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LIFESTYLE
FOOD & DRINKS
Text by NATALIE GERHARDSTEIN
Refreshing ginger beer Max + Moritz co-founder Frank Bernard shares the secret behind fresh ginger beer.
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t’s not easy to find ginger beer in Luxembourg, but Frank Bernard of Max + Moritz says he enjoyed it during his university days in Munich so much that he wanted to recreate the flavour for their menu. “Our ginger beer drinks are some of our most popular, along with classics like Aperol spritzes and mojitos,” Frank says. “We use about six to eight litres of it per service.” Their cocktail menu includes a range of ginger beer drinks: from the Classic Moscow Mule, served in a traditional copper mug (see photo on right), to the Munich Mule and the Dark + Stormy, which uses rum to create a cloudy effect. The ginger beer is made fresh daily. Despite its name, ginger beer on its own doesn’t contain any alcohol. Frank says the ingredients are straightforward--fresh ginger juice, lime juice, simple sugar syrup and cold water. However, making the drink requires special equipment.
To get the carbonation, soda siphons (and chargers) are required. What’s more, ginger root is tough: getting juice from it requires a heavy-duty, commercial extractor. Most of the juices on the menu-including watermelon, pineapple and lemon juices--are made in-house to ensure freshness. Max + Moritz, which celebrated its oneyear anniversary this May, gets its name from the story, written and illustrated by Wilhelm Busch, about two rascals playing pranks. According to Frank, the name reminds him of him and his brother, who happens to be another co-founder. “[The name] is fun and memorable. It’s why on our restaurant menu you’ll find classics with our special twists, like wasabi mashed potatoes and Asian-style tagliata.”
icon_where 2-4 avenue du X Septembre, Luxembourg-Belair icon_facebook Max + Moritz
RASPBERRY BLASTER
For this recipe, Frank suggests using fresh lemon juice and raspberries. “This recipe is very easy: you can get the ingredients in any supermarket, and you don’t need any special equipment,” he says. “It’s the perfect summer drink, especially when the weather is good.” INGREDIENTS – 5cl vodka – 2.5cl fresh lemon juice – 2cl sugar syrup – 5 fresh raspberries – soda water
June 2017
METHOD 1. Add four raspberries to a cocktail glass with the lemon juice and sugar syrup. 2. Muddle gently. 3. Fill the cocktail glass with ice, then add the vodka. 4. Top with soda water, then stir the cocktail with a bar spoon. 5. Garnish with a raspberry, a lemon wedge and a small spoon. For an alcohol-free version: Simply omit the vodka, and increase the sugar syrup and lemon juice to 2.5cl and 3cl, respectively. Use more soda water according to taste. Cheers!
Mike Zenari
Summer in a glass
Max + Moritz’s Frank Bernard shares a simple recipe anyone can try at home. Try the original or alcohol-free version.