bread with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Season generouslly with frehsly ground pepper, fleur de sel and a little grated lemon zest.

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RECIPES n

Bagel with smoked salmon, herb cream cheese and radishes 6-8 Bagels

50 minutes + 90 minutes resting time

• 250 g spelt flour, Type 630 • 175 ml milk • 21 g fresh yeast • 1 ½ tbsp. cane sugar • 1 tsp. baking soda • 1 small egg • black and white sesame seeds • 10 g fresh dill • 1 tbsp. mustard • 250 g cream cheese (40% fat) • 1 small bunch of radishes • ½ cucumber • 250 g smoked salmon • ½ lemon • Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Sift the flour into a bowl and make a hollow in the middle. 2 Heat the milk until lukewarm. Add the yeast and ½ tbsp. cane sugar, stir to dissolve and pour into the hollow. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. 3 Then stir the mixture and add a tsp. of salt. Knead with your hands or a food processor for a good 5 minutes. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour. 4 Knead the dough again, divide into 6-8 portions, shape into balls, flatten

and then poke a hole in the middle with your finger to create the typical bagel shape. Cover and let rest for another 15 minutes.

5 Preheat the oven to 200 °C. Fill a large pan with 2 litres of water, add 1 tablespoon of cane sugar and the baking soda and bring to a boil. Dunk the bagels in the simmering water for 30 seconds at a time, in batches of 2-3. 6 Remove each bagel with a slotted spoon, drain and place on a tray covered with baking paper. Prepare an egg wash, brush the bagels with it and sprinkle with sesame seeds as desired. 7 Bake for 20 minutes on the middle rack of the oven until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

8 Wash the dill and pat dry. Remove stalks, finely chop and mix into the cream cheese with the mustard, salt and plenty of pepper.

Cut the radishes and cucumber into thin slices. 9 Toast the bagels, then smear the herb cream cheese on one half, top with smoked salmon, garnish with radish and cucumber slices and season with fresh lemon zest and freshly ground pepper.

‘Croisière’ bracelet (€6,560), ‘Charlotte’ ring (€8,995), ‘Diamond’ ring (€29,895) 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 39

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Waffles with bacon and fried egg 8 waffles

40 minutes

• 125 g softened butter • 3+8 eggs • 250 g spelt flour, Type 630 • 1 tsp. baking powder • 250 ml whole milk • 100 ml mineral water • 8-16 thin slices of bacon • 8 tsp. maple syrup • Sea salt and fleur de sel 1 Whip the butter with 1 tsp. salt until creamy. Separate 3 eggs. Add the egg yolks to the creamy butter and whisk until foamy. Mix the flour and baking powder and gradually

add to the butter-egg mixture with the milk. Add the mineral water and mix. 2 Let rise for 20 minutes at room temperature. 3 Beat 3 egg whites until stiff and fold in. Bake the waffles one at a time in the preheated, greased waffle iron, for about 3 minutes. 4 In the meantime, fry the bacon until crispy in a non-stick pan with no added oil. Drain on kitchen paper. Wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper and use to make 8 fried eggs. 5 Put one waffle on each plate, top with 1-2 slices of bacon and a fried egg and season with Fleur de Sel. For a salty-sweet note, drizzle with some maple syrup. Serve immediately.

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RECIPES n

French toast with caramelised apples and almonds Serves 4

25 minutes

• 4 tbsp. cane sugar • 2 apples • butter • 1 pinch of vanilla powder • 20 g slivered almonds • 3 eggs • butter • 6 slices of loaf bread • a little clarified butter • 4 tbsp. sour cream • 4 tsp. maple syrup • salt 1 Put 3 tablespoons of cane sugar in a pan and let melt. In the meantime, peel the apples, cut into 8 segments and remove the core. Once the sugar has melted, add 1 tbsp. butter, a pinch of salt, a little vanilla powder and the apple segments and fry for 5 minutes over medium heat. Reduce the heat and keep everything

warm until serving time. 2 In the meantime, heat a non-stick pan with no oil and add the slivered almonds. Toast the almonds over medium heat until golden brown, being careful not to burn them.

Remove from pan and let cool. 3 Beat the eggs in shallow dish, with 1 tablespoon of cane sugar. 4 Butter each slice of bread on both sides, then cut into 2 triangles. Dip the slices into the egg mixture one by one and then fry in a hot non-stick pan with a little clarified butter. 5 Turn over when golden brown (after about 3 minutes), and fry for another 3 minutes until done on both sides. 6 Serve the French toast with caramelised apple slices, a dollop of crème fraiche, maple syrup and slivered almonds.

‘Pink’ earrings (€995), ‘FB’ necklace (€1,230) 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 41

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Breakfast sandwich with scrambled eggs, ham, cheese and avocado Serves 4

15 minutes

• 4 lettuce leaves • 1 ripe avocado • 4 large slices of sourdough country bread • 4 slices of cheese • 4 slices of cooked ham • 6 eggs • 4 tbsp. whole milk • butter • freshly ground black pepper • salt 1 Wash the lettuce and spin dry. Remove the stone and skin from the avocados and cut each half into slices. Lightly toast the bread, then cut each slice in half. 2 Butter 4 of the 8 half-slices of bread and top with lettuce leaves and one slice each of ham and cheese.

3 Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl with salt and pepper. 4 Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, then add the whisked eggs and let stand. Stir with a spatula, making sure that eggs don't get too dry. Scrambled eggs should be soft and creamy! 5 Put some scrambled egg and avocado on each slice of bread. Top with another half-slice and serve immediately.

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RECIPES n

Chocolate smoothie bowl with beetroot 800 ml (serves 3-4)

10 minutes

• 1 small beetroot • 80 g baby spinach leaves • 4 Medjool dates • 1 small, ripe banana • 150 g frozen raspberries • 1 small slice of lemon, skin on • 4 tbsp. cocoa powder • 250 ml almond milk • 150 ml water 1 Peel the beetroot and dice coarsely. Wash the spinach, stone the dates and peel the banana. 2 Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and mix until smooth. Add more water or almond milk to achieve the desired consistency. 3 Pour into beautiful bowls and decorate with fresh or dried fruit and seeds or nuts. Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy for breakfast the next morning.

The flatware shown in the photos for ‘Breakfast at Fabienne’s’ was provided by the Pall Center and is available in the design department on the ground floor of the Pall Center in Oberpallen.

‘Jeu d’Échec’ bracelet (€4,155), ‘Jeu d’Échec’ ring (€1,270), ‘Jeu d’Échec’ earrings (€6,660) 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 43

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Miele and Carlo Sauber A shared predilection for togetherness

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M

iele has been recognised for its fundamental values of quality, sustainability, and respect for nature and family for almost 120 years. Therefore we have decided this year to bring family and dining together with family and friends to the fore.

The modern Miele appliances combine performance with convenience. Indeed, they are conceived in such a way to facilitate true culinary masterpieces: precise and varied automatic programmes, steam functions, an intuitive touch screen, and control panels allow for simple operation and make cooking easy.

Chef Carlo Sauber will once again be working together with Miele to bring you another year of great recipes.

‘Breaking Bread’ with our Friends ‘The history of bread is one of tradition, yet still corresponds to today’s tastes . “Our daily bread” is not only the cornerstone of our diet, but also of eating pleasure. Wheat and sourdough are both symbols of life. Bread is also a symbol of sharing with one’s family. We encounter it everywhere – as an accompaniment in restaurants, in the office as a noonday snack or as a staple in the preparation of other dishes.

The magic of these three basic ingredients — flour, salt and water — has never stopped evolving. This applies both to the baking profession as well as to private industry. Whilst the consumption of bread has fallen 75% in 50 years, the range of offerings has gotten more varied, brought on by the spread of diverse cultural traditions, and affording today a sensational selection from all continents, from unleavened bread and focaccia to Chinese steamed buns.

Today, more people than ever are baking their own bread, and technology has adapted to this demand. Today’s ovens are perfectly outfitted with special functions for letting dough rise, achieving high baking temperatures, and adding steam for rolls, croissants and baguettes. Extras like pizza stones or non-stick coatings make every type of preparation possible.

Italian Focaccia

There are many kinds of flours for the production of homemade bread. Even making the dough can be a pleasure unto itself.

Children love to knead it, which allows them to feel its coldness, warmth, softness, and elasticity, and to discover the aroma of fresh yeast. It’s a sensuous experience!’

Carlo SAUBER

For 1 baking tray - 30 minutes + 40 minutes resting time • 250 g flour • 12 g semolina • 5 g salt • 160 g water • 10 g fresh yeast • 25 g olive oil 1 Sift the flour into the bowl of the food processor and add the salt and semolina. 2 Warm the water to 37 °C and crumble the yeast into it. Mix well and then add 24 g olive oil. 3 Add the yeast mix to the flour and mix on low speed. As soon as the liquid is absorbed, increase the speed and knead for another 8-10 minutes. 4 Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Alternatively, put it in the oven on a special setting and let the dough rise until it has doubled in volume. 5 Add some flavourings if desired, e.g. sundried tomatoes, olives, pancetta, thyme, rosemary or anchovies. 6 Preheat the oven to 205 °C (fanassisted mode). 7 Divide the dough into portions and roll out to 3 cm thick on a lightly oiled baking tray. Let rise again until doubled in volume. Lightly brush with olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

Cooking with Miele www.miele.lu/sessions-de-cuisson Infos und Kontakt : Valérie MAIRESSE Tel.: 49 711-29 E-Mail: cookingstudio@miele.lu 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 45

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Welcome the spring with the power of nature Detox with wild herbs - fresh energy boosters for springtime lethargy The detox industry sees a boom every spring, when purges and detox cures become a hot topic with the blooming of the first daisies. But why pay for expensive cleansing cures when the best ingredients are growing at your doorstep for free? KACHEN has brought together some pick-me-ups for you, along with suitable recipes from ingredients which can be easily found in nearby forests, meadows, or right in your own garden.

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TOPIC n

Spring is the time for beginnings. We want to leave the baggage of winter — winter weight and winter blues — behind us and make a fresh, fit start in the new season. The birds inspire us with their cheerful twittering, as do the shoots and blossoms coming up everywhere you look. Many herbs found in nearby forests and fields, often growing prodigiously right under our noses, can help us cleanse the body and get back in form. There are genuine detox miracle plants growing in the fields and forests around you. A wonderful gift of nature — fresh, healthy, and absolutely free.

THAT’S NOT A WEED! STINGING NETTLE Anyone who’s had it in the garden knows that it's not easy to get rid of — stinging nettle. It also grows enthusiastically along paths and forests, preferring semi-shady and damp places. For some it’s a nuisance plant, for others a culinary and healing herb in one, fulfilling all criteria for a superfood. Its detoxification properties are more intense and long-lasting than many overpriced detox programmes.

It cleanses the blood of toxins, stimulates metabolism, acts as a diuretic and thus frees the body of winter weight. It’s delicious in salads, added to green smoothies, as an alternate to spinach, as a soup vegetable, in pesto, as a tea, or as an addition to soufflés or stirfries. Connoisseurs pick only the young, green tips.

RAMSON: NOT JUST FOR GARLIC FANS Ramson is beneficial for intestinal flora, prevents inflammations and arteriosclerosis, and helps flush troublesome substances via the liver, gall, and kidneys. The leaves have a similar taste to garlic, but without leaving an unpleasant odor. Especially when you have to take antibiotics in the winter season, ramsons can be used for a detoxification cure. Between April and May the plants grow in damp clearings in deciduous forests and — in a well-selected location — in your garden as well. Ramsons are perfect for salads, soups, and herb dips. You can also enjoy them year round as pesto. Just use caution when picking them: when one looks for ramson in the woods, one must be able to distinguish it from the poisonous lily of the valley, which looks quite similar. Alternately, a bundle of fresh ramsons can also be obtained from your local farmers market.

DANDELION: GOOD FOR BEES, HARES, AND HUMANS Bees need it to make their spring honey, hares love to eat it, and for humans it is a powerful miracle herb. Just a daily consumption of 100 grammes of dandelion leaves is enough to activate the body’s own detox organs, the liver, gall and kidneys, and to sustainably stimulate metabolism and therefore burn fat. In common parlance it’s known

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in Luxembourg as the Pissblumm (‘pee flower’) due to its diuretic effects. Dandelion is not just a splendid plant for detox, it’s also a terrific springtime energy booster. It makes for a delicious tea, a tasty addition to wild herb salads, dips, or pesto, or by itself as a dandelion salad. Its most important substances are found in the roots harvested from September until March. After March, the young leaves can be eaten.

DAISIES FOR GOOD CHEER Daisies provide an appetising decoration on salads, and can be used as an ingredient in spreads and dips, or as tea. It has a nutty taste that’s not only delicious, but also healthy. Its tannins are expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and help cleanse the blood. They also help purify the skin and lessen menstrual pains. It is likewise said to have a beneficial effect on the psyche – daisies, in the truest

sense of the word, stimulate the mind, make one welcome the spring, and awaken spring fever. The daisy’s leaves, buds, flowers, and seeds are all edible.

HAWTHORN FOR A STRONG HEART Starting in early April, white clouds of blossoms attract hundreds of insects, bees, and butterflies. When the hedgerows begin to flower, it’s time to harvest the hawthorn’s blossoms and leaves.

Hawthorn tea helps fight nervous heart problems and anxiety symptoms in the heart region, strengthens the cardiovascular system, and is a good remedy for heartbreak. Metaphorically speaking, a list of the hawthorn’s effects read like a love letter to your heart! Use your fingernails to pinch off the shoots and let them dry on a cloth. They will keep in a tightly-sealed, dark glass jar until next spring.

Dandelion salad TEXT & RECIPES BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES

In Luxembourgish, this salad is known as "Bettseecheschzalot".

Dandelion begins to sprout from the ground between early March and late April. The young leaves can be used to prepare a delicious salad.

Garden expert Claude Kirsch recommends a simple dressing made from vinegar, oil (ideally a neutral vegetable oil, as the taste of olive oil is too strong), salt, pepper and onions. If desired, also add a dollop of Luxembourgish mustard and a dash of cream.

Top with a boiled egg, a little fried bacon and some croutons for a tasty starter! Alternatively, do as Luxembourgish farmers used to, and add roast potatoes to make it into a main course.

Dandelion grows everywhere from early March, in gardens and meadows, although you will also find it at your local weekly market!

Serves 4

10 minutes

• 500 g Dandelion • 150 g bacon, diced • 1 onion • 1 clove of garlic • 4 hardboiled eggs • 3 tbsp. oil • 4 tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice • Salt, pepper, mustard • Bread cubes • Some butter Clean the dandelion leaves, wash and dry well. Fry the bacon in its own fat in a hot pan. Add the dandelion to a bowl and add the bacon (without the fat). Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely. Peel the eggs and cut into small cubes or quarters. Prepare a salad dressing with the onions, vinegar, oil and seasoning and drizzle over the dandelion leaves. Mix well and serve topped with the croutons previously fried in butter until crispy.

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Hawthorn infusion Serves 1

20 minutes

• 2 teaspoons of dried hawthorn flowers or leaves (or 2 tablespoons of fresh leaves) • 250 ml boiling water Brew the dried or fresh hawthorn leaves with hot water and steep for 20 minutes. If the tea tastes too bitter, add a little honey to sweeten. 1 cup morning and evening restores energy levels and strengthens the heart. This herbal tea may be enjoyed on a regular basis without ill effects.

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Wild garlic pesto Serves 5

15 minutes

• 150 g wild garlic • 3 cloves of garlic • 100 g pine nuts • 200 ml good quality olive oil • 1 pinch of salt • 1 pinch of pepper • 100 g Pecorino cheese, grated Wash the wild garlic leaves carefully and drain on a kitchen towel. Lightly toast the pine nuts in the pan. Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop in the blender with the toasted pine nuts. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and fold in the grated pecorino. Put the pesto in a jar, cover with a little olive oil and seal well. Store in the fridge.

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Nettle soup Serves 4

30 minutes

• 500 g young nettle leaves, washed • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 large floury potato, peeled and diced • 1 l vegetable stock • Salt and pepper • 50 g sour cream • Croutons for garnish • 1 tbsp. rapeseed oil Finely chop one third of the nettle leaves and set aside. Heat the rapeseed oil in a stock pot, add the onion and fry over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the diced potato and also fry for a few minutes.

Add the remaining ⅔ nettle leaves to the pot and cook for 1 minute. Then add the stock and sour cream and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until the potato cubes are cooked. Mix the soup with a stick blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped nettle leaves and croutons.

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ADVERTORIAL n

Citrus-carrot juice Serves 2 • 1 orange, peeled • ½ lemon, peeled • 2 carrots, topped and tailed.

1 Set the 3-in-1 adjustable pulp screen of your KitchenAid® Juicer to the desired setting. 2 Juice the orange and lemon on low. Push the carrots into the feed chute and juice them on high. Stir and serve immediately.

Cucumber-basil cooler Serves 2 • 1 cucumber • ½ cup fresh basil • ½ lime, peeled • 1 apple 1 Set the 3-in-1 adjustable pulp screen of your KitchenAid® Juicer to the desired setting. 2 Juice the cucumber, basil and lime on low, using the pusher to slowly guide the ingredients through the feed chute. Chop the apple into small pieces and push through the feed chute. Juice on high. Stir and serve immediately.

Fresh fruit.

Fresh vegetables.

Fresh results.

Getting your five servings of fruit and vegetables a day has never been easier than with the KitchenAid juicer. Take your culinary creativity to new heights with over 50 inspiring recipes. Discover easyto-prepare, nutritious and delicious juices and smoothies made from fresh fruits and vegetables. For example, start your day with a citrus-carrot juice, and then get ready for lunch with a chilled cucumberbasil drink. For many more delicious recipe ideas, download your copy of the booklet at www.kachen.lu.

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Granola, Müsli etc.

Breakfast gifts from the kitchen Crispy, creamy, cold or warm: healthy and nutritious flakes and grains add variety to the breakfast table and also make a perfect afternoon snack. Prepared with wholesome ingredients and free from refined sugar, these mixes make tasty and healthy culinary gifts!

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DO IT YOURSELF n

Cranberry pistachio granola

Exotic coconut granola with dates (vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free)

460 g Granola

30 minutes

500 g Granola

30 minutes

• 300 g gluten-free rolled oats • 70 g large, untoasted coconut flakes (coconut chips) • 60 g cashew nuts • ½ tsp. ground cardamom • ¼ tsp. salt • 4 tbsp. coconut oil • 4 tbsp. maple syrup • 50 g dates Serve with coconut yoghurt and fresh banana

1 Preheat the oven to 175 °. 2 Coarsely chop the walnuts. 3 Place the oats and spelt in a large bowl. Add the walnuts, vanilla powder, salt, oil and honey and mix well. 4 Spread on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper and bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. Stir briefly and bake for a further 10 minutes. 5 Allow to cool completely, then stir in the pistachios and cranberries. 6 Pour into a storage jar. Best served with creamy Greek yogurt.

1 Preheat the oven to 175 °C. 2 Add the oats to a large bowl. Add the coconut flakes, nuts, cardamom, salt, melted coconut oil and maple syrup and mix well. 3 Spread on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper and bake for 15 minutes on the middle rack in the oven. Stir briefly and bake for a further 10 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, stone the dates and chop into small pieces. 5 Let cool completely before mixing in the dates. 6 Pour into a storage jar. Ideally served with coconut yoghurt and fresh banana.

RECIPES ELISABETH BECKERS PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

• 150 g rolled oats • 150 g rolled spelt • 70 g walnuts • ½ tsp. vanilla powder • ¼ tsp. salt • 4 tbps. neutral sunflower oil • tbsp. runny honey • 25 g pistachios • 50 g cranberries - Serve with Greek yoghurt

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Chocolaty millet porridge with buckwheat and poppy seeds (vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free) For 12 50 g servings

25 minutes

For the mix: • 300 g millet • 200 g buckwheat • 40 g poppy seeds • 20 g cocoa nibs • 30 g cocoa powder • ¼ tsp. salt

Overnight oats with chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and raisins (gluten-free) For 15 50 g servings

2 minutes + soak overnight

For the mix: • 500 g gluten-free rolled oats • 80 g chia seeds • 80 g pumpkin seeds • 100 g raisins or sultanas • 2 tsp. cinnamon powder • ¼ tsp. salt 1 Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. 2 Pour into a storage jar.

1 Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. 2 Pour into a storage jar.

Preparation per portion: • 50 g of the mix • 230 ml hazelnut milk • Blueberries • 1-2 tsp. maple syrup

Preparation per portion: • 50 g of the mixture •a squeeze of lemon juice • 1 tsp. maple syrup • 150 ml fresh whole milk • fresh fruit

3 To prepare, add 50 g per serving of the mixture to a saucepan and bring to the boil with 230 ml hazelnut milk. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 4 Serve warm or cold with maple syrup and fresh blueberries.

3 To prepare, add 50 g per serving to a bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tbsp. maple syrup, and combine each serving with 150 ml fresh whole milk. Cover and let soak in the fridge overnight. 4 Serve with some fresh fruit the next morning.

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ADVERTORIAL n

Tea, chocolate, and a 40th anniversary!

Just your cup of tea! Tricentenaire is launching several new products in commemoration of 40 years in business.

The company‘s tea room is where high-quality teas are packaged and house blends are mixed. Let yourself be taken on a journey into the world of fair-trade organic teas. The staff at Tricenteinaire will be happy to advise you with selection, preparation and storage.

And, of course, there are new sweet delights as well.

Exclusive chocolate bars in three different flavours will excite chocolate lovers or anyone with a sweet tooth.

These new products are available for purchase at Bar à Chocolat in Walferdange and in Boutique des Tricentenaire in Bissen. www.chocolatsducoeur.lu.

And beer lovers haven’t been left out – Tricentenaire has plans to brew its own beer, in collaboration with Brasserie Simon. This project fits in perfectly with the concept of circular economy, because this beer will be made from recycled bread. Chocolats du Coeur is getting in step with this project by introducing a praline with beer.

Bar à chocolat Opening hours: Tue. - Thu.: 10:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Fr.: 10:00 a.m.- 6:30 p.m., Sa.: 10:00 a.m.- 5:30 p.m.

50, route de Diekirch - L-7220 Walferdange Tel: +352 26 33 07 71 - www.chocolatsducoeur.lu 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 57

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EXLUSIVE FOR KACHEN

Jonathan Szymkowiak

Pâtissier with body and soul In this edition we’ll introduce you to Jonathan Szymkowiak, chef pâtissier at Kaempff-Kohler and member of Sucrés du Lux since its early days.

Jonathan has been fascinated with pastry since childhood. He often helped his mother with the baking, such as delicious plum cakes, in order to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, who also learned pastry making.

He completed his vocation training as confectioner in 2000, and received his master’s diploma in 2010. He gained experience at Becker in Créhange, as well as at Bourguignon and at Fresson in Metz. Since 2012 he’s been leading a ten-member team at Kaempff-Kohler. The ‘Sapin Délice d’Automne’ for example, testified to his unusual and imaginative creations which customers enjoyed at Christmas.

RECIPE JONATHAN SZYMKOWIAK PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS / KAEMPFF-KOHLER

For Jonathan it is especially important to share his passion with others and give them inspiration, both at work and at home. He has evidently passed on his enjoyment of pleasure to his son, as well as his enthusiasm for his favourite dessert, the ‘Paris-Brest’!

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LES SUCRÉS DU LUX n

Lime tartelettes Serves 4 1 hour + 2 hours baking time + 3 hours refrigeration time For the lemon curd half-disks: • 5 g sheet gelatine • 100 g lemon juice • 100 g caster sugar • 100 g egg yolk • 150 g butter Add the gelatine sheets to a bowl of cold water one by one to ensure that they don't stick to one another. Soak for 5-10 minutes.

Heat the lemon juice combined with the sugar and egg yolk to 85°C. Remove the soaked gelatine sheets from the bowl, gently squeeze out any excess water and add to the sugar mixture. Stir in the butter, then distribute half of the mixture in small, cooled semi-circular forms (ø 2.5 cm). Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Put the remaining lemon curd in the fridge.

For the Kaffir lime dollops: • Grated rind of ½ kaffir lime • 60 g cream Whip the cream. Remove the remaining, chilled half of the lemon curd from the refrigerator and mix with the kaffir lime zest, then gently fold in the cream and form into little balls using 2 teaspoons.

Place on a freeze-resistant plate and freeze for at least 3 hours.

For the French meringue: • 100 g egg white • 90 g caster sugar • 90 g icing sugar Preheat the oven to 100°C Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, and then add the granulated sugar in 2 portions. As soon as the egg whites are nice and stiff, fold in the icing sugar with a spatula.

Pour into a piping bag with an 8-gauge nozzle and squirt small meringue drops on a baking paper-coated tray. Let dry in the oven for 2 hours.

For the Breton shortcrust pastry base: • 150 g butter • 140 g caster sugar • 4 g salt • 60 g egg yolk • 70 g ground almonds • 200 g flour • 10 g baking powder

Preheat the oven to 160°C Combine the sugar and butter in a food processor. Add the salt, egg yolk and then the almonds. Combine the flour with the baking powder and sift. Mix into a smooth dough and place in the fridge for 1 hour, then spread 3 mm thick on a sheet of baking paper. Cut the dough into rectangles measuring 13 x 8 cm, and then cut out smaller rectangles of about 6.5 x 4 cm from the inside to create some "frames". Briefly chill in the fridge, peel off the baking paper and bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.

For the biscuit cake: • 3 small eggs • 30 g powdered sugar • 30 g milk powder • 30 g ground almonds • 10 g flour • Grated rind of ¼ kaffir lime Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend for 3 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and then add to a siphon.

Use 1-2 cartridges depending on the siphon. Using a sharp knife, slice 3 slits into the side of a plastic cup halfway up, to allow air to escape at a later stage, but without creating a big hole. Fill the cup halfway up with the mixture from the siphon, and then microwave at 900 W for 40 seconds. Let cool for 40 seconds, and use a knife to remove the biscuit from the beaker.

Assembly: • 50 g white chocolate • A little gold leaf • A few lemon cress leaves • Some kaffir lime zest Melt the white chocolate in a water bath and brush onto the Breton shortcrust pastry base to avoid it going soggy. Drape with 4 lemon curd half discs each, some kaffir lime dollops and meringue drops. Decorate with biscuit crumbs, some gold leaf, small lemon cress leaves and kaffir lime zest.

Yves Jehanne' s TIPS & TRICKS

Chef-Patissier Steffen Traîteur

Pavlova with a twist

The following recipe makes 4 servings:

Classic pavlova consists of French meringue, a delicious whipped cream and select fruits. A little lime zest in the meringue and even in the whipped cream gives this pavlova a fresh kick!

• 400 g double cream • vanilla bean • 100 g milk • 105 g egg yolk • 90 g light brown sugar • 3 g pectin

No-bake crème brûlée Simply use 6 g of powdered pectin to 1 litre milk / cream.

Pour the mixture into a bowl and place in the refrigerator. Afterwards sprinkle brown sugar on the crème and caramelise with a blow torch. A genuine crème brûlée, without baking!

Heat the cream, vanilla and milk, then add egg yolk. Combine the brown sugar with the pectin and add to the milk/cream mixture. Mix for 30 seconds and pour into a crème brûlée dish. Allow to chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator, top with some brown sugar and caramelise with a blow torch.

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Artichokes The noble vegetables

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STEP BY STEP n Artichokes have an intimidating look to them, and many people are unsure about how to prepare and cook them. There is nothing more delicious, however, than artichoke hearts fried in a pan with a little olive oil! Unfortunately, only a little more than half of an artichoke is edible.

Marinated artichokes with mozzarella, ham and rocket

Wash artichokes, cut off or break off the stalks (ideally over the edge of a table), and squeeze a little lemon over the cut-off or broken-off pieces to keep them from turning brown.

Cut out the artichoke hearts and trim the hard lower petals with a sharp knife.

Scrape out the fibrous interiors (the ‘choke’) with a teaspoon or a scoop. Very young artichokes will have hardly any choke. Rub the hearts with lemon juice as well.

If you also want to use the young interior leaves of young artichokes (as found in our recipes), you should first break off the stalk and cut off about ⅓ of the tips, then remove the thick external leaves row by row. Cook the artichokes in a covered pot of ample salt water with a splash of lemon juice for 30-45 minutes (ideally in a stainless steel pot). Before cooking them, you can bind the artichoke heads with thread to keep the petals from opening during the cooking process.

Then the soft insides can be easily taken out and reused after you have scraped out the choke with a spoon.

Tips: When shopping, check artichokes for firmness and weight, that the tips of the leaves are not dry and lie close to one another. The stalk should not have any black spots. Leave the stalk on until preparation for cooking and simply place in a drinking glass. Use gloves when cleaning artichokes, because the cynarin found in them will dye your skin.

Serves 4

35 minutes

For the dressing: • 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp. lemon juice • 1 pinch of sugar • Salt and freshly ground pepper • 6 tbsp. olive oil • 2 sprigs of basil To serve: • 2-3 handfuls of rocket • 10 medium-sized baby artichokes • 8 slices of cured ham, e.g. Parma ham • 2 balls of mozzarella or burrata • Olive oil, for drizzling.

1 For the dressing: whisk the vinegar with the lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper and oil. Rinse the basil, pick the leaves, cut into strips and add to the dressing. Season dressing to taste. 2 Wash the rocket, check the leaves, remove any coarse stalks and spin-dry. 3 Remove hard outer leaves from the artichokes and generously trim off the upper third of the remaining leaves. Carefully peel and trim the stem. Cut the artichokes in half and remove the hairy core. Finely slice the artichokes using a mandolin or vegetable slicer, immediately drizzle with dressing and mix everything well. 4 Distribute the marinated artichokes on some plates. Garnish with ham and rocket leaves on the side. Cut the mozzarella (or burrata) ball in half, place next to the artichokes and drizzle with olive oil. Distribute the rest of the dressing over the rocket and serve the marinated artichokes.

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Salade Niçoise with tuna, artichokes and mustard vinaigrette Serves 4 30 minutes Cooking time: about 20 minutes • 4 baby artichokes • Juice of 1 lemon • 5 tbsp. olive oil • 2 small eggs • 300 g green beans • Salt • 2 green or black tomatoes • 2 red tomatoes • 1 head of Romaine lettuce • ½ bunch of parsley • ½ bunch of chives • 300 g canned tuna in brine • Freshly ground pepper • 1 tbsp. Luxembourgish mustard

dry, pick the leaves and finely chop half. Rinse the chives, shake dry and chop into little rings. Drain the tuna and break up the meat. 6 Whisk the remaining lemon juice with salt, pepper, mustard and the remaining oil and mix in the chives and chopped parsley. Season dressing to taste. 7 Peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise. 8 Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate with the sliced tomatoes, beans and tuna. Arrange the roasted artichokes and tomato segments on top, drizzle with a little dressing and serve with the rest of the dressing on the side.

Pickled artichokes preserved in oil (vegan)

1 Remove the dry outer leaves from the artichokes, peel the stems a little and generously trim any tough tips off the remaining leaves.

Cut the artichokes in sixths and drizzle with a little lemon juice.

2 Heat a grill pan, add a little oil and fry the artichokes in batches for 4-5 minutes at a time. Remove from pan, set aside and let cool. 3 Wash the green beans, top & tail, boil in salted water for 8-10 minutes, drain, quench and then drain again. 4 Soft-boil the eggs for 6-7 minutes, quench and let cool. 5 Wash the green or black tomatoes and cut into thin slices. Wash the red tomatoes and cut into eighths. Wash, clean and spin-dry the salad and then tear the leaves to the desired size. Rinse the parsley, shake

Makes two jars of about 450 ml each Cooking time: about 15 minutes

30 minutes

• 1 kg baby artichokes • Juice of 1 lemon • 150 ml white wine vinegar • 1 tbsp. salt • 1 tbsp. sugar • 1 tsp. peppercorns • 1 bay leaf • 6 sprigs thyme • 4 cloves of garlic • About 450 ml olive oil 1 Clean the artichokes, removing dry outer leaves and generously trimming any tough tips off the remaining leaves. Carefully peel and trim the stem. Cut the artichokes in half, remove the hairy core and immediately place the artichokes in lemon water. 2 Bring the vinegar to a boil with about 300 ml water and with the salt, sugar, peppercorns and bay leaf. Simmer the artichokes in the vinegar court-bouillon for about 15 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool.

3 Rinse the thyme and shake dry. Peel the garlic clove and slice in half.

4 Place the artichokes in 2 jars with the thyme and garlic. Completely cover with olive oil and close the jars. 5 Store the pickled artichokes in a cool and dark place, ensuring they remain covered in oil.

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RECIPES n

Fried artichokes with dip

Artichokes stuffed with lamb and peppermint

Serves 4 20 minutes Cooking time: about 10 minutes

Serves 4 30 minutes Cooking time: about 35 minutes

For the dip: • 1 clove of garlic • 1 tbsp. capers • 100 g mayonnaise • 5 tbsp. crème fraîche • 3-4 tbsp. yoghurt • 1 untreated lemon, grated rind and juice • Salt Freshly ground pepper • 1 tbsp. chopped parsley

• 1 onion • 2 cloves of garlic • 3 tbsp. olive oil • 400 g minced lamb • Salt • Freshly ground pepper • ½ tsp. ground cumin • 1 tsp. ground coriander • ½ tsp. sweet paprika powder • Chilli powder • 1 egg yolk • 2-3 sprigs of mint • Crumbs, as needed • 8/12 artichokes • 200 ml beef stock • Mint sprigs to garnish

For the artichokes: • Vegetable oil, for frying • 8 baby artichokes • salt

1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C with both top and bottom heat.

2 Peel and chop the onion and garlic, sweat in 1 tablespoon of oil until translucent and let cool. 3 Season the minced lamb with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder. Add the egg yolk and the onion mixture. Rinse the mint, shake dry, finely chop the leaves and add to the mince. Mix everything into a malleable mass, adding some bread crumbs if necessary. 4 Clean the artichokes, removing the outer leaves and generously trimming off the upper third with the tips. Remove the stalk. Hollow out the artichokes and fill with the ground meat mix. 5 Heat the remaining oil in an oven-proof pan, briefly sauté the artichokes, deglaze with the stock and bake in the oven for another 25-30 minutes until the meat is done. 6 Remove from oven, distribute the artichokes in bowls or deep plates with some of the cooking juices, garnish with mint and serve with pita bread on the side if desired.

1 For the dip: peel the garlic clove and slice in half. 2 Drain the capers. 3 In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the crème fraîche, yoghurt, 2-3 tbsp. lemon juice, half of the lemon rind and salt and pepper, until smooth. Stir in the capers and parsley and add the garlic, crushed through a press. Mix well, season to taste and sprinkle with leftover lemon zest. 4 For the artichokes: heat the oil to about 170°C. Clean the artichokes, removing the dry outer leaves and generously trimming off any tough tips.

Carefully peel and trim the stem. 5 Working in batches, fry the artichokes in hot oil until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. 6 Lightly salt the artichokes and place two pieces each on plates lined with kitchen paper. Serve with the dip.

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Roasted artichokes with anchovy crumbs Serves 4

25 minutes Cooking time: about 40 minutes

• 2 cloves of garlic • 10-12 baby artichokes • 2-3 tbsp. olive oil • Salt • Freshly ground pepper • 50 ml white wine • 200 ml cream • 250 g white bread crumbs • 4 sprigs thyme • 8 anchovy fillets • 50 g grated Parmesan cheese 1 Preheat the oven to 180 °C with both top and bottom heat. 2 Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove the dry outer leaves from the artichokes and generously trim the tough tips off the remaining leaves. Carefully peel and trim the stem. Cut each artichoke in

half lengthwise and remove the hairy core. 3 Heat the oil in a pan and brown the artichokes for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, fry for another 1-2 minutes and lightly season with salt and pepper before deglazing with white wine. Pour in the cream and simmer for another 5 minutes. 4 Taste the sauce and add all the ingredients to an oven-proof dish. Rinse the thyme, shake dry and pick off the leaves. Combine the breadcrumbs with the anchovies, mix in the Parmesan and thyme and spread the mixture on the artichokes.

5 Bake the artichokes in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown, remove from oven and serve.

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5 Facts About Asparagus „Asparagus officinalis“

1 2

Beauty booster

An asparagus spear consists of 95% water and has just 18 kcal/100 g. The aspartic acid has a diuretic effect which detoxifies the body, cleanses the blood and helps fight skin impurities.

What’s in it?

Dietary fibre and iron increase red blood cells, B-complex vitamins, potassium and calcium strengthen the heart and the circulatory system, Vitamins C and A strengthen the immune system, whilst glycosides, flavonoids and saponins help to fight cancer.

Asparagus also contains magnesium, phosphorus, folic acid, and protein.

3

Is it toxic?

Only the red berries of the asparagus leaves are slightly toxic; as little as 5-7 of them can cause stomach pains.

The strong odour, which one might notice emanating from the toilet after eating asparagus, is harmless. It arises from the enzymatic breakdown of sulphur-containing aspartic acid. About one in two people have this enzyme; those who don’t have it will not smell anything unusual.

4

‘Cherries red, asparagus dead’

TEXT MARTINA SCHMITT-JAMEK

This old Frankish proverb regulates the short asparagus season, which runs from April until the feast of St. John the Baptist on 24 June.

Those who like to enjoy asparagus after that date can freeze it, peeled and uncooked, for up to 6 months. The frozen asparagus can then be placed in boiling water and cooked for 8-12 minutes.

5

Squeaky fresh!

If the spears squeak when rubbed together, this means they are fresh. They are likewise fresh if the cut surfaces are moist, and if the skins burst and are watery when one presses a fingernail into them.

At home they are best stored wrapped in a damp towel and placed in the refrigerator.

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Asparagus soup with bread and cheese Serves 4 1 hour Cooking time: about 25 minutes • 500 g white asparagus • 1-2 tbsp. lemon juice • 1 tsp. sugar • 1 tsp. salt • 20 g butter • 30 g flour • 100 ml single cream • Pepper • 200 g green asparagus • 4-5 tbsp. olive oil • 2-3 tsp. pink peppercorns • Pink Himalayan salt • 100 g Feta cheese • 8 slices of multi-cereal baguette • 1 bunch of lemon thyme Wash the asparagus and peel stems, removing any hard, woody ends. Bring 1 l water to the boil with the lemon juice, sugar and salt. Cook the asparagus and asparagus peels for about 20 minutes. Strain the cooking water and set aside. Cut the asparagus stems into rough chunks and discard the peels. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, douse with asparagus water, add the asparagus and blend to a fine purée.

Strain as desired. Finish with the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Wash the green asparagus and trim off any tough, woody ends.

Slice in half lengthwise and then cut into segments.

Heat 2 tbsp. oil and sauté the asparagus for about 2-3 minutes. Crush the peppercorns in a mortar, add to the asparagus and season with pink Himalayan salt. Crumble the feta cheese. Serve with 2 slices of bread, some feta cheese, fried asparagus and thyme.

Serve drizzled with a little oil.

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RECIPES n

Grilled asparagus

with parmesan and poached egg on toast

Serves 4 15 minutes Grilling time: about 10 minutes • 800 g green asparagus • 3-4 tbsp. olive oil • Salt • Freshly ground pepper • 4 slices brown bread • 4 tbsp. white wine vinegar • 4 eggs • 40 g freshly grated Parmesan Peel the lower third of the asparagus, cut off any woody ends and cut the spears in half lengthwise. Brush with a little oil, season with salt and pepper and then cook on a hot grill pan, making sure they retain a slight bite.

Place the bread on the grill pan and toast on both sides until the bread has charred marks. In the meantime, bring 1 l water to a boil, add the vinegar and remove from heat. One by one, break each egg into a cup and carefully slide into the vinegar water. Poach for 4-5 minutes (the water should no longer be boiling). Remove the bread from the grill pan and drizzle with a little oil. Top with the asparagus, a welldrained poached egg, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

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Chicken salad with bread and cheese Serves 6

30 minutes

• 6-8 quail eggs or 2 chicken eggs • 200g fresh asparagus • 1 small cucumber, roughly grated • 250ml Greek yoghurt • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • juice of 1 lemon • 30 g mint, chopped • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 125g streaky bacon, chopped • 6 slices of day-old sour dough bread, broken into pieces or cubed • 2 handfuls young rocket, watercress and other soft leaves • 1 grilled chicken, flaked from the bone 1 Bring the eggs to the boil in a small saucepan of water; boil the quail eggs for 1½ minutes and the chicken eggs for 3-4 minutes. Immerse them in cold water and shell the eggs once cold. 2 Steam the asparagus until just cooked; this takes only a minute or two. Allow it to cool. 3 Mix the cucumber with the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic and mint, and season with salt and black pepper. 4 Heat the bacon in a small frying pan and fry until crispy and golden brown. Then drain on kitchen paper, retaining the rendered fat. 5 Add the bread to the fat in the pan and fry until golden brown. 6 Place the lettuce on a pretty platter and sprinkle with bacon and croûtons.

Dish the pulled chicken and asparagus onto the salad and drizzle the dressing over it. Halve the eggs carefully and add to the salad. Finally, season with salt and black pepper and serve.

Potato salad

with radish, parsley and celery Serves 4-6

20 minutes - cooking time: 20 minutes

• 60ml olive oil • 30ml red wine vinegar • 4 anchovy fillets, chopped • freshly ground black pepper • 1kg yellow waxy new potatoes • 1 tin (410g) artichoke hearts, drained • 2 celery stalks, chopped • handful celery leaves, chopped • handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped • 1 bunch of spring onions, sliced • 6 radishes, thinly sliced 1 Mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar and anchovy fillets in a small measuring cup.

Season with pepper and set aside. 2 Boil the potatoes in salted water until just cooked. Then halve or quarter them, and mix with the salad dressing immediately while still warm. Add the artichoke hearts. Set aside until cool. 3 Stir in the celery stalks and leaves, parsley, spring onions and radishes, and serve. Drizzle with some more dressing if you like, as the potatoes will soak it up quite quickly.

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Creamy pasta with salmon and asparagus Serves 4

30 minutes

• 30 ml butter • 1 bunch chives, chopped • 90 ml dry white wine • 250 ml crème fraîche • 30 ml fresh dill • juice of ½ lemon • 200 g asparagus, chopped • 350 g pasta • 125 g smoked salmon, chopped

taste with dill and some lemon juice. Set aside. 2 Blanch the asparagus for 1 minute in boiling water. Drain and rinse under cold running water. 3 Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salt water until al dente. Drain and stir the spring onions with the crème fraîche, asparagus and smoked salmon in with the pasta. Serve immediately.

1 Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir-fry the spring onions for about 1 minute until soft. Add the dry white wine and simmer until slightly reduced. Stir in the crème fraîche and season to

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Risotto with spring veggies Serves 4-6

50-60 minutes

• 125g asparagus • 125g fresh peas, shelled • 30ml olive oil • 30g butter • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 bunch of chives, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 250g risotto rice • 150ml white wine • 700ml vegetable or chicken stock • salt and freshly ground black pepper • 120g parmesan cheese, grated

REZEPT & FOTO ANNE FABER

1 Blanch the asparagus and peas for 1 minute in boiling water and drain.

Rinse under cold water in a colander to stop the cooking process. Cut the asparagus into small pieces and set aside, along with the peas. 2 Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, deep saucepan. Fry the onions and spring onions until soft. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a minute or two. Then add the rice and stir-fry for about 5 minutes. 3 Gradually add the wine and let it cook slowly until all the liquid has been absorbed. Meanwhile, bring the stock to the boil in another saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

4 Add the stock spoon by spoon to the rice mixture, stirring well after each addition. Add the vegetables when almost all the stock has been added and the rice has a sticky appearance. Add a little more stock if necessary and, if you like, stir in another pat of butter or two. Stir through for about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Mix in the parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

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F

armhouse recipes

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TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH n

I

n cooperation with the Chamber of Agriculture, in 2018 we once again present typical country recipes from Luxembourg. Last summer we paid our first visit to Simone Schmit at her farm in Stegen, where she raises pigs which come to market under the ‘Marque nationale’ label. After last year’s splendid ‘Schwéngsjelli’ with mustard and fresh farmhouse bread, she now shows us how to prepare ‘Kiermeskuch mat Kréischelsgebeess’!

This was an absolute must on ‘Kiermessonndeg’, or church fair Sunday, especially for her father-in-law. ‘Sadly, he left us a few months ago’, says Simone Schmit. ‘We will miss his advice and his wisdom. He was a great proponent of family ties. And how can one better strengthen those ties than with a good meal where people can talk, laugh, and tell all sorts of anecdotes from the past? This is very important in these hectic times. I wish you “bon appetit" and many wonderful hours together with your family and friends.’ To this we can only agree!

Kiermeskuch oder Trëtz Luxembourgish raisin bread or plait one loaf 25 minutes Leavening time: 1 hour and 25 minutes - Baking time: 45 minutes

RECIPES SIMONE SCHMIT PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

• 750 g wheat flour • 1 tsp. salt • 50 g sugar • 1 block fresh yeast (42 g) • ¼ litre milk • 100 g butter • 3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk for brushing • 75 g raisins or sultanas 1 Sift the flour into a bowl, mix with the salt and make a hollow in the middle. Add the sugar to the bowl, crumble in the yeast, combine with some flour, and stir in ⅛ litre lukewarm milk to make a soft dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rest for 15 minutes in a warm place 2 Melt the butter on high heat and let cool. Add the rest of the milk, 3 eggs, melted butter and raisins to the flour and yeast mix, and knead into a smooth, non-sticky dough. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes, until the dough has doubled in volume.

3 Shape the dough into a log and place in a greased loaf tin (about 35 cm). Alternatively, divide the dough in three and braid.

Cover and let rise in a warm place once again for 30-40 minutes.

4 Preheat the oven to 200°C Brush with egg yolk and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven after baking and let cool.

Kréischelsgebeess - Blackcurrant jelly 3 to 4 375 ml glasses

15 minutes

• 500 ml blackcurrant juice • 500 g normal sugar 1 Pour the blackcurrant juice and the sugar into a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil hard for 5-10 minutes, until the jelly falls off the spoon. To obtain a clear jelly, skim off any foam or froth that forms during cooking.

2 Don't skip the gelling test: pour a small amount of the boiling liquid onto a plate with a spoon. If the liquid solidifies as it cools, the jelly is ready.

3 Pour the hot jelly into clean, sterilised jam jars and screw the lid on tightly. Turn upside down, wait a few minutes, turn again and let cool.

Tip 1: You can make your own blackcurrant juice using fresh, selected and washed, or thawed frozen berries. Either use a juicer or boil them with a little water until they burst and the flesh is soft. Strain the juice through a cloth. You can also freeze fresh blackcurrant juice.

Tip 2: You can use less sugar if you intend to use the jelly within a maximum of two weeks, or if you freeze it after cooking. In this case, simply reduce the sugar by 125-150 g.

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Luxembourgish Beef Produit du terroir A RECIPE BY PAUL FOURIER

As part of our series on Luxembourg beef in collaboration with the Luxembourg Chamber of Agriculture, we present here a recipe from Paul Fourier, chef at La Pomme Cannelle of the Hotel Le Royal in Luxembourg City.

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Produit du terroir

Lëtzebuerger Oxtail confit with crispy shallots and borscht 15-20 (as a starter)

A passion, a treat!

1 hour + 3-4 hours cooking time

For the oxtail confit: • 1.2 kg oxtail • 2 carrots • 2 onions • ½ celery stick • 1 leek • 2 sprigs of thyme • 2 cloves of garlic • 500 ml red wine • 500 ml beef stock • 1 bunch of mixed herbs (chervil, coriander and tarragon) • Salt and pepper Preheat the oven to 130°C Add some oil to a large, oven-proof casserole dish. Brown the oxtail on the stove and then add the roughly chopped carrots, onions, celery and the thyme and garlic. Add the red wine and beef stock and bring to a boil. Then bake in the oven for 3-4 hours with the lid on.

Drain the meat and vegetables and strain the cooking liquid. Reduce to half, for about 15 minutes. Add the meat and finely chopped herbs Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Keep warm until ready to serve.

For the crispy shallots: • 4 shallots • A little flour • about 30 g Bündnerfleisch (dry cured beef) • 3 mint leaves • 2 spring onions Finely slice the shallots with a mandolin or knife. Briefly roll in flour and then fry at 170180 °C and drain on kitchen paper. Cut the Bündnerfleisch into very thin strips. Finely chop the spring onions, carefully combine with the Bündnerfleisch strips and mint and set aside.

For the gherkin jelly: • 150 g pickled gherkins • 200 ml cucumber juice • 25 ml white vinegar • 6 g agar-agar Cut the pickled gherkins into chunks. Place in a saucepan, add the cucumber juice and vinegar and heat gently. Mix well with a stick blender and then strain through a sieve. Add the agar-agar and heat to 75 °C for 5 minutes. Stir well and refrigerate.

Original Luxembourgish quality beef guaranteed from „farm to fork“.

RECIPE PAUL FOURIER PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

For the Borscht: • 400 g beetroot • 2 onions • 4 tomatoes • 10 g fresh ginger • Some groundnut oil • 30 g sugar • 200 ml tomato juice • 100 ml red wine vinegar • 500 ml chicken stock • Comté cheese • Salt and pepper Dice the red beet and finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Peel and finely chop the ginger. Heat some groundnut oil in a saucepan, then add the beetroot, onion, tomatoes and ginger. Add the sugar and tomato juice, vinegar and stock. Simmer for about 20 minutes until the beetroot is tender, then blend the borscht until smooth and strain through a sieve. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Put some borscht in each bowl. Dress the oxtail confit with a mould and garnish with gherkin jelly, crispy shallots and Bündnerfleisch strips on top. Finish with a few shavings of Comté.

www.produitduterroir.lu

Note: Dried beef from Luxembourg and Berdorfer Wanterkéis can also be used as an alternative to Graubünden and Comté.

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KUDDELFLECK (beef tripe in tomato sauce)

Serves 5

1 hour + 3-4 hours cooking time

Beef tripe • 1 kg of beef tripe (already cooked by the butcher) • 1 carrot • 1 medium sized leek • 2 onions • ½ head of celery • 1 small bunch of parsley • salt, white pepper, grated nutmeg • 2 bay leaves • 2 cloves • a little thyme • 200 g champignons • 100 g cornichons • 50 g capers • Chopped parsley The tomato sauce: • 2-3 large onions, finely chopped (about 500 g) • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped • 2 carrots, peeled (about 200 g) • Celery, peeled (about 100 g) • 3 tins of peeled tomatoes or • 1.2 kg fresh (and very ripe) tomatoes • Salt and pepper • 1 tbsp. sugar • Thyme • 1 bay leaf • 3 cl olive oil • 20 dl white wine

9 Add the white wine and simmer for another ½ hour. Season to taste, don't hesitate to make it spicy.

10 If the sauce is too thick, thin it with some leftover stock or a little water.

11 To serve, warm up the tripe in the finished tomato sauce and stir in the mushrooms, finely chopped gherkins and capers.

12 Arrange on plates and sprinkle generously with fresh, finely chopped parsley. Goes well with other seasonal garden herbs.

Best served with simple boiled potatoes.

Preparation 1 Cook the beef tripe with the herbs, onions, carrots, leeks, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, bay leaves and cloves in a saucepan, covered with water, for about 40 minutes. Check at regular intervals: The cooking time depends on the consistency of the precooked tripe.

RECIPE MARCEL BIVER PHOTO RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

2 Remove the tripe from the broth, let cool and cut into strips of the desired width and length (or bite-sized pieces). Strain the broth and set aside.

Tomato sauce 3 Heat the olive oil on high, add the chopped onion and garlic and sweat with the bay leaf until translucent.

4 Then add the peeled and finely diced carrots and celery and sauté.

5 Add the fresh (quartered) or tinned tomatoes.

6 Season lightly with salt and pepper.

7 Add 1/4 of the cooking stock and simmer gently for about 1½ hours until tender and well cooked.

8 Purée the sauce with the hand-held blender and strain to remove any tomato skins, tomato seeds or other vegetable fibres.

Once again our guest chef is Marcel Biver.

Even though the trained chef is busy with his own insurance agency, he doesn’t hesitate for a second when it comes to preparing typical dishes from Luxembourg for KACHEN!

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TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH n

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Turkey E

ylem grew up in Antakya in the southern part of Turkey, where people from different cultures have lived together in peace for many years. She left home at the age of 17 to study mathematics at the University of Istanbul. After completing her studies, she lived and worked in Istanbul until 2015. In September 2015 she came to Luxembourg to join one of the ‘Big 4’ accounting firms as an assistant manager.

Eylem loves to travel, has a penchant for console games, reads science fiction and fantasy novels, and cooks with love and passion inspired by her multicultural background. Her dishes are fusions of Anatolian, Turkish, and Arabian cookery. She also likes to improvise, swap out ingredients, and try new things. She inherited her passion for cooking from her mother, who cooks traditional recipes from memory, and from her father, who is constantly looking for new recipes in cookery books and isn’t shy about trying them out. Recently Eylem opened an Instagram account under the name ‘turkishfoodsinluxembourg’, in order to share her enthusiasm with others. That’s how KACHEN discovered her. Eylem likes Anthony Bourdain and Jamie Oliver. Her favourite shows are ‘Two Greedy Italians’, ‘No Reserves’, ‘Parts Unknown’, ‘Masterchef ’ and ‘Cutthroat Kitchen’. Eylem currently lives in Larochette with her husband and her son.

Eylem Elci Ekdi

Karniyarik STUFFED AUBERGINES WITH GROUND BEEF Karniyarik, which literally can be translated as "split belly", is a widely cooked and loved dish almost in every part of Turkey. It is rich, vibrant and perfect as a main course.

RECIPE EYLEM ELCI EKDI PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

Serves 6

60 minutes

• 6 small aubergines (or 3 big and chubby ones. the ıdeal aubergines for this recipe would be small, slender purple ones) • 350 gr ground beef • 1 medium onion, finely diced • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1 cup of hot water • 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped • 2 tablespoons olive oil • Frying oil (Sunflower or corn or any vegetable oil you like) For decorative topping: • 6 thin slices of tomato • 6 green pepper slices and parsley • Salt, sugar and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the aubergines lengthways in striped-pyjama fashion.

Leave the stems intact. If you use chubby aubergines, cut each one in half lengthways so you have 6 pieces (no need to halve small aubergines, if you use those). Cut a lengthwise slit in each aubergines, stopping short of the top and bottom. Also, be careful not to cut the skin on the opposite side. Put them in salty water for about 10 minutes. Dry them well with a paper towel and fry in a deep pan until evenly browned all over. Make sure the oil is really hot before you place them in, otherwise aubergines soak a lot of oil.

Once they're fried, place them into an oven dish or baking tray.

Split sides should be facing up. Sprinkle some sugar over them.

Add the ground beef into a pan and cook over low heat until the moisture is well absorbed and the meat ıs not red anymore. Add

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RECIPE AROUND THE WORLD n

the onion, garlic and olive oil and cook over medium heat until soft. Add the diced tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato paste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir until cooked.

Remove from heat and add most of the parsley (reserving some for topping).

With the help of two spoons or your fingers gently open the bellies, tops and bottoms should stay attached. Stuff the aubergines with the ground beef mixture. Place a slice of tomato and a green pepper on top of each one. Mix the hot water and 1 tbsp tomato paste in a bowl. Pour this sauce over and around them. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for about 30 minutes until peppers are nicely baked. Garnish with the reserved parsley then let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with rice and cacik or plain yoghurt.

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS: Instead of beef you may use any kind of meat you like. Or you can go vegan by simply replacing meat with cooked green lentils or mushrooms. If you want a healthier, low fat dish, instead of frying the aubergines, drizzle olive oil and salt on top and bake them in the oven for 25 minutes, until cooked through and continue with the recipe.

Afiyet olsun: This the Turkish equivalent of “Bon appetit”. We use this phrase before, during or after a meal.

Before, during or after a meal that someone has prepared for us, we say ‘ellerinize saglik’ to the person who has prepared that for us. We are basically thanking politely the person for the effort she did. The literal translation might sound strange, but this means “health to your hands”.

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The love of cooking t

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g transcends borders

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H

ow does a new arrival in Luxembourg find her own network?

Answer: one seeks like-minded souls who share the same passion for one’s hobby. This is how Tam and Melanie founded the Club for Cooking Expat Ladies in 2015.

The two women soon gathered together nine more cooking enthusiasts from all parts of the globe, women whose destiny (or, rather, their job) had brought them to Luxembourg. They all shared a passion for good food, an interest in recipes from around the world, and an enthusiasm for cooking together.

Tam is now in Seattle, and six more of the original members have also moved elsewhere. Melanie and her family, however, still live in Luxembourg, and she is the one who has kept this lively cooking circle going. A regular influx of new additions ensures the group’s continuation. Each month, a different participant will open her home

to the club for the cooking - and sampling - of a complete lunch meal.

This time it was Melanie’s turn to host; as coincidence will have it, Melanie was one of the participants in the KACHEN Blog Awards.

The club also includes Neha, a personal stylist from India; Tiziana, a translator from Italy; Lisa, an event manager from the USA; Sara, a pharmacist from Italy, Rebeca, a lawyer from Spain with an MBA in town planning; Makiko, a project manager from Japan; and Carla, a lawyer and personal coach from Brazil.

The KACHEN team could not only photograph the delicious results, but sample them as well! Without question, we can award this ladies’ cooking club the “delicious with guaranteed success” certificate for their tasty creations. Naturally we also want to share these great recipes with you, Dear Reader, and wish you much success in trying them yourself!

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RECIPES n

Mango & herb salad with grilled chilli sesame prawns 12 appetizer spoons 15 minutes + 2 hours defrosting time • 12 prawns (frozen, uncooked, with shell) • 1 mango • 5 - 6 big Moroccan mint leaves • 2 tbsp chopped parsley • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander • 2 tbsp chopped Greek basil • 2 - 3 small spring onions • ½ organic lemon (zest and juice) • 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 red chilli • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds • 1 tbsp sesame oil • Salt and pepper 1 Slowly defrost the frozen prawns before preparation. 2 Peel the mango and cut into very small cubes. Finely chop the herbs and spring onions very thinly. Put into a bowl with the zest and juice of half a lemon. Season with the vinegar and the olive oil. Combine and store in the fridge until serving. 3 Peel the defrosted prawns, devein and rinse them under cold water.

4 Cut the chilli open, remove the seeds and chop the chilli very finely. Combine the prawns, chopped chilli, sesame seeds, and sesame oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and store in the fridge. 5 Before serving, heat a grilling pan and grill the prawns on each side for about 2 minutes. 6 Add about 1 tbsp of the mango salad on each appetizer spoon and place one grilled prawn on top. Serve immediately.

Asian crunchy leek and sweet potato soup Serves 6

1 hour + 4-5 hours drying time

For the dehydrated leek: • 250 g leek • 1 tsp paprika powder • 1 tsp olive oil • 1 tsp cumin • 1 tsp chili powder • salt and pepper

RECIPES MELANIE NARIN PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

1 Wash the leek, cut into even slices (about 0.5 cm thick) and divide into two portions. One portion you will add to your dehydrator as is. Put the other portion into a bowl and add the olive oil, cumin, paprika powder, chili, salt and pepper and combine. 2 Spread out the two leek portions evenly on your dehydrator trays. Dehydrate at 70°C for about 4-5 hours, or until crunchy. Alternatively, dehydrate the leeks for 4-5 hours at 70°C in your slightly opened oven. Store in a Tupperware container until serving.

For the soup: • 350 g leek • 500 g sweet potatoes • 1 carrot • 40 g fresh ginger • 1 tbsp coconut oil • 1 tsp red curry paste (optional) • 1 l vegetable broth • 240 ml reduced fat coconut cream or coconut milk • Salt & pepper 3 Wash the leek and slice into small slices. Peel the sweet potatoes, carrot and ginger and cut everything into small pieces.

4 Heat the coconut oil in a medium size pot and add all of the vegetables and the curry paste if using. Stir continually for about 10 minutes, then pour in the broth and coconut cream. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 - 40 minutes. 5 Purée the soup and add some water or vegetable stock if too thick. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the crunchy leek.

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“Sous vide” lemon salmon with duo of Hokkaido Serves 4-6

70 minutes + 45 minutes cooking time

• 500 g fresh salmon fillet • 1 organic lemon • Olive oil • 1 Hokkaido pumpkin • 2 - 3 cm fresh ginger • 120 ml coconut cream • A pinch of cinnamon • ½ tsp turmeric • ½ tsp ground cumin • ½ tsp chili powder • ½ tsp paprika powder • 135 g quinoa • Some cress • Salt and pepper 1 Dry the salmon fillet with a paper towel and cut into 4-6 pieces.

Season with the lemon zest, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. 2 Set your sous vide cooker to 115 °F. Vacuum seal the salmon fillets. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can also add your salmon to a large zip-lock bag and close it, but not all the way. Then slowly lower the bag into the water bath and let the pressure of the water displace the remaining air around the salmon fillets. The open end of the bag has to stay above water level. When the remaining air is gone, hang the end of the bag over the edge of the sous vide bath. Use a paperclip or lid to keep it in place. Cook the salmon fillets like this for about 45 minutes. 3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 °C. 4 Cut the Hokkaido pumpkin in half and remove the seeds. Slice into 1 cm cubes. Add 1/3 of the cubes

(edge pieces and any other cubes that have odd shapes) to a medium-sized pot for the puree. Peel the ginger with a spoon, chop finely and add with the coconut cream, salt and pepper.

Bring it to a boil, give it a good stir and let it simmer with the lid closed on low heat until the Hokkaido is soft. Blend the purée until smooth. 5 Add the remaining 2/3 pumpkin cubes to a casserole dish. Season with 1 tbsp olive oil, a pinch of cinnamon as well as curcuma, cumin, chili powder and paprika powder. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes. 6 Pour the quinoa into a fine strainer and rinse it thoroughly with cold water. Put into a medium-sized pot and add 360 ml of water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low temperature, cover the pot and let the quinoa simmer for about 15 minutes. Mix the cooked quinoa and the baked Hokkaido cubes and season with salt and pepper if needed. 7 Heat a grilling pan over high heat. Very carefully remove the salmon from the vacuum or ziplock bag and fry it on the skin side (or where the skin used to be) for 3-4 minutes until nicely brown and crisp. 8 Add the Hokkaido quinoa in the middle of the plate using forming rings. Arrange the Hokkaido puree with a dispensing bottle or with spoons and place one salmon fillet on top. Sprinkle with some lemon zest, olive oil, cress, salt and pepper.

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RECIPES n

Vegetarian Panna Cotta with passion fruit and physalis Serves 6 20 minutes + min. 2-3 hours cooling time • 1 vanilla pod • 500 ml double cream • 50 g xylitol or sugar • ½ + ¼ tsp agar agar • 240 ml passion fruit pulp • 2 tbsp honey or xylitol • 100 g fresh physalis 1 Split the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. 2 Add the pod and the seeds to a pot with the double cream, 50 g xylitol or sugar and exactly ½ tsp agar agar. Stir continually, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove the pot from the stove and strain the mixture through a sieve. Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, put the passion fruit pulp, 2 tbsp honey or xylitol and ¼ tsp agar agar in a pot. Stir continually, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and finally add the physalis. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the stove. Let cool down and store in the fridge. 4 Pour the panna cotta mixture into six dessert glasses. Place them in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight. Serve the dessert with 2 tbsp of the passion fruit and physalis coulis and garnish with fresh physalis.

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LIQUEURS a Supersweet Seduction Spirits connoissieurs like to dismiss liqueurs as a modest pleasure for tippling old ladies. This is a fallacy!

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FEATURE n

D

oes the word ‘liqueur’ bring only to mind the ‘Ei, ei, ei – Verpoorten’ jingle ? That viscous, yellowy spirit, which you’d rather stir into a cake batter than actually drink straight up? And anyway, aren’t such libations for old spinsters who indulge their secret habit with the sticky stuff?

There are two snags to this widespread preconception: first, one doesn’t have to be old nor a singleton, nor female, to enjoy liqueur. Second and this may be considerably worse for professed liqueur-haters - even they may be drinking it more often than they think, because liqueurs are not always precisely labelled as such.

TEXT SUSANNE JASPERS

The sweet Amaretto; the digestive Ramazzotti; Campari, so often enjoyed as an aperitif with orange juice or the Aperol indispensable for ‘spritzes’ … yes, you guessed right, these are all liqueurs. The designation likewise applies to Limoncello, Sambuca, Jägermeister, Averna and Killepitsch.

Even Sherry is a liqueur, or, more precisely, is a fortified wine, not to mention creamy delights like Baileys and Amarula.

Of course there’s also gin and whiskey liqueurs, the most famous of which is Drambuie. As are Curaçao and Cointreau, as well as the nationally famous Cassero Beaufort. Are you still sure that you’re not a liqueur lover?

Wisdom from the East The origins of all these types of drinks lie in a part of the world where the enjoyment of alcohol has been frowned upon lately.

Legend has it that a Catalan physician by the name of Arnaldus de Villa Nova brought the knowledge necessary for the distillation of alcohol to Europe, from a crusade into the Orient at the end of 13th century. Truth be told, it originally was less about the preparation of intoxicating potables, and more about the production of medicine. The alcohol obtained from the procedure was used to preserve healing herbs in order to activate the substances in them needed for medical mixtures. This procedure, called maceration, is still used in the production of liqueur today. As the potion obtained by Senyor de Vilanova was less than tasty, he came up with the brilliant idea to distill the mixture of alcohol and plant extracts a second time, and literally sweeten it with honey. And the result was …? The first liqueur!

From medicine to preferred drink of the Medicis While the mixture was originally used only for medical purposes and only found in apothecaries and monasteries, towards the end of the 14th century someone stumbled upon the idea of producing liqueurs as an alcoholic beverage as well. To do this, sugar was added to the brew. As sugar was a rare – and therefore expensive – commodity at the time, the consumption of liqueurs was initially reserved extremely wealthy contemporaries, such as the aristocracy.

It is historically documented that when Catherine de Medici came to France in 1532 for her wedding to the future King Henry II, her retinue included a personal ‘liquorist’.

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The spirit ultimately attained suitability for the masses through colonialism. The copious amounts of sugar coming out of the New World lowered the price considerably, making it affordable for less well-to-do citizens to partake of it as well. As well as for a couple of resourceful businessmen who then began to brew liqueurs like mad. Their frenzy of experimentation left no fruit and no herb unexplored. One of the most famous liqueur producers was Lucas Bols in Amsterdam, who launched his creations at the end of the 16th century and whose products no modern cocktail bar would be without. Although liqueurs became affordable during the course of the century, the aristocracy never lost their taste for it.

The descendants of the creative Dutchman are still Purveyors to the Court for numerous royal dynasties. And, of course, Bols also sells advocaat – and not just to old ladies!

Luscious Luxembourg liqueurs It’s known that the Grand Duchy and the Netherlands have close historical ties. No wonder then, that Luxembourg has created its own speciality liqueurs. The most legendary of them is Cassero, from Beaufort. In 1928 Edmond Linckels bought the decaying Schloss Beaufort, the origins of which hark back to 1150. The new owner not only got the buildings back into shape, he also came up with the idea to produce Cassis liqueur in Beaufort. Production, then 2,000 litres per year, has since doubled. These days, of course, the red currants no longer come from Beaufort, but from the South of France. But production still takes place as before in the castle’s cellar vaults … and it goes without saying that, just as nearly a hundred years ago, the recipe is a closely guarded secret.

A little liqueur lore …

Originally from the Latin word ‘liquor’ (liquid), this potable was introduced to France as ‘liqueur’ (in Germany, as ‘Likör’).

This term generally designates a spirit with a relatively high sugar content (at least 100 grammes per litre), and an alcohol content of at least 15 and at most 40 percent, although of course here, too, there are outliers in both directions. The profession of liquorist originated in 16th-century France. The producers at the time, however, were not large outfits, but rather the liqueur distiller – or several – found in practically every village. Because French Montpellier, where Arnaldus de Villa Nova served as rector on the medical faculty, belonged to Catalonia in the 14th century, liqueur is actually a Spanish (pardon: Catalonian) invention. But France is where it gained widespread popularity. Nevertheless, the most famous liqueur producers today are not French, but Dutch, such as the two companies Bols (founded in 1575) and De Kuypers (1695).

The legendary Verpoorten advocaat, however, is from the North Rhine-Westphalian town of Heinsberg. Its creator Eugen Verpoorten was, as you might guess from the name, from the Netherlands.

Luxembourg’s family of liqueurs recently got a super-sweet new member: a brew by the name of Mellis, created by Marc Ewert and Paul Thein, and produced and bottled by the traditional distillery Diedenacker, established in 1862. Latin scholars will have an idea what it entails. The name, after all, is derived from mel, the Latin word for honey. The added title ‘Finest Luxembourg Honey Schnapps’ makes it clear for those who didn’t have to wrestle with the ancient language in school. With a 32% alcoholic content, it’s no wonder that the producers label their honey liqueur as ‘schnapps’. This new addition to the Luxembourg market is not only enjoyable straight up, it also makes an ideal cocktail ingredient. A Highball made with Mellis, for example, tastes delicious: 1 part Mellis, 4 parts ginger ale. Cheers!

ENTER AND WIN Win two boxes with 3 special edition bottles of Mellis honey schnapps.

PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

Answer the following question: Since when has the Distillery Diedenacker existed, where the Mellis honey liqueur is distilled and bottled?

Send the correct answer with the keyword "Mellis" to gewinnen@kachen.lu.

Submission deadline is 16.4.2018

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ADVERTORIAL n

Winds of Change on the Mosel

J

TEXT BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

osy Gloden has been leading the winegrowers’ cooperative DOMAINES VINSMOSELLE as Chairman of its Board of Directors for a good half year. KACHEN spoke with him about the opportunities and challenges of cooperative work in viticulture.

Josy Gloden’s passion for viticulture was passed on to him practically at birth. The family has worked in the wine business on the Moselle for generations — father Vic Gloden was a founding member of the cooperative in 1966. As a qualified engineer in viticulture & oenology, Josy followed in his father’s footsteps and entered the family business. He’s also president of the technical commission of Domaines Vinsmoselle. ‘I was born into the wine business and see myself as ambassador for Moselle wines’, says Josy Gloden. He is especially passionate about the cooperative concept, which brings numerous benefits to the winegrowers. Along with guaranteed purchase of the grapes, the winegrowers have access to consultation with top oenologists. And the cooperative wine cellars have access to modern facilities and experienced master wine cellarmen for the processing of the grapes, which most winegrowers often cannot afford on their own. ‘Our vineyards extend from Schengen to Wasserbillig and this a significant contributor to the quality of our wines. We can deliver vintage wines to supermarkets, where consumers can be sure that they are purchasing a top product, no matter where they shop. But our cellar also holds real rarities and wines from micro vintners which we sell in our 5 vinotheques along the Moselle and in Luxembourg City.’

FOCUS ON MARKETING ‘We are stronger together than we are alone, particularly with regard to the marketing of our wines.’ This is where Gloden sees the greatest challenge for the future: ‘We produce Crémants and wines of outstanding quality, proven by the numerous international awards we have won. Moselle wines have enjoyed a very good international reputation for years, and they have received a lot of hype. We are seeing that the trend is holding: People now regard us as specialists for pinots and our Rieslings have a very high recall value. But we still have great potential here in Luxembourg as well. In the past years the population has grown significantly, and we would like to invite everyone to our vinotheques to taste our wines and be won over by their excellence. There is a clear trend for consumption of products from the region.’

‘We will also use this to lay out our marketing strategy as well as to invest in the development of new products. The wine business doesn’t involve reinventing the wheel, but we’re experimenting with old production processes, like the wooden barrel, in order to bring the character of Moselle wines more clearly back into focus. Back to the roots!’ Gloden is optimistic about the future of Vinsmoselle: ‘If we succeed in giving our excellent products even better positioning on the market, it will pay off for everyone — both for our customers and the cooperative.’

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SERIES n

CAVES GALES

Nicolas Gales

C

aves Gales is a wonderful example of the family heritages preserved by many Luxembourg vineyards between Schengen and Wasserbillig today.

Caves Gales’ origin dates back to the 20th of April 1916, when Nicolas Gales, a vintner’s son, started a new business in collaboration with other vintners from Bech-Kleinmacher. Winemaking was a difficult affair, but a not-insignificant part of the country’s economy at that time. Nicolas Gales was also a pioneer in the production of sparkling wines. In 1931 he brought the first ‘champagne-like’ sparkling wine on the market, and it became a bestseller.

From the beginning After the war, the vintner had to start over again. Nicolas was assisted by his children Betty, Georges and Jules. Together they were able to increase sales on the Luxembourg and Belgium markets.

Across generations, the Gales family never experienced any real break in managing the company. More often, the changeover went smoothly, so that the older generation could pass on its knowledge to the younger generation in the course of daily business. This has ensured the ‘continuity of the Gales tradition’.

Tradition and modernity Marc Gales took up this tradition and took over the family business in the 1980s. This was at a time when vintners were turning to noble varieties and quality wines, and a real transition in Luxembourg's wine industry was beginning to take place. The company took an important entrepreneurial step in 1985 by investing in Caves St. Martin in Remich, permitting the Gales family to rapidly expand operations.

Caves Gales is also a founding member of the charter quality label ‘Domaine et Tradition’, which used an exclamation point for the first time in connection with its 1988 vintage.

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The triumph of Crémant In the 1990s the potential for quality Mosel wines was tapped in a more targeted way and the Crémant celebrated its triumph. Caves Gales played an important role here with excellent products like the Cuvées Héritage and Jubilée. The market expanded and the need to invest in a new production site took on increasing urgency. In 2002 a new plant in Ellange-Gare, in the municipality of Mondorf, was put into operation for the production of ‘Crémant de Luxembourg’.

Isabelle and Georges

TEXT CLAUDE FRANÇOIS PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

Nine years later, July 2011 saw the carrying out of a natural, familial transfer of power. Isabelle Gales, who studied art history in Heidelberg, represents the fourth generation of Caves Gales. Isabelle’s passion for art has carried over into the design of the extraordinarily lovely bottle designed for the ‘birthday crémant’ G by Gales, introduced in late 2016 to commemorate the company’s 100th birthday. This Cuvée will round out the Caves Gales line in the future as well.

Isabelle plans to maintain the excellent quality of all products of the house, and also to help expat residents become familiar with Luxembourg crus and appreciate them for what they are — world-class high-quality wines and sparkling wines.

Isabelle is assisted by her father, Marc — after all, he’s also part of the tradition of the older generation supporting the next in the passing of the baton. Two years ago Isabelle’s brother Georges Gales also entered the business. Georges studied hospitality management in Switzerland, and will be responsible for sales. www.gales.lu 92 | KACHEN | 1 / 2018

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FEATURE n

P re stig io u s D i n n e r Vi n sL u x / Tél év i e

4470 euros for cancer research Generous donations at an excellent wine dinner at the Casino 2OOO in Mondorf

T

wo Crémants and 12 still wines from Luxembourg, plus delicious culinary creations from the Casino 2000 chefs: the Dinner VinsLux/Télévie, which took place on 3 February at the Casino 2000 in Mondorf, was truly unique!

The team of “Les Roses” chef Alain Pierron and José Arevalo, the head of the brigade's banquet, composed excellent dishes to 14 top Luxembourgish wines and Crémants which had been selected by Claude François, the publisher of the smartphone app VinsLux. The kitchen team's challenge was to adapt the dishes, sometimes paired with very different wines, to these wines or crémants.

TEXT CLAUDE FRANÇOIS PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

They did a wonderful job. A Chardonnay, a Rivaner and a Rosé-Crémant were an excellent match for the "Crevettes juste snackées" and a stewed yellow turnip. Unusual was also the trio with a Pinot Gris, a Gewürztraminer and a Riesling from the year 2003 (!), which paired wonderfully with a roasted goose liver with caramelized pears and chestnuts. Simply delicious!

This was the third time that the evening’s proceeds were dedicated to Télévie. During the dinner many wines from the Luxembourgish Moselle were auctioned off, some of them very old and very rare ice wines, straw wines and late vintage wines provided by the winegrowers and VinsLux. The 82 guests attending the dinner were very generous: after the two auctions, Diane Wunsch, who is in charge of coordinating Télévie, was proud to announce that 4470 euros had been collected. This money goes to Télévie and thus to cancer research. This year's Télévie-Day is Sunday 22 April.

KACHEN once again participated as media partner for this top culinary event. The next edition of the Dinner VinsLux/Télévie at Casino 2000 will take place on Saturday, 9 February 2019.

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The wines were selected by KACHEN correspondent Claude François, who every year tastes more than 1000 Luxembourgish wines and crémants for the smartphone app VinsLux . The app is available free of charge in the app stores of Apple (iPhone) and Google (Android).

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WINE n

Noble drops Wine & Spirits Pinot Blanc ENSCHBERG

GINIX

This Grand Premier Cru is the latest addition from Domaines Vinsmoselle.

Its storage in large wooden barrels for 8 months opens up whole new nuances of taste. This robust, complex wine recalls exotic fruits and ripe pears, and has a subtle, woody note which blends perfectly with a remarkable soft, round flavour.

Born from the idea of a group of friends in 2015 to create a gin for their own consumption; success and demand soon followed. Production was recently increased so that GINIX. can be made for the enjoyment of all.

GINIX has meanwhile become a permanent fixture in the Luxembourger gin scene.

€12.90 / 0.75 l

€37.99 / 0.70 l

Available for purchase online and in all 5 vinotheques of Domaines Vinsmoselle www.vinsmoselle.lu

Available for purchase in Cactus (also as ‘Cactus Blimmchen’ special edition) and online at www.ginix.lu

Éim Néckels Whisky 2018 This whisky is made from rye grown on the farm. It is named after the name of the farm: "An Éim Néckels". The Éim Néckels Whisky has a light and wholesome flavour, and pampers the palate with its particularly delicate and mild presentation.

€44,00 / 50 cl The Éim Néckels Whisky 2018 will be presented at the Distillerie Muller-Lemmer in Contern on 9, 10 and 11 March. It is available exclusively in Contern. www.distilleriemlc.lu

ENTER AND WIN We’re giving away 1 package consisting of one bottle each of GINIX, ÉIM NÉCKELS WHISKY and PINOT GRIS ENSCHBERG Answer the following question: How long is Domaines Vinsmoselle’s new Grand Premier Cru stored in wooden barrels?

Send an e-mail with the correct answer and the keywords "Noble drops" to: gewinnen@kachen.lu Submission deadline is 16.04.2018

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© Jean Bettingen

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SERIES n

The Cunning Green Vixen

The Pall Center is much more than a concept store. With intelligence, humour, and a healthy dose of girl power, entrepreneur Christianne Wickler has created a place of well-being and sustainability for relaxed, ethical shopping.

„

‘Pall Center – naturellement différent’ is the motto of the popular the financial situation in Luxembourg and the nearby border. I have Oberpallen retail centre, which celebrated its 35th birthday last year. never forgotten these modest beginnings, and I’m not ashamed of And also the slogan of its founder, Christianne (yes, with a double ‘n’) them today. If you stand closer to me, you’ll notice that I still smell a Wickler, who built a business concept which meanwhile little bit like petrol.’ provides the area with over 350 jobs. And all this in We are constantly a mildly speaking, rather remote part of the country.

FROM TYRES TO SHOES

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TEXT SUSANNE JASPERS PHOTOS PALL CENTER

looking for new trends

35 years ago, when Christianne Wickler was just As so often happens when parents think that they must and styles; being a starting out, the shop-in-shop world – with the help their offspring through well-meaning advice, woman, that’s simply Pall Center’s feel-good atmosphere, inviting one to Wickler’s father was also the involuntary catalyst for in my blood’ extended strolls through a high-quality assortment of the later success story of the Pall Center, albeit through goods selected according to criteria of sustainability an unwelcome business decision.. ‘As the petrol station and regionality – was still a distant dream. It all began much more wasn’t fully under my ownership in the beginning, my father more or pragmatically with a petrol station and shop, for which Wickler, then less forced me to sell tyres. As much as I enjoyed running the station, 22, received financing from her father. She paid him back, franc I hated selling tyres.’ At some point she hit upon the idea of switching by franc, in the years that followed. ‘In the beginning I sold petrol, from tyres for vehicles to footwear for humans. ‘I always liked shoes, cigarettes, and alcohol’, Christianne Wickler recalls. ‘That was due to after all.’ She opened her first shop, and others followed. ‘Whenever 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 97

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I had scraped together some money, I invested in a new business idea or a new assortment of goods’, says Wickler. ‘This way — and I’m proud of this — I never took on debt. And as a woman, I had no interest in sitting on some banker’s lap in order to secure a loan.’

Much of the ‘Me Too’ movement is still new, and hasn’t yet reached areas outside of the film industry…

DON’T TALK, LISTEN! But how does one come up with the idea – in a place one can aptly describe in Lëtzebuergesch as ‘dem Hond hannen’ – of taking on the risk to build a shopping centre?

‘As a Luxembourger, I had no language difficulties, and so I could always understand my customers from both sides of the border.

Something, by the way, which I have maintained to this day in dealing with customers and employees alike and which I hold as tremendously important: listen more, talk less! That’s how I discovered what the people of this area, who were always treated a little bit shabbily by the government, were missing, what they lacked, what they wished for. I respected these wishes and tried to meet them if I could.’

The shoes were followed at some point by children’s items, then women’s fashions, jewellery, leather goods, home furnishings, and

diverse niche products.

A ‘GREEN AND FEMININE’ SHOPPING EXPERIENCE From the outset, criteria of sustainability, environmental awareness, and regional businesses were absolute top priority for the Pall Center – principles for which the Green Party politician and shortterm representatives stand in agreement with the basic values of their party and their ‘green’ community. ‘Green’ values, meanwhile, apply not only to predominantly regional foods and, when possible, to the local non-food assortment, but also to the direction of the shopping centre in general. ‘Here the customer should be able to slow down, feel good, and take time out from the over-scheduled stress of daily life.’

Although it is a shopping centre, Pall Center is not just about naked consumerism. Christianne Wickler also places value on regional businesses in the shop-in-shop concept, making a conscious effort to stay away from large chains like H&M and Zara Home, to say nothing of Primark. The unquestioned higher quality of products in Pall Center’s select assortment if due to the fact that that not only the Pall Center itself, but also a majority of the shops, are managed by women. ‘Most of the businesses and providers here are run by women; we have a gynarchy in the truest sense of the word, but

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without the supposedly negative associations. Naturally there are also differences of opinion, but nothing like catfights. That would be bad for business’, Wickler added.

re’s basic premise is adapted to the desires of the Grand Duchy’s numerous international customers: don’t talk, listen to what the customer wants!

Instead, she takes advantage of the stereotypical cliches. ‘We are constantly looking for new trends and styles; being a woman, that’s simply in my blood’, says Christianne Wickler, mischievously.

With such a crafty businesswoman it becomes clear why Reynard the fox appears on the logo of the Pall Center. Christianne Wickler freely admits that ‘aside from the fact that many foxes live in this area, they are my absolute favourite animal. They are beautiful, one can’t eat them, they can’t be tamed, and they are rebels that can’t be kept down.’

But despite the feminine touch, with all the feminine delicacy, finesse and sophistication in the product range and ambience, the ‘normal consumer’ hasn’t been forgotten. After all, this is a ‘one stop shop’ concept, where one can find a case of sparkling water, baking mix and shampoo along with mascara, elegant men’s fashions, and highend furnishings. No wonder that, like the Belgian visitors who’ve been coming for years, local patrons are also warming up to the ‘naturally different’ charm of the Pall Center, which, of course, is a member of the ‘Sou schmaacht Lëtzebuerg’ initiative.

A SLY FOX LOOKING TO EXPAND It was only a matter of time before such a successful concept would grow beyond the provincial borders of Oberpallen. There are now eight branches of the Pall Center in Luxembourg, where the sto-

In spite of four offspring, one of whom is working in the business, Christianne Wickler is in no hurry to pass the sceptre of the family business on to the next generation. Even so, one need not worry about the Pall Center’s future: ‘I always tell my employees that my gravestone will say “Here lies Christianne Wickler, but the Pall Center is open.”

PALL CENTER Shopping Village

2 Arelerstrooss, 8552 Uewerpallen - Tel: +352 23 64 41 Monday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. www.pallcenter.lu 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 99

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Roberto Fani An Italian Prodigy

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CHEFPORTRAIT n

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t all happened rather quickly — much sooner than Roberto Fani had expected. He had opened ‘Fani Ristorante’ in Roeser in April 2016, and by November 2017 he had received his first star in the Michelin Guide. ‘Getting a star was our goal, of course, but we thought that it would take at least two or three years’, says Fani, 46. ‘Not because of our work, but because we’ve only been on the market for a very short time. Naturally we are very happy about the star.’

Gault & Millau named Fani ‘Mediterranean Chef of the Year’ in Luxembourg just six months after ‘Fani Ristorante’ opened. His 15 out of 20 points have placed him in the Grand Duchy’s culinary elite.

Luxembourg. ‘Fantastic quality, better than in Italy.’ Other things were more difficult, for example the search for good fish from the Mediterranean. He has his own sources in Italy for black truffles from Umbria and white truffles from Piedmont, brought to Roeser twice a week by courier: ‘Truffles are important to Italian cuisine’, says Fani.

Ristorante Fani serves a three-course dinner for €36 Tuesday through Friday; otherwise dinners range from €60 (four courses) to €80 (six courses). Diners who order à la carte can expect a main entree to run from €34 to €40.

And you should plan on enough time for lunches as well — Fani There are several reasons for Fani’s swift ascent. One important is not fond of business lunches which last under an hour: ‘This is one is that when Fani, already the recipient of a star for the Osteria a Michelin-starred restaurant, and the service corresponds to that.

Monte de Grano 1696 in his hometown of Terni (Umbria), came to Simply more time is required than in a bistro in the city.’

Luxembourg, he brought his entire kitchen team along with him, Roberto Fani’s parents sent him to the hotel sparing himself the often-cumbersome search for top management school in Spoleto, 30 kilometres north of Italy has lots personnel. ‘The chef must decide what’s best for the Terni, when he was 13. ‘That was a very hard time’, Fani entire team, like a captain’, says Fani. of charm. And remembers. But at 14 he was permitted to fill in at a Of the the six cooks who came with Fani to Luxembourgers restaurant during the summer, making the pasta. “That Luxembourg, only one has since returned home, like Italy, because motivated me, as pasta is very important in Italy.’ After for personal reasons. They’re a loyal team, Fani says that, there was no stopping him — at 19 he opened his it reminds them of proudly, one that gets along without friction, laughs at first restaurant, together with two friends. their holiday the same jokes, eats together in the late mornings and

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PHOTO RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

Fani believes that his success stems from other reasons as well.

‘Italy has lots of charm. And Luxembourgers like Italy, because it reminds them of their holiday.’ But in particular, ‘Most of the top establishments here offer French cuisine. There’s still room on the market for a very good Italian restaurant.” No wonder, then, that the prominent Italian chefs Ilario Mosconi and Renato Favaro were his first points of reference in Luxembourg. ‘I like their cooking and I regard them very highly’, he says. ‘Perhaps the difference with me is that I haven’t been here very long, and so I have a stronger connection with today’s Italian cuisine.’ The newcomer sees no danger of conflict with his more established colleagues. ‘As a country, Italy is very long – the cuisine changes every 100 kilometres.’

Fani spent much of his first three months in Luxembourg searching for the right suppliers. He found a producer of Limousin beef in

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enjoys a round of volleyball behind the building when the temperature is right. ‘We’re like a family.’

Fani first came to Luxembourg because he took a 6-month position as consultant for Vinothek Divino in Gasperich, where he was responsible for the restaurant’s food. He stayed and, together with his wife Simona, decided to start a new life in Luxembourg. He’s never regretted it for a second: ‘There is a good school here, and good opportunities, for our son. He already speaks French and English better than I do.’

RISTORANTE FANI

51 Grand-Rue, L-3394 Roeser - Tel: +352 26 65 06 60 Tuesday to Saturday 12 AM–2:30 PM, 7 PM–10 PM Sunday and Monday closed www.ristorantefani.lu 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 101

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Lobster with pistachio zabaione and caviar Serves 6

30 minutes

• 120 g shelled pistachios from Bronte, Sicily • Virgin olive oil from Liguria • 150 g watercress • 2 whole eggs + 1 egg yolk • 50 g flour • Bunch of herbs (sage, marjoram, thyme, parsley) • 2 European lobsters weighing about 1 kg each • 80 g Goji berries • 50 g Oscietra caviar • Salt and white pepper 1 For the zabaione: soak the pistachios in boiling water for 4 minutes and drain (save the cooking water). Repeat twice.

Put the pistachios in a food processor and blend with 100 ml cooking water. Gradually add 80 g olive oil and season with salt.

3 Put the herbs in a saucepan with a little water. Bring to a boil and place a steamer on top. Place the lobsters in the basket and steam for about 4 minutes. Remove the meat from the lobsters, divide into 6 portions and season with olive oil, salt and white pepper.

4 To serve, prepare 6 plates and add a tablespoon of pistachio zabaione to each one. Arrange the lobster pieces and watercress sponge on top. Garnish with goji berries, fresh cress leaves and a teaspoon of caviar.

RECIPE ROBERTO FANI PHOTO RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

2 For the sponge cake: wash 110 g watercress, pat dry, mix finely and push through a sieve. Add the eggs and flour, mix well and

push through the sieve again. Put the mixture in a siphon with 2 cartridges of carbon dioxide. Spray the mix into a paper cup, microwave for 30 seconds, allow to cool briefly and use a knife to separate the cake from the paper.

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JONK CHEFS n

MATHIEU MORVAN - SOUS-CHEF EXÉCUTIF He more or less ‘fell into the pot’, says Mathieu Morvan. Between the traditional cuisine of his grandmother, his mother’s soulful cooking and his father’s perfect table culture, his life was destined from the cradle to involve gastronomy. Now he’s continuing this tradition, as chef!

After a conventional schooling with a bachelor’s degree in hotel management, he earned his spurs as an apprentice in several first-class houses: restaurant L’Ecrivain* in Dublin, Les Ambassadeurs**, Hôtel de Crillon, Pavillon Ledoyen*** and Hôtel Ritz in Paris.

Immediately after completing his training he went to Jérôme Banctel, chef of the two-star restaurant Senderens. During the ensuing three years he took on a variety of projects, with one taking him overseas for the opening of the restaurant MOB, a vegetarian concept in Brooklyn, New York.

As sous-chef he assists the chef in striving for innovation and perfection, while also putting his own stamp on the business. The collaboration with Fabrice Salvador at the Cristallerie (Hôtel Le Place d'Armes) was the logical development of his career.

Starred chef Fabrice Salvador described him as ‘more than a sous chef; he’s a brother in arms’.

Seared Normandy scallops with mushrooms and Jabugo ham RECIPE MATHIEU MORVAN PHOTO RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

Serves 4

40 minutes

• 8 large scallops without the roe (coral) • 1 kg cremini mushrooms • 1 shallot • 4 slices of Iberian ham • 10 g dehydrated mushroom powder • 20 g skinless toasted hazelnuts • 20 g butter • 100 g single cream • Olive oil • Fleur de sel 1 Cut half of the mushrooms into quarters. Finely chop the shallots.

2 Add the shallots to a cold pan with the butter. Place the pan on the stove and sweat the shallots for 3 minutes until translucent.

Add the chopped mushrooms, sauté for 3 minutes and then add the cream. Simmer on medium heat for 10 minutes and then

blitz to a smooth cream with a hand-held blender. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

3 Wash the rest of the mushrooms without soaking to make sure they retain all their flavour. Cut into slices 2 mm thick. Arrange into a circle on 4 plates and chill in the refrigerator.

4 Add a little oil to a frying pan. Once the oil is very hot and begins to smoke, put the scallops in the pan and season them. Sear for one minute, add 10 g butter, fry for another minute and remove from the pan.

5 Remove the plates from the fridge. Spoon a dollop of mushroom cream into the centre of each circle and place two scallops on each plate. Season the raw mushrooms with fleur de sel and olive oil and sprinkle with a little mushroom powder. Decorate with Iberian ham and roasted hazelnuts.

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Ma Langue Sourit

More than a paint job

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n Cyril Molard’s restaurant ‘Ma Lange Sourit’ in Moutfort, renovation means more than just new paint. ‘We work more efficiently, but not differently than before’, says Molard. That’s just as well, because the restaurant, open since 2008 and with one Michelin star and 17 of 20 Gault & Millau points, plays an important role in Luxembourg’s elite gastronomy universe.

PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS

The 46-year-old Frenchman was looking for an establishment of his own in Luxembourg for quite some time. Ultimately, he found success right where he already was, with the opportunity to buy the property being leased to him in Moutfort. ‘We’re ten minutes from Luxembourg City and Kirchberg. And we have lots of parking.’ The new proprietor also wanted to invest in the future of his business.

‘We renovated nearly everything. Now, it’s all lighter, brighter, airier, more modern, and warmer“, says Molard. He’s always been fond of the ‘Nordic spirit’ of Scandinavia and Finland. ‘I also love Nordic cuisine which is based on local products. And I like materials like wood, metal and ceramic. I wanted to make everything beautiful, simple, and elegant.’

Not only did he renovate the dining area, but the kitchen was also redesigned in new and practical ways. The work spaces are now raised to a height of 1.10 m instead of the usual 90 cm, since ‘many cooks have back pain from having to stoop over.’ The cooks work alongside one another, so that they don’t have to take too many steps. This is why each cook also has his own oven. ‘We used to have one large oven; now we have several smaller ones.’

And the chef has much more room at the line, where he oversees the dishes one last time before they are brought to the table. ‘Now I can easily line up several plates’, he rhapsodised. ‘I can now make very fine adjustments with much more precision.’ Molard is a man with a love for detail – and in his new-old restaurant, this is already clear before your food reaches your table.

As premier chef in Luxembourg, he also decided to open the dining room to his five chefs: ‘The chef is now an integral part of the service.’

This means that they also assist in serving the food. ‘The chef can move freely in the dining room, he can talk to patrons and explain to them what is on their plates.’ And if several aperitifs need to be served

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RESTAURANT PORTRAIT n

simultaneously, the chef can be of assistance there as well. ‘They think that’s great’, says Molard about the reaction from his chefs. And guests are also enthusiastic about these visits from the kitchen. ‘They’ve already had this for quite a while in Scandinavia’. Dishes now reach the table warmer as well.

Molard likes to greet and bid adieu to his patrons when at all possible.

‘But the others work the dining room. People want to see new faces sometimes. I’m in the kitchen, taking care of the food.’

‘Ma Langue Sourit’ has become a place where its patrons feel at home.

After a long search, Molard found chairs in Antwerpen that were sufficiently comfortable. ‘A chair is extremely important. If you can’t sit comfortably, then nothing seems right. And people stay in their seats for a very long time in our restaurant.’ Renovations also included converting the terrace into an additional room for groups of up to 26.

‘A separate room for groups allows for more calm in the main dining room.’

The menu remains essentially unchanged. ‘The menu is the same as before, but we work with more precision. And one doesn’t get stressed

so quickly in a good working environment’, says Molard. He himself has surrendered his old office next to the kitchen, generating more room for the dishwasher. ‘The better he can work, the less damage to the dishes. That’s a real cost factor.’ This investment has already paid for itself. ‘There are restaurants in Paris where the dishwasher is one of the highest-paid employees in the kitchen.’

MA LANGUE SOURIT 1 Rue de Remich - L-5331 Moutfort- Luxembourg Tel: +352 26 35 20 31 - E-Mail: mls@mls.lu Monday to saturday to 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. www.mls.lu 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 105

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HOTELNEWS

Starting with this issue, we’ll regularly report news from Luxembourg’s hotel world, including information on events and promotions that may be of interest to our readers. We start with a great offer from our partner, Le Royal.

Special accommodation offers in April and May The hotel Le Royal is offering stays including all of the 5-star hotel’s amenities at a special price for the April school holiday and weekends in May. When booking, just use the keyword ‘KACHEN’! Starting at €180 in a double room incl. breakfast, depending on availability.

Good Mood – Good Food True to its name, a special lunch buffet is now being held every Sunday in Le Manège des CASINO 2OOO. There’s sweet and savoury from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m: foie gras, salmon, oysters, cheese, salads, desserts, smoothies ... for adults only; €47/person

Live Nights

‘Live Nights’ is held in the Piano Bar at Le Royal every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening from 9:00 p.m. until midnight. Dates to watch: 1-2-3 March: Pascal Jenny is back with his individual style, to the delight of regular patrons!

17 March: Murat Trio. The talented Murat Öztürk is accompanied by Gautier Laurent on contrabass and JeanMarc Robin on drums. The band plays the pianist’s original compositions along with timeless jazz standards. An extraordinary evening to look forward to!

CASINO 2OOO Rue Th. Flammang - L-5618 Mondorf-les-Bains (+352) 23 61 11 www.casino2000.lu

Le Royal Hotels & Resorts Luxembourg 12, Boulevard Royal - L-2449 Luxembourg (+352) 24 16 16 1 www.leroyal.com/en/hotels/luxembourg

Theme Nights Hotel Petry in Vianden organises theme nights year round.

Special highlights in the spring for 2018 are ‘Shrimp Night’ (€29.50/person) on 1 March, ‘Portuguese Night’ with 4 courses (€29/person) on 5 April, and the ‘Asparagus Special’ with 4 courses (€55/person) from 15 May until 20 June.

Hotel Petry 15, rue de la Gare - L-9420 VIANDEN (+352) 83 41 22 www.hotel-petry.com 106 | KACHEN | 1 / 2018

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OPEN FROM 12:00 NOON TO 11:00 P.M.

The Amélys restaurant proposes traditional and natural cuisine in a contemporary and elegant setting.

A gourmet escape in the heart of the city

Parking free of charge during your meal Le Royal Hotels & Resorts Luxembourg I 12 Boulevard Royal I L-2449 Luxembourg I T +352 24 16 16-737 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 107 restauration-lux@leroyal.com I www.amelys.lu KACHEN 14 english.indd 107

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SPRING FEVER

Delicate grey and romantic pastel hues As soon as the outdoor temperatures rise, nature awakens to new life.

Everything is growing, thriving, and blossoming in its full splendour. We even want these lovely embellishments on our tableware.

Clean whites, neutral greys, and playful pastel hues bring a special magic to your Easter table!

www.rosenthal.de

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DESIGN n

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1 l Happiness is

2 l Bring on the carrots

3 l Elegant and timeless

4 l Origami meets Delft

Those who love Scandinavian style decorate their Easter eggs with cool colours. Egg candles in briese, aqua, linen, pebble, and gold make a splash against light-hued woods and stone.

This practical multi-peeler enables quick, easy, and precise peeling for both right-handed and left-handed users. The blade is made of especially sharp cutlery steel; brushed stainless steel lends this multi-peeler an elegant look.

The ceramic vases of the new Marabu line from ASA Selection bring style to tables and windowsills.

Available in 20 or 30 cm height, these vases have a design that radiates individuality.

The ceramic traditions of Asia and the Netherlands are inextricably linked.

Asian origami meets the Netherlands’ Delft Blue in this set designed by Romy Kühne.

Starting from about €3.90 www.engels-kerzen.de

€14.99 www.fissler.com

€19.90 and €36.90 www.asa-selection.com

www.heinendelftsblauw.com

egg-shaped

Blue

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5 l Designed for pleasure The idea from Cipango Blue: bold crinkly linens, delicate textile patterns, minimalistic and floral lines produce ever new deco variations by combining individual pieces.

Designed by Jasper Morrison.

www.rosenthal.de

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DESIGN n

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6 l Breakfast in style

7 l Happy Easter

8 l Sugar Pink

9 l Flowery abundance

This set of clear glass egg cups with gleaming stainless steel coasters cuts a good figure on every table. The trays can also be used for bottles, cups, and drinking glasses.

Whether tone on tone or colour-coordinated, these cheerful lemon, rosé, turquoise, and taupe dotted designs of the Springtime collection by Hutschenreuther bring lovely floral decorations to your table. Perfect for Easter brunch!

Ring in the springtime with powder pink! This matte sugar pink is Le Creuset’s answer to the new pastel trend. And the pretty mini-cocotte won’t look out of place on the table. A feast for the eyes!

The popular Caffè Club collection’s Floral Touch décor emits a new, exciting note.

The style complements the simple and classic collection with a delicate floral relief: a highlight you can both see and feel.

Mini-cocotte 10 cm €22 www.lecreuset.com

Espresso cup and saucer, €14.90 www.villeroy-boch.lu

2 egg cups, €16.95 www.gefu.com

4 egg cups, €19.90 www.rosenthal.de

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KITCHEN DESIGN n

TEXT ELISABETH BECKERS PHOTOS LINDA BLATZEK & FREI (RAUM) ARCHITEKTEN

A kitchen from the other side

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he ideal dinner at home might include guests convening in the kitchen, assisting with preparations or lending the cook a hand, and chatting over a beer. To Pierre, owner and master locksmith, it was always clear that the kitchen would be the central area of his home - and this applies not only to the kitchen design, but to the entire house as well. Family and friends are always hanging around in Pierre’s kitchen - and we mean that in the literal sense!

table, the eating area hangs right from the ceiling, providing additional space for food prep and dining table, as needed! An expansive and very discrete closed cabinet completes the furnishings, since nothing should distract from the impressive metal installation.

Hang it – the name says it all. The locksmith’s kitchen is - what else - hand manufactured in metal. Although it conveys an impression of defying gravity, this kitchen is distinguished by a special stability and load-bearing capacity — so there’s always room for friends to pop in and “hang out”!

Despite its robustness, the f r e i ( R a u m ) a r c h i t e k t e n design gives one the feeling of fineness and filigree. Pierre himself manufactured this “hanging kitchen” in the studio of his company, Metal-Line. From the beginning, he wanted the result to be airy and sophisticated, in the style of industrial lofts. Details like industrial lighting and other furniture objects, all created by Pierre, add to this atmosphere. The spacious and airy floor design also provides ample room for Pierre’s beloved dog, Mask!

This innovative and individual kitchen solution makes perfect use of the limited space and thus serves as both a functional space for cooking and living. So as not to take up space with the addition of a dining

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BLOG AWARD n

Year Two of the KACHEN Blog Awards!

After the smashing success of KACHEN’s first Blog Awards, the first of its kind in Luxembourg, we’re doing it again, and this autumn we’ll be once again looking for the best Luxembourg bloggers! We’ll be accepting submissions starting in September, and we will present the participating bloggers, partners, prizes, and events in detail, just like last year, together with our exclusive media partner, Luxemburger Wort.

In the meantime we have expanded our database of bloggers to facilitate regular contact and exchange within the Luxembourg blogger network. To get this exchange going, KACHEN is hosting Luxembourg’s first BLOGGER DAY on 21 April. Learn more at our website, www.kachen.lu and on Facebook. And of course you can read about it in our June issue!

BLOGGER IN LUXEMBURG As you know, the first KACHEN Blog Award was held in Luxembourg in autumn 2017. Two of the eight winners will be introduced in every issue of KACHEN with their favourite Luxembourgish recipe, starting with Sven Mühlen and Bianca Ciric. In addition, we also bring you an article about Blog Award winner Sarah Mignani’s trip to Hervé Mons in Lyon!

The Green Creator Bianca Ciric was able to impress the jury of the KACHEN Blog Award 2017 with her blog "The Green Creator". She was awarded the jury prize in the category Food and received a fully automatic, mobile photo studio Wesual Click!

Especially the professional photos and videos give an idea of how much work is involved in Bianca's English-language blog posts. Their aim is to convey vegan recipes to an international audience in the best possible way. But her blog isn't just about food, it's about a wholehearted healthy lifestyle. She now shares her spring version of the Luxembourg classic "Gromperekichelcher" with us. www.thegreencreator.com Recipe next page

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Sunny "Gromperekichelcher" with minted pea dip Makes 4

15 Minutes + 30 Minutes Bake Time

• 2 russet white potatoes (350 g grated) • ½ small (sweet) onion • ½ tsp salt • 4 tbs (40 gr) chickpea flour • ½ tbs fresh parsley, washed and chopped • ½ tsp turmeric • ground black pepper to taste • ½ tsp garlic powder • optional: ½ tsp mustard powder • lemon wedges, to serve For the pea mint dip: • 2½ cups (300g) frozen peas, thawed • 3/4 cup (80g) soy yogurt or coconut yogurt • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind • ½ cup (15) mint leaves

RECIPE & PHOTO BIANCA CIRIC

• sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste 1 Peel the potatoes and onion. 2 Grate the potatoes and onion with a food processor fitted with a grating disk or grate the potatoes and onion manually with a grater (medium size). 3 Place the grated potatoes and onion in a sieve and press the liquid out of the potatoes. 4 Place the grated potatoes and

onion in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chickpea flour, turmeric, fresh parsley, garlic and mustard powder. Mix everything until evenly distributed. 5 Preheat the oven to 220°C and place parchment paper on a baking tray. You can also use a silicone baking mat instead. 6 Make 4 equal sizes of burger shapes (or any other shape you like such as squares) on the parchment paper. I used a mould to create the same shape and size for every potato pancake. You can make smaller or bigger ones if you wish.

7 Bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, lower the oven to 200 degrees and bake for another 15 minutes. Check because they can easily burn (we drained out the water and used no oil). Bake until crispy golden brown. You don’t want to over bake them since they will become too crusty and dry. 8 While the Gromperekichelcher are baking prepare the pea mint dip. To make the minted pea dip, place the peas, yogurt, lemon, mint, salt and pepper in a tall container and blend. You can also use a hand-held stick blender and purée. Add more yogurt if the dip is too thick to your liking.

Set aside. Serve the Gromperekichelcher warm with the minted pea dip on the side.

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BLOG AWARD n

De Grénge Léiw Sven Mühlen won over the jury of the KACHEN Blog Award 2017 with his blog entitled "De Grénge Léiw". He was presented with the "Coup de Coeur du Jury" and a Miele GourmetStar steam oven featuring MonoSteam technology.

Written in Luxembourgish, his blog delighted the jury with the simple language used to talk about veganism. Sven has been using his judgement-free blog to introduce non-vegans to a plant-based diet since 2014. Because even as a vegan, he was his beloved Vol au Vent, he created animal-free version which tastes almost exactly like the original. www.degrengeleiw.com

Vegan Vol au Vent (Bouchée à la reine) Serves 4

40 Minutes

• ½ onion • 125 g fresh mushrooms • 1 tsp. olive oil • 150 ml vegetable stock • 30 g neutral oil • 30 g flour • 300 ml unsweetened soya milk • 2 tsp. tahini paste • 2 tbsp. lemon juice • Pinch of nutmeg • 1 tbsp. nutritional yeast • 100 g hard tofu • 200 g vegan chicken fillet substitute • 4 ready-to-use vegan puff pastry shells • Salt and white pepper 1 Finely chop the ½ onion and mushrooms. Add a little olive oil to a pan and sweat the onions until translucent.

Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes.

2 Deglaze with the vegetable stock, bring to a boil, simmer for another 10 minutes and then set aside.

RECIPE & PHOTO SVEN MÜHLEN

3 Preheat the oven to 150 °C 4 In the meantime, prepare a vegan bechamel. Heat the neutral oil in a pan and stir in the flour. Briefly heat the mix and gradually add the soya milk, stirring constantly. Stir the tahini paste, lemon juice and mushroom mix into the white sauce. Season to taste with nutmeg, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

5 Dice the tofu and add to the sauce along with the vegan chicken pieces.

6 Warm the pastry shells in the oven for about 10 minutes and then fill with the vegan vol au vent mix.

Ideally served with rice and a green salad.

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Lyon, the Big Cheese Visiting Hervé Mons

Highlight for KACHEN Blog Award winner Sarah Mignani (recipient of the special prize from main sponsor Cactus)

A

long with a Yämmi 2 cooking machine for preparing food at home, Sarah was also the lucky winner of an exclusive VIP weekend for 2 at Hervé Mons in Lyon! Just the thing for a foodie like Sarah.

Incidentally, the finely aged cheeses of Hervé Mons are not only served in the world’s best restaurants, they can also be purchased in Luxembourg at the shopping centre La Belle Etoile, as well as at Cactus shops in Bascharage, Howald, Bettembourg and Bereldange. www.cactus.lu

PHOTOS SARAH LAURA MIGNANI & CACTUS

In December, Sarah and her husband visited Lyon, the home of ‘Meilleur ouvrier de France’ Hervé Mons. There she was immersed — in the truest sense of the word — in the world of artisanal cheese production. After checking into Sofitel Hotel in Lyon, she met with Hervé Mons personally in the legendary Halles Paul Bocuse. Copious amounts of cheese were there for the tasting at the Hervé Mons

stand, before the tour continued in the maturation cellar, inventively situated in an old railroad tunnel in Collonge, and then to the modern new factory in Saint-Haon-le-Châtel. We are delighted that Sarah documented her incredible trip for KACHEN readers. Her extensive and detailed piece can be found at www.lariviererose.com.

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Fried halloumi with minted couscous

This dish features all my favourite ingredients: chewy halloumi cheese, crunchy pomegranate seeds, herby mint pesto and tangy turmeric yoghurt. The perfect dish for a yummy Meat Free Monday!

Serves 2

30 minutes

• 160g couscous • 10g butter • ½ tsp powdered vegetable stock • 1 pomegranate • 250g halloumi • ¼ tsp turmeric powder • 60g yoghurt • 40g roasted, salted cashew nuts • fresh pomegranate seeds, to sprinkle • salt and pepper For the pesto: • ½ garlic clove • 1 small bunch mint • ½ tsp lemon juice • 1 tsp honey • 20g roasted + salted cashew nuts • 50ml olive oil • salt 1 Put the couscous and the butter into a bowl. Boil a kettle and mix 200ml water with the powdered vegetable stock. Pour over

the couscous, stir and cover the bowl with a plate. Set aside.

2 For the pesto: peel the garlic clove and put into a blender with all the remaining ingredients. Blitz into a pesto and adjust the seasoning with salt. Set aside.

3 Cut the halloumi into 6 slices. Heat a griddle pan and grill the halloumi slices for a few minutes until browned on both sides.

4 Meanwhile, stir the turmeric through the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper.

5 Roughly chop the cashews and stir through to the bowl with the couscous.

6 Distribute the couscous between two plates. Top each portion with three slices of halloumi. Drizzle with pesto, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and add a dollop of turmeric yoghurt.

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WELLNESS n

MENTAL FITNESS MEMORY & BRAIN

Practice makes perfect W

e’ve all said at some point or another, ‘If my head wasn’t screwed on, I’d lose it!’

Memory can be a tricky thing. Our health expert Dr. Marc Keipes explains why that is, how one can change it and what our short-term memory has to do with it.

The good news: your brain isn’t like soap, getting smaller the more it’s used. On the contrary: its potential can be increased through targeted training. Physical activity also helps quite a bit not only to maintain cognitive function, but also to improve it. This has actually been scientifically proven, in contrast to so-called superfoods and their alleged miracle powers.

In order to burn facts into our memory, they must be received by our five sensory organs. Sometimes, however, a part of the information is filtered out in the reception. This information then enters our shortterm memory. This storage area is unfortunately, like the name says, limited to a short length of time, namely just 20-60 seconds — which explains why you have to look at your train or plane ticket several times in order to remember the departure time and seat number. In addition, its capacity is not particularly large. If, for example, one has to memorise numbers, the storage capacity is about 5–9 digits.

To be able to remember larger amounts of data over a longer period of time, the information must be in your long-term memory.

This ideally happens through association of well-known facts and emotions or links to already-stored memories (like Marcel Proust’s madeleine). These can be learned with the aid of diverse techniques, which associate characteristics like colour and scent or the input of other sensory organs with the information. In order to, say, remember the names of people to whom you are introduced, you should connect a feature of that person with his or her name: if Mr. Short is quite tall, one can remember him with ‘tall and short’.

But long-term memory requires training too. After 24 hours, you’ve already begun to forget what you learned. if you take just two minutes (per hour of the material memorised the day before) to repeat it, after two days you’ll still have 90% of it stored in your memory. Repeat this tactic (repeating two minutes per hour of learning), and all the information will be permanently imprinted in your brain after five weeks.

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BIRCH WATER T

he old Germanic tribes were familiar with birch water, and lumberjacks used birches as a source for their drinking water. It is a traditional beverage in Baltic and Eastern European countries. The hype around superfoods has led to a “superdrinks” hype, including highly vaunted matcha teas, yuzu juice, and coconut water.

Will birch water be the next big trend?

TEXT & PHOTOS MASSIMO GHERARDI

Everyone is familiar with birch trees; they grow everywhere, alone or in small copses. They are a pioneer species, providing shade and protection to slower-growing native deciduous trees.

water is said to have detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties through the proven diuretic effects of flavonoids, which stimulates blood flow to the kidneys. This draining effect can help with water retention, relieve swollen joints, and have a positive effect on gout and rheumatism. This reduces the flushing of toxins through the skin and does wonders for problem skin. Since birch water also helps fight the old familiar springtime lethargy, it makes the perfect spring cure.

Drink a sip of birch water every morning with a tall glass of water before breakfast for three weeks.

After the springtime’s last frost, the birches awake from their dormant period, drawing water from the earth and sending it up into their crowns. This water becomes enriched with many minerals, vitamins and amino acids, enzymes, flavonoids and saponins: substances which give birch water its healing properties. Birch water doesn’t need to be imported; it is a local product, ecological and natural.

You can extract your own birch water in the spring, after the last frost. Drill 2 to 3 centimetres into the birch’s trunk with a small diameter wood drill at hip height, insert a small glass tube, and set a glass container beneath it to collect the sap. One can collect a maximum of 3 litres of birch water per tree; afterwards, reseal the hole with grafting wax. Allow the tree a resting time of at least two years after tapping.

Many applications in traditional folk medicine have not been scientifically proven, however they are used in many countries. Birch

Alternatively, one can also cut off a small branch and place it in a bottle to catch the water as it’s released.

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WELLNESS n

The fresh sap is then stored for two to three days in the refrigerator. It will keep longer with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little sugar. One should start the birch cure before the sap begins to ferment.

Pregnant and nursing women should not take birch cures, as no conclusive studies have been carried out.

Birch sap can also be bought ready-made at the chemist’s or in wholefood shops. Just make sure that it contains no chemical additives.

You can wash your skin with it to treat skin blemishes, or apply it in a wet compress.

Is birch water ‘just’ a trendy super drink right now, or does it actually bring health benefits? The easiest way to find out is to give it a try. In any event, birch water is natural, ecological, and vegan, and that alone is worth something!

Birch water can also be externally applied: it will give your hair a springtime freshness and new shine. It is also said to stimulate hair growth. Simply rinse your hair with birch water after shampooing and massage it into your scalp.

© Marc Klein

Birch leaves can be used to make tea. Pull young birch leaves off of a branch and allow to dry — those who don’t have the time can buy dried birch leaves at the chemist’s. Pour boiling water over two tablespoons per cup and let sit for ten minutes. For a birch cure, drink one cup several times daily for three weeks.

With this edition, KACHEN welcomes a new expert on board to provide our readers with interesting and unusual information and tips. Massimo Gherardi is a qualified pharmacist, herb enthusiast, and passionate hobby photographer. In this edition he introduces us to the topic of birch water.

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Food Trends 2018

This is what we expect this year Conscious nutrition will play an increasing role in our everyday lives this year. What does that mean for any of us? We have compiled some of the most important trends for you, which we will undoubtedly encounter more often in 2018:

HOW WE FOOD SHOP

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US

“Meet your Food” becomes a guiding motto for shopping and enjoyment. It’s about awareness of the origin and processing of our food. We want to know where our food comes from and what route it has travelled. We not only buy locally, but also visit a farm stand.

Organic farms open small cafés, offer cooking courses or become popular locations on weekends. In the future we will ask: what is the name of the chicken from which our breakfast egg comes?

Breakfast gets a real upgrade. Because working days are strictly synchronized, we take more time on the weekend and enjoy individual and longer (keyword: Brinner). The hotel and catering industry will also adapt to the changing significance of breakfast by offering more variety and extending opening hours. In 2018 it applies more than ever before: breakfast makes the day.

WHAT WE EAT Vegetables are becoming increasingly important. In the Food Trend Report 2018, the nutritionist Hanni Rützler even speaks of a Copernican turnaround: "We will not all become vegetarians, but we have recognized that meat does not have to be the center of a good universe of pleasure." Variety on the plate is ensured by vegetables like cauliflower and yam root and extraordinary flavor carriers such as jackfruit or hominy.

WHAT WE DRINK 2018 will be sparkling, as fizzy drinks are becoming more and more common: at lunch, in the car or at the bar. In addition to lemonades with natural flavors such as birch bark or lavender, cold brewed coffee will also be carbonated. But please, always sugar-free.

WHAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO Finally, the departure from the throwaway society has arrived in the kitchen: “No Waste," "Nose-to-Tail” or “Root-to-Stem" are important requests in 2018. Manufacturers and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to reduce food waste. Parts of plants or animals that were once carelessly removed are now recycled. If you're still skeptical, try a salad from pickled watermelon rind. Or fruit paper made of no-longer-so-beautiful fruit as a fantastic snack.

HOW WE LIVE WITH FOOD Eating is not only a necessity, but also a passion. We organize our day according to that and raise dishes to works of art. This trend will continue, but refined food styling is increasingly becoming the precondition for a successful dinner in private homes as well. The host should no longer just cook well - colors, structures and decoration must also harmonize. Eating as a lifestyle? Even the destination can fade into the background. Cruises are more and more often booked by the name of the star chef on board - no matter where the journey goes.

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KACHEN

© Ministère l'Économie / LFT

ON TOUR

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Culture to Suit Everyone’s Taste Luxembourg’s Museums Invite Discovery

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© Jonathan Godin / LFT

© Stater Muséeën / LFT

© Roman Schönfeld / LFT

Those interested in Luxembourg’s culture and history need not look far. Numerous museums and permanent exhibitions offer a look into the Grand Duchy’s fascinating and multifaceted cultural heritage. Museums devoted to military and industrial topics are testimony to important events in Luxembourg’s changing history, whilst nature lovers will discover unusual and educationally well-structured nature museums all over the country, and world-class art museums draw an international public. KACHEN brings you some of the best museums and permanent exhibitions, each and every one worth a visit.

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TEXT BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES

A DIFFERENT KIND OF WALKING TOUR With the motto ‘a big smile for a small mile’, seven museums in Luxembourg City invite you to undertake a very special kind of city walking tour. When the seven museum locations are connected on the map, they form a smiley. The tour starts at the Villa Vauban – Musée d’art de la Ville de Luxembourg, which holds an impressive collection of Dutch paintings from the 17th century, and landscapes and historical paintings from the 19th century. Next stop is the Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain, dedicated to contemporary art and especially to younger-generation artists. After learning the history of the City of Luxembourg in the Lëtzebuerg City Museum, continue to the National Museum at the Fish Market to learn of the country’s archaeological and historical heritage, and view the nation’s art collection of works spanning from the Middle Ages to the present.

A newly-designed permanent exhibition on natural history, evolution, and biodiversity awaits you on 1,000 m² in the Natur Musée in the city’s Grund quarter. The culmination of the tour is two adjacent museums

© Claude Piscitelli / LFT

© MNM / LFT

© Ministère l'Économie / LFT

KACHEN ON TOUR n

on the Kirchberg: the Musée Dräi Eechelen, which focuses on the world cultural heritage of Luxembourg’s fortifications, and MUDAM (Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean), which fascinates visitors with its architecture and changing exhibitions.

All museums are easily reachable on foot or with public transportation.

From archaeology to natural history to modern art, there’s something for everyone.

Info at www.museumsmile.lu

WORLD-CLASS CULTURE Luxembourg’s two photography exhibitions by the renowned photograph and curator Edward Steichen are a ‘must-see’. The exhibition ‘The Family of Man’, in Clervaux Castle, was added to UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register in 2003. It was conceived as a manifest for peace and the fundamental right for equality among mankind, and is still just as relevant today. The largest photo exhibition of all time with 503 photographs by 273 photographers from all over 2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 127

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© Fabrizio Maltese / LFT

the world, it shows a moving portrait of mankind. First shown in MoMA in 1955, it toured the world’s great museums before coming to its permanent home in Clervaux Castle in 1994. The exhibition reopens on 2 March after its scheduled winter closure. You can find details on opening hours and other area tourist attractions at www.destinationclervaux.lu.

Edward Steichen’s last exhibition as curator for MoMA in 1962 is a homage to documentary photography. 'The Bitter Years' contains more than 200 photographs taken for one of the largest collaborative projects in the history of photography — the documentary work undertaken by the Farm Security Administration on rural America during the ‘Great Depression’ of the 1930s. The exhibition is permanently housed today in Düdelingen’s restored water tower, and reopens to visitors on 1st March. www.steichencollections-cna.lu

HISTORY ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY Those interested in the history of Luxembourg’s industry, banking, or agriculture will find countless small and large museums addressing

a broad range of topics. The Tram and Bus Museum in Hollerich immerses the visitor in the history of the area’s local public transport, a topic just as relevant than ever today. In the Fonds-de-Gras Minett Park, a splendid testimony to Luxembourg’s industrial history, one can ride on a steam locomotive or the old ‘Minièresbunn’, a narrowgauge mining train which runs through an old mining tunnel. In the ‘A Possen’ Museum in Bech-Kleinmacher, you can learn all about the life of a winemaking family in the 18th and 19th centuries. In earlier times, Ardenne horses were a substantial part of rural life in the northern part of the country. The ‘A Robbesscheier’ museum in Munshausen illustrates the hardships of agricultural life in olden days, and teaches children where their food comes from. Clervaux Castle, also in the north, houses the Museum of the Battle of the Bulge. This battle was the Third Reich’s last attempt to crush the Allied Forces with one great strike in the winter of 1944/1945. The offensive failed, after which Luxembourg once again became a free country. The museum recalls this dark but crucial period of the last century.

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Walker Evans, Floyd Burroughs, Alabama. 1935 or 1936

© Romain Girtgen, CNA

© Romain Girtgen, CNA

KACHEN ON TOUR n Tram and Bus Museum of the City of Luxembourg (Musée de tramways et de bus de la Ville de Luxembourg) 63, rue de Bouillon L-1248 Luxembourg-Hollerich Tel: (+352) 47 96 23 85 www.rail.lu/tramsmusee.html tramsmusee@vdl.lu The Bank Museum (Musée de la banque) Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'État 1, place de Metz L-1930 Luxemburg Tel: (+352) 40 15-24 50 www.bcee.lu info@bcee.lu Minnett Park Fond-de-Gras Tel: (+352) 26 50 41 24 www.fond-de-gras.lu info@fond-de-gras.lu

© Syndicat d'initiative Munshausen / LFT

National Mining Museum (Musée national des mines) Carreau de la mine Walert L-3714 Rumelange Tel: (+352) 56 56 88 www.mnm.lu mnm@pt.lu

TIPS AND INFO You can find information on opening hours and on permanent and temporary exhibitions at Luxembourg’s museums at www.musees.lu Admission to all city museums is free for visitors under the age of 21 and for students under 26. Admission is also free during certain times for all visitors. On the Open House Day on 18 and 19 May 2018, admission is free at all 44 museums in Luxembourg. On the Night of Museums on 13 October 2018, all museums offer free admission from 6:00 pm until the early morning hours along with an attractive programme of events.

The Luxembourg Card offers 1, 2, and 3 days of free admission to more than 60 museums and tourist attraction in Luxembourg. www.visitluxembourg.com/de/luxembourg-card

Wine and Folklore Museum "A Possen" 2, Keeseschgaessel L-5404 Bech-Kleinmacher Tel: (+352) 23 69 73 53 www.musee-possen.lu Ardenne Horses Open Air Museum "A Robbesscheier" 1, Frummeschgaass L-9766 Munshausen Tel: (+352) 92 17 45 1 www.robbesscheier.lu info@touristcenter.lu Museum of the Battle of the Bulge Château de Clervaux L-9712 CLERVAUX Tel: (+352) 26 91 06 95 Fax: (+352) 92 91 80 www.clervaux.lu/de/museum-derardennenschlacht.htm

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WHAT WE’RE DOING THIS SPRING

As we wave goodbye to January, we look forward to the promise of spring ahead of us. Luxembourg really does have four distinct seasons and spring is one of our favourites. From the blooming flowers in the park to the earlier sunrises and later sunsets, we are feeling the energy and zest that the new season brings with it. We’ve handpicked our favourite things to do at this time of year. No weekend will be a boring one that’s for sure!

Luxembourg City Film Festival 22/2 - 4/3 - Luxembourg’s leading cinema event. There were a record 29,300 visitors in 2017!

Prepare for exclusive, artistic value cinema films are screened over the course of eleven days. Plus workshops, events, exhibitions and concerts. We’re particularly excited to see Phantom Thread which exudes 1950s glamour and stars our favourite, Daniel Day-Lewis in his last acting role before his retirement.

Alex Jonsson Trio - Heart of Gold - 4/3 - Brasserie Wenzel. Take

TEXT MARINA LAI & JANE EXALL PHOTO PULSA PICTURES / LFT

in some soft, hip and inviting jazz tones in one of Luxembourg’s most spectacular surroundings. This is an ideal place to visit if the weather is good and you fancy a nice Sunday brunch. Perfect if you have guests visiting. If you could bottle an ambience this would be the one!

love this festival and there is much folk-dancing, plus the traditional Luxembourgish beverages and snacks. A delightful way to spend an Easter Monday.

DKV Urban Trail 22/4 - This year sees the 9th edition of the Urban

Trail. Whether you’re an amateur or a seasoned pro, this running trail is a great way to discover some of the hidden charms of Luxembourg City. From the Saint-Esprit plateau down to the breathtaking Neumünster Abbey winding down to the Casemates, you’ll uncover some magical sights that you may not have seen before!

Hiking season opening 7/5 - Having explored this area last year

Petange Parade 11/3 - Not only the largest carnival parade in the country but the oldest too. You will be able to watch the many floats ride by and dance to loud and vibrant music. Editor’s tip; bring a bag so you can carry the sweets that you collect home!

and taking an unforgettable picture of the famous Schiessentümpel waterfall we will definitely be putting this date in our diary! At 9am guides will take people on different routes and provide explanations of the areas. There will be craft workshops and games for children and local produce on sale. The guided walk and workshops are all for free. We can’t wait to try an activity that has something for everyone and to feel immersed in Luxembourg’s fine nature.

Bretzelsonnden (Pretzel Sunday) 11/3 - nobody wants to be

Wenzel Walk - take in 1000 years of history in 100 minutes. The

de Kuerf kréien, i.e. rejected. This tradition goes back to the 18th century tradition where a man will offer his sweet love a pretzel on Pretzel Sunday. If she accepts the pretzel, the man will visit her on Easter Sunday and she will give him some eggs. Otherwise she will give him a basket and thus he is rejected! Note that in a leap year the roles are reversed.

notorious Wenzel Walk has been popular amongst tourists and residents for years but we think this is the perfect season to do it! It’s a cultural and historical walk through the oldest quarters of the City.

It takes 2.5 hours and is perfect for showing any guests around the sights of Luxembourg. We will add our own twist and stop for lunch and a coffee or two!

Prove yourself and make your own handmade pretzel: Ingredients: 1000g of milk, 180g of yeast, 25g of salt, 280g of sugar, 200g of butter, 4 eggs, flour, 1000g of dry butter, 1000g hazelnuts, 1300g syrup,200g of shredded biscuits, 10g of cinnamon, 4g of lemon rind

The Lux Life’s Great Big Luxembourgish Picnic - The Great Big Luxembourgish Picnic started last year in honour of Annual Picnic Day. A large group of strangers got together and enjoyed this free and easy event last year. The art of picnicking involves a nice big blanket, plenty of snacks, a book to read or a board game if you are feeling sociable! Bring your picnic baskets, gather some friends and check our website for updates on this unusual yet popular event.

Emaischen 2/4 - celebrated in Nospelt which is the village of potters.

So the story goes that potters would make little peckvillercher (small bird shaped whistles and flutes that were exchanged between lovers) with leftover clay from a day’s work. Nowadays children

Find more on www.theluxlife.org

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ADVERTORIAL n

PRINCESSE MARIE-ASTRID Exclusive events and a five-course dinner with Harald Wohlfahrt

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ou don’t need a Caribbean cruise to enjoy variety-filled and entertaining theme trips and evenings, fresh and seasonal regional delicacies, select Moselle wines from our vineyards and naturally fantastic natural landscapes. All that can be yours when you experience the Moselle River aboard the Princesse Marie-Astrid.

Easter is when the Moselle ships start their season, and there’s a list of great events being planned. Our special highlight is an exclusive dinner on 20 April starting at 7:00 p.m. with 3-star chef Harald Wohlfahrt. Yes, you read that right! Harald Wohlfahrt will be on the Princesse Marie-Astrid, and we hope you will be too!

HARALD WOHLFAHRT GOES MARIE-ASTRID Since 1992, Harald Wohlfahrt is the only chef in Germany to be awarded 3 stars 25 times in a row. He is well known for meeting the high expectations of gourmets from all over the world with the cuisine of the highest quality.

Don’t miss this special 5-course dinner paired with Luxembourg wines, composed by this top chef together with the Princesse Marie-Astrid team. There a still a few spots available. Dinner, including canapés, water, wine (ClüsserathWeiler Vineyards, Domaine Duhr-Frères, La Spinetta), Veuve Cliquot champagne, and coffee, costs €250 per person.

Reservations can be requested at info@marie-astrid.lu or by telephone at +352 758275 www.marie-astrid.lu

OTHER EVENTS THIS SEASON: Sunday Dinner 01/04/2018 - 30/09/2018 (additional dates: 02/04, 01/05, 21/05) Treat yourself to regional and seasonal delicious delicacies à la carte on board the M.S. Princesse Marie-Astrid. Pure pleasure with family and friends! Departure times can be found at www.marie-astrid.lu

A tribute to Celine Dion with Emilie Duvall 29/04/2018, 5:00 p.m.

A one-of-a-kind voice filled with passion and emotion. Excursion, aperitif, 3-course dinner and entertainment programme for €75.

Waves, Wine and Asparagus 18/05/2018, 7:30 p.m.

Excursion, aperitif, asparagus buffet and dancing entertainment with the Lotti Maes Orchestra for €64.

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Mountain Bike

TEXT MARINA LAI & JANE EXALL PHOTO SYNDICAT D'INITIATIVE WILTZ / LFT

As the weather starts to look up and the sun makes more regular appearances, it’s time to dust off your bikes and get them ready for some new adventures! Visit Luxembourg have a range of trails for the enthusiastic mountain bikers, the landscapes of Luxembourg is perfect for all sorts of climbs and descents. For the cyclist who enjoys a leisurely trail that uncovers some of Luxembourg’s most beautiful hidden gems, we’ve got you covered too. For more trails and tips visit www.visitluxembourg.com

Mountain bike trail for the adventurous and advanced cyclist Start: Place Benelux Clervaux The more advanced cyclists amongst us will enjoy the challenges of this taxing trail with short descents and long climbs.

Setting off in Clervaux, at Place Benelux, you will follow the railway line through the forest Op der Woltz and leave the forest towards Urspelt. As you cycle through the scenic routes and country lanes, you will cross the river Woltz and pass the Airmen’s Monument.

The beauty of your surroundings will take your breath away and the picturesque sights are a nice reward for those who have risen to the challenge of this demanding trail! The entire tour takes about 25 km and should take you just under 3 hours. While it is considered a more difficult route, it is extremely worthwhile as the sights will help you escape from the trials and tribulations of everyday life.

A mountain bike route that includes a trip to the lake Start: Bavigne For a route that is equally scenic but less demanding, this trail offers views over the Upper Sûre Lake and leads to the Haregaart in Bavigne, which is a former priest’s garden. The perfect spot for any nature lover. This easygoing route is loved by adventurers of all ages and don’t forget to bring your swimsuit with you for a dip by the lake.

For those wanting a fun challenge, water sports are also available on the lake.

It might also be worth noting that this route climbs a non-tarmac lane which means that it is suitable for all weather conditions so there’s no risk that your day of cycling will be called off. The whole route covers a distance of 35 km, it is not too challenging and should take you just under 4 hours. There are camping sites and convenient vacation rentals nearby so you can really make a whole trip out of it.

Handy tip to keep your bike clean Pay a visit to Luxembourg’s very first bike wash station in Dudelange, at the starting and finishing point of the RedRock Mountain Bike trails. The station is located on rue Reiteschkopp and is available for you to use free of charge. Make the most out of the brilliant facility by picking up your free tokens for this service at: 21 rue du Commerce L-3450 +352 26 52 26 20 info@visitdudelange.lu

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In collaboration with www.theluxlife.org

24 HOURS WITH...

Andy Schleck Winner of the 2010 Tour de France, Luxembourgish born and bred Andy Schleck is a popular household name. Having dedicated most of his life to cycling and all things cycling-related, he now focuses most of his energy on his bike shop and cafe in Itzig. He is a busy and speedy force but we managed to grab him for just 24 hours to find out what a day in the life of this enthusiastic athlete looks like.

06.30

Most days our 2 sons wake us before every alarm clock so we don’t even hear our alarm clock sound anymore! We tend to be up around 6.30 to 7 and as I work on Saturdays, one of my favourite mornings is to be able to stay in bed on Sunday mornings.

07:30

Something people may not know about me is that I am a real coffee lover. I start every day with 2 or 3 or 4 coffees :-) i am not really a morning person ;-) so after coffee I enjoy a quick breakfast with the kids. To keep the balance, some days are diet days for me, and some are less so. As far as food goes, for me, an everyday breakfast means bread, eggs and cereal.

INTERVIEW MARINA LAI & JANE EXALL PHOTOS ANDY SCHLECK, ELISABETH EBCKERS

08:00

Once breakfast is out of the way, this is how I would usually start my day: 1 Coffee 2 Getting ready with family 3 Drive to the shop 4 Early home training in the shop before opening

10.30

When I’m in the shop I like to get coffees when we have meetings or between meetings. Our cafe has some nice options, even for those who are just stopping by for a brief moment. We serve soft drinks, and on some weekends we also serve nice pastries. Even though I am health conscious, I don’t take any health supplements, all I need are my wife’s homemade juices ;-)

12:00

Lunchtime! Well, that is what most people would call this time but I don’t actually have a typical lunchtime. It all depends on how busy the shop is at that moment. Sometimes I have lunch

appointments but I prefer to keep this hour to relax between work and meetings. When we (my wife and I) both work at the shop, we always have lunch together. Occasionally I will cook at home, but this is quite rare, but when I do, I like to try new dishes and new recipes!

14:00

In the afternoons, you will find me in the shop, if I’m not at meetings.

Afternoons are actually a really busy time fo me and also for the shop. I love it when people come to meet me from all over the world, not just Europe but even from the U.S, Australia and Asia.

18:00

When my day is done, I like to be with the kids.

I love coming home and seeing them smile. But the time when I truly unwind and relax is when my kids are in bed. Usually with my wife, a good movie and a beer in my hand! If not, I’ll workout to get a good sweat out.

20:00

For dinner, my favourite restaurant is MOSCONI. It’s definitely not my everyday restaurant but we love going to Simonetta and IIario, they make the best pasta with Buffala. And what do i order? I usually get extra spicy penne all’arrabiata when I go out.

23:00

Bedtime is always around 23:00. My bedtime ritual starts with me checking on both kids before getting into bed. Once they are safely tucked in, I love to read the news on my phone before going to sleep. This can sometimes keep me up way too long though, so I only really get 6 to 7 hours of sleep each night, depending on the kids night too of course!

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Kachen on Tour with LuxairTours

NICE

© Issock OCTN

It’s a happening place culturally as well. There are no less than 15 museums nearby, perfect for a cultural discovery tour. The Musée National Marc Chagall holds the public collection of the artist's work. You can exlore the life and works of Henri Matisse in a completely renovated Genoese villa from the 17th century in the Cimiez Gardens. The director of the Musée d’art moderne et contemporain of Nice, Hélène Guenin, recently worked for the Centre Pompidou in Metz und headed FRACLorraine. Carnival in Nice and the annual Nice Jazz Festival in the summer (www.nicejazzfestival.fr) are also legendary events.

© Issock OCTN

TEXT BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES

The five-kilometre-long boulevard along Nice’s coast, the ‘Promenade des Anglais’, presents one luxury hotel after another. Those who prefer something a little more sedate can take a detour through the Vielle Ville. It borders directly on the Promenade des Anglais and invites one to stroll through the picturesque historic alleys with their daily flower, vegetable, and fish markets. Well preserved old houses give the historic district its special charm. Here you’ll also find historical attractions like the Hotel de Ville or the 13thcentury Cathédrale Sainte Réparate. The new trendy hangout in recent years has been the pulsing bars and restaurants of Petit Marais, what the local inhabitants call the area around Rue Bonaparte, Place Garibaldi and the antiques quarter, after Le Marais quarter in Paris.

© Atout France Phovoir

The Côte d’Azur – who doesn’t get excited just thinking about it! Nice is undoubtedly one of the loveliest and most desirable cities on the Côte d’Azur. Its fantastic beaches, a mild climate, a picturesque old city, and famous festivals draw thousands of tourists every year.

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KACHEN ON TOUR n

© Nice Tourisme

© Nice Tourisme

© Nice Tourisme

© VIille de Nice

© Lanneretonne - OCTN

© Issock OCTN

Last but not least, Nice also offers daily bus trips into the neighbouring towns of Antibes, Ezes-Village, Saint-Paul de Vence, Menton and Monaco. But Nice itself has so much to offer that these places will have to wait their turn.

© Nice Tourisme

Exploring the city is highly recommended and definitely worth it!

Nice is the only city in France whose name is directly connected with cooking: cuisine niçoise. And this involves more than just niçoise salad. The regional cuisine is light and Mediterranean, with a mix of Provençal and Italian influences. Olive oil, garlic, herbs, vegetables, hearty meats like daube niçoise and natural fish dishes of all types are fixtures of the local cuisine. Petits farcis, raviolis niçoise, pissaladière (a kind of onion tart with sardines) — these are the aromas of Nice! The label Cuisine Nissarde was introduced in order to preserve traditional recipes. You should absolutely try niçoise olives. The ‘tapenade’ made from the little, firm and very tasty fruit tastes marvellous on toasted bread. Typical but less wellknown is Tarte aux blettes, a sweet cake filled with apples, Swiss chard, raisins and pine nuts. To paraphrase a German saying, ‘Eating like God in France’— in Nice that’s no problem, even for small purses.

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❶

© Claude Neu

You’ll find gourmet bistro cuisine at decent prices in PEIXES ❶ near the opera house. No reservations are taken, just try your luck and enjoy. You’ll find the loveliest homage to the olive in all its facets right in the heart of the bustling old city district - the OLIVIERA is a mix of olive oil shop and restaurant, where everything is all about the olive www.oliviera.com. The absolute place to be is DELI BO in Petit Marais – a sunny spot on the terrace for Sunday brunch is a special experience, and not just culinarily speaking. Likewise SEMTIMI in Petit Marais ❷ - an Italian restaurant with outstanding pizza and fish - with a wonderful terrace to feast and soak up some sun www.facebook.com/Sentimirestaurant/.

© Claude Neu

Here is a small selection of KACHEN culinary favourites:

❷

© Claude Neu

Enjoy star-quality delights at the following addresses:

❸

You’ll find a perfect symbiosis of typical cuisine Niçoise with Japanese cuisine in KEISUKE MATSUSHIMA www.keisukematsushima.com. In the Petit Marais quarter directly on the harbour, the South African JAN HENDRIK VAN DER WESTHUIZEN ❸ serves a creative and contemporary cuisine www.restaurantjan. com. In their restaurant FLAVEUR ❹ the Tourteaux brothers offer a young and creative cuisine with regional and seasonal specialities www.restaurant-flaveur.com.

In the tiny kitchen of LA MERENDA the formerly starred chef Dominique le Stanc cooks only traditional recipes of Cuisine Niçoise www.lamerenda.net. No reservations, no credit cards, very few tables, but excellent food and an experience in any event.

CASTEL PLAGE is without a doubt one of the best beach addresses in the summer when it’s steaming hot. Very trendy and situated right on the harbour and the beach, one is sprayed with a continuous spray of fresh water when the temperature’s up.The prices are quite high, but that’s the way it is with trendy beach establishments, and the food is outstanding.

❹

ENTER AND WIN Win a 2-night stay for 2 people in a double room at the 3 star Hotel Le Royal.

Including 2 flight tickets Luxembourg - Nice (round trip) with LuxairTours.

Located on the Promenade des Anglais with a beautiful view over the Mediterranean Sea, the Hotel Royal is the ideal starting point to explore the Côte d'Azur. With its central location, restaurants and shops are within walking distance. With a 20 minutes bus drive, Nice airport is easily accessible from the hotel.

on the terrace enjoying the sea or in the stylish dining room. Refreshing cocktails are served at the in-house bar.

The hotel has 140 rooms furnished in classic style, equipped with bath or shower/WC, hairdryer, telephone, TV, Wi-Fi (inclusive), safe, air conditioning and heating. For an extra fee, guests can use the gym.

In the restaurant "Belle Epoque", guests can enjoy Mediterranean cuisine

Question: In which region in France are located the most 3-star Michelin restaurants per square meter?

Send the correct answer with the keyword "Nice" to gewinnen@kachen.lu Travel must be undertaken by October 31, 2019. Airline tickets and accommodations may vary depending on availability.

Submission deadline is 16.04.2018 136 | KACHEN | 1 / 2018

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70763-LUX

DISCOVER ALL OUR BIRTHDAY DEALS ON WWW.LUXAIRTOURS.LU AND IN YOUR TRAVEL AGENCY.

2018 / 1 | KACHEN | 137

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L’AUBERGE, CAVE & DOMAINE DE LA KLAUSS The Success Story of the Keff Family

A

long family tradition, a passion for the region and its products, visionary courage, skilled craftsmanship and unflagging industriousness form the basis of an unparalleled success story: in his hometown of Montenach in France, not far from the border triangle, Charles Keff has established a gastronomical gem which has found fans far beyond the borders: Auberge de la Klauss.

It all began with a little village restaurant complete with bar, bowling lane and dance hall, run by Charles Keff ’s aunt. This aunt had chosen her young nephew as her heir. Keff, however, wanted to be a mechanic.

He won out through stubbornness, and the work in the establishment was left to his mother. On the side he helped with the care and breeding of the chickens, geese, ducks, and pigs for the restaurant.

It wasn’t until his parents could no longer manage both the restaurant

and the farm that Charles reluctantly took on the business. His training as a mechanic had more than paid off — he built much of the equipment, for example the smokehouse, himself.

A GASTRONOMICAL IMPERIUM – SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL ‘Much in my life happened by coincidence’, says Charles Keff. ‘One night, after drunken patrons began fighting in the bar, I spontaneously decided to break it into pieces and create space for a larger dining room. It was the right decision.’ The next idea came when a guest asked him why, with all his geese, he wasn't making goose liver paté.

‘I bought a book on foie gras production, but was shocked over the many medications that must be administered to the animals. I knew from my childhood days that animals could also grow to a healthy size without antibiotics. I just gave it a try.’ Today, 8,000 ducks are raised,

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TEXT BARBARA FISCHER-FÜRWENTSCHES PHOTOS RAMUNAS ASTRAUSKAS & AUBERGE DE LA KLAUSS

fattened, and slaughtered annually, solely for the business. ‘The secret to a good foie gras is, alongside healthy animals, quick preparation.

And because we do the slaughtering and processing ourselves on site, there are only a few hours between those two work steps.’ The ethical raising of animals is important to Charles. ‘My animals are raised largely without medications and they are almost always outdoors in the fresh air.’ The Auberge de la Klauss has served excellent regional cuisine for over 50 years, with approx. 80 % of its products being home grown. ‘I am my own harshest critic’, laughs Charles. ‘My guests are served only that which meets my standard of quality.’

Charles Keff would have had more than enough work with the restaurant and the farm, but he’s not one to remain idle. When two weddings were inadvertently booked for the same day, he went ahead and built a second hall, which has since become especially popular for

family celebrations. Other projects included the hotel’s smokehouse and a wine cellar prized by connoisseurs. The rumps of 200 fattened pigs are smoked each year. The cellar — built by Keff, naturally — holds a considerable selection of armagnac as well as 50,000 bottles of premium wine and champagne. The ‘cave de la maison’ also serves as a salesroom for home-made products.

Charles Keff ’s sons Alexandre and Frédéric have been helping him for quite some time. Frédéric takes care of the agricultural side and, as a trained chef, manages the kitchen team in the Auberge de la Klauss.

Alexandre and his wife Hélène manage the hotel. ‘My sons are just as crazy as I am’, laughs Charles Keff. ‘We never run out of ideas for new projects, we defy all resistance and doubt.’ Their success has proven them right.

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ENTER AND WIN Win a ‘Charmes du Domaine’ luxury package including one night in a double room, breakfast, free admission to the spa, aperitif, and three-course meal in one of the two restaurants.

How many geese are slaughtered each year at Domaine de la Klauss for its restaurant’s needs?

Send the correct answer with the keyword ‘Klauss’ to: gewinnen@kachen.lu Submission deadline is 16.04.2018

FOUR-STAR LUXURY The Keffs’ latest project is the four star hotel Domaine de la Klauss, which opened in early 2016 next to the Auberge. The idea was Alexandre’s, who also happens to be a pilot for Luxair. There were a few obstacles to clear between conception and completion. The greatest challenge was the acquisition of stones for the massive construction, which had to be both typical to the region and affordable. ‘One night my father remembered that there was once an old quarry below the geese pastures. He didn’t even wait until morning to begin excavating’, recalls Alexandre. Father and son worked to free about 40,000 tonnes of stone from the earth.

The fortress-like building has become such a part of the landscape that one might think that it has always stood there. The stones of the interior are in harmonic contrast to the stylish elegance of the furnishings.

The 28 rooms — including 12 suites — are decorated luxuriously and individually. The 800-m² spa area offers relaxation and recreation not only for the hotel guests.

Domaine de la Klauss is also setting new culinary standards. In its restaurant ‘Le K’, head chef Benoit Potdevin creates a sophisticated yet traditional and natural cuisine. ‘We create no competition for the auberge. On the contrary, we complement each other’, says Alexandre.

Their success has exceeded all expectations. ‘Demand is so great that we are already considering an expansion of the hotel. After all, my father is always in need of a project.’

L’AUBERGE, CAVE & DOMAINE DE LA KLAUSS Reservations and opening hours can be found at www.auberge-de-la-klauss.com www.domainedelaklauss.com

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Wraps in Venezuela

„C

ook it, peel it or leave it.” The further the journey takes you, the more this old familiar piece of advice applies. In order to avoid unpleasantries and losing out during one’s travels, one would do well to steer clear of the bite-sized pineapple pieces sold in Vietnamese mountain villages, or ceviche in the streets of Peru. The inhabitants of these exotic lands may be accustomed to raw fish in the scorching sun, but the average European stomach will generally have difficulties with such delicacies.

In the Venezuelan city of Mérida, in the Andes, we were faced with a similar challenge. This was when Hugo Chávez was president, and food was in abundance. As the solitary visitors in a somewhat shabby shopping centre and the only guests of a Mexican takeaway stand which, beyond salad (absolutely not!) and pineapple pieces (see above!) offered only tortillas filled with ground meat, we asked ourselves, with gnawing hunger pangs, whether sautéed carne picada fell under the category of ‘cooked’ or ‘leave it’.

While my companion followed his gut instinct and declined, I gave in to my growling stomach and ordered a tortilla. If the ground meat wasn’t thoroughly cooked, I told myself, the heat from the sun would surely finish the job. The tortilla wrap tasted pretty good. And it wasn’t until evening that I began to feel ill. I’ll spare you the details.

Outside of Mexico, Mexican food should be consumed with caution – and not just for culinary reasons. Whereas in Venezuela it’s better to opt for chicken, prepared deliciously everywhere and in every way imaginable. As long as it’s ‘cooked’. And if one will ever be able to return to Venezuela, so beautiful and so rich, but meanwhile in such total decay.

These deliberations were made on a shadeless terrace on the top floor of a building, where we stood sweating in what felt like 40 degrees Celsius of noonday heat. And where the ground meat sat, waiting for a buyer.

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© Don Muschter

Lille, Capital of Flanders

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© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

© OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

© OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

KACHEN ON TOUR n

KACHEN is happy to announce its new cooperation with CFL, Luxembourg’s national railway company. Starting now, in each issue we’ll be presenting a destination that can be easily reached by rail and thereby ideal for a relaxing weekend excursion. We begin with the French city of Lille, this time in partnership with the French SNCF!

F

© Palais des Beaux-Arts / Frédéric Iovino

rench ‘art de vivre’, culture and festivities, gourmet restaurants and the opportunity for leisure and pleasure … this is Lille!

© OTC Lille

The city of Lille, at the intersection of northwestern Europe, has been reinventing itself in the last decades. Dynamic and attractive, it is distinguished by good accessibility (two train stations in the city centre) and a large selection of hotels and restaurants.

Lille’s old city gets its charm from its narrow, crooked cobblestone alleys and small, romantic squares. The quarter is remarkably well preserved and invites visitors to walk in the footsteps of the Counts of Flanders, the Dukes of Burgundy, and the young Charles de Gaulle, who was born here.

© RMN - Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille © OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

© OTCL Lille / Brunocap

© Pâtisserie Meert / Jean-Philippe Metsers

© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

© Alain Leprince M.A.I.A.D Roubaix

TEXT ELISABETH BECKERS

© OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

For a gourmet interlude there are numerous establishments to choose from: Lille is where traditional and creative cuisine is presented by young and talented chefs. You absolutely must partake of the famous waffles of Méert, and the irresistible ‘Merveilleux de Lille’!

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© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre © OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

In the evenings, the inhabitants of Lille come out to celebrate in the old city and in the Masséna-Solférino district. In Lille, France’s third-largest university town, the night is young.

Simply discover the charm of this northern French city for yourself: the TGV runs twice a day from the ‘Gare Lorraine TGV’ to Lille in just over 2 hours — you’ll travel comfortably and relaxed directly to the city centre!

© OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

Y J

© Pascal Pronnier

© Fabrice Rambert

© OTCL Lille / Maxime Dufour

© OTCL Lille / Laurent Ghesquiëre

www.cfl.lu - www.lilletourism.com

ENTER AND WIN Win a trip for 2 persons to Lille* including travel with the TGV from the Gare Lorraine TGV, and 2 nights in a double room with breakfast in Hotel Barrière Lille.

A city tour and one dinner per person in Basil Café and Le Barbue D'Anvers are also included in the price.

Simply answer this question: How many times a day does the TGV travel from the ‘Gare Lorraine TGV’ to Lille?

Send the correct answer with the keyword "Lille" to gewinnen@kachen.lu.

Submission deadline is 16.04.2018 * Depending on availability of hotel and TGV. Reservation must be made at least 1 month before departure.

The Hotel Barrière Lille has simple lines that make it a real eyecatcher.

Enjoy the subtle harmony of sophisticated decor and relax in the spa. The 5-star hotel also has 3 restaurants, a casino, a theatre and a business centre. Located just a few minutes from the Lille Europe station, Pierre Mauroy Stadium and the Lille Grand Palais, it is the perfect starting point for exploring the city. www.hotelbarriere-lille.com

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YOUR JOURNEY JUST A CLICK AWAY! E AVORIT YOUR F NATIONS: DESTI X, TRAVEL ORDEAU

OURG, B STRASB , BREST, LYON, RENNES R, MARSEILLE, ELLIE RF, MONTP SSELDO Ü D , E L LIL ÜRICH, KÖLN, Z NDON...

EN, LO MÜNCH

Book your ticket

online (www.cfl.lu) via the Call Center 2489 2489 or at the ticket desk inside our stations

www.cfl.lu

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REZEPTE

BREAKFAST 38 Avocado on toast

39 Bagel with smoked 40 Waffles with salmon, herb cream bacon and fried egg cheese and radishes

41 French toast with caramelised apples and almonds

42 Breakfast sandwich 43 Chocolate with scrambled eggs smoothie bowl with beetroot and ham

55 Cranberry pistachio 55 Exotic coconut granola granola with dates

56 Chocolaty millet porridge with buckwheat

29 Grilled figs

45 Italian focaccia

51 Wild garlic pesto

52 Nettle soup

30 Prawn cocktail

31 Sexy salmon on seductive spinach

20 Leg of lamb with spring vegetables

22 Stuffed breast of veal

32 Chocolate mousse with chilli

58 Lime tartelettes

VEGETARIAN 53 Citrus-carrot juice

53 Cucumber-basil cooler

30 Hot carrot and ginger soup

FISH AND SEAFOOD 117 Vegan “vol au 71 Risotto with spring 83 Asian crunchy leek 116 Sunny “Gromperekichelcher’’ vent” veggies and sweet potato with pea mint dip soup

119 Fried halloumi with minted couscous

MEAT 70 Creamy pasta with salmon and asparagus

83 Mango and herb salad with grilled chilli sesame prawns

84 “Sous vide” lemon 102 Lobster with pistachio zabaione salmon and caviar

103 Seared scallops with mushrooms

CAKES AND DESSERTS 63 Artichokes stuffed with lamb and peppermint

68 Chicken salad with 74 Oxtail confit with bread and cheese crispy shallots and borscht

76 „Kuddelfleck“

78 „Karniyarik“

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DRINKS 28 Sparkling 50 Hawthorn infusion champagne with strawberries and basil

56 Overnight oats with chia seeds and pumpkin seeds

Edition Luxe Taste & Style Publishing Sàrl 4a, rue de Consdorf L- 6230 Bech Publisher Bibi Wintersdorf Chief Editor Bibi Wintersdorf Editor Elisabeth Beckers Proof-reading Myriam Welschbillig Graphic designer Philippe Saliba

62 Pickled artichokes preserved in oil

63 Fried artichokes with dip

33 Caramelised 62 “Salade niçoise” scallops with parsnip with tuna, artichokes and parsley & mustard vinaigrette

24 Roast pork with herbs

28 Frivolous baconwrapped prunes

66 Asparagus soup 67 Grilled asparagus with bread and cheese with parmesan and poached egg

Editorial Dept.

Editorial Dept.

Advertising Contests

redaktion@kachen.lu leserbriefe@kachen.lu anzeigen@kachen.lu gewinnen@kachen.lu

64 Roasted artichokes 69 Potato salad with with anchovy crumbs radish, parsley and celery

48 Dandelion salad

61 Marinated artichokes with mozzarella and ham

© Luxe Taste & Style Publishing ISSN 977-2535-882-03-1 The publication accepts no liability for unsolicited articles, photos and drawings. Reproduction, inclusion in online services or the Internet, or duplication onto data carriers such as CD-ROM etc. shall only be permitted with prior written consent from the publisher.

72 „Kiermeskuch“

72 „Kréischelsgebeess“ 85 Vegetarian panna cotta with passion fruit

All rights reserved. All information has been carefully reviewed.

We accept no liability for the accuracy of information included.

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The summer issue of

KACHEN will be published on

6th June 2018

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SUNDAY, 11TH MARCH

The «Bretzelsonndeg»

This year it’s the man’s turn to offer the Bretzel !

COUV KACHEN 14 ENGLISH.indd 2

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KACHEN

SPRING 2018

WWW.KACHEN.LU

LUXEMBOURG’S

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L E D I T I O N

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EASTER MENU Sunday Roasts

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More than 50 recipes

Aphrodisiac Delights

SEASONAL VEGGIES Asparagus & Artichokes

DETOX

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KACHEN

From Nature

IN

TE RN ED AT IN IT EN IO ION G N A LIS

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KACHEN ON TOUR Luxembourg - Nice - Lille

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