THE
STYLE MATE NEWS ABOUT LIFE, STYLE & HOTELS ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
PLEASE PLEASE ME [The Beatles, debut studio album, 1963]
THE
STYLE MATE
IN THIS ISSUE | 2 | Foreword, Imprint | 3 | New opening Hotel Pleta de Mar | 4 | On the cover – pleasure Is that all? | 6 | Winemaker Erwin Sabathi Great vineyard, strong family | 7 | Franzobel God and food of the gods | 8 | Espressomobil The scent of coffee everywhere | 8 | Stadthotel brunner The path to your inner centre | 9 | Demmers Teehaus Matcha: the fountain of youth in a tea bowl
The right pleasure for you
| 10 | Switzerland Celebrating taste
For some people, it is a sunrise and fresh bread with butter. For others, it has to be hot, never-ending parties and tables that bend under the weight of fine foods.
| 10 | Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa For connoisseurs …
Pleasure is something different for everyone, but there are two constants. One is that it should be something special. The other is having the possibility to explore.
| 12 | Florentina Welley Slow fashion: sustainibility matters
A holiday is something special, in and of itself. It’s not normalcy for anyone. And with this new issue of Stylemate, you will also have the possibility to explore, in that we will present special places, special hotels and much more to you. Accordingly, enjoy the range of possibilities of pleasure. You will find the right one for yourself.
| 11 | Hotel des Balances A juwel in the heart of Lucerne
| 14 | Alto Adige Mountain cooks: Manfred Niederkofler & Matteo Metullio | 16 | Susanne Posegga Wilde pleasure in pictures | 18 | Specials Arthotel Blaue Gans, Berghotel Maibrunn, Thomas Hotel Spa Lifestyle, Hotel Tres | 19 | Tyrol Bergland Sölden
Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger Editors
| 19 | Salzburg PURADIES | 20 | Salzkammergut Cortisen am See | 20 | New Members Italy. Locanda al Colle Austria. Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel | 21 | Hochkönig Hotel Eder | 22 | Experience economy Business with pleasure | 24 | Garden culture LuxuryTrees . St. Johann in Tirol/Kitzbühel
Imprint: Media Owner & Publisher: Prime Time Touristik & Marketing GmbH, Schmiedgasse 38/1, 8010 Graz. Responsible for Content: Thomas Holzleithner & Hardy Egger. Editor in Chief: Martin Novak. Managing Editors: Susanne Riegler, MA, Pia Unger. Editors: Mag. Ursula Jungmeier-Scholz, Dr. Walter Hoch, Min Li. Cover design: Gerhard Gauster. Cover photos: FOOD-images/Fotolia. Art director: Gerhard Gauster. Printed by: Medienfabrik Graz, 8020 Graz. Published in: Graz. Publication: 3 x yearly.
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| 25 | Ferienregion Dachstein Salzkammergut Hot as Ice – the charm of disparity | 26 | Nice to have Things we seek | 28 | Silke Seemann Everything flows … | 29 | Neue Wiener Werkstaette Design Award | 30 | Hotel Directory
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| MAJORCA . CANYAMEL . PLETA DE MAR |
Luxury by Nature w e n nd
bra
Let’s assume that there is such a thing as paradise on earth. Then the following applies: Paradise is paradise. That means: Unbelievably beautiful, perfect; the celestial is included from the very beginning.
Photo: Pleta de Mar
«Luxury is a matter of course, but surrounded by the unbelievable Mediter ranean nature.»
Luxury Hotel by Nature, just as the full name also tells you. There are five various types of suites – each a standalone building, all of them with their own terrace and some also with their own courtyard, Jacuzzi or pool. Exquisite architecture and luxurious, subtle furnishings – sauna, outdoor Jacuzzi, a wellness area with various massages and fullbody treatments are included. The Mediterranean cuisine is also extraordinary: The Asador de Mar restaurant is impressive, with delicious meat and fish barbecues. On the topic of fish – the Pleta de Mar also has a boat, a Chriscraft 25, for the exclusive exploration of the sea. Those who would rather have solid land under their feet can hike or bike, beginning directly at the hotel property – or treat themselves to a sophisticated round of golf at one of the four
Photo: Pleta de Mar
«Larger than life,» so to speak – and therefore also not splintered off in a petty way. If there are such paradises on earth, then Majorca surely belongs to the list – and not just for pensioners, sun worshippers or fans of the Balearic Islands. But rather for you, for me and for the people over there, too. For example, Majorca introduces its perfect, wonderful, yes, paradisical side in the brand new Hotel Pleta de Mar on its east coast: Five stars Luxury is a matter of course, but surrounded by the unbelievable Mediterranean nature around Canymel – directly along the sea, with a private beach – surrounded by forests. Pleta de Mar
golf courses within an eight-kilometre radius. Tennis aces can already warm up during the 700-metre distance to the next court. By the way: Fans of culture should definitely plan a trip to the Torre de Canyamel – square, huge, and extremely impressive, it has served as escape and defensive tower against pirates
since the 13th century. Nature lovers shouldn’t miss the Coves d’Artà. They are the largest stalactite caves in Majorca – both just a short distance away from the Pleta de Mar: Luxury by Nature in the truest sense of the term. And: brand new in the Pleta de Mar.
www.lifestylehotels.net/pleta-de-mar THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| COVER . PLEASURE |
Is that all?
Text: Martin Novak and Romana Sustar
Photo Gianni Crestani/Pixabay
Pleasure is created from deficiency and is overabundance. But overabundance is not enough.
Pier Francesco Mola, Bacchus, Allegory of Taste
ery nice! ings are v th le tt li — These fare! oor man’s them khaviar. — Only p … we call , though! Fish eggs ing ry nourish e then! The’re ve rm will do fo — One egg
There are two grains of truth in the dialogue in «Asterix and the Magic Carpet» by Albert Uderzo. If it gets to be too much, it’s not pleasurable any more. And caviar – just like wild salmon or oysters – was actually once a staple food, as long as there was an overabundance of it. That is, there was no talk of pleasure. As we know, that has changed in the meantime. Foods for the common people have become sought-after specialities for connoisseurs. That is, pleasure is also created through demand. And things that are hard to find are demanded. Breaking the fast That happens through natural shortages, like with caviar, but also through artificial ones. It is not without reason that fasting is a fixed component of all successful religions. In the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, devout believers are forbidden to eat and drink, smoke and have sex between sunrise and sunset for 30 days. In Buddhism, there
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are monthly fast days. Monks and nuns only partake of nourishment until 12 noon. There is also abstinence in every sense on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, and in addition to that, there are five more general days of fasting. In Christianity, there is the «40day» fast between Ash Wednesday and Easter and the largely forgotten one at Advent. In contrast to Wednesday fasting, the Roman Catholic Church has not forgotten abstinence from meat every Friday. The Orthodox Church deals with it in a stricter way: They have additional periods of fasting after Pentecost and in August. Deficiency and overabundance However, every religiously-motivated relinquishment also has an end, which is then generally celebrated with overabundance. Every English-speaking person is reminded of it every day with the word «breakfast.» That is, pleasure does not have to do with deficiency, but rather with overabundance. Konstantin Filippou, a chef with Greek roots who runs a highly-acclaimed restaurant in Vienna, knows this overabundance: «Here, the sociable Greek in me comes through. The table has to bend, everyone sits next to each other and enjoys the meal together. Sometimes it is the case that your eyes are big-
ger than your stomach.» In his cookbook, he explains this situation in a very vivid way: So much is ordered that the table can hardly hold any more dishes. But it still doesn’t have enough: «Is that really all?» author Christian Seiler describes the scene. Yet Filippou can also be completely modest. As an example of «pleasure in the purest form,» he names a pure langostino, straight from the sea and briefly cooked: «When sucking out the shell, the entire sea then shoots through my sensory organs,» he describes the experience. And says: «As with all other things, in order to enjoy it, you just need the necessary will. Life is not just about getting as much of something as possible, but rather valuing that what you do have and classifying it as good – or perfect.» The Slovenian Ana Roš, who, with the restaurant Hiša Franko in Kobarid, close to the Italian border, was selected by the British magazine Restaurant to be the chef of the year for 2017, also emphasises the limitation to the essential: «Smelling the fresh, warm farmer’s cheese from Tolmino goats’ and cows’ milk, as authentic as the land, early in the morning. The aroma of the meadows, the trout from the Soča and the fresh water from the stream. The golden sea, the ships in the bays and the oysters that bring my
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| COVER . PLEASURE |
Photo: Markus Tretter
Reflecting and letting go
Photo: Darko Todorovic
Alice in Kobarid Ana Roš was named the cook of the year in 2017 by the British magazine «Restaurant.» The self-taught Photo: Hiša Franko chef and daughter of a Slovenian country doctor studied international relations at the University of Nova Gorica and should have been a diplomat instead of a chef. But her love for her husband Valter changed her life’s plans. At Restaurant Hiša Franko in Kobarid, the westernmost community in
memories of my childhood in Istria to life. Everything that was a part of me and my surroundings,» she describes her approach to pleasure in a poetic way. Artistic Pleasure Pleasure is also an art, just like art can be a pleasure, but does not necessarily have to be. «The word is tempting, yes, and some art actually carries the viewer away, into an intensive, unforgettable experience, into pleasure, a feast for the eyes and world affirmation. But pleasure should also always ascertain the reasons for it; the pure task is too little. Those who assume the work to be pure pleasure and attractiveness disregard its seriousness,» warns Thomas D. Trummer, director of the Kunsthaus Bregenz art museum, an architectural gem designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, in which contemporary art has its space. Trummer, who was previously the curator of modern art at the Belvedere in Vienna and has worked in the USA, Munich, Cologne and Mainz, says that art attracts him as a gamble. And his museum also draws because of the abundance. He reports that in Bregenz, they have already had everything, «raging mud fights, a blinking carousel, preserved sharks, a melting ship made of ice, dinosaur skeletons and glass marionettes.» And yet art always www.kunsthaus-bregenz.at
Slovenia, barely 45 kilometres from Udine, in the meantime, Ana is cooking in a big way, coordinated precisely with her husband, who, as the sommelier, is responsible for the right wine pairings. «When I entered the kitchen for the first time, I felt like Alice in Wonderland. I had no idea what was going to come to me,» she remembers about the beginnings. Today, the one-of-a-kind, marbled Soča trout with purslane, ginger-honey soup and persimmon one of the dishes why gourmets from all over the world come to the upper Soča Valley. The Netflix series «Chef’s Table,» which dedicated an episode to the ambassador of Slovenian cuisine, has contributed to Ana’s fame.
re-invents itself, «right now, in our precarious present day.» Every exhibition is an adventure of the senses, an educational example of modern thought. By the way, a special event in the year 2017 is the Adrián Villar-Rojas exhibition in May: «Dark and mysterious, it will carry you off into pre-historic caves and a white, gleaming Olympus. Never have so many tonnes of material have been used in order to set up an exhibition. A flaming Picasso, marble from Morocco and fossils throughout the entire building,» Trummer describes.
Photo: Hiša Franko
Ana Roš, the world’s best cook in 2017, according to the British magazine Restaurant, also sees veracity in pleasure.
Sausage. Caviar. Konstantin Filippou’s cookbook is simply called «Konstantin Filippou.» Although the top chef, who has his own restaurant, also pays homage to overabundance, the recipes in the book seem to be extremely puristic – at least at first glance. They have names like «Skate sausage. Mustard caviar.»
Pleasure also has a taste of the orgiastic; it simply has to do with the right dramatic composition: «Good taste, that’s the whole secret …! Get the roman impresario Fellinius to lay on my orgies» is to be read in one of the speech bubbles in the comic «Asterix in Switzerland.» The name of the orgy planner as well as the accompanying illustration are inspired by the film Satyricon by the Italian director Federico Fellini. It is open to dispute whether this type of orgy spectacle is pleasureful or tasteful. In any case, the story behind it is from a satirical fragment of a novel by the Roman poet Petronius. It is meant to be seen as sarcastic criticism rather than glorification.
The Greek-Austrian culinary artist Konstantin Filippou lives the pleasure between overabundance and perfection.
www.hisafranko.com
www.konstantinfilippou.com
Photo: Per-Anders Jörgensen
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
Photo: Gerhard Wasserbauer
Thomas D. Trummer, head of the Kunsthaus Bregenz: «But pleasure should also always ascertain the reasons for it; the pure task is too little.»
The Kunsthaus Bregenz art museum, de signed by the Swiss architect Peter Zumthor, can be seen in every book on modern architecture. People come here in order to excite themselves about the newest works of art or find inner peace. The atmosphere in this incomparable block of solid cement allows people to reflect as well as let go. Its trademark is its light. It streams through tinted plates of glass. You think that you could absorb the space, like delicious taste and exquisite pleasure.
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| WINE . PLEASURE . SABATHI |
Great vineyard,
strong family
Erwin Sabathi, from Styria, is the 2016 wine grower of the year in the renowned Falstaff magazine. The secret to his great wines is the bond of his family, who lives viticulture. And the grapevines on Pössnitzberg mountain. as and the ideas of his brothers Gerd and Christoph. It serves its purpose in every sense but by no means it is a construction just to serve a purpose. The building, planned by the Graz architect Igor Skacel, was awarded the highest regional architecture prize in 2005, the Viktor-Geramb-Dankabzeichen [Viktor Geramb Memorial Mark]. In the same year, it also adorned the title page of the Parnass art magazine.
The Sabathi family (Erwin is in the middle, sitting) sticks together in order to produce great white wines with passion.
Photo: APRESVINO.AT
«Great wines must reflect the terroir ...» Erwin Sabathi
pillar of success in Austria and 30 countries around the world (from Germany to the USA to Singapore) at which Sabathi wines are sold is Pössnitzberg mountain. Here, the vines grow that yield the grapes for these
Wine & architecture At the beginning of this century, Sabathi constructed a specially-designed new wine cellar across from the headquarters – completely according to his ide-
The Sabathis’ wine cellar is wonderful architecture that makes Erwin Sabathi’s motto visible: «My wines are a modern interpretation of tradition.» Sabathi’s best location, Pössnitzberg mountain, also yields the best wines, due to the steep slopes with lots of handicraft. Photo: Weingut Erwin Sabathi
special white wines. The outstanding quality has its price: the steep vineyard is predo minantly cultivated by hand; the yield is limited to 45 hectolitres. Since the year 2016, the vineyard has also been in transition to an organically-certified operation.
www.sabathi.com 6
Even if Sabathi’s wines are praised internationally, the people who come to Leutschach to try the wines are the ones most important to him. That is because every wine best expresses its qualities where it is planted and vinified: His opinion is that «great wines must reflect the terroir; the role of the grape variety itself is secondary.»
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
Photo: APRESVINO.AT
The roots of the Sabathi vintner family in the southern part of Styria go back to the 17th century. For more than 25 years, Erwin Sabathi has been leading the company in the 10th generation. But not alone: «Our strength is the family bond,» he says. The passion for wine, which the Sabathi’s have in their genes and pass on, is also a reason why Erwin experienced a great honour: In 2016, the renowned wine and pleasure portal Falstaff named him the Austrian winemaker of the year. In doing so, he is the first Styrian in 15 years to bear this title. Falstaff Editor-in-Chief Peter Moser justified the decision with warm words: «For 25 years, Erwin Sabathi has very successfully produced great wines from chardonnay and sauvignon blanc grapes on P össnitzberg mountain. He, himself, has remained astonishingly down-to-earth; in contrast, his wines seem to be more sophisticated.» A second
The region counts
| ESSAY |
«‹You only think about food,› my wife bugs me. She has already been looking forward to something totally differ ent for a long time.»
Photo: Fotolia
Gods and food of the gods The ancient Greeks and Romans had gods for almost everything: for the night, death, ecstasy, beauty, agriculture, sun, moon and sea, for fertility, dawn and fruit trees; there was even one for entrances and exits. But not for the pleasure. Although, enjoyment is perhaps the most important challenge for a satisfying life, if also the most difficult. With the Greeks, as a gourmet, one had to line up with the Hedonists who, as we like to forget today, also pleaded for moderation. The Romans had the senator and general Lucius Licinius Lucullus, whose symposia were not nearly as excessive as his name – they were supposed to have been subtle events. But neither the Greeks nor the Romans had a god or goddess of pleasure. Europe has been tortured with a long tradi tion of the demonisation of pleasure. In the Middle Ages, gluttony counted as a deadly sin, and today, crazes for fitness or thinness or medical reprimands convince us that pleasure is a sin. Either the cholesterol is threatening us, the abdominal girth extends beyond two arm lengths, or the hunger in the third world, animal suffering or a threatening tooth decay are disruptions. Satisfaction is a form of power and all possible institutions claim to have a monopoly on it, be it religion, art, politics, gastronomy, capitalism or esotericism. All of them promise happiness and satisfaction, but only with them. No one really likes to see it if someone is simply happy, enjoys the fresh air, water or a piece of buttered bread with an apple. Maybe that’s why it is so difficult for us to just revel in the wave of contentment? How could a goddess – I prefer to think of a female – of pleasure look like? Sumptuous,
Photo: Lukas Beck / Paul Zsolnay Verlag
On the rarely perfect pleasure and the unadulterated anticipation of it. Text: Franzobel
Franzobel is an Austrian writer. He has published numerous plays, works of prose and poems. His plays have been produced, among others, in Mexico, Argen tina, Chile, Denmark, France, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Italy, Russia and the USA. Not long ago, he published his great historical adventure novel Das Floß der Medusa [The Raft of the Medusa]. with an apron and wooden clogs? A rural Kim Kardashian with large breasts? Or ethereal, elegant? A glass of milk sprinkled with cinnamon, like Botticelli’s Venus? In any case, she – Passionata of Delight – is an ephemeral being, untouchable, light. In addition, she definitely has a child-like, uncivilised disposition.
My wife, who is beautiful and never says no to pleasure, but is not a goddess, always gets really worked up if I already want to know what we will have for lunch or dinner when I wake up. «You only think about eating!» she then scolds me. For a long time, I also had the suspicion of being a degenerate glutton, greedy for pleasure, but then I came across a passage by Georges Simenon, whose detective Maigret justified the same question with the fact that in doing so, he has something that he can look forward to all day. And that’s what it’s all about! Pleasure itself is seldom perfect. Either your dining partner farts and you think that a half-decaying cow is lying in the room, or the child has to go to the bathroom exactly when the Norwegian wild salmon with crab ravioli in saffron curry foam is served. The Jehovah’s Witnesses ring the doorbell when you are digging into the Salzburger dumplings on wild blueberries, your spouse is huffy or one insect or another is circling your ear like a siren. Sometimes the wine is too cold and then, again, you burn your taste buds with the first bite. There’s almost always a disturbance. Only the anticipation is unadulterated. Therefore, we at least enjoy that, we pray to Passionata, that she doesn’t ruin it and abide to her motto, «carpe diem,» which is not just translated as «carp today» for fish lovers – and which, properly prepared, can be godly: in a salt crust on a bed of chili, pear and Swiss chard, with osso buco after that, profiteroles, a glass of good wine … You only think about food, my wife bugs me. She has already been looking forward to something totally different for a long time.
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| SCHLADMING . STADTHOTEL BRUNNER . YOGA AND TEA |
| VIENNA . ESPRESSOMOBIL |
The scent of coffee The path to your everywhere
inner centre
Acquiring a taste
The unusual thing about it is the mobility of the sales station. Five years ago in Vienna, inspired by a model in Hamburg, Peter Lindmoser founded the coffee start-up together with Moriz Fleissinger. For this purpose, he had a threewheeled Ape reconstructed and styled so that it can be transformed into a mobile coffeehouse in retro design in just a few minutes and wherever something is happening. The procedure is simple: raise the flaps on the side, turn on the coffeemaker, raise the tailgate, set up a table, grind the beans, brew and enjoy.
«The scent of coffee at the design market, in the new assembly hall, even at a wedding in the woods.» www.espressomobil.at 8
Now the Espressomobil is beginning its trip across international borders. Thereunto, the Espressomobil Franchise OG was founded recently. Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Basel and Zurich are thought of as possible destinations to export the Viennese coffeehouse culture of a different kind. Reinhold Lindmoser, brother of the founder of Espressomobil and an experienced sales professional in the area of gastronomy, is on board of the new company. His goal: «to comprehensively offer the Espressomobil success model in nine cities within three years.» Lots of work is waiting for him. But before he does, he’s earned another cup of coffee ...
Photos: Espressomobil
Where is the scent of coffee coming from at the design market, at the company celebration in the new assembly hall, even at a wedding in the woods? Hopefully from the Espressomobil, because it is certain to be a pleasure for your palate! The product that is served from the Espressomobil Ape car at all imaginable locations is made up of the finest Alpine spring water and the special blend from a small but excellent coffee roaster in Lower Austria.
In the meantime, the Austria’s first mobile coffee provider is out and about with twelve vehicles and four coffee cases. In addition, it operates two coffee shops. Mr and Ms Austrian have, in the meantime, acquired a taste for drinking the liquid breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up on the go. In the previous year, the Espressomobiles travelled to events on a total of more than 2,000 days, where people experienced coffee pleasure around 500,000 times: coffee to go from a paper cup, like in the USA, but brewed by an experienced barista and from a portafilter machine, like in Italy. Thus, the time expenditure and taste experience are optimised.
Stadthotel brunner is an urban highlight in the middle of alpine Schladming: a location where guests can let go as well as set out for something, characterised by regional as well as Asian-inspired pleasures. Stadthotel brunner offers urban architecture in alpine Schladming in a stylishly-renovated and expanded traditional house that is up to 500 years old in part. With its glass and glittering facade, it radiates like the nearby Dachstein Glacier and offers new points of light from every perspective. Simple elegance is awaiting the guest in 24 rooms and suites with names like Schokolade [chocolate], Pfeffer [pepper] or Zitrone [lemon], an ideal location to focus his thoughts on the essential. Located right in the middle of the sport-oriented town of Schladming, through its special offerings, the brunner subtly points the way to your inner centre, beginning with yoga offerings like the early-morning sun salutation. The breakfast buffet that follows, that fulfils all of your wishes, from organic products to regional specialities to Ayurvedic treats, ensures the balance of your body’s energy.
the hotel’s own SPA above the roofs of Schladming, everyone finds the right thing for their individual needs. Oasis of pleasure High up – with an unrestricted view of the Dachstein massif – there is also brunners teahouse, an oasis of pleasure and quiet, just for hotel guests. Here, delicious types of tea from Demmers Teehaus refresh the palate and spirit between 8 am and 10 pm: brewed in the samovar and enjoyed in a pleasantly intimate atmosphere. Simultaneously, it is also the wi-fi-free zone in the house. Those who are in the mood for something stronger after enjoying the pleasures for the palate in brunners restaurant will find that they are looking for in the hotel’s separate bar or in the wine cellar.
Window to the world Those who would really like to feel a strong release find the ability to do so with yearround glacier skiing, rafting, climbing or a mountain bike tour. Moderate connoisseurs can enjoy physical activity along 1,000 kilometres of hiking paths, at one of the five nearby golf courses or the 45 running and Nordic walking paths. But those who simply would like to find serenity and spend time in their cosy room are recom mended to retreat to one of the wonderfully wide, inviting window niches. The Finnish sauna with infusions in accordance with the five elements and massages like the Ayurvedic abhyanga (anointing) or the regional honey massage also ensure relaxation. In
Photo: Stadthotel brunner, Cathrine Stukhard
The mobile coffee pleasure in the «Espressomobil» optimises the expenditure of time and the taste experience. The retro-style Ape cars can transform into a coffeehouse in just a few minutes.
«brunners teahouse is an oasis of pleasure and quiet, just for hotel guests.»
www.lifestylehotels.net/stadthotel-brunner THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| TEA CULTURE . DEMMERS TEEHAUS . MATCHA |
Matcha: the fountain of youth in a tea bowl Matcha, the traditional Japanese green tea, is stimulating in a natural way, gives you an unbelievable chlorophyll kick and impresses the drinker with its mild, delicate, bitter taste. The fine powder as well as exquisite tools for preparation are available at Demmers Teehaus.
Luminescent jade green and with a strong foam head – that is how the ideal matcha is presented to the connoisseur who is about to enjoy it. The traditional Japanese green tea made of ground, young tea leaves unfolds on the palate – a fresh, slightly bitter aroma that is intense, but also mild and slightly sweet. Matcha is different – from the plant all the way to the preparation. The majority of the tender tencha tea plants that are processed into matcha tea grow in Japan. In order to get the incomparable matcha aroma, the tea farmers cover the plants with nets or bamboo mats four weeks before the harvest. In the artificial shade, the tea plants need more time to ripen and, at the same time, produce a larger quantity of healthy substances, like chlorophyll, vitamins A, B, C and E and other antioxidants. Then – by hand! – only the fresh green leaves at the top are harvested. After careful further processing by steaming, drying and breaking, the fine leaf tissue is separated from the leaf veins and stem. Only the most tender parts of the tea leaf end up between the granite wheels of stone mills. Foam head With just a few movements, a culinary delicacy is created from the fine powder that was obtained. First, you put an amount of the jade green powder that has been measured with a bam-
«You drink matcha in order to enjoy it. And as an aside, it also promotes health.»
boo spoon into a tea bowl. An appropriate amount of 60- to 80-degree hot water is poured over it – 80 to 100 millilitres for one gramme of powder. Finally, the Japanese chasen, a bamboo broom, is used. Swung from the wrist in a relaxed manner, as if one wants to write a large M, it does not just distribute the powder in a pleasant, even way, but it also creates the incomparable, creamy foam that tops a real matcha. In order to formally carry out this tea ceremony, which has been practiced in Japan for hundreds of years, it is worth it to invest a little bit in the equipment: wide bowls, bamboo spoon, chasen and broom holder do not just decorate your kitchen, but also increase the enjoyment. Drinking a bowl of tea together with friends has a completely different dimension through the ceremony. Trendy variations Even if the majority of the Japanese matcha harvest is consumed in Japan, the green delicacy has also delighted European palates for a number of years. In more than 30 Demmers Teehaus locations worldwide, as well as in our online shop, we currently offer four high-quality types of organic matcha: from the delicate, bitter «Energy» variety for beginners to the deep green «Tenno» and the especially mild, sweet «Yume» all the way to the premium «Ceremony,» which is from a high plantation. A matcha latte with warm, foamed milk is also fashionable at the moment. It doesn’t always have to be cows' milk: vanilla soya milk, rice-coconut milk or oatmeal milk also harmonise with the slightly bitter matcha aroma. Demmers Teehaus also offers matcha as an iced tea – in a
Luminescent jade green and with a strong foam head – that’s what the perfect matcha looks like.
Photos: www.demmertee.com/press/Matcha/
fruity, spicy combination with apple juice and ginger extract. For gourmets that like to cook or bake with matcha, Demmers Teehaus offers two versions of matcha: «Daily,» which is pure, and the «Ready Mix,» refined with coconut blossom sugar. Both bring a fresh green colour to macarons, cookies, ice cream and sorbets that is even preserved when it is heated. The taste harmonises with chocolate, just as it does with salad dressings. Your fantasy knows no bounds.
To taste: from the slightly bitter «Energy» to the slightly sweet «Yume.»
Drinking it in order to enjoy it You drink matcha in order to enjoy it. And as an aside, it also promotes health. This is due to the large quantities of the aforementioned vitamins and anti oxidants, because you consume the entire leaf and because of the special chemical structure of the caffeine that it contains. Because this means of stimulation is bound to flavonols in non-fermented teas and is first realised in the body in a pure form, the refreshing, stimulating effect is milder than coffee’s and also lasts longer. Your mind and body are pleasantly revived for hours, like after a swim in the fountain of youth.
What your tea-loving heart desires At more than 30 Demmers Teehaus locations, aficionados and connoisseurs can find more than 300 high-quality types of tea – from herbal tea to fine black tea (natural or aromatised) and oolong to white or green tea and matcha. Selected tea sets, accessories and fine types of sugar round out the offerings. For more than 20 years, the complete range of products has also been available online at www.tee.at.
www.tee.at THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| SWITZERLAND . GASTRONOMY |
| SWITZERLAND . ADELBODEN . PARKHOTEL BELLEVUE & SPA |
Celebrating
For
taste
connoisseurs …
Even though Switzerland is small, it is huge when it has to do with pleasure – really, really huge. Are you thinking of Swiss cheese or chocolate right now? It’s not a question – the Swiss are miles ahead when it comes to both luxury foods, which are an obsession for some people. But this text isn’t about that. It has to do with pleasure on a large scale – and there, little Switzerland is really far ahead.
Michelin stars from locations with excellent gastronomy. Classic French cuisine is, of course, prominently represented – and always a pleasure for the palate – but there are also a number of establishments that demand as well as inspire, with very innovative concepts. And if no gourmet temple is available close by, how are things in Switzerland otherwise? Even then, the passionate connoisseur does not need to become paralysed with fear. At the Culinary Olympics, a contest for professional chefs, Switzerland has always had an absolutely remarkable medal count. The Swiss obsession with quality is also shown in the amateur arena. marmite, an independent magazine for
In Switzerland, a culinary disaster like that is not to be expected. As a rule, top Swiss gastronomy has everything that it promises: the highest quality, with no ifs and buts. It is not for nothing that Switzerland has the highest number of stars per capita in the world: in 2017, a total of 117
«As a rule, top Swiss gastronomy has every thing that it promises: the highest quality, with no ifs and buts.» www.marmite.ch 10
.ch
.ch Ausgabe
Zeit Whisky Weininvestment Kobe-Beef Cabernet Sauvignon
and palate. And then? A total failure instead of a flight of fancy. Huge expense, no recompense. Bitter. Well, nerves and time were also wasted. Really bitter.
Aquafaba
«marmite,» founded six decades ago as the newsletter of the SCKM – Schweizerischer Klub kochender Männer [Swiss Club of Cooking Men]. Since then, the newsletter has been singing the praises of Swiss cuisine.
ALLE ZEIT DER WELT Wer Zeit als Grundzutat verwendet, steigert den Genuss
WEIN ALS INVESTMENT – WAS SICH WIRKLICH LOHNT
WUNDERBARE WHISKYS Luxuriöses Vergnügen
Wilde Bergaustern Austern
Photos: Marmite
6 | Dezember 2016 bis Februar 2017 | CHF 12.80 |
Ausgabe 6 2016
Those who travel to eat well – and there are truly worse motivations – know how sad it can be: Rush to the airport, barely making it to boarding on time, pff – but just barely made it. Otherwise, the table in the gourmet temple in Kensington or the Latin Quarter would literally have been lost at the last second. Change quickly in the hotel and then, full of expectation, it’s off to an inspiring, enjoyable evening full of pleasures for the table
dining and drinking culture – which is «the reference for pleasure-seekers,» according to the Neue Zürcher Zeitung newspaper – is in the process of creating the charter for new Swiss cuisine. It is still being written, but hopefully, the first sentence will be: «We support and celebrate the origin of taste.» That’s the way it should be. Keep it up!
… the Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa Adelboden is surely the first choice – and has been for more than 115 years. Photos: Parkhotel Bellevue & Spa
Not just due to its particularly beautiful architecture. Constructed in 1931 in the classical modernist style and exquisitely renovated in recent years, the Bellevue literally lets the spectacular Adelboden mountain world into the hotel. Due to its culinary performance, the Bellevue is, naturally, a hotspot for connoisseurs. It certainly lives up to the typically pleasant, delicate Swiss cuisine. Since 2003, chef de cuisine Jürgen Willing has been behind the Bellevue stove with pleasure and passion – and, in 2017 as well, can also be pleased about 14 Gault-Millau points. Its Swiss cuisine with a French accent is based on well-mastered handwork and excellent products, including numerous ingredients from the region, like Adelboden organic veal, sturgeon from Frutigen, mush rooms from the surrounding forests and heirloom vegetables. Barbecue from the Green Egg charcoal grill with premium meat is an additional speciality. At lunchtime, the Chef also conjures up uncomplicated casual food for the table, like the Bellevue Burger – small, fine and fast, but always high quality. Willing’s Gourmetdîners are close to the heart – or rather, palate – of those who want more. By the way, on the topic of a – demanding – palate: the excellently-stocked wine cellar de-
serves special consideration. On 08 January 2017, the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper raved that «for lovers of classic wines, the wine cellar of the Parkhotel Bellevue in Adelboden is a treasure trove of rarities and specialities that are very difficult to find on the open, if at all.» There is surely the right accompaniment for Willing’s fine creations amongst the 800 wines. For everyone who is agonising over the choice, here is a small tip: the hotel’s great passion is exquisite wines from Burgundy … In the middle of the garden, the «pour» spa entices guests with saunas, steam baths, a warming salt water pool and an indoor pool, to relax in quiet or in motion.
www.lifestylehotels.net/parkhotel-bellevue THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| SWITZERLAND . LUCERNE . HOTEL DES BALANCES |
A jewel in the
heart of Lucerne Hotel des Balances, a charming as well as elegant four-star superior hotel, is situated right on the Reuss river in the centre of Lucerne’s old town. Historic flair combined with a timeless, elegant design in a one-of-a-kind location make the hotel a jewel in the heart of Lucerne.
The terrace, directly over the glittering Reuss river, enchants guests with a view of the Jesuit church, the Kappelbrücke bridge and the water tower, with Vierwaldstättersee Lake and the imposing mountain world in the background – this backdrop is almost too beautiful to be true and, in the warm months, attracts with its charm day by day. As a bonus, there is its history: at the Hotel des Balances, it goes really far back, in fact, as far back as the 12th century. It’s no surprise that George Bernard Shaw was a guest here, as was Dutch Queen Wilhelmine – the latter on several occasions, by the way. With 56 rooms, including five junior, one honeymoon and four additional suites, the Hotel des Balances is just right for a pleasant city break – and an ideal starting point for shopping and sightseeing. The classically elegant suites are equipped with a whirlpool, steam bath or infrared sauna. An elegant banquet hall and pleasant seminar and meeting rooms offer the appropriate framework for large festive events as well as smaller busi-
The history of the hotel goes as far back as the 12th century.
Photos: Hotel des Balances
ness events. Something especially fascinating about the Hotel des Balances is the well-balanced relationship between the historic construction – the facade, in the style of Holbein, is one of the most-photographed items in Lucerne’s old town – and the modern, stylishly classy ambience inside the hotel. At midday and in the evening, Chef de Cuisine Andy Fluri is celebrating culinary arts in the finest way in the Restaurant Bal-
InsBired Duck liver trio with apple chutney and brioche. Creamy curry soup with seared scallops and mango. Gorgonzola ravioli on Parmesan foam Beef cubes in a crispy coating. Grilled sole fillet on saffron foam on a bed of savoy cabbage, with macadamia nuts. Tender veal fillet and South African scampi on port wine butter Sweet potato puree and market vegetables. Selection of European cheeses from Maître Fromager Rolf Beeler, with homemade fruit bread. White chocolate glacée with yoghurt espuma and hibiscus. Friandises.
ance, which was again issued 14 Gault-Millau points in 2017. For everyone who is in a hurry, with his Balances Quick Lunch, Fluri combines the highest quality with the highest speed: Three courses of your choice reach the table at the same time. Under the motto Balances-InsBiration, there are also excellent meal recommendations with up to seven courses, including wine pairings. Even the «little menu» is exquisite and promises pleasures for the palate at the highest level. And: The extensive wine menu can keep up quite well. The focus is on top European wines, but there are also enough fine wines from abroad available. At the wooden counter, the size of a ship’s bow, there is a trendy bar open from 7 am to 12:30 am.
«The classically elegant suites are equipped with whirlpool, steam bath or infrared sauna.»
www.lifestylehotels.net/hotel-des-balances THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| SELECTION . FLORENTINA WELLEY |
Slow fashion: sustainability matters Photos: Louis Vuitton, H&M, Margaret and Hermione, Trippen, Stella McCartney, bluevalley, ecoalf, GreenBomb, rituals cosmetics, Eva Hauswirth, Kunert, vestiairecollective, ecco-verde, cocolabelle, deepmello, Gebrüder Stitch, Aigner, Faber-Castell
After slow food and slow travel, the trend of slowing down has finally also made it to the fashion industry.
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What counts is the ecological footprint, fair production conditions and chemically-safe production. Those who would like to have a clear conscience now buy fashion with charity benefits, that is made of organic cotton or recycled plastic rubbish or that is vintage. By the way, sustainable designer fashion is often indicated as such. The most important environmental certifications are fair trade or the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS).
If I had once been a PET bottle …
é Organic cotton Recently, Louis Vuitton has been packaging with «Safran Impérial.» When folded together, the robust boxes made out of raw cotton perfectly fit into your suitcase.
ê
… or a car tire, a coffee pod, a fishing net? The Spanish label ECOALF by JAVIER GOYENECHE shows that sustainability, urban design and environmental consciousness can be compatible. The name ECOALF combines ECO with the name of Javier’s son, Alfredo, for whom he wishes a more sustainable world. The backpack (EUR 99) is made of recycled PET bottles; the trench coat (EUR 350) out of recycled polyester from the Mediterranean. www.ecoalf.com
www.louisvuitton.com
é Homemade Designers Angela Spieth and Michael Oehler wanted to design shoes so that individual components could be interchanged and refurbished. Ninety-five percent are made in their own manufacture in Brandenburg; a small percentage at family-run businesses in northern Italy. The numerous materials, which are untreated, are from European suppliers. International design prizes and co-operations, such as with Issey Miyake, vouch for the success of the Trippen label, where more than 1,000 models are permanently in the range of products. www.blackbirdberlin.com, de.trippen.com
é I was once plastic rubbish …
ê Fair trade on the catwalk With the label Bluevalley, Indian silk, traditional know-how and contemporary organic fashion with a fair trade certificate are united on the catwalk. A highlight at both trade fairs for eco fashion – Greenshowroom and Ethical Fashion Show Berlin. www.bluevalley.eu
ç Organic cotton
Model Natalia Vodianova shows the Spring 17 Conscious Exclusive Collection from H&M. The dresses are made from the new material BIONIC, produced from plastic waste from the seas and coastal areas, as well as from recycled polyester and organic cotton, linen and silk. This ethereally flowing dress is 100% BIONIC. From 20 April at H&M as well as online.
with cat illustrations
Stella McCartney’s vegan bag collection was a hit. Now, the Brit has designed a capsule collection with cat illustrations for children. From sustainable cotton, of course. Available online.
www.hm.com
www.stellamccartney.com www.smallable.com
ç There was once a fishing net … Individually designed, sustainably produced from fishing nets and designed with humour: «Fire» is the colour of the swimsuit and both bikinis made by the Austrian swimwear label MARGARET AND HERMIONE. www.margarethermione.com
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
Sustainable & authentic
è
Every product has the DNA of an authentic Far Eastern custom. Like a samurai’s cultivated shaving tradition or that of the Japanese cherry blossom festival. With scented candles, clothing, perfume, mineral cosmetics and teas, RITUALS COSMETICS places an emphasis on sustainability and also offers refills for body creams. www.rituals.com
é Certified fair «We make organic fashion because we like things that are organic and also want to pass it along,» say the young founders of GreenBomb. «Our label is sustainable, green and stylish.» Fair wages and working conditions as well as environmentally-friendly production is close to the designers’ hearts. Therefore, they produce under the certified Global Organic Textile Standard, Organic Content Standard and Fair Wear Foundation. www.greenbomb.de | www.greenshowroom.com | www.ethicalfashionshowberlin.com
ê Charity for kids …
Designer Eva Hauswirth’s bracelets are handmade in Austria. The «I am in peace» pendant is available in sterling silver and rose and matt gold. Twenty percent of the proceeds go to the children’s aid project MarysMeals.org. www.iaminpeace.com
Vintage chic
é
Kunert recently presented the Kunert Blue Collection for the first time – a new type of stocking product made from recycled waste materials. The new fibre, ECONYL, is manufactured from fishing nets, old materials and rugs. From the purchase of every pair of tights, 50 cents go to the protection of the coasts and seas.
From Zac Posen’s blue taffeta dress to classic Bionda Castana heels all the way to a long evening dress from Chloè – for Christmas, every designer chooses his own charity to which he wants to donate the proceeds from the online channel. But because the glamorous clothes are all vintage, fashionistas with a good conscience especially like to purchase their bargain here – from Rolex to Gucci.
www.kunert.de/specials/kunert-blue
www.vestiairecollective.com
ç I was once a rug …
ç 100 % vegan URTEKRAM, the Danish natural cosmetics brand, is 100 percent vegan and certified with Leaping Bunny, Vegan Society and the ECOCERT – Cosmos Organic standards. The plant extracts are manu factured by them in their own production facility in Denmark and are traded fairly. Available at Bipa, denn’s Biomarkt, Müller and in selected organic retailers. www.ecco-verde.at
é Everything rhubarb …
The new Austro-Canadian beauty brand Cocolabelle is for «self-confident, goal-orientated, strong and gutsy women who know what they want.» Founder Alexandra Canisius wants for «women to be strong, fearless, independent and self-confident. We support the Österreichische autonome Frauenhäuser [Association of Autonomous Austrian’s Women’s Shelters] and the Frauenhelpline gegen Gewalt [Women’s Helpline Against Violence].»
The label deepmello represents fashion and lifestyle products from sustainable leather. The leather is tanned with a special process created by the company that uses the rhubarb root, which gives clothing and accessories a special scent and feel. The collection contains a shirt, a bridge dress, a jumpsuit, a top, a long-sleeved top, leather shorts and a shopping bag. deepmello just presented its new line of natural cosmetics, «red rhubarb.»
www.cocolabelle.eu | www.bipa.at | www.tkmaxx.com
www.deepmello.com
Manicure for the women’s shelter
è
ç Organic couture jeans
ç Cork oak meets meadow cow
«Don’t panic – it’s organic» is the Gebrüder Stich [Stitch Brothers’] motto. Mike Lanner and Moriz Piffl produce great jeans with good karma. In addition to Voll-Maß jeans that are completely made to measure, there are also «Ready 2 Go,» Halb-Maß partially-customisable jeans and «Couture» jeans in accordance with your own design. Washes, dyes and used effects are created without chemicals. From the very beginning until the very end, the trousers are produced in their own atelier. That means: cut, work preparation, confection, washing and finishing.
The «Cybill Bosco» shines in cork. The outer surface is covered with metallic gold highlights. Cybill, AIGNER’s «it bag» from the current summer collection, is made of soft, top-grain cowhide from a single animal. For a long time, the label has been focused on species-appropriate treatment and social responsibility in trade, production and processing. All collections are produced and inspected in Europe. The packaging is recyclable and FSC-certified. Green footprint
ê
www.aignermunich.com
Since 2015, Faber-Castell has been focused on 100 percent sustainable production and, in doing so, leaves behind a completely «green footprint.» The wood for the pencils is grown on their own FSC-certified wood plantations in Brazil and painted with environmentally-friendly, water-based paint. The company’s own forests absorb more than 900,000 tonnes of CO2 and, in doing so, absorb significantly more carbon dioxide than the company produces worldwide. www.faber-castell.at
www.gebruederstitch.at THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| ALTO ADIGE . CULINARY . INTERVIEW |
The mountain cook Text: Florentina Welley
Norbert Niederkofler, South Tyrol’s most famous top chef, founder of the «Cook the Mountain» research lab and chef of the St. Hubertus restaurant in San Cassiano, returns the cycle of nature into the kitchen and, with his concept of well living, plants healthy nourishment for the next generation.
«We have to return to the culture and bring it in to the kitchen.»
Photo: Daniel Töchterle
What does sustainable pleasure mean? We have to return to the culture and bring it into the kitchen. The hotel guests’ perspectives have changed. It no longer makes sense to offer products from all over the world – the guests themselves are international and would rather eat something regional. We have to take exactly that into consideration. Cultural substance has to come into the kitchen. Today, that means sustainability and the respectful handling of products. What is the most important thing in mountain cooking? That’s the quality and the implementation – like my project «Cook the Mountain.» If I were by the sea, I would do «Cook the Sea.» I need holistic products. That means that the farmers can live from their work here and it has to be guaranteed that they’re doing well, so that they can continue to work the fields. That’s because we all live off of it – also from the beauty of the landscape. What differentiates the Michelin-starred mountain cuisine in the hotel from that in the hut? Time. The only difference is that on the mountain, you really only have the kitchen www.care-s.it 14
for about three hours. Then everything’s over. The dishes have got to be good, quick to prepare. Otherwise, it gets to be too complicated, because there isn’t time. On the mountain, guests only eat from 12 to 2:30 pm. The quality must be the same, of course. Huts had the best, but always the same things – therefore, we brought our project «Sciare con Gusto» to the huts. The variety is wonderful. For each hut, a different top chef cooks a dish. After all, this year, Alta Badia was selected as the best gourmet ski destination in Europe. How far can you go to get ingredients or wine and still produce sustainably? Our mountain kitchen gets ingredients from up to a 100-kilometre radius, because we get saffron from the Vintschgau area. A new mountain culture is being created from our sustainable production. Up to 60 percent of the wine menu is made up of wines that are from South Tyrol and Italy. The rest is from France, Austria, Germany. Gastronomy in South Tyrol came into being with the wine producers in order to open inter national markets. Now gastronomy is grow ing, but in connection with wines from South Tyrol.
What is new this year with your CARE project’s The ethical Chef Days? A lot, because in addition to skiing classes, cooking master classes, breakfast at the peak of the mountain at sunrise, etc., a talk about the nutrition of the future is planned. In addition, there will also be lectures about architecture and concepts of living well with sustainability. Experts from the fields of architecture, environment and gastronomy report on a university building with zero missions, etc. Living well in the area of gastronomy is our future. You already have beech tree stock and mountain sunchokes. What’s next? You can make everything out of the products that you find here and think about. Today, you turn around the entire philo sophy from earlier. From 1996 until 2016, a menu existed of a signature dish, something like, what will I cook that has to do with wasabi? With products that came from far away, in order to impress the guests. Since last year, we have switched it around: I take a regional product and cook around it. Old cultures were sensible: Every local product was made due to necessity, like grey cheese, flatbread ... preservability, working in the summer and eating in the winter, were the skills. It is also interesting in terms of nutritional technology: In every season, nature gives you what you need, also in terms of colour. If everyone were to eat that way, you wouldn’t need diets and hospitals. There’s nothing new in cuisine today, because there has already been everything. Recently, in Peru, I found freeze-dried potatoes. This technique makes sense and it is nice to be able to re-discover something and apply it. Is cooking art? In cooking, the art is in the omission – the more I leave out, the more difficult it is. I have to have the right technique, like in painting, like in design. Three ingredients are good. That’s what makes up a work of art, too. The adding is easy. www.n-n.it
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| ALTO ADIGE . CULINARY . INTERVIEW |
Trout
versus sweetbreads
Where does it taste better? In a hotel? In a mountain hut? Two star chefs cook seasonal mountain products, sustainably delicious. And incidentally, both are from Alta Badia, the best gourmet ski destination in Europe.
Niederkofler to cook at home: There was once a stream trout … Sustainably cooking also means not producing any waste. Everything is used! – The meat of the trout is slightly smoked and cut as tartare, without salt – The trout’s caviar is salty – The skin, which is dried and then lightly fried, is crispy – The scales and head are sautéed, then deglazed with white wine and cooked into a classic beurre blanc – Dill oil is made with grapeseed oil – that is added to the stock just before serving
Does sustainability pay off or will it become a priceless luxury in the future? It is actually the other way around. Without good food, there will not be a future. You have to start with that in nursery school – so that the coming generations understand food again. A child’s palate is so honest and learns. Children eat salty and bitter; they love lemons, salt and bitter olives. Yet, today, everything is preserved with sugar. And sugar is like adrenaline. What is the good thing about food? In the springtime, my body gets a rhythm through the food – everything is lighter, greener, has an airy freshness, lightness. In the summer, there are strong, deep colours and tastes. In the autumn, there are mushrooms. Winter crops are earthy things, like baked goods, apple fritters, Kaiserschmarrn, etc. Everything that farmers could make with eggs and cream, milk and flour. The cycle of nature. What is your personal cooking philosophy? It is like my trout recipe and my project «Cook the Mountain.» Either everything is used or we try to recreate nature. Because we buy whole sides of meat and use various cook ing techniques, we work especially closely together with the farmers. We use seasonal types of vegetables and can also use old cooking methods, like fermenting, like with sauerkraut.
Photo: Daniel Töchterle
Matteo Metullio is just 27, but can already look back on 16 years as a gourmet chef. With his parents, food played a major role. The motto: eating like a god in France. Who is surprised, then, that Matteo already decided to be a chef at 11 years of age?
Sweetbreads in a mountain hut For Matteo Metullio, the youngest one-star chef in Italy, time is the greatest challenge. That is because, at the same time, he cooks in town, at the Hotel Cisasa Salares in San Cassiano, and up on the mountain, for the Club Moritzino. His baked sweetbreads on chopped Norway lobster, with smoked Jerusalem artichoke foam and liquorice-anise sauce is a dish ordered frequently at the fancy «Sciare con Gusto» hut. In addition to delicious sparkling wine or Alto Adige sauvignon, of course. However, the pleasure is faster than the preparation. We are already looking forward to additional culinary hut highlights in the summer.
What talents does a good chef have? If he is respectful, honest and humble. It doesn’t have to do with the chef, but rather with the product. Eckart Witzigmann said that. And «product» is «knowledge.» Today, everything has shifted a little bit, thanks to the many cooking shows on television.
«Without good food, there will not be a future.»
Photo: Club Moritzino
www.moritzino.it THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| SUSANNE POSEGGA . PHOTOS |
Wild pleasures
Well-known and lesser-known plants that are primarily encountered in the spring also have something to offer in terms of taste. Photos: Susanne Posegga
Every child knows the daisy, which you can use not just to make a crown, but also use to decorate a lettuce salad. The younger blossoms taste incre dibly nut-like, leaves can also be added to spinach or herb quark cheese (known as Topfen in southern Germany and Austria) or cook them in a spring soup.
Susanne Posegga is German by birth. The qualified national park ranger lives in Upper Austria and Bavaria and works as an artist, hiking guide and outdoor education teacher.
The still curly shoots of the polypody are bitter and are suitable as an addition to crispbread, while the stock of the sweet, aromatic roots can be processed into bonbons. Informally, the plant is therefore called Bärenzucker [bears’ sugar]. In traditional medicine, the root is used as an expectorant in illness of the respiratory tract.
The wild carrot is extremely versatile in terms of its use. Like those of its docile relatives, the roots are very good to eat, but are more intense and sweet. You can roast them or cook them in soup. The herb and seed are similar to parsley and the umbel blossoms can be baked into dough, to be consumed as a dessert.
Whether it is copper beech or, as in the photo, the hornbeam: their still-translucent, young leaves have a pleasant acidity and add a fresh note to every salad.
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THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| SUSANNE POSEGGA . PHOTOS |
The true prize of honour was also called Allerweltsheil [universal healer] in former times. In the Middle Ages, people even believed that it could heal the plague. Its slightly bitter taste makes it suitable for tea mixtures, but it can also be used for herb juices.
There are numerous plants clustered on the edge of the path, in meadows and in forests that are apparently inconspicuous. They are not just fascinating because of their floral architecture, but are also rich in minerals, vitamins and trace elements and can improve our daily nutrition as wild vegetables. They are vastly superior to cultivated plants from industrial agriculture and many of them contain substances that are considered remedies.
The buds of the oxeye daisy taste fruity, like pineapple, and are a nutritious snack while hiking. The blossoms are a wonderful addition to salads and are also suitable for the production of lemonades.
At present, knowledge about the use of wild plants is experiencing a real boom: incorporated into smoothies, soups, salads, preserved as pesto and in bread spreads, some varieties are experiencing great popularity. But in the euphoria of it all, when collecting them, one should note as to whether they are species threatened by extinction and should therefore not be picked. Here, we have described some well-known plants that are at least visually familiar to most readers. You can eat these worry-free!
The bladder campion, with its unmistakable, strange blossoms, belongs to the clove family, and has the unconven tional taste of liquorice and peas. The young shoots can serve as a spicy addition to salad or vegetables.
Book recommendations: Steffen Guido Fleischhauer, Roland Spiegelberger, Jürgen Guthmann: Enzyklopädie Essbare Wildpflanzen [Encyclopaedia of Edible Wild Plants]. AT Verlag, Aarau, Munich 2013.
The leaves of wild garlic are famously used as pesto or in strudel. It belongs to the onion family and is, despite the optical similarities with lilies of the valley and meadow saffron, clearly recognisable due to its intense garlic smell. Its round buds can be pickled, like peppercorns.
Meret Bisegger: Meine wilde Pflanzenküche [My Wild Plant Cuisine]. AT Verlag, Aarau, Munich 2011.
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| SPECIALS |
Photo: Hotel Blaue Gans
Arthotel Blaue Gans | Salzburg +43 662 84 24 91-5 | office@blauegans.at | www.blauegans.at Right in the centre, yet going its own way! In the artHotel Blaue Gans, experience how Salzburg’s oldest inn has transitioned into a unique boutique hotel! Here, you will find the finer side of art as well as a close proximity to the Getreidegasse, horse fountains, castle and Mirabell. The idyll of the city surprises its guests with moments replete with fine cuisine and leisure. Two nights in a regular double room, including breakfast A three-course menu in the vaulted restaurant One bottle of red wine in the room A small gift Entry to the Museum der Moderne (Modern Art Museum)
From € 259 per person Photo: Ydo Sol/Maibrunn
Berghotel Maibrunn | Bayerischer Wald/Bavarian Forest +49 99 65 85 00 | info@berghotel-maibrunn.de | www.berghotel-maibrunn.de Enjoy the dreamy views over the mountain ranges of the Bavarian Forest from the new suites of the Berghotel Maibrunn with its many amenities, such as Nespresso machine for your morning coffee hit in bed, fireplace romance for your cosy evening for two and a minibar that is replenished daily. 3 nights’ accommodation including gourmet Berghotel cuisine Relax in the BergSPA with heated outdoor pool Freshly baked croissants in bed on request in the morning And an exquisite dessert creation in your suite on your last evening
From € 492 per person Photo: Thomas Hotel
Thomas Hotel Spa Lifestyle | Husum +49 (0) 4841 6620-0 | info@thomas-hotel.de | www.thomas-hotel.de Enjoy a spa treatment while your partner golfs – or the other way around. No matter whether it is a trip for relaxation, for athletes or passionate golfers, the Thomas Hotel – with SPA area – is an ideal starting point: directly on the North Sea, located in the maritime port city of Husum, with endless grass and sand beaches as well as numerous golf courses in the area. Two nights with breakfast buffet | Welcome drink Free entrance to THOMAS Spa & Fitness A three-course meal at the harbour and a North Frisian three-course evening meal Two spa treatments and two one-day green fees per room for the Golfclub
Husumer Bucht (18-hole)
Price per person i n a Double Superior € 299 in a Double Horizon € 329 Photo: Tres
Hotel Tres | Palma de Mallorca +34 971 717 33 | reservation@hoteltres.com | www.hoteltres.com The Hotel Tres is in a superb location in the middle of the old town of Palma. The design hotel blends old and new, pairing a new modern structure with the remnants of a 16th century palace. Relax in your room with king-sized bed and on the newly designed Mallorquin patio, a green oasis in the shade of a palm tree. Overnight stay in your chosen room category Including breakfast buffet Use of splash pool, rooftop terrace & sauna
From April 2017: Prices from € 120/person in a double room
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THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| TYROL . ÖTZTAL VALLEY . BERGLAND SÖLDEN |
| SALZBURG . LEOGANG . PURADIES |
Not just natural
Simply
8.00 am: «Consciously Tyrol»-breakfast. 10.00 am: carving at Tiefenbachferner glacier. 1.30 pm: a fine lunch from the region. 3.30 pm: sophisticated golfing at Mieminger Plateau. 6.00 pm: Alpine stones in the SKY-SPA. 8.00 pm: endless pleasure at the six-course meal. 10.00 pm: chilling in the cigar lounge. And then off to a wonderfully restful night.
In the middle of a sun-kissed plateau in the Salzburg Alps near Leogang, there is paradise, no, Puradise (in german PURADIES). In front of the breath-taking backdrop of Birnhorn mountain, a village full of very special chalets includes a very special hotel. A farmhouse from the 17th century that has been transformed into a hotel with restaurant, 80 rooms, apartments and suites has become the heart of PURADIES and, therefore, a retreat at the premium level.
pleasure
Photos: Bergland Hotel Sölden
Elisabeth and Sigi Grüner have a passion: with their Berg landhotel Sölden hotel, completely rebuilt in 2010, they do not just offer an ambience that combines nature and architecture authentically as well as comfortably, but also a home in the mountains for guests from all over the world. As tangible hosts, they, along with their team, are devoted to the well-being of their guests – and that with heart and soul. The cuisine also plays a role in making sure that the guests feel completely comfortable in the first design hotel in the Ötztal Valley, from a «Bewusst Tirol»breakfast buffet to also taking complex individual nutritional needs into account and up to the six-course gourmet meal in the evening. The ingredients are completely fresh and from the region – Sigi Grüner is also a passionate farmer and sheep breeder. With more than 200 top wines, sommelier Johannes Hochschwarzer contributes to the culinary pleasure – including creative cocktails and the exquisite brandies for afterwards,
«... a home in the moun tains for guests from all over the world.»
of course. The latter can also be accompanied by fine cigarillos and cigars in the puristic, noble ambience of the cigar lounge. In the SKY-Spa (1,700 m²), many guests have an ordeal – of having to choose: wellness, spa and beauty offers with in- and outdoor pools, saunas (Finnish, bio, steam and textile) and treatments of all kinds (Pilates, Thai yoga, Alpine stone, signature treatments, Nu Thai, fitness and cardio workouts, to just name a few) leave nothing to be desired. Other than possibly enjoying the wonderful nature in the Ötztal Valley Alps, maybe during an enjoyable spring skiing on the glacier? Or preferably a sunny round of golf? Or maybe simply on foot, hiking through the Ötztal Valley spring, in all of its glory?
puradi(e)sical
The architecture of the fourstar chalets has been inspired by the Salzburg mountain world – solid Salzburg rock, wood from nearby forests for balconies and shingles and cool glass help to place 14 chalets perfectly and authentically into the Alpine landscape. Viewed from the inside, that means: A view of an unspoiled natural jewel in an area that, with 500,000 m², is larger than the Vatican. There is endless free space, but not just around the PURADIES, but also inside: In the Bar & Lounge Freiraum [Free Space], art is combined with traditional handicrafts: Made of 16,000 oak cubes, the 40-meter-long masterpiece com bines traditional rural knowledge, high craftsmanship and brilliant technology. The wellness oasis in PURADIES is also spectacular, generous and has the latest technology: the INNERE MITTE [INNER SELF] bathhouse includes the Heaven SPA and four saunas (herbs, stone pine, earth and Finnish) which open up to outdoor nature. A generous beauty area for cosmetics, fitness and yoga rooms as well as massages round
out the offerings. The cuisine is also natural, pure and exquisite. Andrè Stahl, one of the 20 best cooks in Austria, could be attracted as the chef. Stahl – «Cook of the Year 2015,» two toques and 16 points (Gault Millau), five stars and 96 points (À la Carte) and three forks and 92 points (Falstaff) – stands for hand-crafted perfection, wins people over through his personal type of cuisine and shapes the culinary line-up in PURADIES regionally as well as internationally. The ingredients for his inspiring creations are from the hotel’s own organic farm. Aficionados will find «Cook of the year in an exquisite range of prod- 2015, with two toques.» ucts to take along or take home in the corner shop, with products from our own organic farm and the praline production.
Once again, there is the agony of having to choose. Oh well, it could be worse, couldn’t it?
www.lifestylehotels.net/bergland-soelden
Photos: Puradies
www.lifestylehotels.net/puradies THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| TYROL . MÖSERN . NIDUM HOTEL |
| TUSCANY . CAMAIORE . LOCANDA AL COLLE |
Chilling in a
Enjoy life in
luxurious way
Tuscan style
The team of Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel on the southern edge of the Seefeld Plateau in Tyrol feels and fills the needs of the new generation of travellers hungry for life.
In the Locanda al colle country home, above the Tuscan town of Camaiore, host Riccardo Barsottelli opens his aromatic garden, his art collection and his kitchen to the guests.
new
m
Here, a classy hotel without outdated constraints was created as an answer to the lifestyle of young and young-atheart travellers who are hungry for life – simply casual luxury. A holiday at Nidum offers unlimited freedom, fun and surprise. Photos: Nidum Hotel
The Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel offers 57 generously-sized rooms and suites, outfitted with designer furniture made of red wood and accessories in gentle natural colours, from beige to lime green to rust red: a holiday ambience that is as hip as it is chill, completed by a luxurious spa on the roof and a wellness zone, including an infinity pool. What the Pinzger family of South Tyrolean hoteliers have designed out of the former For Friends Hotel in Mösern near Seefeld seems like a one-of-akind pocket of luxury, nestled on the mountain high above the roofs of the Inn valley.
You can dine well in three different restaurant areas in the same hotel that have epicurean pleasures for every taste. The Apero Terrace and the champagne bar also offer liquid pleasures for the palate. That is because guests of the Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel might need refreshment more often – at least if they are trying the hotel’s own one-of-akind «In Da Mountains» sauna. It is an extremely warm sweat lodge built directly into the rocks – and is reached by a suspension bridge. If your breath is taken away, it is not just because of the mountain panorama.
«A holiday at Nidum offers unlimited freedom, fun and surprise.»
www.lifestylehotels.net/nidum-hotel-seefeld 20
rs e b em
Riccardo Barsottelli presents his own piece of heaven on a hill above Camaiore, right in the middle of a garden full of aromatic plants and old, gnarled trees: a carefully-renovated farmhouse, just a few minutes away from the sea coast of Versilia. The Photos: Locanda al C olle guesthouse includes 12 For those who would prefer to individually-decorated stay in Locanda, there are hamrooms and suites, partially dimocks and hammock chairs rectly under roof rafters painthidden on the picturesque tered white. Lovers of nature will races on the way down the hill, have a good time here, as will for a very private nap. If you fans of art, because the owner’s then need a caffè, you can just private art collection decorates go into the kitchen and make the entire house. He also shares one. his love for designer furniture – from the 1960’s as well as On the three evenings when from the third millennium – kitchen chef Gian Luca is at with the guests, who can make work, guests are allowed to themselves comfortable in his watch him cook or look over collector’s items. That is, if his shoulder and then enjoy the they wouldn’t prefer to dive epicurean delights at sunset on into the heated salt water pool the panorama terrace or understraight away. There is sea acneath the wisteria pergola. cess via a private pavilion in the close-by il Cavallone beach club, which is located only a 10-minute drive from the hotel.
«The guesthouse includes 12 individuallydecorated rooms and suites.»
www.lifestylehotels.net/locanda-al-colle-toskana THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| SALZKAMMERGUT . CORTISEN AM SEE |
| SALZBURG . HOCHKÖNIG . HOTEL EDER |
The lakeside
Fitness in springtime
Holidays in a stylish, exclusive atmosphere and, in doing so, experience the Salzkammergut with all of your senses: in Cortisen am See.
Asian or Alpine? At Hotel Eder in Maria Alm, the guest experiences a holiday on two continents: with herb risotto or sushi and with athletic activities ranging from mountain running to yoga.
of life
Photo: Cortisen am See
The Chinese say that «only the quiet pond reflects the light of the stars.» Come and relax on holiday and, in doing so, gain new perspectives on the rays of light in life – a stay in the fourstar superior hotel Cortisen am See allows you to do so. In the building, which has harmonically evolved over 150 years on a bay along Wolfgangsee Lake, time goes by in a special way. Cortisen is a place where your sense of time regenerates and pleasure is tangible with all senses: the morning sun strikes the colourful interiors of the rooms and suites with the individual «African Spirit» or «Limelight» concepts – and the chirping of the birds in the garden gently wakes the guests before they start their day with an endless breakfast. No matter what you have planned for afterwards, the day can end with culinary treats in the restaurant whose creations were honoured with 89 of 100 points in the 2016 Falstaff. Or with a sophisticated single malt in the cigar lounge and the splashing of Wolfgangsee Lake just beyond the windows of the room.
«... a place where plea sure becomes tangible with all of your senses.»
One special aspect of the Cortisen is the adults-only concept. Children are only welcome here above the age of 12. «We were one of the first hotels in Central Europe that is reserved for adults,» recounts owner Roland Ballner. «The reactions to that were very emotional – but the success shows that we were right.» Parents who need rest from everyday family life also love the Cortisen’s quiet. An intimate atmosphere is also created by the fact that the gourmet restaurant, colonial-style bar, professional fitness area, spa and lake access are reserved for the hotel’s guests. Dynamic holidays with freetime offerings: A romantic cruise with the Cortisen’s rowing boat – including a picnic with Prosecco, a hike on Schafberg mountain with Roland Ballner or a spin on the hotel’s own Harley Davidson. Before the water-skiing season begins, tennis courts, a riding stable and a mini golf course invite you to take part in athletic activities. Those who would really like to be indulged treat themselves to a volcano sand peeling or a massage with amaranth oil in the spa. «We try to offer our guests a harmonic mixture of all pleasures imaginable,» emphasises the owner.
www.lifestylehotels.net/cortisen-am-see
Say goodbye to winter fat and give a sun salutation to springtime fitness: «During a holiday with us, with light food and as much or as little athletic activity as you want, you can once again find your own course in a pleasurable way,» stresses Sepp Schwaiger, the manager of Hotel Eder in Maria Alm. That is because the Eder – right in the middle of the action in Maria Alm – is the starting point for various types of physical activities, from yoga to springtime skiing all the way to e-bikes or trail running. Until the day after Easter, athletes can indulge in skiing pleasure at Ski Amadé, when the springtime sun, which is already growing stronger, causes the snowy hangs to glitter. In the last week in March, in 30 surrounding ski huts, there is also the highest farmer’s market in the Alps. Deer salami, gentian schnapps, forest honey and pine liqueur bring the taste of the mountains into the valley. Those who don’t feel like skiing any more can simply take the gondola … «At home» in the hotel, the season can begin with indoor golf, the body can be strengthened in the yoga and Bodega moves courses or the simplicity of being can be enjoyed in the pool. If the snow has already melted on the mountain, in June, there is the Hochkönig trail run, a mountain race with four distances, that goes through the alms and past summit crosses. Master Sushi chef in the herb hotel:
recounts Sepp «Right in the middle Schwaiger. At the of the happenings in same time, the new guest chef, a Nepa- Maria Alm and, at lese master sushi the same time, a chef, is starting his job. For a year, at starting point for the Grüne Bar, he yoga, e-bikes and will roll sushi in front of guests’ eyes, trail running.» decorate sashimi and, with wasabi and ginger, offer a change of pace from the local herb dishes. Herb risotto, frittatas and the like will, of course, remain on offer in the Eder restaurant, as will the oneof-a-kind truffle Parmesan chips, made by head chef Richard Seidel. Those who prefer to enjoy the scent of herbs outside can find appropriate offers in the hotel’s The master sushi own spa: from the herb stamp chef will be in action massage all the way to the stim- at the Grüne Bar. ulating treatment with essen- Hotel Eder will also tial oils. Evenings, the day can spoil its guests’ palates end in a cosy way, with an hour with the craft beer of leisure around the ring of fire festival and wine on the roof and, afterwards, the week. incomparably deep sleep in a pine-wood bed.
Romantic Eve on the roof by the ring of fire. Photos: Hotel Eder
Spring’s awakening has also reached the kitchen in a multi-faceted way: «After the end of the winter, with the ski and wine gourmet week, this year, at the end of March, we are organising a craft beer festival for the first time, where beers from small breweries in Italy as well as Germany can be tasted,» www.lifestylehotels.net/hotel-eder
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| AUSTRIA . STYRIA . EXPERIENCE ECONOMY |
Business with Enjoying the scent of vinegar to the fullest at the Fischerauer vinegar centre.
Photo: Schöttl
Watching people working: That somehow sounds awkward. But if it is exciting work, it can also be an exciting experience. In particular, how is beer created? How are high-quality cosmetics produced? How is delicious chocolate made? How does a happy pig go together with very special bacon? How many parts are needed to build a lawnmower? How does a company construct electronic components for the best mobile telephones? Those are just some of the examples from «Experience Economy,» which is offered by the Austrian state of Styria. More than 50 companies, from small, fine vinegar producers to international producers of mining machines open their doors to interested parties who don’t just want to see museums and churches. Every year, around five companies more are added. While «seeing» falls short, the most important thing is actually experiencing. «We bring the best creative minds to the business, who then develop a very special company
«Whereas ‹seeing› falls short, the most important thing is actually experiencing.»
CIS Managing Director Eberhard Schrempf: «Appreciation and respect for the production.» Photo: Philipp Podesser
tour,» Eberhard Schrempf, Managing Director of Creative Industries Styria (CIS), describes the concept. In doing so, there is a Win-Win-Win situation created: for the company, which becomes visible in an exciting way and discovers «appreciation and respect for the production» (Schrempf);
the designers, most of whom have significant experience in the staging of exhi bitions; and, of course, the visitors, who gain insights into unknown, fascinating worlds. Those who want to experience how loden (a traditional Styrian fabric) is produced; a fabric that designer labels like Cerruti or Chanel impress with at international fashion shows, how the finest ham ripens or which technical possibilities there are to give water, as a cornerstone of life, a spe cial quality, should dive into this experience world. By the way: The printer that produces STYLEMATE is also a part of this very spe cial world.
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THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| AUSTRIA . STYRIA . EXPERIENCE ECONOMY |
pleasure Almenland Stollenkäse cheese, 100 metres deep in the mountain.
Vulcano: fine ham ripening.
Photo: Schöttl
Photo: Frankl
Left: Beer production at Flecks Bier.
Photo: Schöttl
Right: Electronic components for the best mobile telephones in the world at AT&S.
Photo: Rauch
Photo: Schöttl
Sandvik: mining adventure up close.
Photo: CIS
Handmade Zotter chocolate enjoys an international reputation.
Photo: Rauch
Vinoble: high-quality cosmetics made from grapes.
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| GARDEN CULTURE . ST. JOHANN IN TYROL/KITZBÜHEL . LUXURY TREES |
An old garden is
always animate … … and full of soul. This quote, from Hugo von Hofmannsthal, is certainly applicable to bonsai gardeners. Whoever simply considers artfully-pruned Bonsai trees to simply be miniatures has completely misjudged their special qualities: bonsai trees are something special.
That is because they are in their «natural» form, even though they are rooted in an «artificial» bowl. Or on stone. That is because just as much expert knowledge as artistry is necessary to bring them into shape. These plants are nurtured. And upbringing needs time. Patience. Love. Coercion doesn’t work – neither for people nor for trees. Nurturing is only successful with calm patience. In its home country of Japan, a bonsai is therefore not just perceived in its majestic beauty and stylish elegance, but also treasured as and understood to be an expression of the close connection be tween humans and nature. And right there, lots of soul comes into play. In the tree. And, of course, also in the garden. Surprisingly simple This calmness and sense of standing on their own are characteristics that are also completely in focus in gardens oriented on the Far East. Whether it is in a modern or a classic Japanese garden, in an aquatic garden or Zen garden, in a rock garden or in a dry garden: from the very beginning, the great precision and care is always in the foreground – coupled with centuries of wisdom about the plants, the conditions that they need, the support that they require, but also the effect that they develop in a certain form. Such gardens do good: the eye, the spirit, the body, the soul. As a rule, it is surprisingly simple to conserve them. Once again, there is a similarity to humans: The more it thrives when it is
«Such gardens do good: the eye, the spirit, the body, the soul.»
Photos: LuxuryTrees
growing up, the more prosperous it is in life. It is more robust and can also give its surroundings more pleasure. The fact that such gardens also increase the value of the property that they border is a sustainable extra. Special gardens come from special gardeners: Luxury Trees® – among other things1, it is a very special tree school with a showcase garden in St. Johann in Tyrol – plans them and also implements them – large and small; whether it is on roof terraces, in the front garden or inner court yards, on luxury property or in a housing development. With water or without, with stone or wood. With grass or without. Indoors – Luxury Trees® also carries thousands of old bonsais
up to centuries old as well as bonsai rarities – or outdoor: For every challenge, there is the perfect planning and the appropriate exquisite plant of the highest quality. Creative in terms of design, competent in terms of implementation, sound in terms of care and service – whether it is for private needs, business loca-
1
Tyrol and Japan
In addition to an office in Innsbruck and the showcase garden in St. Johann in Tyrol/Kitzbühel, Luxury Trees® also operates a 200-hectare tree school in Japan with Japan’s most noble plants. At www.luxurytrees.com, the online shop offers a wide range of exclusive bonsai and garden trees, also in full size, as well as specialist literature, tools, bowls, figures and stones.
www.luxurytrees.com 24
tions or the hotel business: «Trees make the garden. We build gardens for generations!» is the heart of the garden philosophy of Thomas Ortner, head of Luxury Trees®.
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
| AUSTRIA . DACHSTEIN SALZKAMMERGUT |
Hot as ice – the
charm of disparity In the mountains surrounding Obertraun and Hallstadt, the experience in Dachstein Krippenstein is not the dreamlike Alpine panorama of the HallstadtDachstein-Salzkammergut World Cultural Heritage region from an airy height, but also some of the greatest Alpine natural wonders – palaces made of ice in the mountains, millions of years old.
The Dachstein Krippenstein cable car makes the way there. Those who want to begin at the top should first take the gondola to the final station at 2,108 metres, in Krippenstein. From there, you can hike to the legendary Five Fingers in just 25 minutes – and be amazed by the unbelievable panorama at a safe stop 500 meters above the gap. Those who are less courageous might prefer to enjoy the spectacular view at the World Cultural Heritage spiral …
Photo: Peter Brugger Photo: DAG-Schoepf
Bizarre ice sculptures and a crystal-clear atmosphere conjure up a mystical concert hall with incomparable resonance space.
Heaven below ground Those who are drawn below should make a stop at the mid-station. It does not just include the Schönberg alm, but also the entrances to the Dachstein ice cave and Mammoth Cave. The powerful chapel, dome and mountains of ice are not just fascinating because of their heavenly beauty. The dimensions of this universe made of ice are also gigantic. In Mammoth Cave, at present, «only» about 50 kilometres have been researched – and there is still no end in sight. In it, natural history millions of years old is clearly visible – and in the Midnight Dome, they can also be experienced in a multi-visual way: from cave researchers in shafts and ravines to cave animals all the way to wonderful small life forms. Those who are interested in active cave research beyond the «normal» tour: In Mammoth Cave, there is also cave trekking or carving with experienced cave guides in more hidden parts of the cave – equipped with professional material and secured on a rope. Icy sounds in the Parsifal dome On every Friday in August, the Dachstein ice cave transforms itself from an Alpine attraction to a musical attraction: bizarre ice sculptures and a crystal-clear atmosphere conjure up a mystical concert hall with incomparable resonance space. In the Parsifal dome of the ice cave, the Eisklang [Icy sounds] concert series has become the musi-
Hallstatt: A famous and picturesque point of departure for experiencing the Salzkammergut.
cal highlight on top of the Dachstein: Whether it is classical, jazz, blues or boogie – the acoustics are amazing and the ambience simply breathtaking. This year, we can look forward to STARS ON ICE with the internationally successful artists Eva Lind and Otto Sauter. Further follow abysmal ROMANCE with works by Chopin, Mendelssohn and Liszt, OPERETTEN TUNES with soprano Miriam Portmann and finally LUSTFULL BAROQUE, played on original historical instruments. And because the Parsifal Dome is a very special concert hall, the access is also special: beginning at 5 pm, cave guides meet the guests beginning at the mid-station and lead them – state border crossing included – through the fascinating Dachstein ice world to the concert. Afterwards, Restaurant Schönbergalm serves an Eisklang meal.
Photo: Viorel-Munteanu
Tourismusverband Inneres Salzkammergut 4822 Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee, Kirchengasse 4 Tel.: +43 (0)6135 8329-0, Fax: +43 (0)6135 8329-74 info@dachstein-salzkammergut.at www.dachstein-salzkammergut.at
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DINGE | | | THINGS
Pho
to
rri : ba
affa que
irs
From wine to spoon – this spoon can do everything «Warning, leave this wooden spoon in your food, and it will give off an aroma,» promises Michael Mass, founder and inventor of The Cooking Spoon. «The cooking spoon with a taste of its own stands out due to its limited edition and its one-of-a-kind aroma. The Cooking Spoon is made of old barrique wine barrels. From the best vintners in the world, of course.» Right now, a standard time edition is being sold in the Viennese vintage design store Lichterloh, with cooking spoons made of barrels from the Viennese vineyard SixPack. And a limited edition made of barrique barrels from the Italian vineyard Castorani will be presented over the course of the Ennstal classic. It’s a perfect match, and the vintner is former Formula 1 driver Jarno Trulli. www.barriqueaffairs.com
Rare Wines The 2015 Ried Pössnitzberg Alte Reben® sauvignon blanc from the Erwin Sabathi vineyard is a very special wine. It is 100% handmade, because the steep vineyard in the STK region (STK stands for «Styrian Terroir and Classic») does not permit the use of big machines. And there are just a few bottles of the fine wine. EUR 43.00, www.sabathi.com
A true masterpiece
Photo: Sabathi
This Pinus parviflora Glauca is one, if there ever was one. The hardy bonsai was placed in its bowl 350 years ago, when Bernini was completing the colonnades in St Peter’s Square. It is no surprise that the beautiful tree, in semi-cascade style, won the most famous bonsai exhibition in the world, Kokufu-ten. www.luxurytrees.com
Photo: LuxuryTrees Pho
to: s
hop
viu
Handmade Label founders Fabrice Aeberhard and Christian Kaegi studied Industrial Design at the Zurich University of the Arts. Who is surprised that style icon Iris Apfel also loves their designs? VIU produces sustainably in a family-run traditional manufacture in the Italian Dolomites. All of the handmade cotton acetate models are available as sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses. Now the offer has been expanded with two models made of pure titanium. www.shopviu.com
100 percent fair In addition to bags, QWSTION has also begun to produce all-weather coats (in cooperation with D.N.S.), which were awarded the German Ecodesign Prize in 2016. The coat is made of 100 percent organic cotton and is durable, fashionable, functional and sustainable. From the very beginning, it was important to the founders to maintain the EU’s BSCI production guidelines. www.qwstion.com
Photo: qwstion
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THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
Photo: Vitória
| THINGS |
Table and bowl
Photo: Wever & Ducré
The VITÓRIA porcelain table is both. An elegant side table and bowl for storing of very special belongings or fruit. It was created in cooperation between the Neue Wiener Werkstaette and the porcelain manufacturer Augarten, as a symbiosis of both types of handicrafts. It was conceptualised by designer Thomas Feichtner. Made of solid oak, in black, with a white porcelain bowl, height x width x depth: 750 x 410 x 410 mm. EUR 1,490.00, www.nww.at
Our favourite glassy pendant Looking for a little bit of retro charm? Then WETRO is perfect for you, because this hand-blown luminaire can also be easily extended into a chandelier when hosting a dinner with friends. How does it work? Quite simply. With different luminaire sizes that can be combined for any occasion. And in case you always wanted to know where WETRO gets its beautiful colour, here’s the trick: The glass body is plated in copper or vapour coated in black. This lends the luminaire a unique flair that steals the show in bars or restaurants – or anywhere else. www.weverducre.com
Photo: www.demmertee.com/press/Matcha/
The essential tool for matcha connoisseur: Chasen bamboo broom The chasen, a traditional Japanese matcha broom, makes the jade-green speciality the way it should be: a creamy drinking pleasure. No matter whether it is enjoyed pure or as a matcha latte, the foam head is a must. It is created when the tea powder infused with hot water is vigorously beaten inside the tea bowl and may not fall. To do so, the original tool from Asia is needed. Available at Demmers Teehaus for EUR 15.90. If you would like to professionally store your chasen, choose the appropriate broom holder for it (around EUR 13.20) or as a set with the hand-potted matcha bowl (EUR 42.90). www.tee.at/catalogsearch/result/?q=chasen
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| DIALOGUE . FUTURE |
Everything flows Text: Min Li
Silke Seemann is a business woman, economist and researcher – among others, at one of the most important think tanks for the research of trends. In Matthias Horx and Harry Gatterer’s Zukunftsinstitut [Future Institute], «Mind changers» and businesses work on solutions for the future together. That is also the case for Seemann, who doesn’t just think about tourism research, but also implements it: in her Hallstatt Hideway, concepts, regional culture and internationality in nature, culture and her guests collide. Reflections from a discussion about the future of hospitality.
«As a result of living and acting in networks, complementary thinking is becoming a megatrend.» Silke Seemann
Photo: Hallstatt Hideaway
Photo: Karl Sturm
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Borders flow – even if some people still speak and write about fixed, excluded aspects of regional, cultural or economic boundaries. Trend setters show that boundaries in thought can be disrupted and bridges can be built from them. Just like the strict separation of work and free time has already been replaced by blended living, the complementary «both x and y» is replacing the exclusive «either a or b» in almost all areas of society. Because innovative ideas are not produced on a conveyor belt, companies ensure that there is lots of light and plants and create cosy collaboration zones for their knowledge workers. The creative class has a different image of work. They always work. Flashes of inspiration that they might suddenly have on holiday are immediately fed into the system, because tempus fugit, time flies, and with it, the (burning) idea. As a result of living and acting in networks, complementary thinking is becoming a mega-trend.
«Extremely fast internet, USB connections, technical facilities that are compatible with devices from all over the world, and spaces that can be equally used to create a relaxing private atmosphere combined with the possibility of work are absolutely decisive as a sign of sensible and, therefore, good, hospitality,» begins Seemann, with the aspect of infrastructure with regard to this trend and the changing guest needs that are a result of this. «Today, a guest does not let the hotel(ier) stipulate what he does. He might want to work for an hour in the morning and then spend three hours on the slopes or at the lake and then continue his project after that. The hotel(iers) must support this freedom, the autonomy of their guests, with their offers. That is already the case now and will only increase in the future.» She consequently implements this must in her own hotel – there are laptop pillows, energy
www.silke.at
www.lifestylehotels.net/hallstatt-hideaway
Respecting autonomy
and network connections everywhere in areas to relax and work that are welcoming as well as stylish. Even the new garden is connected to the newly-installed glass fibre connection, so that guests from all over the world can individualise the beauty of nature with streams of their favourite music and, in doing so, also feel like they are at home away from home at the lake. It has to do with feeling Because work and freedom are increasingly merging, personal needs are also doing so. That means that the feeling of really being «at home» is becoming in-
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creasingly important – even on holiday, which is, quite simply, a place to live. «So that a guest can really feel at home, the staff has to be extremely capable to encounter. Employees who are in resonance with their guests and completely understand the needs of this certain person ensure welcoming encounters. This aspect is much more important than the highly-praised ‹Qualification in Service.› Doing the job technically well is no longer sufficient.» In contact with the people who represent the place, the guests have to be able to immediately feel well. At the Hallstatt Hideaway, among other
| DIALOGUE . FUTURE |
things, that also means having a fine sense of cultural specifics and acting accordingly. «For example, guests from Asia sometimes find it embarrassing if someone has to explain something to them – something like how traditional wooden windows work. Therefore, upon check-in, every guest receives an iPad from us that includes instructions, tips, etc. in the form of video clips. By doing so, our guests immediately feel like they are the master of their own home and are not required to ask someone something or have to listen to something. They just don’t have to deal with something like that at home – so, not at their home away from home, either.» And: Tourism can also be a good platform to make people more familiar with new technologies. That is how a separating glass wall can be used in its traditional function or separate space, but you can also use it as a transparent screen. A game with opposites that are neither compatible nor incompatible, but complementary – and in doing so, leading to increased value. Not a fake An additional trend that is becoming increasingly important is authenticity. Translated to the field of tourism, it approximately means: there cannot be a hotel for everyone. According to Seemann, every host must think about who he or she is, what his or her resources are and which guests want to feel authentically addressed by it. This is because guests recognise fakes and adversely react to it. «Let’s take a child-friendly hotel as an example,» says the trend researcher. «A hotel like this is outfitted for children from top to bottom – from the offers, the design, the furniture, the ambience all the way to the service. The parents, who
«For people who have increasingly high demands and subjectively suffer from increasingly less time, the price is no criterion in the selection.»
| NEUE WIENER WERKSTAETTE . DESIGN AWARD |
are adults, are ‹just› com panions. The children and their very specific needs are in the centre.» And: if a house is betting on quiet / recreation or maybe also on style / culture, then it is not just legitimate, but rather recommended, to offer «protective zones» for certain groups of guests – people that want to sleep late, couples or solo guests seeking quiet. This selectivity due to needs serves both sides: there is hardly anything more stressful than to make children adjust to an environment that is not suitable for children. The unequivocal statement is relaxing in every way. Increasingly volatile Brevity and the short-term nature also result from the increasing merger of the living environment. The trend is already increasingly towards shorter trips and, therefore, very short-term bookings – which also has various economic consequences: «The price structure of the hotels is becoming increasingly volatile,» Seemann knows. Even at smaller hotels, seasonal prices are becoming obsolescent. As a rule, guests with an international horizon don’t have a problem if they notice that prices rise if demand increases – and the other way around. «That is maybe not the case for guests from the area – Austria and Germany.» The connection with the focus on needs is also playing a role in the profitability: «If there are lots of bookings, more staff has to be available – the logical consequence of that is that the price also increases.» Conversely, it must also be possible to adjust it back – and therefore offer it more inexpensively. «Number of employees, price structure, availability, demand – in the future, all of these areas will become increasingly volatile,» says the economist. For people who have increasingly high demands and subjectively suffer from increasingly less time, the price is no criterion in the selection – here, only the question about whether guests’ needs are being optimally met or even exceeded counts.
Arriving in design The third Neue Wiener Werkstaette Design Award is dedicated to the art of hospitality. Submissions are possible until the end of June, 2017.
Every hotel makes an impression through its people, its ambience – but also through its interior, its furniture. That is the domain of the Neue Wiener Werkstaette (NWW), as a producer of exclusive furniture. With the current Design Award for designers and students alike, the NWW is setting an example: The theme is «The new hospitality – How furniture supports us in the art of hosting.» Also, in a society that is always in motion in real life and virtually, arrival and accommodation are becoming even more important. New places should trigger wellbeing and give orientation. Guests should feel welcome and like they are at home from the first instant. The NWW Design Award wants to drive this forward: «Furniture that offers practical assistance with storage, mounting, change, folding out, personalisation, folding in, working and hosting is in demand,» states the information. An exciting challenge for young designers. Especially, since a top-level jury led by the US-American designer Karim Rashid selects the winners and the best items will be turned into prototypes by the Neue Wiener Werkstaette and go on a travelling exhibition. The prize money amounts to EUR 5,000, by the way. The award also serves to support young talents, aside from commercial interests. With the first two awards from 2012 and 2014, a network was established of around 600 creative minds from more than 20 countries.
Photo: Neue Wiener Werkstaette
NWW CEO Stefan Polzhofer: impetus for new hospitality
we can access a large network and perfectly introduce our know-how as a furniture manufacturer. Two successfully-implemented awards show that our engagement in the young design scene is flourishing and a lot of potential is still hidden in the area of creative interiors,» says Stefan Polzhofer, CEO of the New Wiener Werkstaette, and hopes for strong participation. And maybe some of the design ideas that are found will soon be real home furnishings in one lifestyle hotel or another.
«In a society that is always in motion, arrival and accommo dation are becoming even more important.»
«Thanks to strong partners and co-operations with universities, www.nww-designaward.org THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
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| HOTELS IN THIS ISSUE |
PLETA DE MAR | PAGE 3
STADTHOTEL BRUNNER | PAGE 8
PARKHOTEL BELLEVUE & SPA | PAGE 10
Hotel Directory THOMAS HOTEL | PAGE 18
| Austria | Achenkirch | Das Kronthaler Bad Erlach | Hotel & Spa Linsberg Asia Bramberg am Wildkogel | Wildkogel Resort Fuegen | Alpina Zillertal Family.Lifestyle.Hotel Gaschurn | Montafon Luxury Lodge und SPA Hotel Geinberg | Geinberg5 Private Spa Villas Graz | Augarten Art Hotel Graz | Roomz Graz Hallstatt | Hallstatt Hideaway Innsbruck | Nala Individuellhotel Kals am Großglockner | Gradonna Mountain Resort Kaltenbach | Das Kaltenbach Kappl | Hotel Zhero – Kappl/Ischgl Kaprun | Lederer's Living Laengenfeld | Naturhotel Waldklause Lech | Berghotel Sonnblick
CORTISEN AM SEE | PAGE 21
30
HOTEL TRES | PAGE 18
Leogang | Puradies Maria Alm am Hochkönig | Hotel Eder Mellau | Sonne Lifestyle Resort Nauders | Aparthotel Arabella Obergurgl | Hotel The Crystal Saalbach Hinterglemm | Alpin Juwel Saalbach Hinterglemm | Art & Ski-In Hotel Hinterhag Saalbach Hinterglemm | Thomsn Rock Hotel Salzburg | Arthotel Blaue Gans Salzburg | Hotel & Villa Auersperg Schladming | Stadthotel Brunner See in Paznaun | Hotel Weisses Lamm Seefeld | Nidum Casual Luxury Hotel Serfaus – Fiss – Ladis | Alfa Hotel Serfaus – Fiss – Ladis | Alpslodge – Life. Style.Hotel.Fiss Serfaus – Fiss – Ladis | Hotel Gebhard Soelden | Bergland Hotel Sölden
BERGLAND SÖLDEN | PAGE 19
St. Wolfgang | Cortisen am See Uderns/Zillertal | Sportresidenz Zillertal Vienna | Hollmann Beletage Vienna | Hotel Schani Wien
| China | Nanjing | Kayumanis Nanjing
| France | Paris | Hôtel Félicien Paris | Hôtel Odyssey
| Germany | Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Das Graseck Husum an der Nordsee | Thomas Hotel Spa & Lifestyle Munich | Cocoon Sendlinger Tor Munich | Cocoon Stachus Nuremberg | Art&Business Hotel
HOTEL EDER | PAGE 21
THE STYLEMATE ISSUE NO 01 | 2017
HALLSTATT HIDEAWAY | PAGE 28
| HOTELS IN THIS ISSUE |
HOTEL DES BALANCES | PAGE 11
ARTHOTEL BLAUE GANS | PAGE 18
BERGHOTEL MAIBRUNN | PAGE 18
PURADIES | PAGE 19
NIDUM HOTEL | PAGE 20
LOCANDA AL COLLE | PAGE 20
Sankt Englmar | Berghotel Maibrunn St. Peter Ording | StrandGut Resort Stuttgart | V8 Hotel Timmendorfer Strand | Sand Timmendorfer Strand | Seehuus
| Great Britain | London | Sanderson London | St Martin's Lane
| Hungary | Budapest | Lanchid 19
| Italy | Alta Badia | Hotel Tofana Explorer's Home Amalfi-Coast | Casa Angelina Brixen | Hotel Pupp Camaiore/Tuscany | Locanda al Colle Tirolo near Merano | Küglerhof
Florence | Home Hotel Florence Gsies | La Casies Livigno/Lombardy | Hotel Larice Merano | Art & Design Hotel ImperialArt Rabland | Design Hotel Tyrol Rimini | i-Suite Sardinia | Cala Caterina Sardinia | La Coluccia Venice | Ca'Sagredo Venice | Palazzo Barbarigo Vinschgau | Romantik Hotel Weisses Kreuz
Mallorca | Hotel Can Simoneta Mallorca | Hotel Tres Mallorca | Hotel Zhero – Palma Mallorca | Pleta de Mar Tenerife | Baobab Suites
| Portugal |
Adelboden | Parkhotel Bellevue Lucerne | Hotel des Balances Samnaun | Alpinlodge & Spa Zermatt | Hotel Firefly Zermatt | Matterhorn Focus
Albufeira | Vila Joya Funchal | Quinta da Bela Vista Lagos | Vila Valverde
| Spain |
| Sri Lanka | Dickwella South | UTMT – Underneath the Mango Tree
| Switzerland |
| Turkey |
Mallorca | Convent de la Missio Mallorca | Font Santa Hotel
Bodrum | Doria Hotel Bodrum
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Visualisation
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