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LUXEMBOURG’S FOOD & LIFEST YLE MAGA ZINE
K ACHEN TURNS 10
A DECADE OF LUXEMBOURGISH ART OF LIVING
CHEF PORTRAIT
ILARIO MOSCONI: A CULINARY MAESTRO
BUSINESS
H O S P I TA L I T Y INDUS TRY: WORKERS D E S P E R AT E LY NEEDED
13 € LU X E M B O U R G EUROPE: 14,50 € WORLD: 18,40 €
R E S TAU R A N T & S H O P N E W S
L A TA B L E A L E X I S B AU D I N
HUGO COFFEE & BRUNCH
K A I TO
1 1 R O U T E N AT I O N A L E
8 9 R U E D E LU X E M B O U R G
2 9 R U E D U F O R T- EL I S A B E T H
F- 5 74 8 0 M A L L I N G , F R A N C E
L- 8 1 4 0 B R I D EL
L-1 4 6 3 LU X E M B O U R G
ALEXISBAUDIN.FR
The former chef of the Le Pampre restaurant in Metz has just opened his new establishment in Petite-Hettange (40 minutes from Luxembourg City). In a completely refurbished restaurant with a modern, uncluttered decor, the chef wanted to create an eco-conscious restaurant, offering a cuisine that combines technical expertise and creativity, with a focus on local produce. There’s no room for routine here, as the menu changes every month to reflect the seasons as closely as possible. The chef makes no secret of his ambition to win his first Michelin star soon. An address to discover and a chef to follow.
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@H U G O . C O F F E E . B R U N C H
For the past six months, Bridel has been home to a new café-restaurant, open every day of the week. Inside, a friendly ambiance awaits you as you are greeted with a smile by owner, Ioanna. Come for breakfast, lunch or brunch. On the menu, the Greek-born chef, like Ioanna, concocts classic recipes (eggs Benedict, avocado toast), as well as Greek specialties that will take your taste buds on a journey. Chez Hugo is a haven where you can take your time over delicious sweet and savory dishes and an excellent cup of coffee.
KAITO.LU
A 100% Japanese decor for this new ramen restaurant on Place de Paris. As soon as you step inside, you’ll be swept away by the Japanese street food vibe, with illuminated signs on the ceiling and manga wallpaper. On the plate, you’ll love the handmade noodles imported from Japan, made from Hokkaido wheat, for a unique and tasty result. There’s a choice of classic ramen (miso shoyu or tonkotsu) or specialties such as Tan Tan Men, made with fried chicken and bok choy in a lightly spiced broth.
R E S TAU R A N T & S H O P N E W S
F LOW
C E R UZ Z I
F LU X E T T E L B R U C K
1 9 B D F R A N K L I N R O O S E V ELT
2 A R U E E U G ÈN E R U P P ER T
1 07 G R A N D R U E
L-24 5 0 LU X E M B O U R G
L-24 5 3 LU X E M B O U R G
L- 9 0 5 1 E T T EL B R U C K
FLOWLUXEMBOURG.LU
In early August, a brand-new restaurant opened its doors on the ground floor of the Grand Hotel Cravat. Flow offers modern, yet authentic Greek cuisine, featuring a selection of crisp salads, flavourful meats and delicate pastries. Each dish is carefully crafted to give a delicious glimpse into Greek tradition, shaped by the rich culinary heritage of the Mediterranean. Insider tip: Be sure to save room for dessert – you won’t regret it!
CERUZZI.LU
Séverin Laface, owner of the Come à la Maison group, opened his eighth restaurant in La Cloche d’Or this summer, called Ceruzzi. Here, the menu offers something for everyone: ceviches, tartars, salads, traditional wood-fired pizzas, pastas, risottos, lobsters, and even sushi! With three beautiful terraces and more than 250 covers, it has everything to cater for business customers from the Gasperich district, as well as the after-work crowd and families, with its famous Sunday brunch.
FLUXBURGERS.LU
The popular Flux Burger has now opened in the pedestrian zone in Ettelbrück. Known for its homemade burger patties and sauces, the team focuses on quality and creativity. Using regional beef and offering numerous customisation options, guests can build their own burger or choose from a selection of special creations. With fresh ingredients and attention to detail, Flux Burger has become a go-to spot for burger lovers in the north of Luxembourg.
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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
When Louis Linster came home from school as a child, he usually went to his grandmother’s house, since his mother was working in the restaurant. There, traditional Luxembourgish home cooking was always on the menu. “She had two or three typical dishes that she made often. But cauliflower and eggs in Béchamel sauce were always my favourite,” recalls the Michelin-starred chef from the restaurant Léa Linster in Frisange. “Many children don’t like cauliflower, but I loved it. My son enjoys it a lot too.” He has of course refined the dish a bit, but he remains largely faithful to his grandmother’s recipe.
RECIPE LOUIS LINSTER PHOTOS MARC DOSTERT
CAULIFLOWER & EG GS WITH BÉCHA MEL SAUCE SERVES 4
30 MINUTES
• 2 heads of cauliflower • 8 eggs • 1 l whole milk • 100 g butter • 100 g flour • Croutons • 1 bunch chives • Salt • Pepper • Piment d’espelette • Nutmeg
1 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Cut the cauliflower into florets and cook them in the salted water for about 4 minutes. 2 Cook the eggs in a saucepan for 10 minutes until hard-boiled. 3 Prepare a roux: Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour all at once, and stir well. Cook for a few minutes over low heat, then refrigerate. 4 Prepare the Béchamel sauce: Heat the milk and season with salt, pepper, Piment d’Espelette, and nutmeg. Add 150 g of the roux and bring briefly to a boil. Let it cook over a low heat for 15 minutes. 5 Arrange the hard-boiled eggs and cauliflower on a dish. Pour the Béchamel sauce over them and bake the dish in the oven for a few minutes until gratinated. Garnish with chopped chives and croutons.
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CITY PORTRAIT
W I LT Z
A N ILLUST R IOUS PA ST & ILLUM INAT IONS Nestled in the north of Luxembourg lies a town rich in history. Known as ‘the capital of the Ardennes’, Wiltz is proud of its past, which it showcases to visitors through a fantastic range of cultural trails, monuments and museums. Top tip: Much of Wiltz is on a steep hill, so make sure you wear suitable footwear to explore the town!
TEXT MARION FINZI P H OTO S C O M M U N E D E W I LT Z
S
hortly after the end of the Second World War, Wiltz was named ‘Martyr Town’ in commemoration of the horrific battles that took place six kilometres down the road at the strategic junction of ‘Schumann’s Eck’ in 1944 and 1945, but above all in honour of the people of Wiltz who fought so valiantly against the occupiers (in particular during the 1942 general strike – see below). Numerous monuments have been erected to ensure that we never forget this dark period in the history of Luxembourg and the town of Wiltz. The town’s Museum of
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the Battle of the Bulge takes visitors on an immersive journey back in time to discover what life was like for families and soldiers in war-time Luxembourg. The museum also tells visitors about the American troops who were stationed in Wiltz for a number of weeks in 1944, including, for example, the story of the American GI who dressed up as Saint Nicholas and was driven through town in a jeep, handing out sweets to children. Wiltz’s brewing heritage is a far more cheerful facet of the town’s history. This year marks the 200th
F R O M W I LT Z , THERE ARE A M U LT I T U D E O F HIKING TRAILS YO U C A N S E T O FF ON TO DISCOVER .
CITY PORTRAIT
anniversary of Brasserie Simon, a brewery founded in 1824 by a tanner. In those days, Wiltz was best known for its tanneries. Brasserie Simon has remained a family business (five generations) ever since, and today employs around twenty people, most of whom were born in Wiltz. Its ‘Okult’ and ‘Ourdaller’ wheat beers are popular with beer lovers, and can be found in bars across the country. The National Museum of the Art of Brewing, based in Wiltz Castle, tells you more about the history of Brasserie Simon and other Luxembourg breweries, with a wealth of exhibits to admire (advertising posters, glasses, taps) and fun facts. You can also try your hand at brewing your own beer in the castle’s microbrewery, and come back and collect it one month later. A great idea for a fun activity with friends!
B E WA R E : I T ’ S S T E E P !
THE ‘NUITS DES LAMPIONS’ LIGHT S H OW, H EL D I N S EP T E M B ER , I S A H I G H L I G H T I N W I LT Z ’ S C A L E N D A R .
If you want to explore the whole town, you’ll need to park in one of the public car parks. The Tourist Office proposes two cultural trails: one in the upper town and one in the lower town. But be prepared (and warned!) – there are some steep streets to climb! From Kaul campsite, it’s just a few metres’ walk to your first cultural landmark: the monument to Luxembourg poet Michel Rodange and his famous Renert (fox), the poem he wrote while living in Wiltz. If you turn to admire the view, you’ll see on the hill in the distance the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (erected after the war), where thousands of Catholic pilgrims gather every year in May. A little further uphill, you’ll come to the 23-metre-high National Strike Monument, commemorating the general strike led by local industrialists against forced conscription into the Nazi army. Those who take on the extra climb up the narrow spiral staircase with its hundred or so steps will be rewarded with a splendid view of the town.
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F E AT U R E
I T ’S J UST SO CHEESY Isn’t it unfair that whenever something is described as ‘cheesy’, we immediately think of things that make us cringe? The truth is that cheese is a culinary star, either on its own or in a sauce.
T E X T O L I V E R Z E LT
I
n many restaurants, cheese tops the bill when it’s rolled out on a trolley to offer one final highlight as the last course in an evening of fine dining. It leaves diners feeling pleasantly full and also offers them a peek into the art of cheesemaking that’s not just limited to hip regional cuisine. No other food is quite so diverse, with a smorgasbord of offerings ranging from heifer’s milk cheese to ash-coated soft goat’s cheese and matured cheese loaves made with Alpine milk. Around the world, there are no fewer than 5,000 different varieties and specialties.
T H EO R I E S O N T H E O R I G I N S O F C H E E S E Several theories have emerged as to when cheese was first eaten. Maybe someone noticed that milk curdled when kept near the fire. Or perhaps predigested milk was found in the stomachs of slaughtered suckling animals. Or maybe herdsmen were surprised to find that the milk they’d put in a dried animal stomach on a morning to take out with them had turned into a clotted mass later in the day. At best, they could only have guessed that this had something to do with traces of the enzyme rennin left in the stomach. Fat residues found in 7,000-year-old pots indicate that these containers were used to separate whey from milk, a step in the cheese-making process. In the 8th century BC, the poet Homer described a cyclops milking “sheep and bleating goats”. He then left “half of the milk to curdle, moulded it into cheese and stored it in primitive baskets”. Around the same time, the ancient Romans were already seasoning their cheese with herbs and smoking it so it lasted longer. In the Middle Ages, monks refined cheese, partly as a welcome substitute for meat during Lent. It is said that Charlemagne singled out the monks of the Abbey of Saint Gall to praise them for their cheesemaking prowess. French scientist Louis Pasteur’s 19th century discovery that harmful microbes could be killed by briefly heating liquids led to the mass production of cheese varieties, since these could now be kept longer.
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AROUND THE WORLD, THERE ARE NO FEWER THAN 5,000 DIFFERENT VA R I E T I E S & S P E C I A LT I E S .
F E AT U R E
Given this rich cultural history, it’s a real cheek that the word ‘cheesy’ has come to be used in a derogatory sense. It shows such disrespect, considering the craftsmanship that goes into producing a fine, well-seasoned cheese! Moreover, the fact that cheese is one of those foods that have you crying out for more marks it out as a sure-fire winner. The main ingredient for cheese is top-quality milk, usually from cows, goats or sheep. This is first heated to a maximum of 40°C for raw milk cheese and up to 75°C for all other varieties. When performed at high temperatures, pasteurisation neutralises any microbes present, but also eliminates flavour-producing enzymes. The milk is then curdled, to use the proper cheesemaking term. For acid-set cheese, lactic acid bacteria are also added. The lactose transforms into lactic acid, causing the milk protein to clot, giving fresh cheese. Rennet is also added to produce the vast majority of cheeses. While in some very rare cases this is derived from calves’ stomachs using the same method applied by our prehistoric ancestors, the enzyme is usually made artificially for industrial applications. Rennet also allows the milk protein to clot, and the resulting curds are cut using a ‘cheese harp’ not dissimilar to the musical instrument. The smaller the curds are cut, the more whey is squeezed out and the harder the cheese will eventually be. The curdled mass is then placed in a mould, which often has small holes in it to allow any remaining liquid whey to run out. This triggers the start of the resting and maturing period, at which point some loaves are placed briefly in a salt bath or rubbed with brine. Depending on the variety, this stage can last months, or even years in some cases. The conditions and microclimate in the maturing cellar, including temperature, humidity and ventilation, all play a part in determining the flavour of the cheese.
T H E M AT U R AT I O N P R O C E S S
C H E E S E C O N TA I N S VA L UA B L E N U T R I E N T S : CALCIUM , PHOSPHORUS & V I TA M I N S B 2 , B 1 2 A N D A .
A cheese-refining expert, known as an affineur, is in charge of all the rituals involved in ensuring that the cheese matures properly, such as salting, brushing and turning. It’s also their job to identify appropriate ingredients such as herbs, wine or salt. After all, the ideal pairing may differ from one variety to the next. Cheese runs the whole gamut of flavours, from mild to strong via aromatic, seasoned and spicy. So is there any truth in the accusation that most cheeses are unhealthy? Obviously, they contain fat and salt which add flavour, making them more enjoyable to eat. But let’s not forget that they also contain valuable nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamins B2, B12 and A. While an ash-coated fresh cheese with Alpine herbs matured briefly on mountain hay in straw baskets may not be the right choice for a cheese sauce, the best sauces, like fine wines, can only be made with the best ingredients. Gouda and Emmental are perfect as a creamy accompaniment for pasta. And Parmesan is simply heavenly!
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S E A S O N A L V EG E TA B L E
5 FAC TS ABOUT
CELERY H E A LTH B OOST ER
C
A VE R SAT ILE VEGTA B LE
elery is a great all-rounder when it comes to its benefits for the body. Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants boost metabolism and the nervous system, lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, support the kidneys and digestion and alleviate rheumatism and gout. The colouring agent apigenin is said to be good for the brain and for preventing depression.
S
talks, leaves and the peeled tuber can all be eaten raw, steamed, fried, roasted or boiled. In smoothies, salads and snacks or as a flavouring in soups or stews, stalk celery tastes fresher, crisper and milder than celeriac.
B U YING & STO R ING
C
LOOKS CA N B E DECEIV ING
I
t may not look like a culinary delicacy, but there’s more to celery than meets the eye. It owes its mildly peppery flavour to essential oils, with celeriac tasting slightly more bitter than stalk celery. The latter variety contains so few calories that the body almost needs more energy to digest it than it gets from it.
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FUN FAC TS
C
eleriac is also known as ‘nature’s toothbrush’, as chewing it produces more saliva, which naturally cleans the teeth. In ancient times, the winner of the ‘Nemean Games’ used to be crowned with a wreath of braided celery leaves.
eleriac, with its green leaves which are particularly rich in essential oils, is in season into early autumn, after which time you can tell how fresh it is by pressing the skin to check for firmness. The tubers will keep for 2-3 weeks in the fridge, or for several months if stored in moist sand or peat, in a cool, frost-free place. To freeze, first peel and cut into pieces.
S E A S O N A L V EG E TA B L E
RECIPES & PHOTOS ANNE LOMMEL
CELERY SHOT 10 SHOTS
• 2 stalks of celery • 1 pear • 2 apples • 2 kiwis • 50 g ginger • 1 lime, juice • 1/2 bunch parsley (10 g) • 1/2 tsp turmeric
15 MINUTES
1 Wash and chop the pear, apples, celery, ginger
and parsley. Cut the kiwis in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. 2 Place the pear, apples, kiwis, celery, ginger and parsley in the juicer and extract the juice. 3 Mix the freshly squeezed juice with the lime juice and flavour with turmeric. Serve immediately in shot glasses.
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ARTIST PORTRAIT
FR ANK Y DAUBENFELD
T HE BE AU T Y OF T HE M YST ER IOUS Franky Daubenfeld’s paintings push the boundaries of the familiar, interweaving the eerie with the everyday and inviting us to explore the unknown world in between. His works of art are like stages on which every object plays a role – sometimes visible, sometimes hidden, but always fascinating.
TEXT CHAREL HEINEN PHOTOS MARC DOSTERT
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ranky Daubenfeld grew up in the town of Leudelange. A typical Luxembourger ‘Zillennial’, that micro-generation between Millennials and Gen Z, who played team football and went to school, and then abroad to university. Art has always been part of his life: “As a child, I often came second or third in painting competitions. It wasn’t anything special, but it motivated me to keep going.” At school, he also enjoyed acting and was passionate about films. This love of the creative ultimately led him to study for a degree in art. It was in particular his time in Henning Bohl’s class in Vienna that made him decide to pursue a career as an artist: “My dream is still to be able to make a living from my art. I don’t have high expectations, I just want to be able to do what I love.”
MYS T E R I O U S R E L I C S Franky positions his motifs against a background of sepia tones, interspersed with warm, dark purple and red tones. They resemble still lifes, but are in fact objects whose purpose and meaning are obscure. Franky’s latest paintings explore the unknown, and yet familiar, the subconscious and the mysterious and eerie. The writings of cultural theorist Mark Fisher were a major inspiration for him: “In ‘The Weird and the Eerie’, for example, Fisher describes artefacts from science fiction novels
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ARTIST PORTRAIT
as ‘inorganic artefacts; objects whose purpose and meaning remain unclear’. This gives them the status of a fetish or relic,” he explains. “It’s this that sparked my interest in exploring and developing the visual language of such objects.” He uses everyday objects as models, which he first seeks out and then puts on show: “I’m always on the lookout for interesting objects – and so you could say that I’m always working. First, I photograph the objects I find and then I sketch them. This process helps me decide whether the object in question has any artistic potential. It’s a bit like casting them for a film or theatre show.”
AN ARTISTIC ENTERPRISE
“ I ’ M A LWAY S O N THE LOOKOUT FOR INTERESTING OBJECTS – A N D S O YO U CO U L D S AY T H AT I ’ M A LWAY S WORKING.”
At almost 30 years of age, Franky is still at the start of his career. Yet, this enterprising artist has already showcased his work at a number of national and international exhibitions, with some considerable success. Last year, he not only exhibited at the third edition of Young Luxembourgish Artists, but also took first place in the group exhibition for young artists at the third Art Biennial in Vianden. The prize was a three-week residency at the town’s art gallery, from 28 July to 18 August. “The residency in Vianden was an amazing opportunity,” enthuses Franky. “I particularly liked the fact that I was given complete artistic freedom. I love experimenting – when I get that blank canvas, I’m like a kid in a candy shop.” Being able to focus solely on being creative is, however, a luxury for artists these days: “Artists today have to be business-savvy. They have to dedicate time and effort to marketing, selling and shipping their work, maintaining a presence on social media and much more.” And yet there’s nothing else in the world that Franky would rather do. “In an increasingly cold and calculated world, art has always saved me from going crazy. It brings me much joy and fulfilment; it’s my purpose in life,” he says. “I think absolutely everybody, without exception, can benefit from being creative, in whatever shape or form that may be.”
FRANK Y DAUBENFELD @FRANK YDAUBENFELD
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GREEN KITCHEN
CHILL I T, DON’ T CHUCK I T To freeze or not to freeze, that is the question! Maximising the use of your freezer is an effective way to extend the life of your perishables, leftovers and food scraps.
TEXT STÉPHANIE KRISCHEL
T
he numbers are shocking — an estimated 58 million tonnes of food go to waste each year in Europe alone. That works out at a horrifying 131 kg per person. Yet there are 37 million Europeans who cannot afford to eat a proper meal more than three times a week. Let’s turn to the freezer to explore a simple way of reducing food waste. Before deciding whether it’s worth giving up valuable real estate in the ice box, here are some things to consider.
SHOP SMARTER Plan your meals for the week. Check what’s in your fridge before a food shop. Make a shopping list and stick to it.
S TO R E P R O P E R LY The recommended temperature for refrigerators is between 1 and 5°C; for freezers it’s between -18 and -23°C.
K N OW YO U R DAT E S ‘Use by’ dates are for products with shorter shelf lives. Fresh meat and seafood fall into this category. A ‘best before’ date can be interpreted as more of a guide. A sealed product will likely be suitable for consumption a few days past its ‘best before’ date. If it looks alright, smells normal and tastes as expected, it’s fine to eat.
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TIP S FOR FREEZING
NOT F R E EZER-F R IENDLY
• To thaw meat and seafood safely,
• Previously frozen meat or seafood
place in the fridge overnight. • Cool food to room temperature before freezing. • Use an ice cube tray to freeze liquids. • Label everything with contents and date.
that has not been cooked since its first thaw. • Soft cheeses, cream cheese, whole eggs in shell • Cucumbers, courgettes, delicate herbs, lettuces.
GREEN KITCHEN
M E AT & SE A FOOD
F RU I TS & V EGETA BL ES
M E AT
AVO C A D O S A N D B A N A N A S
The key to freezing meat is proper wrapping and storage. Divide raw meat into individual portions, wrap tightly in cling film and into a freezer bag. To preserve its quality, eat the meat within four months. Leftover cooked meats can be frozen as soon as they reach room temperature and can be added to pies, stir-fries, grain bowls and cheesy wraps.
These are notorious for their short ‘perfectly ripe’ window, so freezing them is a viable option. Peel and dice them, then place them in freezer-friendly bags for up to one month. Add them straight to the blender to give your smoothie a creamy finish. Thawed avocados add healthy fats and fibre to hummus. Frozen bananas make wonderful banana ’nice’ cream.
S E A FO O D
BERRIES
To freeze seafood, follow the same method as for meat. If you have leftover cooked fish, freeze it as soon as it reaches room temperature and make fish cakes with it.
Freeze surplus berries on a baking tray for one hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. They make wonderful smoothies, fruit crumbles (thaw slightly first) and compotes.
BONES
V EG E TA B L E S C R A P S
Collect chicken or beef bones in a freezer bag. When it’s full, add the contents to a large pot, add frozen veggie scraps, cover with water and simmer for a few hours.
Save the scraps of your chopped veggies to make a stock for soups. Collect the tops and tails of onions, garlic, carrots, herbs, etc. in a freezer bag. When the bag is full, add the contents to a large pot, cover with water, then add bay leaves, peppercorns and sea salt. Simmer for 2-3 hours. Strain, cool and use, or freeze until needed.
EG GS & DA I RY EG G S Leftover egg whites freeze well. They thaw quickly and are ideal for a pavlova or added to scrambled eggs.
LEAFY GREENS You can freeze surplus spinach or kale raw; there’s no need to blanch it first. Add the leaves to a freezer bag and press out the air. Add it straight to the pan for omelettes or other warm dishes. For a green smoothie, add a handful to the blender.
TO M ATO E S MILK AND CREAM These can be frozen in their original cartons, as long as there is enough room for the liquid to expand. Thaw and shake well before using.
Fresh tomatoes don’t freeze well, but if cooked, puréed and frozen they are absolute meal-savers! Freeze in portions and add directly to pasta sauces, soups or ratatouilles.
CHEESE
MUSHROOMS
Hard cheeses will end up with a grainy texture if frozen; they fare much better if they are grated first. Sprinkle cheese directly over a shepherd’s pie or dauphinoise potatoes before baking. Use it (lightly thawed) in quesadillas or whipped up in a fluffy cheese soufflé.
Roast or sauté mushrooms, cool and freeze. They’re superb in omelettes, soups and creamy mushroom sauces.
BE A NS & PU L SES
R I C E , Q U I N OA A N D C O U S C O U S
BEANS, LENTILS AND CHICKPEAS
BAKED GOODS
Spread out leftover beans or pulses on a baking sheet, flash-freeze for an hour and then transfer to a plastic bag. Use them to bulk up salads, tacos and soups.
Breads, croissants and cakes (unfrosted) freeze very well. Collect leftover bits of stale bread in a freezer bag to make bread pudding or breadcrumbs.
GR A I NS Freezing cooked leftover grains is a practical shortcut. Cool cooked grains completely, then transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Stir-fry, sauté or steam to reheat.
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