KACHEN #25 (Winter 2020) English edition

L Ë T Z E B U E R G E S C H
ENGLISH
EDITION
WINTER
32
PAGE
CHRISTMAS
SPECIAL
COSY TIME
Happy Holidays
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No. 25
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EDITORIAL
Stop – rewind
Six months ago, we had the chance to press the pause button
and to rethink our life choices and courses of action.
What happened? As soon as we were “allowed” to get back
out, the game was set to zero. What does the pandemic
matter, let’s fly southbound, we’ll holiday and party as if
nothing had happened… Do you remember my COVID
editorial in the summer edition? Driving headlong into
a wall seems to be our fate. It is definitely time to turn
off autopilot and to consciously make an effort to take our
life into our own hands; to change things, viewpoints, and
priorities. The pandemic will leave traces, one way or another,
and force us to make changes; some of which are a
long time coming. Large parts of the economy are on their
knees and will have to reinvent themselves in order to
survive: the travel industry, the hotel and catering industry,
the cultural sector, the fashion and cosmetic sector,
and many more. They need our help! We will only manage
if we act together, and only if we don’t throw in the towel
now. It is a comparatively small sacrifice to do without
trivial pleasures if we can save lives that way and keep the
economy going – yes, that too is important – and so secure
the many jobs that are in danger. The longer the situation
is ongoing, the worse things will get.
Be the change you want to see
in this world
Dear Readers,
“Let’s take it from the top…”, a classic phrase from the
world of film when a take goes down the drain and has to
be repeated. The governments seem to have been somewhat
too optimistic concerning the virus, on the one hand,
and the “self-initiative of their citizens” on the other. Now
we are back at the point where we were six months ago,
only this time, it’s worse. Now it’s “back to the start” – just
like in a board game – only, for us, it’s serious business.
For our own protection, and especially for all those of our
fellow humans who are vulnerable, this is necessary. Even
if some do not appreciate the gravity of the situation and
“do not want to stop living.” Personal responsibility was
never so important, and the relinquishing of parties and
social life must be done until further notice. We’re not at
war nor are we starving – we must simply stay at home.
Hang in there!
The verbiage “think positive” might sound corny, but in
times of trouble it has something to say. Instead of moaning
about the government not doing enough, we should
ask ourselves what we can do. I recommend our feature
on page 136, in which a professional coach gives us a few
useful tips. If I were to make a list of all the positives of a
curfew, there would be quite a few pointers: No more commute
to work, hardly any makeup, comfortable clothes,
no appointment stress, doing only that what is really important,
no endless meetings, no forced encounters with
toxic acquaintances, time to read and cuddle, me-time,
family-time, online yoga, forest bathing, shopping locally,
doing your own cooking, trying new recipes, learning new
skills, discovering unknown talents, etc. etc. etc. Try making
your own list and you will be astonished how much
you will accumulate on the credit side. Perhaps this will
help you to overcome even this difficult phase and prepare
us for the new beginning that will come eventually.
There’s no place like home
We have managed, even under difficult circumstances,
to produce our extra big Christmas edition, which you
will hopefully receive on time in the post or at your local
newsagent. There are 192 pages in this edition, with extra
topics for the holidays and many suggestions, tips, ideas,
and readable features, that will make staying at home that
much more pleasurable and the time fly by. We are also
there for you virtually and are preparing a large amount
of extra online content: recipes, news, online workshops,
and videos for the coming weeks. Already during the first
lockdown, we were able to witness the growth and getting-together
of the KACHEN community, and we guarantee,
we will continue to be there for you!
Make the best of the situation, be creative, enjoy the time
to yourself, and, above all: stay healthy!
Bibi Wintersdorf
and the entire team at KACHEN
1
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SUMMARY
17
31
18
43
92
56
68
34
41
2
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SUMMARY
SECTIONS
MAGAZINE
LUXEMBOURG
RESTAURANT & SHOP NEWS — 6
NEWS — 8
PRODUCTS THAT WE LOVE — 10
BOOKS — 12
KACHEN WORKSHOPS — 80
BLOG AWARD — 104
RECIPE DIRECTORY — 158
IMPRINT — 159
PORTRAIT OF A CHEF — 90
René Mathieu
CHEF’S MASTER CLASS — 92
Beetroot & hogweed root, fermented milk,
amaranth & plums
MADE IN LUXEMBOURG — 128
Hootli, stylish in knitwear
FARMERS RECIPE — 96
Beef broth with bone marrow dumplings
by Simone Schmit-Krack
TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH — 98
Eeër am Jelli (eggs in aspic)
by Marianne Wintersdorf
GRANNY’S RECIPE — 100
No flour chocolate gateau
by Bettina Jamek-Stemberger
MY LUXEMBOURG — 102
Wäinzoossiss, truffled chicken gravy &
Jerusalem artichokes by François Xavier Ferrol
RESTAURANT PORTRAIT — 104
L’Annexe - Project of a committed woman
SEASONAL RECIPES — 14
A feast for the senses
SEASONAL RECIPES — 30
Theresa Baumgärtner
“Wundervolle Weihnachtsbäckerei”
SEASONAL RECIPES — 34
Gingerbread
SEASONAL RECIPES — 38
A certain concept for our future
Recipes by Frank Fol & Michaël Vrijmoed
BAKING BASICS — 44
Linzer Torte
STEP BY STEP — 48
Chewy & fudgy brownies
VEGAN
Bakhaus - Chocolate log — 54
Beetroot cobb, tofu, roast & crêpes — 56
VEGETARIAN RECIPE — 62
Creamy soup with parsnip, pear & hazelnuts
FEATURE SUGAR
The calorie-heavy temptation — 64
Recipes all around sugar — 68
SEASONAL FRUIT — 72
Oranges
SEASONAL VEGETABLE — 82
Fennel
DO IT YOURSELF — 88
Heike’s tasty treats
FEATURE CRÉMANT — 108
30 years on the road to success
FEATURE RON MIEL — 112
A cure for itchy feet
VINTNER FAMILIES — 116
Domaine Sunnen-Hoffmann in Remerschen
NOBLE DROPS — 118
3
HAPPY HOUR RECIPES
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SUMMARY
MINDFUL LIVING
PASSIONATE — 120
BYOO STORE - The spirit of sustainable
shopping
INFO-INTOX — 122
Christmas in numbers
CONSUME DIFFERENTLY — 124
Sustainable Christmas ideas
FASHION — 126
Second-hand - not an insignificant option!
124
WELLBEING
MOOD — 130
How to enjoy the festive season without guilt
HEALTH & NUTRITION — 132
Vegan, vegetarian or flexi
GREEN KITCHEN — 134
Christmas without stress in the kitchen
LIVING BETTER — 136
Good advice is valuable with Stefan Schröder
COLUMN — 138
Covid-19 & the diverse scientific opinion
134
INSPIRATION
KACHEN ON TOUR
MUST HAVES — 140
Chrismas magic
MUST HAVES — 142
A unique living space...
DESIGN IN LUXEMBOURG — 146
Danielle Grosbusch
LUXEMBOURG — 148
Robbesscheier - Much more than a village museum
ON TOUR WITH CFL — 150
The Guttland region - Peace & relaxation in the
heart of Luxembourg
EUROPE — 154
Jens Rittmeyer - No joy without sauce
140
4
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

THE TEAM
95
Do not
open before
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
TRADITIONS — 2
The Christmas spirit
WORKSHOP — 8
The elves tinker!
GIFTS — 16
For her & him, kids’ tribe, granny & grandpa,
home sweet home
INSPIRATION — 22
Festive tables with Heike Meyers
FEATURE — 28
Champagne
EXPLANATION
Our recipes are marked
with icons that show,
at a glance, which
allergens they contain.
Vegan
Vegetarian
Dairy-free
Sugar-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
CHEFS
FRANÇOIS XAVIER FERROL
BERTRAND DUCHAMPS
FRANK FOL
MICHAËL VRIJMOED
RENÉ MATHIEU
JENS RITTMEYER
5
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RESTAURANT & SHOP NEWS
LA RÔTISSERIE
ARDENNAISE
1, avenue du Dix Septembre – Luxembourg
Tel. +352 / 45 09 74
SEED
5 rue Chimay – Luxembourg
Tel. +352 / 26 20 15 30
www.rotisserie-ardennaise.lu
www.beet.lu
Severin Laface, creator of Come à la Maison, decorator
and passionate restaurateur is back with a new project:
La Rôtisserie Ardennaise.
In the kitchen, we discover the Chef François-Xavier
Ferrol, who was trained by Eric Frechon and Yannick
Alléno, among others. The Chef delivers an inventive
cuisine in a wood charcoal oven. The astonishing combination
of flavours are created from fresh and organic
products, served in an authentic and entirely renovated
setting. Indeed, the Rôtisserie Ardennaise offers you the
best of our Terroirs with sublime pieces of meat from
noble breeds. Matured for a minimum of 4 weeks, and up
to several months, in order to tenderise and enhance the
taste of the beef. In addition to these exceptional meats,
you will find labelled poultry and organic free-range
chickens, home-made sausages, but also excellent fish.
And our home-made bread is made with 100% Luxemburgish
flour.
After opening two successful vegan restaurants, the
team behind BEET is back with a whole new project: SEED,
a vegan coffee place also serving juices and cocktails.
The idea is to offer a relaxed atmosphere and serve
food cooked with mostly organic, consciously-sourced,
local, and seasonal ingredients. The coffee shop is
plant-based, supports local producers, recycles a lot and
fights against unnecessary waste on a daily basis. The
goal is to preserve our planet and to inspire everyone to
contribute through simple acts.
Your new perfect coffee spot! You can also now order
special Meal Boxes for you to enjoy vegan dishes at home!
6
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RESTAURANT & SHOP NEWS
NESPRESSO
CITY CONCORDE
80 route de Longwy – Bertrange
WINE NOT
Place Joseph Thorn – Merl
www.nespresso.lu
Nespresso inaugurated a new and fourth point of sale in
Luxembourg. For the first time, the company is installing
a pop-up store in the City Concorde shopping centre
in Bertrange, where customers can discover and buy
Nespresso coffee. Additionally, customers can also
take their used capsules back to the new site for recycling.
This pop-up store brings the number of collection
points for used capsules in Luxembourg to more than
20. Nespresso is also in discussion with the authorities
responsible to enable the recycling of capsules via the
blue Valorlux bags. Finally, the company intends to
continue expanding its network in Luxembourg over the
coming months and will make further announcements in
the near future.
Cocottes and the Cave des Sommeliers will soon be
united in a new boutique! Indeed, the company providing
ready-to-eat and the wine expert have decided to join
forces to create a unique concept in Luxembourg: Wine
Not. You will normally be able to discover this joint
project in December at Place Joseph Thorn in Merl. The
goal is to create a different kind of shop by combining
the atmosphere of both the Cave des Sommeliers and
that of Cocottes’ “cosy nests.“ With a surface area of 250
m 2 , seating for 80 people indoors and around 100 on the
terrace, this place could quickly become the ideal place
for an afterwork party or gathering. Indeed, events such
as tasting evenings will be offered with a wide selection
of wines available by the glass. All of this will be
combined with the catered dishes prepared by Cocottes
(and others), and for which the sommelier will stand by
to offer knowledgeable suggestions.
7
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

NEWS
NEW 100% LUXEMBOURGISH PASTA &
FLOUR RANGE
Les Moulins de Kleinbettingen is taking another step
forward by launching two new product ranges directly
from the Luxembourgish wheat fields under the brand
name “LE MOULIN.”
The goal is to offer consumers several high-quality, local
products that can provide total transparency on the origins
of the raw material. This is why they have launched
their first range of 100% Luxembourg-made durum
wheat pasta, together with a 100% natural flour range,
which aims to meet every need.
A launch that is fully in line with the philosophy of the
mills: to commit themselves as a Luxembourgish player
for the local ecosystem and always favour short food
supply chains.
Discover these two new ranges in all your shops.
lemoulin1704.lu
THE WINNERS OF THE GAULT&MILLAU GUIDE
LUXEMBOURG 2021 HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED!
Gault&Millau, the publisher of gastronomic
guides, unveiled the winners of its brand-new
edition of the 2021 Luxembourg Guide on Monday,
26th of October at Parc Hotel Alvisse. In
spite of the circumstances, Gault&Millau was
keen to stay on course and honour Luxembourg’s
restaurants and craftspeople by offering its second
edition of “A Taste of Luxembourg”, a guide
that is 100% Luxembourgish.
We would especially like to congratulate René
Mathieu, chef of the restaurant “La Distillerie”
in Bourglinster who was awarded “Chef of the
Year”; Louis Linster, Restaurant Léa Linster, “Young
Chef of the Year”; Renato Favaro, Restaurant
Cômo, “Mediterranean of the Year”, HORESCA,
“Personality of the Year”; and congratulations
all the other winners too. Find the full list on our
website.
gaultmillau.lu
8
© FLAMION X SEPTEMBRE © FLAMION X SEPTEMBRE
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

NEWS
API, THE FIRST 100% PLANT-BASED PASTRY IN
LUXEMBOURG
© ANNE-PASCALE WILMOTTE
After having travelled all over France, Paris, Marseille,
and Aix en Provence, and learning from the pioneers of
vegetable pastry, Anne-Pascale Wilmotte, a qualified
pastry chef, launched her pastry project in Luxembourg,
where she has been living for the last ten years, with
creations composed exclusively of vegetable products.
Today, consumers look for authenticity, ethics, ecology,
new flavours, good and healthy products... and only
vegetable-based pastry is able to truly respond to all of
these concerns. From pastries to Saint Honoré, from seasonal
tarts to celebration cakes, vegetable-based pastry
is contemporary, refined, exquisite and elegant. API’s
philosophy is to be a pastry shop that conscientiously
shapes natural products into delicacies for everyone, and
to see them being shared and tasted in moments of “API.
NESS.”
Discover these yummy pastries in the new SEED café, rue
de Chimay in Luxembourg city.
apipastry.lu
OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE “CLUB DES
CHOCOLATIERS ENGAGÉS”
Its purpose is to create a unique network of members committed to quality chocolate
that combines demanding and responsible values. Indeed, the “Club Chocolatiers
Engagés” is a voluntary association created by
passionate craftspeople to support the “Chocolatiers
Engagés” approach. “By putting the producer back at
the heart of the creation and transformation process,
we, as members of the Club, wish to demonstrate
our responsibility by choosing to use quality cocoa,
obtained in conditions that respect the environment,
as well as the women and men who participate in its
production,” explains Daniel Mercier, chocolate maker
at Baugy and President of the Club. Club members are
therefore committed to promoting sustainable cocoa
in France and around the world, by buying and using
raw materials from the production of partner cooperatives.
In Luxembourg, Ochocolats with the Sigoji brand is a
member of the Club des Chocolatiers Engagés.
chocolatiers-engages.com
1 er Octobre 2020
Lancement Officiel du Club des Chocolatiers Engagés
Un réseau unique d’acteurs engagés
pour un chocolat de qualité
aux valeurs exigeantes et responsables.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
9

PRODUCTS THAT WE LOVE
JADO
Creative & personalized gift ideas
from Luxembourg
In cooperation with selected local partners, Jado develops
modern and creative gift ideas. For example, the
first Advent calendar with 24 different spirits from all
over Luxembourg was developed with 14 local partners.
Other items can be designed completely individually
and, among other things, refined with personal notes.
There is something for every occasion and every age.
So, if you still need gift ideas for the upcoming holidays,
stop by jado.lu
LUXLAIT
Lactose-free milk from Luxembourg
at last!
People suffering from lactose intolerance have not
been able to consume locally until now. The dairy cooperative
Luxlait has put an end to this. The first 0% lactose
milk made with 100% Luxembourgish milk is finally
available.
A high-quality, tasty milk with a long shelf life awaits
you in your supermarkets nearby.
luxlait.lu
DOMAINE L&R KOX
produces its first “verjus”
Last August, Domaine L&R Kox launched the production
of the first “verjus” produced in Luxembourg. It is
often used in cooking as a great alternative to lemon,
vinegar or sour juice and is a real treat for any chef.
The production of “verjus” is also part of the Domaine’s
approach to utilize all that the vine has to offer. Based
on the motto “in the vineyard, everything is good!”.
domainekox.lu
10
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

The experience of a moment...
CHRISTMAS
IN THE JARDINS…
TREAT YOURSELF OR OTHERS
TO A GOURMET MOMENT OF
RELAXATION!
Visit our web page jardinsdanais.lu to
discover our gift boxes to slip
under the tree... -10%
WITH THE CODE
KACHENLJA
GIFT VOUCHERS WILL BE VALID FOR 1 YEAR - ENJOY THE PROMOTIONAL CODE KACHENLJA UNTIL 25 DECEMBER 2020
Gastronomic restaurant, 1 star Michelin Guide: open Tuesday to Friday for lunch and dinner and Saturday evening • Hotel open 7 days a week
Les Jardins d’Anaïs • 2 place Sainte Cunégonde, L-1367 Luxembourg (quartier de Clausen) • (+352) 28 99 80 00 • reservation@jardinsdanais.lu • www.jardinsdanais.lu

BOOKS
COOK, EAT, REPEAT:
Ingredients, recipes and stories
— Nigella Lawson —
‘Food, for me, is a constant pleasure:
I like to think greedily about it, reflect
deeply on it, learn from it; it provides
comfort, inspiration, meaning and
beauty... More than just a mantra,
“cook, eat, repeat” is the story of my
life.’
352 pages — Chatto & Windus
ISBN 978-1784743666
NADIYA BAKES:
Includes all the delicious recipes
from the BBC2 TV series
— Nadiya Hussain —
Our beloved Bake-Off winner has
created your ultimate baking cookbook
to help you conquer cakes,
biscuits, traybakes, tarts and pies,
showstopping desserts, breads,
savoury bakes, and even ‘no-bake’
bakes - all with her signature
mouth-watering twists.
256 pages — Michael Joseph
ISBN 978-0241396612
FALASTIN:
A Cookbook
— Sami Tamimi & Tara Wigley —
FALASTIN is a love letter to
Palestine. An evocative collection
of over 110 unforgettable recipes
and stories from the co-authors
of Jerusalem and Ottolenghi: The
Cookbook, and Ottolenghi SIMPLE.
352 pages — Ebury Press
ISBN 978-1785038723
A BLISSFUL FEAST:
Culinary Adventures in Italy’s Piedmont, Maremma, and Le
Marche
— Teresa Lust —
Moving from the Italian Piedmont to the Maremma and then
to Le Marche, chef Teresa Lust interweaves portraits of the
people who served as her culinary guides with cultural and
natural history in this charming exploration of authentic
Italian cuisine.
304 pages — Pegasus Books
ISBN 978-1643133300
12
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
A FEAST
FOR THE SENSES
For many of us, Christmas may be a little quieter this year, but, in order to retain some of the pre-Christmas
joy despite our new reality, we have put together some particularly colourful and varied recipes, which are
guaranteed to make the hearts of Christmas lovers everywhere beat faster.
We wish you a lot of joy in cooking and baking these delicious and extraordinary dishes and desserts and
hope that we can tempt you to celebrate and enjoy, or simply to dream.
14
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
CORN SALAD
WITH SURIMI & RICE
Serves 4
20 minutes
4 minutes
› 4 quail eggs
› 100 g boiled rice, from the day
before
› 4 tbsp canned sweetcorn
› 250 g Surimi
› 2 tbsp olive oil
› ½ lemon, juice
› Salt
› Pepper from the mill
› 4 large Iceberg lettuce leaves
› 4 tbsp fresh cream
› Parsley, to garnish
1 Cook the quail eggs in boiling water
for about 4 minutes until hard, drain
and submerge in cold water. Leave to
cool slightly, peel them carefully and
cut them in half.
2 Put the rice with the drained
sweetcorn in a bowl.
3 Cut the Surimi into pieces and mix
with oil and lemon juice. Season with
salt and pepper and mix well.
4 Wash the lettuce leaves, shake
them and fill them with the surimi
mixture. Cover each leaf with two egg
halves and add a little cream. Garnish
with parsley and serve
15
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MIXED NIÇOISE SALAD
Serves 4 – 6 30 minutes 20 minutes
› 500 g firm potatoes
› Salt
› 2 handfuls of rocket salad
› 200 g tuna, in oil, drained
› 200 g cherry tomatoes
› 4 hard-boiled eggs
› 200 g blanched green beans
› 100 g black olives, without pits
For the seasoning
› 250 g plain yoghurt
› 2 tbsp chopped herbs, e.g. parsley,
tarragon, chives
› Salt
› Pepper from the mill
› ½ lemon juice
› 1 pinch of sugar
1 Wash, peel and dice the potatoes and cook them in
boiling salted water for about 20 minutes. Drain and allow
dripping off.
2 Sort the rocket salad, wash and shake dry. Set aside
a few leaves for decoration. Tear the tuna into pieces.
Wash and cut the tomatoes in half. Peel the eggs and cut
them into slices. If necessary, cut the beans into smaller
pieces. Cut the olives into slices.
3 Place all the ingredients one after the other in a large
container (approx. 1.5 l). Garnish with the rest of the
rocket salad.
4 Mix the yoghurt with the remaining ingredients for the
dressing. Pour into a small bowl and serve as a side dish.
16
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
ROAST CHICKEN IN A BACON DRESS
Serves 4 40 minutes 1 hour 30 minutes
› Salt
› Pepper from the mill
› Rolls, from the day before
› 60 g walnut kernels
› ½ a handful of mixed herbs, e.g.
parsley, thyme, rosemary
› 1 onion
› 1 apple
› 1 tbsp lemon juice
› 1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
› Sugar
› Nutmeg, grated
› Approx. 50 ml warm milk
› Breadcrumbs
› 150 – 200 g bacon (or in thin slices)
› 50 ml white wine
› Approximately 350 ml of chicken
stock
› Rosemary sprigs, for decoration
1 Wash the chicken inside out and remove all
visible fat. Wipe the chicken dry and add salt and
pepper to the inside.
2 Cut the rolls into slices and soak them in lukewarm
water. Roast the walnuts in a fat-free coated
pan, set aside and allow to cool, then chop them
into pieces. Rinse the herbs and shake dry. Remove
the leaves from the mixed herbs and half of the
thyme and chop them finely. Peel and finely chop
the onion. Wash and quarter the apples, remove
the seeds, cut them into small cubes and mix them
with the lemon juice.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan and sweat the diced
onions until translucent. Add the herbs and apple
cubes, sprinkle 1 – 2 pinches of sugar and fry briefly,
then set aside and leave to cool.
4 Preheat the oven to 200°C in convection mode.
5 Press the rolls well and place them in a bowl.
Add the toasted walnuts and onion-apple mixture.
Season the mixture with salt, pepper and nutmeg,
pour over the milk and mix into a malleable mass. If
necessary, add a little more milk or crumbs.
6 Fill the chicken with the mixture, season the
outside only lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange
the slices of bacon by braiding them and lay them
on top of a piece of cling film, place the chicken on
top and wrap it in the film. Remove the film and fix
the bacon with kitchen string.
7 Place the chicken in a roasting pan, pour in the
white wine and about 100 ml of stock and roast in
the oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes, pouring
in some stock several times. Remove and serve
garnished with fresh rosemary.
17
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

18
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
ORANGE & CHOCOLATE CAKE
WITH CHOCOLATE ICING
1 high-sided large springform pan;
approx. 18 cm Ø
2 hours
1 hour 15 minutes
For the chocolate cream
› 400 g cream
› 150 g dark chocolate coating,
chopped
› 2 packs whipped cream stabiliser
For the cake
› Mild butter and flour, for the mould
› 150 g mild butter
› 150 g brown sugar
› 3 eggs
› 240 g flour
› 3 tbsp cocoa powder
› 2 cl orange liqueur
› 1 small organic orange
› 150 g dark chocolate coating
› 1 tbsp butter
For the gingerbread houses
› see the recipe on page 32
Chocolate cream
Bring the cream to the boil, remove from the heat, add the
chocolate and leave it to rest for 3 – 4 minutes, then mix
evenly. Cover the chocolate cream and put it in the fridge
overnight.
The cake
1 Preheat the oven at 175°C in convection mode. Grease
a large springform pan (approx. 18 cm Ø) with butter and
sprinkle with flour.
2 Mix the butter with the sugar until smooth. Add the
eggs one after the other and mix well each time. Mix the
flour with the cocoa powder and gradually stir in the
liqueur.
3 Wash the orange in hot water, pat dry and grate the
skin finely. Separate and finely dice the fillets, collecting
the juice. Stir in the orange pieces with the juice. Pour the
batter into the mould and bake in the oven for 50 – 60
minutes (do a stick test). Remove, leave to cool for about
15 minutes, remove the cake from the pan and leave to
cool on a cake rack.
4 Beat the chocolate cream with the whipped cream
stabiliser until stiff. Cut the cake in half horizontally 3
times. Spread chocolate cream on 3 of the cakes and
stack them on a plate. Place the last layer on the cake,
spread the remaining chocolate cream all over the cake
and put it in the fridge for about 3 hours.
5 In the meantime, chop up the dark chocolate, melt it in
a bain-marie and leave it to cool a little. Pour the liquid
chocolate over the cooled cake so that it runs down the
sides. Then place 3 or 4 gingerbread houses on top and
allow the chocolate to harden. Decorate the cake with
the remaining gingerbread houses and serve.
19
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

20
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
RED & WHITE CHRISTMAS CAKE
WITH STRAWBERRY & MERINGUE PROFITEROLES
1 cake approx. 18 cm Ø 2 hours
1 hour 10 minutes
For the biscuit
› 5 eggs
› 100 g sugar
› 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
› 1 pinch of salt
› 100 g flour
› 2 tbsp corn starch
› Red food colouring
For the profiteroles
› 1 pinch of salt
› 25 g butter
› 75 g flour
› 1 tbsp corn starch
› 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
› 2 eggs
For the cream of the profiteroles
› 500 g frozen strawberries
› 60 g mascarpone
› 40 g quark or cottage cheese
› 2 tbsp cream
› 5 tbsp sugar or to taste
› ½ organic lemon, peel and juice
› 1 cl vodka-strawberry
› 1 tbsp corn flour
For the meringues
› 3 egg whites
› 1 tsp lemon juice
› 200 g icing sugar
For the cream
› 2 gelatine leaves
› 500 g fresh cream
› 100 g icing sugar, or to taste
› ½ tbsp vanilla extract
› 150 ml of cream
The biscuit
1 Preheat the oven at 180°C in convection mode. Line a
baking tray with baking paper.
2 For the sponge cake, mix the eggs with the sugar, vanilla
sugar and salt until smooth. Mix the flour with the corn
starch, sieve over the egg mixture and carefully fold in.
Halve the mixture and colour one half red with food colouring
to the desired intensity.
3 Fill the two biscuit masses each into a piping bag with a
large perforated nozzle and place diagonal lines of alternating
colours on the baking tray next to each other.
4 Bake the biscuit in the oven on the middle shelf for 10 – 15
minutes (do a stick test).
5 Sprinkle a kitchen towel with sugar. Carefully turn the
dough base over, apply a thin layer of cold water to the
baking paper, peel it carefully and leave the biscuit to
cool.
The profiteroles
1 Put 125 ml of water into a saucepan and bring to the
boil briefly with salt and butter. Mix the flour with the
corn starch and baking powder and pour it all at once
into the pot, stirring constantly. Stir over medium heat
until a ball of dough forms and a white skin covers the
bottom of the pot.
2 Let the dough cool in a bowl for about 5 minutes, then
add the eggs one after the other, stirring well with the
dough hooks of the hand mixer.
3 Preheat the oven to 200°C in convection mode and line
a baking tray with baking paper.
4 Place the dough in a piping bag with a large perforated
nozzle and place about 20 dots (about 2-cm wide) on the
baking tray. Bake the profiteroles in the oven for 15 – 20
minutes, take them out and leave them to cool on a cake
rack.
21
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
Meringue
1 Preheat the oven to 110°C, top and bottom heat, and line
a baking tray with baking paper.
2 Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until stiff and
gradually add the icing sugar. Continue beating the beaten
egg whites until they are glossy and form spikes. Add about
2 tablespoons of the strawberry sauce so that the mixture
is slightly marbled.
3 Pour the meringue mixture into a piping bag with a
perforated nozzle, place small balls of meringue on the
baking tray and spread them in a cloud shape with the back
of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes until crispy
but still clear. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Finishing off the profiteroles
1 Pour the strawberry compote into a piping bag with a
pointed spout and fill half of the profiteroles with it.
2 Pour the mascarpone cream into a second piping bag
and fill the remaining profiteroles.
The cream of the profiteroles
1 Chop the defrosted strawberries.
2 Mix the mascarpone with the cottage cheese, cream, 2
tablespoons of sugar and 1 pinch of grated lemon and stir
in 2 – 3 tablespoons of strawberry cubes, then season the
cream.
3 Caramelise 2 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan, add
half of the remaining strawberries and bring to the boil
while stirring. Stir in one tablespoon of lemon juice, half of
the remaining zest, strawberry vodka and about 75 ml of
water and simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat. Mix the
corn flour with a little cold water and add to the compote
to make it smooth and thick. Set the strawberry compote
aside and let it cool.
4 Boil the rest of the strawberries with 1 tablespoon of
lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water and the rest of the
sugar in a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then
purée finely, season with sugar and leave to cool.
The cream
1 Soak the gelatine in cold water.
2 Mix the crème fraîche with the icing sugar and vanilla
extract until smooth. Dissolve the lightly pressed gelatine
in a small saucepan with 2 – 3 tablespoons of cream and
then stir into the rest of the cream.
3 Beat the cream until stiff. As soon as the cream starts to
set, stir in the whipped cream.
Mounting
1 Place the bottom of a high mould (approx. 18 cm Ø, 10
cm high) on one corner of the striped biscuit sheet and cut
out a circle of an appropriate size. Cut a long strip of 10 – 12
cm wide from the rest of the biscuit.
2 Line the pan with the circle of dough and the edge with
the dough stripe (the edge may protrude slightly).
3 Fill the cream to a height of about 1 cm. Alternate
spreading a loose layer of filled profiteroles with a layer of
cream. Continue in this way until the profiteroles and the
cream have been used up. Smooth the surface, cover with
the meringue and keep the cake in a cool place for 3 – 4
hours before serving.
22
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
PRESERVES
NATURAL FRESHNESS
www.aeg.lu
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
23

24
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
MINI SPICE CAKES
WITH WHITE SUGAR ICING
& CANDIED CRANBERRIES
10 – 12 cakes
40 minutes
25 minutes
› Butter and flour, for the moulds (if
necessary)
› 100 g soft butter
› 30 g marzipan
› 100 g sugar
› 3 eggs
› 1 pinch salt
› ½ – 1 tbsp powdered cinnamon
› 1 tsp grated Tonka bean
› 1 tsp grated nutmeg
› 2 tsp curry powder, mild
› Zest of ½ untreated orange
› Zest of ½ untreated lemon
› 200 g flour
› 1 tbsp corn flour
› ½ tbsp baking powder
› 50 g peeled and ground almonds
› 1 – 2 tbsp of milk
› 120 g cranberries
› 1 egg white
› Sugar, to roll
› 150 g icing sugar
› 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
› Rosemary sprigs, to garnish
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C in convection mode. Grease
Kugelhopf moulds (approx. 7 cm Ø), or use a baking tray
for mini cakes, and sprinkle with flour.
2 Beat the butter and marzipan with the hand mixer until
creamy. Stir in the sugar. Add the eggs one by one, stirring
well. Add salt, cinnamon, Tonka, nutmeg, curry and citrus
powder and mix. Sift the flour with the starch and baking
powder, mix it with the almonds and stir in alternately
with the milk. If necessary, add a little more milk. Fill the
moulds with the dough and bake in the oven for about 25
minutes (do a stick test). Then allow to cool briefly, remove
from the moulds onto a cake rack and allow to cool.
3 For decoration, wash the cranberries and pat dry. Lightly
beat the egg white with a fork. Stick the cranberries one
by one on a wooden stick, pull them through the egg white
and roll them in the sugar. Place on baking paper to dry.
4 Mix the icing sugar with lemon juice and water, as
required, until thick and brush the top of the cake with the
icing so that it runs slightly over the edges. Garnish with
cranberries and rosemary sprigs and allow to dry well
before serving.
25
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

26
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
NAPOLEON CAKE
RUSSIAN CHRISTMAS CAKE
1 cake; approx. 20 cm Ø
1 hour 15 minutes
40 minutes
For the dough
› 500 g flour
› Salt
› 1 tbsp baking powder
› 250 g butter
› ½ organic lemon peel
› 1 egg
› Flour, for the worktop
For the cream
› 1 l milk
› 200 g sugar, or to taste
› 4 eggs
› 80 g flour
› 175 g soft butter
› 1 vanilla pod, pulp
To serve
› 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds
› Icing sugar, for sprinkling
› 3 rosemary sprigs, washed
1 Sift the flour with the baking powder into a bowl and mix
with a pinch of salt. Add the butter in small pieces and the
lemon zest. Beat the egg with 200 ml of cold water, add it
and quickly knead it into a smooth dough. If necessary, add
a little flour or water.
2 Divide the dough into nine equal portions and form into
balls. Cover with aluminium foil and chill for about 2 hours.
3 Preheat the oven to 210°C in convection mode. Spread
the balls very thinly on a lightly floured worktop. Form
circles (approx. 20 cm) using a plate or similar object. Place
the dough circles on baking sheets covered with baking
paper, prick several times with a fork and bake one after the
other for 8 – 10 minutes each time until golden brown and
leave to cool.
5 For the cream, bring the milk and sugar to the boil in a
saucepan while stirring. Mix the eggs and flour in a bowl.
Add two ladles of milk and mix well with a whisk. Bring the
rest of the milk back to the boil, then add the egg and flour
mixture and continue stirring until the cream thickens. Stir
in the vanilla pulp and softened butter in pieces.
6 Spread the cake bases with the vanilla cream and layer
them on top of each other. Spread the top and edge of the
cake with the remaining cream and sprinkle the crumbs of
dough all over. Store the cake in a cool room for about 12
hours.
7 Before serving, sprinkle the cake with pomegranate
seeds, lightly dust with icing sugar and insert rosemary
sprigs upside down like «fir trees».
4 Knead all the remaining dough together, spread it out
evenly and bake it, let it cool briefly and crumble it.
27
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
STOLLEN WREATH FOR CHRISTMAS
1 wreath
1 hour
50 minutes
› 500 g flour
› 30 g yeast
› Approx. 170 ml warm milk
› 80 g sugar
› 2 eggs
› 90 g soft butter
› 1 pinch salt
› 100 g dried fruit, e.g. dried grapes,
currants, etc.
› Sweet cherries
› 3 cl rum
› 80 g pistachio kernels
› 60 g peeled almonds
› Flour, for the worktop
› 4 tbsp liquid butter
› 50 g icing sugar
› 1 – 2 tbsp cream
› Icing sugar, for glazing
1 Sift the flour into a bowl and make a hole in the middle.
Crumble the yeast, add the warm milk and mix with 1
tablespoon of sugar and a little flour.
2 Leave the mixture to rise, covered, for about 15 minutes.
Then add the eggs with the butter, salt, remaining sugar
and vanilla sugar to the yeast mixture. Knead everything
together to obtain a smooth dough that stands out well
from the edge of the bowl. If necessary, add a little flour
or milk. Leave the dough to rise, covered, in a warm place
for about 1 hour.
3 Chop the dried fruit and soak it in rum. Coarsely chop
the pistachios and almonds.
4 Preheat the oven to 170°C in convection mode and
line a baking tray with baking paper. Knead the dough
again on a floured work surface and roll out into a large
rectangle. Sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts, roll up on
the long side and twist into a spiral shape. Make a circle
with the roller, place it on the prepared sheet and press
the ends together tightly. Brush the wreath with liquid
butter, leave to rise for another 15 minutes and bake in
the oven for 45 – 55 minutes until golden brown. Leave
to rest briefly, remove from the baking tray and allow to
cool on a cake rack.
5 Mix the icing sugar with the cream to a thick consistency,
sprinkle the icing in fine lines over the wreath and
leave to dry. Decorate the stollen wreath with a ribbon
and a small Christmas ball and serve lightly sprinkled
with icing sugar.
28
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

Nous sommes Artisan-Producteur
de Qualité dans nos restaurants,
ateliers de production et supermarchés
Roasted in
Windhof/
Luxembourg
SEASONAL RECIPES
100 % Arabica
best quality
coffee beans
from Peru
Available at your Cactus
supermarket
Nëmmen dat Bescht
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
29

SEASONAL RECIPES
WUNDERVOLLE WEIHNACHTSBÄCKEREI
THERESA BAUMGÄRTNER
Inspired by the fairy-tale ballets „The Nutcracker“ and
„Swan Lake“, TVchef Theresa Baumgärtner travels to the
pre-Christmas Allgäu. The landscape around Neuschwanstein
Castle looks like a romantic, snow-covered, winter
stage.
Theresa pays a confectioner from the Allgäu a visit
and returns to her home kitchen in Luxembourg full of
inspiration. Her Christmas bakery smells seductively of
vanilla croissants and gingerbread, of the finest macaroons
and crunchy nut taler. Classics such as cinnamon stars and
Springerle are not to be missed, but she also surprises with
many new, heavenly creations. Theresa knows exactly what
is important: the best natural ingredients and important
tips for processing the dough. With her book, Theresa has
fulfilled a dearest wish. Not only has she put together a
small, fine selection for the Christmas biscuit platter, but
also enchants us with stories and festive decorations.
By the way, Theresa Baumgärtner is also a member of the
KACHEN BLOG AWARD jury!
Wundervolle Weihnachtsbäckerei
Nussknacker & Schwan
144 pages, € 20,00
ISBN 978-3-7106-0473-7
Publisher Brandstätter
Theresa Baumgärtner
Melina Kutelas
TEXT
PHOTOS
30
PRIZE DR AW
WE ARE GIVING AWAY A COPY OF
THERESA BAUMGÄRTNER'S BOOK.
Send an e-mail with the keyword
Nutcracker & Swan
to gewinnen@luxetastestyle.com
The winner will be chosen at random.
The closing date for entries is 15 December 2020
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
FLORENTINES
WITH TONKA BEAN & WHITE CHOCOLATE
Makes 65 pieces (3 X 3 cm)
› 100 ml cream
› 50 g salty butter
› 50 g light raw cane sugar
› 1 tbsp acacia honey
› ½ Tonka bean
› 250 g flaked almonds
› 3 tbsp spelt flour,
Type 630
For coating:
› 150 g white-chocolate coating
› 4 drops of ethereal Lemon oil
› Baking paper for the baking tray
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan). Line a baking tray
with baking paper.
2 Put the cream, butter, sugar and honey in a mediumsized
pot and heat slowly on the cooker. As soon as the
butter has melted, grate the Tonka bean on a fine grater
and stir everything together with a wooden spoon to
make an even mixture. Mix the flaked almonds with the
flour and stir into the honey cream. Spread the mixture
flat on the baking paper to form a rectangle of approx.
30 x 25 cm and bake in a hot oven on the lowest shelf for
10 minutes until golden brown. Then let it cool down on
the baking tray.
3 In the meantime, melt the chocolate coating in a metal
bowl over a water bath. Finally, stir in the lemon oil.
4 Place a large board on top of the cooled almond paste,
turn the board and the tray upside down together and
in this way flip the Florentines onto the board. Carefully
peel off the baking parchment. Now use a brush to
spread the couverture evenly on the smooth back of the
Florentines and leave to cool in the freezer.
5 Then cut the edges of the rectangle as finely as possible
with a sharp knife, to create a straight edge. Now
cut the rectangle into squares of about 3 cm. Flip the
Florentines and store them in a cool place.
31
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
ROYAL SHORTBREAD
This crispy, buttery biscuit puts the finishing touches on every teatime.
2 round Shortbreads
› 150 g ice cold butter
› 75 g light raw cane
sugar
› 75 g rice flour
› 150 g spelt flour
(Type 630)
› 1 pinch of salt
To dust:
› Some light-coloured
raw cane sugar
› Some spelt flour for the
work surface
› Baking paper for the
baking tray
1 Cut the butter into small cubes and place in a mixing
bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix to a fine
crumb with a food processor or by hand. Quickly blend
the crumbs to form a dough and knead only very briefly.
2 Cut the dough in half on a lightly floured work surface.
Form the first half of the dough into a ball and then roll
out into a 1-cm thick circle. If necessary, re-model a little
bit with your hands. Using a large kitchen knife, mark
eight equally sized cake pieces in the circle. Use the back
of a fork to press the edge of the circle into the cake to
create a pattern. Pierce the centre of the circle several
times decoratively. Form the second half of the dough
in the same way. Place the dough on a baking tray lined
with baking paper. Place the baking tray in a cool place
for 30 minutes.
3 Preheat the oven to 150°C (fan). Bake the shortbreads
in the hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes until they start to
brown slightly. After baking, sprinkle them with some
sugar while still hot, cut them into triangles and let them
cool down on a cake rack. As a gift, they look beautiful
even as one whole, large round of shortbread.
32
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

THE WORLD
IS GOING DIGITAL,
ARE YOU?
FARGO
House of Entrepreneurship
T.: (+352) 42 39 39 840 - digital@houseofentrepreneurship.lu - 14, rue Erasme - L-1468 Luxembourg
Via the House of Entrepreneurship, the Chamber of Commerce supports
companies undergoing digital transformation.
Our digital awareness and support programme offers:
- diagnosis, orientation and advice
- free workshops
- help and financial support for implementing digital tools
FOLLOW US : @LUHOUSEOFENTREPRENEURSHIP @CCLUXEMBOURG WWW.HOUSEOFENTREPRENEURSHIP.LU/GODIGITAL

SEASONAL RECIPES
GINGERBREAD
1 baking tray 30 minutes + 2 – 3 h 8 – 10 minutes
› 100 g raw cane sugar
› 50 g coconut blossom sugar
› 100 g honey
› 1 tbsp of cocoa
› 1 pinch of salt
› 6 tbsp orange juice
› 130 g butter
› 3 g salt of hartshorn (ammonium
bicarbonate)
› 420 g flour (type 55)
› 2 tbsp gingerbread spice
For the glaze
› 1 egg white
› 220 g icing sugar
› 1 tsp lemon juice
› Optional, 1 tsp water
1 Mix both types of sugar, cocoa,
salt, honey and orange juice in a pot
and bring to the boil.
2 Cut butter into cubes and melt in
the honey-sugar mixture.
3 To do this, remove the pot from the
heat. Leave to cool down at a lukewarm
temperature.
4 Mix the salt of the hartshorn with
flour and gingerbread spice. Knead
the honey mixture into the flour
mixture with the dough hooks, then
work it into a smooth dough with
your hands.
5 Form the dough into a ball & leave
to rest in cling film at room temperature
for several hours.
6 Preheat oven to 180°C top/bottom
heat.
7 Roll out the dough on a sheet of
baking paper, cut out as required and
bake on a baking tray lined with baking
paper for 8 – 10 minutes. Allow to
cool down.
Glaze
1 Mix the egg white with the lemon
juice and icing sugar for 2 – 3 minutes
to a smooth, thick icing. If necessary,
stir in a teaspoon of water.
2 Pour the icing into a piping bag
with a fine spout and decorate the
cooled gingerbread as desired. Allow
to dry.
GINGERBREADS
STORED IN A TIN CAN
KEEP FOR 3 – 4 WEEKS.
34
RECIPE
PHOTO
Heike Meyers
Ramunas Astrauskas
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

BLACK FOREST YULE LOG
by Jeff Oberweis
ADVERTORIAL
"We love yule logs so much that it's our favourite treat with which to delight our
tastebuds at Christmas. As you can see, our yule log has a lot riding on it."
How would you describe
this creation?
This year, Maison Oberweis
wanted to reconnect
with nature, the
simple things in life,
and the very essence of
traditions. I wanted to revisit
a signature German
pastry that's particularly
dear to my heart and unleash
my inner child with a
focus on staying true to classic
flavours whilst working on balancing
aromas.
What's this yule log made of?
Schwarzwälder Kirsch is essentially a chocolate sponge
soaked in Kirsch, filled with whipped cream, cherries
topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
We managed to improve on the traditional Black Forest
Gâteau using all our artisan skills and expertise.
On top of the whipped cream, I decided to add a layer
of chocolate mousse made using our selection of Oberweis
68% chocolate to enhance the cocoa flavour of our
yule log. It's dotted with cherries soaked in Kirsch from
a family-run Luxembourgish distillery. The cherries are
picked straight from our supplier based in the heart of
Fougerolles in Haute-Saône. At the end of the day, working
with local producers is vital to us in order to guarantee
quality products with
natural ingredients.
Where did your inspiration
come from?
I've been working on
our company's sustainable
development
policy for a long time
(resource management,
waste reduction, etc.). I
wanted to capture this commitment
in our unique yule
log, especially given the year
we've had with the pandemic and
global warming. The idea behind the
yule log is simple: picture a forest in your
mind. Our yule log is shaped like a Stollen with a predominantly
chocolate-based design, which could symbolize
the forest floor, and the mousse is identical, visually
and in terms of the texture, to wood. What I want
is for you to share in the excitement of eating, as well as
experience a unique texture in each mouthful. It's quite
a challenge but Maison Oberweis has always been able
to pull off tricky feats.
Where can we buy this log?
Make your Christmas dining table sparkle with our limited-edition
Black Forest yule log available at our shops and
online at oberweis.lu from December 7th, 2020.
Cloche d'Or: 1, rue Guillaume Kroll L-1882 Luxembourg - Centre Commercial Kirchberg: 2, rue Alphonse Weicker L-2721 Luxembourg - City Concorde:
80, route de Longwy L-8060 Bertrange - Gare Centrale: Place de la Gare L-1616 Luxembourg - Luxembourg City: 16, Grand-Rue L-1660 Luxembourg
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RECIPE
THE PASSION
OF LUXLAIT BUTTER
MAKERS SINCE 1932...
The secret of the “Rose” butter’s exceptional taste is rooted in its
tradition. The unique taste of fresh cream that distinguishes it, comes
from Luxembourg’s soil. Its round and delicate flavour results from the
diversity of the flora in Luxembourg’s pastures, but also from the great
care our farmers take in the treatment of their cows.
Contrary to what is done for industrial butter, our butter makers let
the cream mature after pasteurisation and incorporate carefully
selected lactic ferments. This is when the unique taste of our butter is
revealed. Finely beaten in a traditional churn, the cream is smoothed
to obtain its final appearance: the “Rose” butter or
“Beurre Rose” in French.
For more Luxlait recipes,
visit us on
www.luxlait.lu !
36
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RECIPE
Surprise your guests with flavoured butters! Christmas celebrations are often
synonymous with oysters, seafood platters, smoked salmon ... and, of course,
accompanied by bread and ... butter.
Why not also add a touch of flavoured butter to a pasta dish, fish or chicken
aiguillette... And for the sweet tooth, there’s nothing like chocolate butter to make
your pancakes even more delicious!
DRIED
TOMATO
BUTTER
CITRUS
BUTTER
CHOCOLATE-
RASPBERRY
BUTTER
1 butter
15 minutes
1 butter
15 minutes
1 butter
15 minutes
Ingredients
› 250 g Luxlait “Rose” butter
› 12 slices of dried tomatoes
› 1 ½ tsp paprika
› 1 level tbsp Espelette chilli
pepper
› 1 dash of Guérande salt
1 Allow the butter to soften at room
temperature for at least 1 hour.
2 Cut the tomato slices into small
pieces.
3 Pour the butter into the bowl of
a blender, add the diced tomatoes,
paprika, salt and Espelette pepper
and blend until smooth.
4 Put the butter into a ramekin or
make a sausage by putting it in cling
film and squeezing tightly at the
ends. Place in the fridge for 2 hours
before using.
Ingredients
› 250 g Luxlait “Rose” butter
› 5 organic lemons
› 2 organic oranges
› 6 turns of Sichuan pepper
› 1 dash of Guérande salt
1 Allow the butter to soften at room
temperature for at least 1 hour. Mash
the butter with a fork on a plate.
2 In the meantime, remove the zest
from the lemons and oranges and
set aside.
3 Mash the butter with a fork and
add the zest, salt and pepper. Mix
well.
4 Put the butter in a ramekin or
make a sausage by putting in cling
film and squeezing tightly at the
ends. Place in the fridge for 2 hours
before using .
Ingredients
› 250 g Luxlait ″Rose″ butter
› 2 dozen small raspberries
› 100 g dark or milk chocolate
1 Allow the butter to soften at room
temperature for at least 1 hour. Mash
the butter with a fork on a plate.
2 Grate the chocolate with a largehole
grater. Add the grated chocolate
to the butter and mix very quickly.
3 Work the butter into the desired
shape or pack it into the shape of
your choice. Cut the raspberries in
half and press them into the butter,
finish the shape, smooth and chill for
at least 2 hours.
37
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
A CERTAIN CONCEPT
FOR OUR FUTURE
KACHEN’s food and lifestyle
magazine is facing the future
with two keywords in mind:
development and sustainability.
Sustainable development is a term
that’s bandied around time and
time again and is now a pretext for
giving yourself a clear conscience
in our frantic consumerist world.
KACHEN is making good on its
word and joining forces with Frank
Fol’s Belgian project “We’re SMART,
think vegetables! Think fruits!”
Better still, KACHEN made a splash
this autumn when it won the
“Media of the Year” award in the
“Future Awards 2020” category.
Patrick Théry
Ramunas Astrauskas
TEXT
PHOTOS
The “We’re Smart” organisation founded by Belgium’s
famous vegetables chef Frank Fol has set the benchmark
in the world of plant-based cuisine. What’s the idea?
Unearth and showcase the best plant-based restaurants
and chefs from around the world and recognise companies
and people who actively contribute to a healthy
and eco-friendly world in the annual
green “We’re Smart” guide and “We’re
SMART Future” awards.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The “We’re Smart” judges visit
hundreds of restaurants around the
world throughout the year. They’re
tested on the green footprint they leave
on their dishes and their impact on the environment. The
team judges restaurants on topics such as the proportion
of fruit and vegetables on the menu. The chef’s culinary
38
Media of the year:
KACHEN, your Luxembourgish
food and lifestyle
magazine is available in
three languages: German,
French, and English.
creativity and ability to blend tastes and colours are
key criteria in the final score. They go over the entrants’
ecological footprint with a fine-tooth comb. Every year the
jury also recognises companies who make exceptional
contributions towards healthy and sustainable food and
eco-friendly projects.
RECOGNITION FOR
KACHEN’S VALUES
With its plant-focused editorial line,
KACHEN, your food and lifestyle
magazine, won the “Media of the Year”
award in the “Future Awards” category.
It’s a recognition for our publication
and our entire team who do their
utmost, with every issue, to provide the best in sustainable
food & drink in Luxembourg and its neighbouring
countries.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
Aside from countless recipes showcasing fruit and vegetables
in all their gourmet glory, KACHEN is committed
to presenting new forms of sustainable consumption in
every issue.
KACHEN’s founder and editor-in-chief, says “it’s a great
recognition of the heart and soul that the KACHEN team
has put into their work over the last six years.”
CONSUMPTION NOT CONSUMERISM
“Mindful” consumption is the recurring theme in our
articles devoted to sustainable development. Obviously,
sustainable development should help our planet breathe
easier but also help our readers flourish in body and soul.
Our winter issue is packed with tips to shop sustainably
with Christmas on its way and consume better without
necessarily using up our natural resources. We’re battling
to survive a pandemic so let’s not forget to protect our
planet so we can secure our future.
AVAILABLE IN GERMANY, COMING SOON
TO FRANCE & BELGIUM
“Made in Luxembourg,” from the first page to the last,
KACHEN also explores its neighbours’ food and lifestyle.
“We provide more than a magazine. It’s a platform
to introduce our local produce and promote our local
producers and chefs. In Luxembourg of course, but also in
our neighbouring regions,” says Bibi Wintersdorf.
KACHEN is now also available in Germany and Austria.
“And soon, I hope our readers will be able to find us in
France and Belgium,” concludes KACHEN’s founder.
weresmartworld.com
39
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
FRANK FOL
A PASSIONATE PIONEER
For over thirty years, Frank Fol has been
renowned among his peers and the general
public as a chef specialising in fruit and
vegetables. He has spent his entire career striving
to create delicious dishes and introduce the
myriad creative possibilities these ingredients
provide to the trade. Now he’s taking his message
around the globe with “We’re smart world”…
Frank, what sets you apart?
I’m a vegetable chef, I make vegetables the star. When I
picture a dish, I first choose the vegetable then I think about
the technique, how I’ll cook it and after that I wonder whether
I’ll serve it with fish or meat. More and more chefs are managing
to produce high quality plant-based fine dining without
needing to serve meat.
PHOTO Yan Bellen
Can you tell us about your journey?
I come from a region rife with fruit and vegetables, such as
chicory, strawberries, peaches and cauliflower, so I’ve been
fascinated by these ingredients from an early age. I worked
at La Villa Lorraine in Brussels, which first had 2 then 3
Michelin stars, and I had the chance to travel overseas with
the chef Freddy Vandecasserie. I visited Thailand, Australia...
It was Thailand that awakened my eyes and palate to
fragrant dishes with lots of vegetables, herbs, not much fat,
stocks, etc. I wondered why we don’t cook the same way. I
wanted fruit and vegetables to be at the heart of my dishes. I
opened my restaurant in Louvain in 89 and from the first day
I wrote “Frank Fol and his vegetable dishes” on my menu.
People didn’t understand back then. They thought we were
just going to cook vegetarian food but the idea was to make
vegetables the stars of the show.
Then, I had a TV show for two years which gave me a huge
amount of publicity and made my name as the “chef of vegetables”...
Why did you come up with these awards?
The choice of vegetables was a question of creativity. At
the start, I didn’t choose to work with vegetables to create
healthy food but in order to have more creative options. The
message I conveyed in the kitchen was very important to me
but not many chefs thought the same way. The contest for
best vegetarian restaurant was my way to educate chefs and
the general public, and create more ambassadors in Benelux.
It’s already been going for 11 years. We have a network of
50 chefs that showcase vegetables. So I designed a guide to
help customers find these restaurants. We’re now present in
43 countries with around 120,000 restaurants presented in
the guide and every day I receive requests from restaurants
around the world. It’s really going global.
How do you see the future?
I’ve not had a restaurant since 2005 but I’m a consultant. I get
asked to develop recipes, train clients such as Exki or Thalys
premium class where they serve food. I design the menus and
now 50% of Thalys premium class customers eat plant-based
dishes. The fact is that more and more people want this kind
of food... I’m going to keep doing this in the future. But what’s
really close to my heart is to keep building the “We’re smart
world” adventure.
40
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
FRIED SHALLOT WITH TURMERIC,
CAULIFLOWER & CURRIED
CUCUMBER
Serves 4
25 minutes
25 minutes
Ingredients
› 8 large shallots
› 2 mini cucumbers (also called
table cucumbers)
› 1 piece of raw cauliflower
› Flowers of herbs (marjoram,
chives, savory...)
› Vietnamese Légumaise – celery
root with curry or other vegetable
tapenade with curry
› Turmeric powder
› Fresh chives
› Olive oil
› Cayenne pepper
› Coarse sea salt
Preparation
1 Bring water to the boil and season with coarse sea salt,
cayenne pepper and a good quantity of turmeric powder.
2 Cook the shallots in this stock with the lid on for 20
minutes. Remove from the water and dry on absorbent
paper.
3 Fry the shallots in olive oil until lightly browned on
both sides and season with coarse sea salt.
4 Cut off the small cauliflower florets.
5 Cut the cucumber into slices and then into nice little
triangular quarters.
Serving
1 Make a circle with the vegetable sauce on each plate.
2 Arrange the cauliflower and cucumber on the sauce.
3 Place 2 hot shallots in the centre of each circle.
4 Spread a few herbs and a few drops of olive oil on top.
5 Finish with a little turmeric powder and chives.
More recipes on
wildcooking.be
Frank Fol
Wim Demessemaekers
RECIPE
PHOTO
41
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
MICHAËL VRIJMOED
THE IMAGINATION OF FLAVOUR
Michaël Vrijmoed, whose style is constantly
evolving, has been a chef for 25 years. In his
restaurant of the same name in the city of Ghent,
he has adopted an extraordinary approach to
the preparation of dishes. Everything starts
with a main ingredient, from which he reflects
on sensations like flavour and texture that will
give his creations an inimitable form. Recently,
Michaël – who was trained by Guy van Cauteren
and Peter Goossens, among others – and his
team from the “Vrijmoed” won second prize for
the “best vegetable restaurant 2020”.
Michaël, what sets you apart?
The fact that I’ve been on this journey for 25 years... I’ve
evolved my style and gradually progressed in my career. I now
make delicious dishes where vegetables take pride of place
but I also work with meat and fish – what matters for me is the
quality of the ingredients.
Can you give us a potted history of your journey?
I went to a catering college when I was 14. I already knew...
I wanted to be a baker. Baking intrigued me and my parents
encouraged me to go to a catering college so I could experience
every aspect of the industry. The placements I did on the
course revealed my true passion to me.
After college I spent a season at Le Louis XV – Alain Ducasse
before spending a few months in England, and then in a small
restaurant where I learnt to organise my kitchen. Then, I joined
Guy van Cauteren at his 2 Michelin-starred restaurant. He
was a huge part of my journey. Then I became Sous Chef at
Hof van Cleve – Peter Goossens. It became the only 3 Michelin-starred
restaurant in Belgium whilst I was there. It was a
crazy time, we worked hard and I stayed there for 8 years. I
opened my own restaurant in 2013.
What’s your take on cooking?
The most important thing is flavour. I never start with a
drawing or shapes, I start by choosing the main ingredient.
I look for contrasts in texture, taste, temperature and flavour
sensations. After that I start thinking about how it’s going to
look on the plate. Once I’ve managed to perfect the flavour
sensation when you close your eyes, I picture the presentation.
What does receiving this award mean to you?
It gives me confidence. My team and I are very proud, we all
have the same philosophy and we give it our all every day.
Seven years ago we started serving our plant-based menu, not
because it was fashionable but because I thought it was really
important. Before, if you served a dish with an onion for example,
it was seen as a measly dish. I want to make dishes using
simple ingredients and not always luxury ingredients interesting.
I want to make great dishes using simple ingredients and
strive for the perfect product so customers remember it.
What else matters to you?
The customers that try our vegetarian menu aren’t necessarily
vegetarian, just curious. I’m committed to that. We also have
meat and fish stations so I want the customer to have the
option, everyone should be free to eat what they want.
I should also mention that we’ve received this award because
of our local suppliers: Flanders’ farmers. Every month I visit
one of our suppliers and it’s always inspiring. I want to see
how the products grow and what we can do with them. I always
learn something new. They’re passionate farmers, almost
everything they do is organic even if it’s hard for them, and
I’m delighted to work with people like that.
42
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL RECIPES
CHIOGGIA ROLL WITH
KOHLRABI, MISO & COCONUT
SAUCE
Serves 8 45 minutes 30 minutes
For the veggie rolls
› 2 slices Chioggia beetroot
› 2 slices of kohlrabi
› A piece of butter
› 200 ml vegetable stock
› 1 pinch of sugar
› White pepper
› Salt
› 1 organic lemon
For the nut butter
› 50 g unsalted butter
For the sauce
› 2 Chioggia beetroot
› 2 kohlrabi
› 1 onion
› 2 garlic cloves
› 1 bay leaf
› 2 l chicken broth
› 400 ml coconut milk
› 1 tbsp blonde miso
› 2 tbsp soy sauce
› 1 tbsp of nut butter
› 1 piece of butter
› Juice of a lemon
The veggie rolls
1 Peel the vegetables and cut into thin strips with a
mandolin.
2 Season the vegetable strips with salt and pepper and
place them alternately on a sheet of baking paper. Form
a row of vegetables, whereby the vegetable slices should
overlap slightly.
3 Roll up the vegetables, carefully peeling the first slices
off the baking paper (as if you were making a Maki)
to make your vegetable roll. Place the roll in a stainless-steel
ring with the same diameter as the roll to keep
it in place. Make one roll per person.
4 Put everything in a frying pan with the melted butter,
sugar and vegetable stock for 6 – 7 minutes to glaze the
rolls. Put the lid on and fry over a low heat until the vegetables
are slightly soft.
5 Then place in the oven at 200°C for 5 minutes.
6 Finally, season the rolls with fleur de sel, lemon juice
and lemon zest.
The nut butter
1 Melt unsalted butter in a pan over medium heat, stirring
frequently. When the butter takes on a caramel-like
colour and releases hazelnut flavours, remove the pan
from the heat.
2 Strain the butter through a small sieve into a cold bowl
to stop the cooking.
The sauce
1 Peel the vegetables and cut them into small pieces.
Sauté in butter.
2 Add stock, coconut milk and bay leaf, simmer for 30
minutes, pass through a sieve and stir in butter, soya,
lemon juice, miso and hazelnut butter. Arrange the sauce
in the middle of a soup plate and place the vegetable
rolls on top.
43
Michaël Vrijmoed
Heikki Verdurme
RECIPE
PHOTOS
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

BAKING BASICS
LINZER
TORTE
1 tart mould (Ø 26 cm)
2 hours
40 minutes
For the dough
› 250 g flour
› 250 g sugar
› 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
› 250 g ground almonds
› 1 – 2 tsp ground cinnamon
› 1 pinch of ground cloves
› 1 tsp cocoa powder
› 1 pinch of salt
› 250 g cold margarine
› 2 tbsp soy milk
› 2 cl cherry brandy
› Soft margarine and flour, for
the mould
For the filling
› 200 – 250 g red jam, e.g. raspberry,
currant, cherry, etc.
› 2 – 3 tbsp soy milk
› 1 pinch of ground saffron or
turmeric
TIP
If you have some dough left, you
can use it to cut out stars from the
rest and brush them with saffron
milk. Bake in the oven on baking paper
for 10 – 15 minutes and enjoy
like biscuits.
44
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

BAKING BASICS
1Mix flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, almonds, cinnamon, cloves, cocoa and salt
and form into a heap on your work surface. Make a mould. Cut the margarine
into small pieces and spread on the edge of the flour. Put the soy milk
and the brandy in the middle and chop it up with a pastry cutter to make small
crumbs. Knead with your hands to create a smooth dough and leave to rest in
the fridge wrapped in foil for about 1 hour.
2Grease the baking tin and dust
with flour. Preheat the oven to
180°C top and bottom heat.
Cut the dough in half and roll it out
between a layer of baking paper and
cling film approx. 4 mm thin.
3
Peel off the foil and press the
dough into the form and form
a rim.
4Press the dough into the form
and create a rim. Cut off excess
dough with the help of a
rolling pin.
5Roll out the second part of the
dough with the left-over dough
and cut out stars of different
sizes.
6Spread the jam onto the bottom
of the cake.
7Cover the cake with the dough stars. Mix the soy milk with the saffron (or
turmeric) and brush the stars and the edge of the dough with it. Bake in the
oven for about 40 minutes. Leave to cool and serve.
45
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

BAKING BASICS
GIFT IDEA
1 YEAR
OF DELICIOUS
RECIPES AND
LIFESTYLE
SUBSCRIBE NOW
REZEPT
FOTOS
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46
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KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

BAKING BASICS
We give you the energy
You write the story
47
R E C I P E
PHOTO
Firstname Lastname
Firstname Lastname
Luxembourg energy provider
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
enovos.lu

STEP BY STEP
CHEWY, FUDGY
BROWNIES
Making bad brownies is hard. But so is making really
good ones... The reason: Not all brownies are the
same. Americans in particular know exactly which
consistency they prefer. While for some people, brownies
have to be "fudgy" (moist, chocolate center), others prefer
them to be "chewy", i.e. with bite. Still others prefer a slightly
lighter, cake-like variation. But a brownie should never be
dry – all varieties have that in common.
The following recipe results in chewy, fudgy brownies with
a moist center and a crunchy crust. The baking time is an
important factor and it depends a lot on the oven. It is better
to test the brownies with a toothpick once too often than
pulling dry brownies out of the oven.
approx. 16 pieces
20 minutes
30 minutes
RECIPE & PHOTOS
Ursula Schersch
› 75 g butter
› 225 g chocolate (here: 55% cocoa
content), coarsely chopped or
chocolate chips
› 3 tbsp of water
› 2 eggs (M)
› 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 slightly
heaped tsp vanilla sugar
› ¼ tsp fine salt
› 200 g fine granulated sugar
(see tip)
› 100 g flour (Type 45)
48
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

STEP BY STEP
1Line a 20-cm square pan with
baking paper and preheat the
oven to 175°C top and bottom
heat.
2Heat the butter together with
the water, add the chocolate
and briefly reheat – either
over a water bath or in a small
saucepan over low heat. Remove the
chocolate and butter mixture from
the heat and stir with a whisk until
smooth.
3Allow the chocolate to cool.
It should be lukewarm at
maximum. Transfer melted
chocolate to a bowl and stir in the
eggs, vanilla and salt. Mix with a
whisk.
4Add sugar and mix well.
5Stir in the flour.
6Stir until almost lump-free.
7Pour the batter into the prepared
pan. Bake in the preheated
oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do
not overbake. Insert a wooden skewer
near the center. The skewer should
come out with a few crumbs clinging
to it. If batter is clinging to the skewer,
put it back into the oven for a couple of
minutes. The brownies should seem
slightly underbaked.
8Leave the brownies to cool in
the pan for about 1 hour, then
remove them from the pan
using the baking paper and let them
cool completely (!). Only then cut into
small pieces. If the dough sticks to the
knife while cutting, clean the knife
with an oil-soaked paper towel.
TIP
It is difficult to reduce the amount
of sugar in brownies without loss
of quality. The amount (200 g)
indicated in the recipe is already
greatly reduced compared to similar
recipes and needed to obtain
a crunchy crust and a chewy bite.
When test cooked with 160 g of
sugar, they came out with a rather
cakey texture but without their
chewiness (bake 5 minutes less).
Even so, they still taste great.
The brownies keep for a few days
in an airtight container at room
temperature or, tightly wrapped,
for about 1 week in the refrigerator.
Bring to room temperature before
eating. They also freeze well.
Firstname Lastname
Firstname Lastname
R E C I P E
PHOTO
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL
The BSH Group is a licence holder of Siemens, a trademark of Siemens AG.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL
Safety first. With our
bodyguard for glasses.
glassZone
The new dishcare generation from Siemens with
glassZone for a gentle and thorough cleaning cycle for all
kind of glasses. siemens-home.bsh-group.com/lu/de/
The future is moving in.
Firstname Lastname
Firstname Lastname
R E C I P E
PHOTO
Siemens Home Appliances
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL
SPICY
CRAB
Serves 3
500 g crab
50 g olive oil
20 g garlic
30 g ginger (sliced)
4 red chilies
40 g garlic chili sauce
40 g ketchup
2 g sugar
2 g salt
2 g pepper
30 g water
4 g starch
80 g water
3 g salt
Coriander
1. Pour oil, garlic, and ginger into a
microwaveable, heat-resistant container
and set to 1000 W for 2 – 3 minutes.
2. Add red chili, garlic chili sauce, ketchup,
salt, sugar and pepper and mix well. Set to
1000 W for 30 seconds.
3. Add crab, cover and set to 1000 W for 5
minutes. Take out the container and stir in
midway.
4. Then add the starch water, cover the
container and set to 1000 W for 2 minutes.
Oven setting
Program: Microwave 1000 W
Tier: Microwaveable, heat-resistant container with lid, tier 0, 3.5 l
Time: 9min 30sec – 10min 30sec
siemens-home.bsh-group.com/lu/de/
53
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN RECIPE
CHOCOLATE
LOG
BY JULIE JAGER
Serves 6
2 hours
12 h cooling
Julie Jager
Ramunas Astrauskas
R E C I P E
PHOTO
For the cake base
› 20 g apple and pear compote
› 7.5 g sunflower oil
› 18 cl plain soymilk
› 25 g cane sugar
› 18 g wheat flour (type 550)
› 6 g corn starch
› 18 g hazelnut powder
› 3.5 g of baking powder
› A pinch of fine salt
For the crunchy layer
› 10 g dark chocolate
› 15 g of praline
› 15 g almond purée
› 5 g crispy crêpe biscuits or
corn flakes
For the foam
› 245 g silky tofu
› 110 g dark chocolate
› 15 g coconut oil
› 35 g icing sugar
For the pears
› 100 g pears in syrup, drained
› 10 g Rapadura sugar
Tools
› Log baking form (serves 6)
› Rhodoïd
› Powerful blender
The biscuit
1 Mix oil, sugar, milk and almond
purée with the blender. Incorporate
the powders. Spread on a rectangular
baking sheet and form to the size
of the log mould. Bake for 15 minutes
at 180°C.
2 The finished cake will have the
shape of a gutter. Accordingly, the
base of the bûche should have the
same size as the opening of the form.
After baking, trim the edges of the
cake base.
The crunchy layer
1 Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie,
add the praline and hazelnut
purée and then the lace pancakes.
2 Spread over the cooled cake base,
still flat, and leave to rest for a few
hours in the refrigerator.
The mousse
1 Melt the dark chocolate and coconut
oil in a bain-marie.
2 Blend all the ingredients in a strong
blender.
The pears
1 Fry the pears in the sugar in a pan
for a few moments.
2 Then cut into cubes (about 5 mm).
3 After cooling, incorporate into the
chocolate mousse.
Assembly
1 Depending on the shape of your
mould, line the bottom with the
rhodoïd.
2 Mount the cake base upside down:
pour the mousse into the form and
then place the biscuit (crunchy side
against the mousse) on top.
3 Leave to set in the freezer overnight
in order to facilitate demoulding and
to develop the taste of the chocolate
in the mousse. Decorate as you wish,
for example with some chocolate
powder and serve chilled.
54
bakhaus.lu
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

A WARM PLACE FOR
PROOFING CAN BE
ON THE OPEN OVEN
DOOR WITH THE HEAT
ON LOW, OR A SUNNY
DRAUGHT-FREE SPOT
NEAR A HEATER.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN RECIPES
NUTTY BEETROOT & BERRY
COBB
1 loaf
10 minutes + 1 hour 30 minutes (standing)
40 minutes
› 125 ml almond milk
› 125 ml lukewarm filtered water
› 60 ml olive oil
› 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
› 1 ½ tsp instant dry yeast
› 260 g wholemeal spelt flour
› 260 g white spelt flour
› 3 tsp sea salt flakes
› 2 tsp ground allspice
› 125 g coarsely grated beetroot
› 70 g chopped walnuts
› 70 g dried Inca berries
› 1 tbsp olive oil, extra
› 1 tbsp white spelt flour, extra
1 Combine almond milk, the water, oil, maple syrup and
yeast in a large jug. Stand in a warm place for 5 minutes or
until mixture is frothy.
2 Meanwhile, place flours, salt, allspice, beetroot,
walnuts, and Inca berries in the bowl of a stand mixer with
a dough hook. Mix for 10 seconds to combine. With mixer
operating on medium speed, gradually add the yeast
mixture. Beat for 4 minutes or until dough is smooth and
elastic.
3 Knead dough until smooth. Coat dough in extra oil then
return to bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Stand in a warm
place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Punch the dough
down then form into a round. Sprinkle a sheet of baking
paper with half the extra flour; place dough on top. Cover
with plastic wrap; stand in a warm place to prove for 30
minutes.
4 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C ; place a pizza stone
in the centre of the oven while heating.
5 Using a sharp knife, make four cuts on top of the dough,
in a square shape without connecting the corners; sprinkle
with remaining spelt flour. Slide dough off paper onto
pizza stone.
6 Bake for 30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to
220 °C; bake for a further 10 minutes or until bread sounds
hollow when you tap the base. Cool on a wire rack.
DO-AHEAD
Bread is best made on day of serving but can be toasted
after that. Slice, then freeze for up to 2 months.
SERVING IDEAS
Serve toasted bread spread with tofu “cream cheese”,
matcha and a drizzle of maple syrup.
57
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN RECIPES
TOFU VERSION "FETA"
Serves 4
10 minutes (+ 1 night)
› 125 ml soymilk
› 375 g extra firm tofu
› 80 ml rice wine vinegar
› 1 tbsp lemon juice
› 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
› 1 crushed garlic clove
› 2 tsp table salt
› 1 tsp black peppercorns
› 500 ml olive oil
1 Whisk the soymilk, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, dried oregano leaves,
crushed garlic and table salt in a large, shallow glass or ceramic dish. Add
375 g extra firm tofu, cubed; turn to coat.
2 Spread tofu in a single layer on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate
overnight.
3 Drain the “feta” until dry and use straightaway, or pat dry and place in
a container with 1 teaspoon black peppercorns and approximately 500 ml
olive oil – or enough oil to cover the “feta”; seal. Alternatively, you can add
additional flavours to the oil using one of our variations below to add flavour.
CONSERVE
The “feta“ can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week.
OLIVE
Combine the olive oil and peppercorns with 30 g pitted and torn Kalamata
olives, 2 cloves flattened garlic cloves and 2 sprigs rosemary.
CHILLI
Omit peppercorns. Combine the olive oil with 1 thinly-sliced fresh long red chilli,
1 thinly-sliced shallot and 2 sprigs thyme.
LEMON
Combine the olive oil and peppercorns with 3 fresh or dried bay leaves and
three wide strips of lemon peel.
YOU WILL NEED TO
START THIS RECIPE A
DAY AHEAD.
58
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN RECIPES
Serves 6
20 minutes
2 hours 30 minutes
VEGAN ROAST
WITH GRAVY
› 160 ml water
› 70 g white quinoa
› 1 extra-large courgette (350 g),
halved lengthways
› 1 small leek (200 g), white part only
› 1.9 kg whole butternut pumpkin,
halved lengthways
› 1 small onion (80 g), chopped
› 2 garlic cloves, peeled
› 2 1/2 tbs olive oil
› 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves
› 3 tbs ground linseed (flax meal)
› 2 tbs hot water, extra
› 35 g dried cranberries
› 35 g hazelnut flour
For the vegan gravy
› 50 g vegan margarine spread
› 1 small onion (80 g), chopped finely
› 2 tbs plain (all-purpose) or glutenfree
flour
› 500 ml vegetable stock
› 1 tbs Tamari
THIS IS A VEGAN TAKE ON
THE TRADITIONAL ROAST. TO MAKE THIS A
REAL CHRISTMAS FEAST, SERVE WITH PEAS
AND ROASTED ORANGE SWEET POTATOES.
1 Preheat oven to 200ºC.
2 Bring the water to the boil in a small saucepan. Add
quinoa; reduce heat. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes or
until tender; cool.
3 Scoop flesh from courgette using a strong spoon, leaving
a 5-mm border. Reserve courgette flesh. Trim leek, if
needed, to fit inside courgette.
4 Scoop seeds from pumpkin, discard. Scoop flesh from
pumpkin, making a cavity large enough to fit courgette.
Reserve pumpkin flesh. Trim courgette, if needed, to fit
inside pumpkin.
5 Prick the insides of courgette and pumpkin with a
fork. Process reserved courgette and pumpkin flesh with
onion and garlic until finely chopped.
6 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan
over medium heat. Add processed vegetables, thyme
and quinoa; season. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until
tender. Cool.
7 Meanwhile, to make stuffing, combine ground linseed
and the extra hot water in a medium bowl; stand for
10 minutes. Combine linseed mixture with quinoa
mixture, cranberries and hazelnut flour. Press some of
the stuffing into courgette cavities. Press leek into one
half of the courgette; cover with the other half. Press
remaining stuffing into pumpkin cavities. Place stuffed
courgette in one pumpkin half; cover with the other half.
Secure pumpkin together with kitchen string. Brush with
remaining oil; season. Wrap in foil; place in a roasting
pan. Roast for 2 hours or until tender. Stand wrapped for
30 minutes.
Vegan gravy
1 Heat margarine in a medium saucepan over medium
heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly
browned.
2 Add flour; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until lightly
browned.
3 Gradually stir in stock and Tamari. Cook, stirring, for 3
minutes or until thickened. Season to taste.
4 Remove foil from roast; slice thickly. Serve with gravy.
59
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN RECIPES
CHIA CRÊPES,
BANANA &
BLACK SESAME
Serves 4
15 minutes +
20 minutes (standing)
15 minutes
› 110 g plain flour
› 1 tbsp white chia seeds
› 2 ½ tbsp coconut sugar
› 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
› 250 ml almond milk
› 125 ml water
› 30 g coconut oil, melted
› 4 sugar bananas (520 g)
› 190 g coconut or vegan yoghurt
› 2 tbsp blueberries
› 2 tbsp black sesame seeds
THE HOTTER THE PAN, THE BETTER
THE CRÊPES. BUT TAKE CARE TO REMOVE
THE PAN FROM THE HEAT FOR A FEW
SECONDS BETWEEN EACH CRÊPE SO
THAT THEY DON’T BURN.
1 Combine flour, chia seeds, 2 teaspoons of the coconut
sugar and the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Make a well
in the centre; gradually whisk in almond milk and water,
until combined and smooth. Stand for 20 minutes.
2 Heat a 26-cm (top measurement) non-stick frying pan
over a high heat. Lightly grease with some of the coconut
oil. Pour 1/2 cup of the batter into the centre of the hot
pan, tilting the pan to coat the base in a thin layer; cook
for 1 minute or until browned. Turn, cook on the other side
until golden. Transfer to a plate; cover with foil to keep
warm. Repeat with the remaining batter and grease with
coconut oil, to make a total of 4 crêpes.
3 Reduce heat under pan to medium-high heat. Cut the
bananas lengthways and sprinkle remaining sugar on
cut-side of the banana halves. Cook cut-side down in pan
for 1 minute or until caramelised.
4 Divide crêpes between plates. Top with caramelised
banana, yoghurt and blueberries; sprinkle with sesame
seeds.
TIP
Sugar bananas, also known as finger bananas, are smaller
and sweeter than regular bananas. If unavailable halve
regular bananas lengthways and crossways.
60
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FESTIVE CHEER
THAT DOESN’T COST DEAR
Do you want to give the foodies at your festive table an extra treat this
holiday season? If you pair our Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe with a meat or
cheese dish, your guests will feel like they are in a real starred restaurant.
And all of this for a real star price.
Scan this ‘Palate-picker’ code
for festive suggestions and smart-saver tips.
While stocks last.
Mam ALDI ass all Dag extra, ganz einfach

VEGETARIAN RECIPE
CRE AMY SOUP
WITH PARSNIP, PEAR &
HAZELNUTS
BY SANDRINE
lespaniersdesandrine.lu
Serves 6 15 minutes 20 - 30 minutes
› 1 kg parsnips
› 400 g potatoes
› 2 pears
› 1 onion
› 3 garlic cloves
› 2 l water
› 1 vegetable stock cube
› 2 tbsp olive oil
› A few grains of cardamom
› Salt and pepper
› Hazelnuts
Sandrine Pingeon
Ramunas Astrauskas
RECIPE
PHOTOS
62
1 Peel, wash and dice the parsnips.
2 Peel and wash the potatoes and cut them
into large cubes. Chop the onion and garlic
finely.
3 Peel and seed the pears and dice them.
4 Bring the water to the boil with a vegetable
stock cube.
5 Fry the chopped onion with the garlic in a
frying pan in olive oil until transparent.
6 Add the parsnips, potatoes and pears. Cover
with the hot broth and simmer for 20 – 30
minutes.
7 Mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper if
necessary. Arrange the velouté on plates with
a pinch of pepper and a few crushed roasted
hazelnuts.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RECIPE
CARAMELISED MONKFISH TAIL
CARROT PULP WITH GREEN ANISEED & VEGETABLE PICKLES
BY LES ROSES
Serves 6
60 minutes + 24h to marinate
20 minutes
For the fish
› 1 monkfish tail of 1.8 –2 kg
› 500 g carrot
› 10 g of green anise
› 200 g vegetable stock
› 300 g of Kadaïf noodles
(fine Turkish noodles)
› Sesame oil
› 50 g semi-salted butter
For the pickles
› 1 l of water
› 60 g white spirit vinegar
› 80 g sugar
› 2 star anise
› 3 g peppercorns
› 3 g fennel seeds
› 3 g of mustard seeds
› Thyme/ laurel
› Vegetables of your choice
for pickles (carrots, onions,
cauliflower, fennel...)
The fish
1 Have the monkfish fillets cleaned and filleted by your
fishmonger, then cut into 6 portions.
The pickles
1 Prepare the pickles: cut the vegetables into thin strips.
Gather all the ingredients for the pickles and bring them
to the boil, pour the boiling preparation over the thin
slices of vegetables and leave to marinate in the fridge
for at least 24 hours.
2 Peel and wash the carrots, cook them in a vegetable
stock with the green anise. Once cooked, mix and blend
with the butter.
3 Mix the Kadaïf noodles with a dash of sesame oil. Season
with salt and pepper.
Place in a mould of your choice without packing down
too much and bake in the oven at 180°C until coloured.
4 Just before serving, caramelise the monkfish portions
in a very hot non-stick pan and finish cooking with a knob
of butter, the heart should still be pearly (3 – 4 minutes).
5 Arrange on a plate: the Kadaïf noodles, a little carrot
purée with green aniseed, then the previously drained
vegetable pickles and finish with the monkfish.
Open from Tuesday to Monday
from 18h30 to 22h30,
and on Sunday from 12h00 to 14h00
(unique menu)
Opening hours are subject to change. To stay
informed, go to casino2000.lu
Information and reservations:
+352 / 23 611-410
+352 / 23 611 -1 — info@casino2000.lu
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Reserved for adults
63
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
64
TEXT Susanne Jaspers
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
SUGAR
THE CALORIE-HEAVY
TEMPTATION
Sugar plays no small part in the globating of Europe.
That sweet temptress has had an astonishing career –
especially considering that sugar was practically unknown
in our region around 200 years ago.
A TROPICAL, NATURAL PRODUCT
Technically, one might think sugar should be healthy. After
all, it is a plant-derived product; and generally, things
that are natural are seen as harmless. Sugar is extracted
from the tropical sugar cane, Saccharum officinarum in its
official Latin name, and is grown mainly in Brazil, India,
and China, as well as in Australia, the USA, and further
Latin-American countries. The main growing condition
is warmth because frost causes sugar cane to die a quick
death. People with a sweet tooth are advised to nibble on
the stalks, rather than think about chewing the leaves, for
only the former has the sugar in its pulp. This pulp, which
is harvested after one or even several years and holds between
eleven and twenty percent of sugar, is pressed and
either boiled down to create brown cane sugar, or cleaned
and concentrated to make white sugar.
NAPOLEON WAS A FAN OF BEETS
In contrast to the sugar cane plant, whose sweet secret
was discovered in New Guinea as early as 8,000 BC, the
beet or mangold, widely known also in our region, was
discovered only relatively late as a source of sugar. In 1747,
the German chemist Andreas Sigismund Marggraf (1709-
1782) – whose father ran a lucrative business from his
Berlin pharmacy dealing in cane sugar, then a prescription-based,
luxury good – discovered, while searching for
sugar in native plants, that the sugar of the mangold was
identical to that of the sugar cane. In a period of several
decades, it became possible to raise the initially small percentage
of sugar from around 1.5 percent to five and later
to over twelve percent. Today, the percentage lies at an average
of 17. With the discovery of beet sugar the monopoly
of imported cane sugar was broken. Napoleon implemented
a continental ban against British colonial goods from
1806 to 1813 and this and the following collapse of the sug-
65
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
ar cane import, in addition to a beet-friendly legislation
by the French, meant that beet sugar extraction experienced
a veritable boom. This lasted until the lifting of the
continental ban. It was only in the mid-19th century that
the competition between beet and cane sugar lead to a
massive reduction in price, and sugar finally transformed
from a luxury good into a consumer good for the masses.
MEAN: WELL-HIDDEN CALORIES
Sugar really makes keeping an eye on your weight difficult.
It is not enough to give up on that cream-filled gateau
or leave out the sugar in your tea (or coffee). Even giving
up on your regular coke (with its infamous 35 sugar cubes
per litre) will not necessarily be sufficient to keep a slim
waistline. Indeed, alternative soft drinks are not the solution
either. Lemonade and co are only a few cubes behind
the calorie bombe Coca Cola in terms of sugar content.
Sugar hides in countless foods, even if it does not seem
obvious at first glance. Especially dangerous are sauces.
For example, most ketchups contain sugar as one of
the main ingredients (besides tomato purée), while BBQ
sauces often contain up to three sugar cubes per spoonful.
Even in your seemingly healthy muesli you will find sugar
involved. Take especial care when buying Cornflakes and
Co! That also applies for the fruit yoghurts so beloved at
breakfast time.
MEN, BEWARE!
Unfortunately, sugar does not only cause you to pile on
the weight and damages your teeth, it can also have a
negative effect on your psyche. Researchers at University
College London discovered, as part of a major study a
few years ago, that men who consumed around 70 gram of
sugar per day, had about 25 percent higher chance of mood
swings and depression five years later. Astonishingly, the
amount of sugar a woman consumes had, according to the
study, no effect on her psyche. Thus, a word of advice to
all readers with a man at their side who likes to complain
about low sugar intake (which, for those who do not know,
is a classic excuse for low mood): better not to provide too
much chocolate in case the mood gets worse.
66
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
DEADLY GRAPE SYRUP?
Already the Romans were known to enjoy
their meals and not to spurn sweetmeats.
The problem was that sugar was
an absolute rarity in Rome, had to be
imported from India, and was only affordable
by the wealthy. Everybody else
made do with Defrutum: grape syrup.
For these purposes, grape syrup was
boiled down through a long cooking process,
generally to one third of its original
volume. The problem was that the usual
vessels used to cook it in were made
of lead. These days, we know that that’s
pretty bad for you. But then it was not
known. The result: some historians allege
that the Roman Empire did not fall
on account of its vices and decadence
but simply because of collective lead
poisoning.
THE THING WITH
SWEETENERS
The Russian chemist Constantin Fahlberg
(1850-1910), who researched coal
tar at the American Johns-Hopkins University
at the end of the 19th century,
is generally held to be the inventor – or
rather chance discoverer – of artificial
sweeteners. He himself describes the
discovery later as following: “I had, following
a busy day working, washed my
hands thoroughly before going home. I
was very surprised to find my hands, on
lifting bread to my mouth, tasted sweet. I
suspected the housewife, (but) the bread
itself was not sweet, rather my washed
hands were.” Thus, saccharin was born.
THE HORROR STORY
OF ASPARTAM
One of the most widespread sweeteners,
besides saccharin, is aspartam, known
as NutraSweet. It is contained in countless
light-products, such as Coca Cola Zero. Even if conspiracy theorists
claim that mysterious US businesses want to poison the world population
with aspartam, so far the claim that the sweetener causes cancer has not
been substantiated. The problem with sweetener is simply that it does not
satisfy sugar cravings. While the stuff tastes sweet, the brain does not let
itself be duped that easily; the craving for “real sweetness” remains. Thus,
sweetener can even lead to weight gain if, after the consumption of artificially
sweetened foods, “actually sweet” foodstuff is consumed. Tip: To
counter this, a cube of grape sugar is said to work wonders.
THE AMOUNT COUNTS
Of course, no sweet tooth has to completely give up on sugar. But if you
fancy holding onto your weight and teeth, stick to the following rule: According
to the WHO, an adult should not consume more than 25 to 50
grams of pure sugar a day. 50 grams are around 10 teaspoons. What’s that?
You think you never consume that much? Well, a single can of lemonade
alone contains around 40 grams…
67
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
www.atelier-de-cuisine.com
RECIPES
ALL AROUND
SUGAR
BY BERTRAND DUCHAMPS
68
R E C I P E
PHOTOS
Bertrand Duchamps
Dominika Montonen-Koivisto
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
SALMON
RICE NOODLES &
CARAMEL SOY
Serves 1
15 minutes
3 x 15 minutes
› 125 g Scottish salmon
› 6 dried Shiitake mushrooms
› Some bunches of Romanesco
cabbage
› 100 g rice noodles
› 2 tbsp soy sauce
› 2 tbsp maple syrup
› 2 organic clementines
› ½ cm ginger
› 1 small shallot
› 1 tsp Bertrand's spice salt (or
another mixture of your choice)
› 1 tbsp olive oil
› 1 tsp green pepper
› Cornflowers
1 Cut the shallot into thin strips, and cut the ginger into thin slices.
2 Squeeze the juice from the clementines. Add the zest of half a clementine.
3 Lightly crush the green peppercorns.
4 To rehydrate the mushrooms, add them to boiling water for ½ hour.
5 Pour the olive oil into a small saucepan and sauté the shallot, ginger, soy
sauce, maple syrup, pepper, juice and zest of the clementines. Bring to a boil
for 10 minutes to caramelise the sauce.
6 Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish, add the caramel sauce and cook
for 8 – 10 minutes on the medium grill setting.
7 Pan fry the mushrooms in olive oil, season with the spice salt and cook
for 10 minutes.
8 Cook the rice noodles in boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse
with cold water. To reheat them, briefly place them under hot water in a
colander.
9 Arrange the noodles in a soup plate, then add the salmon with the sauce,
the mushrooms and the cabbage heads. Add some cornflowers for decoration.
69
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
CHICKEN FILLETS
WITH GREEN COCONUT CURRY
Serves 2
15 minutes
15 minutes
› 4 chicken fillets
› 1 tsp coconut blossom sugar
› 100 ml coconut milk
› 1 tbsp fish sauce
› ½ garlic clove
› 10 cm lemon grass
› 1 tsp green curry paste
› 1 passion fruit
› 1 tsp virgin coconut oil
› 1 tsp olive oil
› 2 tbsp mixture of Brussels sprouts,
grated carrot, spring onion and
lettuce heart, chopped
› 1 red pepper
1 Put the coconut oil and curry paste in a small pot. Roast the paste at high
heat while stirring constantly, it should stick to the bottom. When the aromas
develop, add the coconut milk. Stir, let it simmer for 10 minutes.
2 Add the fish sauce, sugar, finely chopped garlic and lemongrass, mix and
cook for 5 minutes at low heat. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 5
minutes, strain.
3 Put the olive oil in a griddle pan and fry the chicken for 5 – 7 minutes on
each side.
4 Put the sauce on a plate and arrange the aiguillettes (chicken slices) and
vegetables. Sprinkle with thin slices of red pepper and passion fruit.
70
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHIOGGIA
BEETROOT PAPILLOTE
FEATURE
Serves 1 10 minutes 45 minutes
› 1 Chioggia beetroot
› Cabécou with raw goat milk
› ½ tbsp Vergeoise (brown sugar)
› 1 tsp of Bertrand seasoning salt (or
another mixture of your choice)
› 1 tbsp of olive oil
› Walnuts
› Espelette pepper
› Chives
1 Rinse and coarsely clean the beetroot by rubbing it with aluminium foil.
Wrap it in a sheet of baking paper and cook in the oven at 180°C for 2 hours.
Switch the oven off and leave the beetroot to cool inside.
2 Melt the oil, sugar and salt in a frying pan, cut the beetroots in half, place
with the flat side in the pan and caramelise over a low heat for 15 minutes.
3 Halve the walnut kernels.
4 Place the beetroot onto a plate. Top with the finely chopped chives, add the
cheese seasoned with a dash of Espelette peppers, and garnish with walnuts.
71
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL FRUIT
5 FACTS ABOUT
ORANGES
HEALTH & GOOD
MOOD FOR WINTER
Oranges are a cross between
a tangerine and a grapefruit
and belong to the genus of
endocarp berries. Called a
golden apple by Alexander the
Great 300 BCE, and in German
“Apfelsine” – the apple from
China. There are around 600
different kinds, and a really big
orange tree can produce up to
200 kg per year.
BUYING &
STORING
Oranges don’t continue
to ripen once picked. It’s
best to store them at 4
to 7 degrees. Like a lot of
other fruits, don’t keep
them with apples, as
they will speed up the
decaying process through
their ripening hormone.
TEXT Martina Schmitt-Jamek
A SWEET TREAT
Oranges are full of Vitamin
C (200 g is sufficient to cover
your daily need), carotenoids
and flavonoids, which can
lower the risk of cancer and
cardiovascular problems. They
work in salads, with nuts, fish,
and poultry, and certainly
always look good.
72
HEALTHY PEEL
The white skin of the orange contains plenty of beneficial
components, especially flavonoids, which guard against free
radicals. If the taste doesn’t bother you, eat the white skin too.
The peel – only use organic! – contains many vitamins, minerals,
and fibre. Use grated on salads or in desserts; the peel aids fat
burning, digestion and lowers cholesterol. Chew like chewing
gum against bad breath or use to make a tea.
DARK DOES NOT
MEAN RIPE
Whether the orange peel is
lighter or darker depends
on the temperature change
of day and night, not on the
sunrays or warmth. Thus, the
peel is not an indication of
ripeness. Oranges that have
a peel with fine pores are
juicier than those with
larger pores.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CURRIED
PUMPKIN SOUP
SEASONAL FRUIT
Serves 4 ‒ 6 30 minutes 30 ‒ 40 minutes
› 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil
› 1 onion, chopped
› 4 celery stalks, chopped
› 2 garlic cloves, crushed
› 2 tbsp curry powder
› 750 ml peeled and diced pumpkin,
seeds reserved
› 4 – 5 carrots, peeled and diced
› 100 ml juice and grated peel of
1 orange
› 1 l vegetable stock
› ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
› 2 tsp chopped thyme
› 1 can (410 g) coconut milk
1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
2 Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large
saucepan and sauté onion and celery until
soft. Add garlic, curry powder, pumpkin
and carrots and fry for a minute. Stir in
orange juice, peel and stock and simmer
until cooked through.
3 Wash pumpkin seeds, dry well and
toss with remaining olive oil, chilli flakes
and thyme and roast for 20 minutes until
crunchy. Set aside.
4 Add coconut milk to soup and simmer
for 5 minutes. Blend until smooth, top with
crunchy pumpkin seeds and serve.
73
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

TAMARIND
& ORANGE
DRESSING
Serves 4 10 minutes
ORANGE
CURD
1 glass 20 minutes 15 minutes
› 80 ml tamarind sauce
› 50 ml orange juice
› 1 tsp castor sugar
› 1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
› 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
› 1 tbsp grated orange peel
› 2 tsp (10 ml) fish sauce
› 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
› ½ chopped chilli
› 2 tbsp chopped coriander
1 Whisk together tamarind sauce with orange juice and
castor sugar until sugar dissolves.
2 Add sesame oil, olive oil, grated orange peel, fish sauce,
water, chopped chilli and chopped coriander.
3 Serve tossed through chicken salad or fill a cleaned
fish with sliced orange and fennel, pour over marinade
and bake until cooked through.
› 150 ml orange juice
› 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
› 150 g unsalted butter
› 180 g castor sugar
› 3 extra-large eggs + 2 extra-large egg yolks
1 Place orange juice, lemon juice, unsalted butter and
castor sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir
until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
2 Whisk 3 extra-large eggs and 2 extra-large egg yolks
together. Gradually add orange mixture, stirring continuously.
Return to pan and cook, stirring, for 7 – 8 minutes
or until thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon.
3 Cool in the fridge before serving.
74
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL FRUIT
SWEET ’N SOUR
CHICKEN
Serves 4
30 minutes
20 minutes
› 4 large chicken breast fillets
› 60 g cornflour, plus 2 tsp for
dusting
› 30 g flour
› 1 tsp baking powder
› Salt and milled pepper
› 250 ml cold water
› Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
› 1 onion, cut into chunks
› 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
› 150 g pineapple chunks, drained
› 2 peppers ( 1 red, 1 yellow
pepper), chopped
› 45 ml tomato sauce
› 100 ml juice and grated peel of 1
orange
› 3 tbsp (45 ml) vinegar
1 Cut chicken into 3 cm cubes.
2 Mix together cornflour, flour, baking
powder, seasoning and 125 ml
cold water to form a smooth batter.
Set aside.
3 Heat a glug of oil in a pan and
lightly fry onion, ginger, pineapple
and peppers. Add tomato sauce,
orange juice and peel, vinegar and
remaining water and simmer until
sauce thickens.
4 Heat 5 cm vegetable oil in a pan.
Dust chicken in a little cornflour and
dip into batter to coat. Deep-fry in
batches until golden and cooked
through. Drain on kitchen paper.
5 Toss chicken in sauce and serve
with steamed rice.
75
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL FRUIT
BARBECUE RIBS
Serves 4 35 minutes 35 minutes
› 125 ml peach chutney
› 100 ml tomato sauce
› 100 ml juice and grated peel of 1
orange
› 100 ml Worcestershire sauce
› 60 ml apple cider vinegar
› 1 – 2 tbsp crushed garlic, ginger &
chilli paste
› 20 beef riblets
› 1 tbsp sesame seeds
› 6 – 8 spring onions, finely chopped
› 60 g coriander
1 Combine the first 6 ingredients.
Pour the mix over riblets in a roasting
pan.
2 Toss to coat and cook for 30 – 35
minutes or until cooked through and
caramelised.
3 Serve scattered with sesame seeds,
spring onions and coriander.
GOOD IDEAS
› Add grated orange peel to a little chopped rosemary and sea salt and use
as seasoning.
› Add a squeeze of orange juice, some grated peel, chopped thyme, a glug of
olive oil and a little cumin to diced sweet potato and butternut. Roast at 180°C
until crispy and cooked through.
› Mix a generous spoonful of marmalade, the juice of an orange, a spoonful of
grated ginger and a dash of soy sauce together. Rub onto lean pork chops and
grill until cooked through.
76
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL FRUIT
POACHED
ORANGES
Serves 4 20 min 3 0‒ 40 min
› 250 ml light brown sugar
› 125 ml water
› 100 ml orange juice
› Grated peel of 1 orange
› 1 tsp chopped rosemary
› 4 cloves
› 3 tbsp orange liqueur and
› 1 split vanilla pod
› 4 – 6 oranges
1 In a heavy-based saucepan combine light brown sugar,
water, juice and grated orange peel, chopped rosemary,
cloves, orange liqueur and vanilla pod.
2 Carefully peel 4 – 6 oranges, add to pan and simmer
until cooked through and liquid has turned syrupy.
3 Cool and serve with ice cream.
77
Kachen_O lactose_19-10-20.indd 2 21/10/2020 15:01
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL FRUIT
ORANGE & POPPY
SEED CAKE
Serves 8–10
45 minutes
40‒60 minutes
› 125 ml fresh orange juice
› 125 ml Greek-style yoghurt
› 3 tbsp poppy seeds
› 250 g unsalted butter, diced
› 320 g castor sugar
› 3 tbsp finely grated orange peel
› 4 extra-large eggs
› 340 g cake flour
› 2 ½ tsp baking powder
› 125 g butter, softened
› 250 g cream cheese
› 250 g icing sugar
1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Spray
a 25 cm, loose-bottomed cake tin
with cooking spray. Mix orange juice,
yoghurt and poppy seeds in a bowl.
2 Beat butter, castor sugar and
orange peel in a large bowl until pale
and creamy.
3 Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until
well combined. Add sifted flour and
baking powder to egg mixture. Add
yoghurt mixture and gently fold to
combine using a large metal spoon.
4 Spoon mixture into prepared cake
tin, smooth surface and bake for 45 –
60 minutes or until a skewer inserted
into the cake comes out clean.
5 Set aside for 5 minutes to cool
slightly, then turn out onto a wire
rack to cool completely. Cream
butter and cream cheese together
and gradually fold through sifted
icing sugar.
6 Spread icing on cake and serve.
78
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RECIPE
CELEBRATIONS DESSERT
BROWNIE-TIRAMISU
Serves 8
1 hour
10 – 15 minutes
For the dough
› 130 g butter
› 250 g dark chocolate
› 130 g brown sugar
› 3 eggs
› 50 g flour
› 50 g cocoa
› 1 tsp baking powder
› 1 – 2 tsp gingerbread spice
› 50 g white chocolate
For the cream
› 350 g Galbani Mascarpone
› 150 ml cream
› 30 g sugar
› 1 tsp instant espresso powder
› 50 ml almond syrup (or Amaretto)
› 2 tbsp icing sugar
In addition
› Biscuit cutter circle (Ø 6, 5, 4 and
3 cm), piping bag with a starshaped
spout
The dough
1 For the dough, melt butter and
dark chocolate over a hot water bath
and leave to cool.
2 Stir in sugar and eggs. Mix flour,
cocoa, baking powder and spice and
stir briefly into the dough.
3 Spread the brownie dough evenly
on a baking tray lined with baking
paper (approx. 38 x 45 cm), bake
in a preheated oven at 180°C (fan:
160°C) for approx. 10 – 15 minutes
and let cool down.
4 Melt white chocolate over a hot
water bath.
5 Cut out circles from the brownie
dough, making sure that there is as
little space as possible between the
circles, and that each size is present
in equal numbers. Spread the largest
circles on the bottom with white
chocolate and leave to dry.
The cream
1 Whip cream with sugar until stiff.
Briefly stir in the espresso powder
and Galbani Mascarpone and fill the
cream into a piping bag with a starshaped
spout.
2 Sprinkle the largest circles with a
few drops of almond syrup, garnish
with mascarpone cream and place
the next smaller circles on top.
3 Repeat until all the circles are
used up, finishing with mascarpone
cream. Dust the brownie tiramisu
trees with icing sugar and serve
immediately.
For more recipes of Galbani,
visit our website on
www.galbani.lu !
79
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

WORKSHOPS
OUR WORKSHOPS ARE BACK
– NOW ONLINE!
Thanks to an amazing host, Marinola,
this first online workshop was a great success.
In October 2020, we re-launched our KACHEN Workshops and this time we opted for a virtual
version of them, in order to allow more people to participate and to reduce the risk of COVID-19.
PHOTOS Jùlia Pecci
We started off with a plant-based menu, all about the pumpkin – hosted by plant-based chef
Marinola who treated us to authentic and creative dishes. And while the workshop was live and
online, we noticed that the participants and the host were able to interact and engage with each
other in an authentic and warm manner. Many of the participants cooked along with the host
during the workshop and then enjoyed a delicious meal from the comfort of their own home. We
call the workshop a success!
Stay tuned for more announcements of new workshops on kachen.lu/workshops/ & Social Media.
80
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL
TOFINO:
DELICIOUS, BEAUTIFUL, FAIR
3 STRONG VALUES FOR AN EXCEPTIONAL CHOCOLATE
THAT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED IN LUXEMBOURG.
Pierre Angot and Romain Viaud, former engineers from
the Ecole Centrale, launched their brand of chocolates
from bean to bar in 2019 under the name TOFINO.
Their objective: to become the reference for exceptional
chocolate! They didn't hesitate to go and meet planters
in Cameroon and Vietnam to find beans with little-known
origins of a very high quality and from a rich
soil, but above all from cultures who are known to be
committed chocolate makers. Today, they offer new kind
of creations in the world of chocolate, which provide exceptional
taste journeys or "tasting moments."
For example, they work on infusing exclusive ingredients
such as Timur Bay from Nepal or Grand Cru coffee from
Kenya from the best roaster in France (Mélanie Badets)
directly into the chocolate to give life to irresistible chocolates
and invitations to culinary journeys. In addition
to the extraordinary quality of the chocolate, they are
also working on their aesthetic design in partnership
with artists and have chosen to use environmentally responsible
and reusable packaging made of gold-plated
metal which preserves the chocolate in an optimal way.
Their collaborations with artists such as Jacques Schneider
and Petites Luxures, prestigious brands such as Hermès
Paris and the support of big names in the culinary
world leave no doubt about the exclusive, creative and
committed approach of the young chocolate makers.
Presented in Luxembourg for the first time this summer
and with great success at Thym Citron in the capital, TO-
FINO will now also be available at the Grande Épicerie
du PALL CENTER where we look forward to discovering
them.
Pierre Angot & Romain Viaud
If you need a delicious, beautiful and fairtrade gift
for Christmas, look no further!
tofinocreations.fr
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL VEGETABLE
5 FACTS ABOUT
FENNEL
VEGETABLE’S
MARATHON RUNNER
Well, simply put, fennel means
“marathon” in Greek. It’s quite
fitting because fennel keeps you
full for longer – without feeling like
you’ve overindulged – on account
of its high fibre content. Ideal,
therefore, for athletes. A tea
made from fennel seeds is,
by the way, a very effective
tonic to quench your thirst
and can also help with
stomach cramps; it’s even
suitable for infants.
CRISP & FRESH…
That’s how you want your
fennel and the signs are
shiny, green leaves and
when the cut surface has
not dried out. Because fennel
grows in sandy soil, you’ll
sometimes find sand on the
outer leaves; just make sure
you give them a good
wash and ideally halve
the fennel first.
TEXT Martina Schmitt-Jamek
82
AND MUCH MORE!
The essential oils have an
anti-inflammatory effect
and strengthen stomach,
liver and kidneys. Potassium,
iron, folic acid, vitamin B, C,
and E, help with high blood
pressure and kidney stones;
they also help preserve bone
density and strengthens
muscles, blood vessels,
heart, and nerves.
100 % USEABLE
Not only the bulb can be used in many ways – cooked, fried,
braised, baked, or raw – even the delicate, feathery green
can be used, in moderation, for mayonnaise, soups, or salads.
The seeds are not only good for tea, but also in bread, or
delicious when used in preserving, aid digestion, and prolong
storage life. The flowers, especially beloved by bees, make a
wonderful syrup.
IF YOU DON’T LIKE
THE LIQUORICE
TASTE…
Combine fennel with
Mediterranean vegetables
like tomatoes, paprika, or
olives, which disguise the
anis flavour. Fennel works
well with fish and seafood,
meat, and other vegetables,
but also with risotto, pasta,
parmesan, or in fruit salad
and smoothies, for example
with ananas, oranges,
strawberries, or kiwis.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SEASONAL VEGETABLE
CHICKEN BURGERS
WITH HUMMUS & FENNEL
Serves 4
45 minutes
10 minutes
For the hummus
› 240 g tinned butter beans,
drained
› 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
› 1 tsp lemon juice
› 1/4 tsp ground cumin
› 1/4 tsp ground coriander
› 2 tbsp olive or avocado oil
› 1 tsp fresh coriander, chopped
› Salt and freshly ground black
pepper, to taste
› 1 celery stalk
› Ice water
› 1 fennel bulb (white part only),
sliced paper-thin with
a mandoline
› 75 g grated carrot
› Juice of 2 oranges
› 1 orange, peeled, segmented
and chopped
› 4 deboned and skinless
chicken breasts
› Oil, for frying
› 4 burger rolls
› Salad leaves, to serve
› Chips or salad, to serve
The hummus
1 Place the butter beans, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and
ground coriander in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
Add the oil and blend to combine. Stir in the fresh coriander
and season.
2 Use a vegetable peeler to slice ribbons off the celery
stalk. Place the ribbons in ice water for 10 minutes. This
causes them to curl up and form celery curls.
3 To make the slaw, combine the celery curls, fennel,
carrot, orange juice and chopped orange, and season
with a little black pepper. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes.
4 Heat a griddle pan until hot. Brush the chicken breasts
with oil and season lightly. Fry until cooked, 8 – 10 minutes.
5 Make the burgers by slicing the rolls in half and spreading
with hummus. Add salad leaves, chicken breast and
slaw.
6 Serve with chips or salad on the side.
COOK’S TIP
Toast the buns in a dry pan on the sliced sides. This adds
a layer of texture and flavour and makes the burger less
soggy from the filling.
83
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FENNEL, PORK &
TOMATO STEW
Serves 4 1 hour 70 minutes
GRATINÉED
FENNEL
Serves 4 1 hour 50 minutes
› 4 medium fennel bulbs, with +-10cm
of the stem attached
› Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
› 2 tbsp chives, chopped
› 1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
› 600 g double-thick cream
› 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
› 25 g Parmesan, grated
› 10 g butter
› 1 tsp olive oil
› 4 shallots or baby onions, finely sliced
› 8 pork sausages
› 300 g fennel bulb, thinly sliced
› ¼ tsp chilli flakes
› 55 g celery, sliced
› 1 tsp crushed garlic
› 220 g cocktail tomatoes
› 200 g baby carrots
› 410 g tinned tomatoes
› 375 ml warm vegetable stock
› 250 g tinned chickpeas
› Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
› Cooked rice
› 125 ml crème fraîche
› 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2 Cut the fennel bulbs into halves or quarters, depending
on their size. Season lightly and arrange in a 20 x 25 cm
roasting tray. It is fine if they overlap in the pan.
3 Lightly stir the chives and garlic into the cream and
pour over the fennel.
4 Cook in the preheated oven until tender, 40 – 50 minutes.
5 Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese, and sprinkle
over the fennel. Turn on the grill. Grill until the cheese and
crumbs are golden and melted, 3 – 5 minutes.
6 Serve immediately.
COOK’S TIP
Serve as a side dish to roast chicken, lamb or fish. Make
sure you have crusty bread close by to mop up any leftover
sauce.
1 Heat the butter and oil in a pot over medium heat.
Add the shallots or baby onions and turn the heat down
slightly, allowing the onions to cook until golden, about
5 minutes.
2 Stir in the sausages and cook until they brown, about
5 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pot and turn
the heat back up.
3 Add the fennel and chilli flakes, and fry for 5 minutes.
Stir in the celery, garlic, tomatoes and carrots, and fry for
a few minutes.
4 Pour in the tinned tomatoes and vegetable stock and
stir to combine. Gently place the sausages in the pot and
cover with a lid. Simmer until the veggies are tender and
the sausages are fully cooked, 40 – 50 minutes.
5 Five minutes before removing the stew from the heat,
stir in the chickpeas and season.
6 Serve on rice with a dollop of crème fraîche and fresh
parsley.
84
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GRILLED SALMON IN A
CREAMY FENNEL BROTH
Serves 2 40 minutes 30 + 10 minutes
SEASONAL VEGETABLE
› 1 tsp olive oil + extra, to drizzle
› 6 shallots, peeled and halved
› 120 g whole baby fennel, thinly sliced
lengthways
› 6 baby potatoes, peeled and quartered
› 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
› 1 star anise
› 1 bay leaf
1 Heat a pan over medium heat and add the oil,
shallots and whole baby fennel. Turn the heat
down slightly to cook without browning too
much. Cook until the fennel and shallots become
slightly tender, 8 – 10 minutes.
2 Stir in the potatoes, garlic, star anise and bay
leaf, and fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the wine and
allow it to bubble away for 5 minutes so that
most of the alcohol cooks off.
3 Stir in the warm stock and simmer gently,
15 – 20 minutes.
4 Add the mushrooms and cream and cook for a
further 5 minutes.
› 125 ml white wine
› 250 ml warm vegetable stock
› 100 g exotic mushrooms
› 125 ml fresh cream
› 2 salmon portions
› Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
› Fennel fronds, to garnish
5 Preheat the oven grill. Place the salmon on a
lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and lightly
season. Grill until cooked and tender, 6 – 8 minutes.
Keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t overcook
or burn.
6 Place the cooked salmon in a serving dish, ladle
the creamy broth and vegetables on top, and add
a sprinkling of fennel fronds just before serving.
COOK’S TIP
If you can’t find shallots, simply replace with
baby onions. The same goes for exotic mushrooms:
replace with sliced.
85
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

SAVOURY FENNEL &
BACON BREAD
Serves 4 40 minutes 35 minutes
› 5 g butter
› 1 tsp crushed garlic
› 125 g streaky bacon, chopped
› 80 g red onion, diced
› 180 g fennel bulb, with +-10cm of the stem
attached, thinly sliced
› 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
› 2 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
› 190 g ciabatta
› 115 g butter, at room temperature
› 6 eggs
› 250 ml fresh cream
› 375 ml milk
› Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
› 70 g Gruyère, finely grated
› Micro herbs or fresh basil, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2 Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the butter, garlic,
bacon and onion, and fry until crisp and golden, about 5
minutes.
3 Add the fennel together with the thyme and turn the
heat up slightly in order for the fennel to caramelise and
turn golden. Fry until the fennel is tender, 10 – 15 minutes.
Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the chives.
4 Cut the ciabatta into thick slices (about 2 cm thick).
Butter each slice and cut the bread into bite-size chunks.
Add the bread to the fennel mixture and turn it all out
into a 25 x 30 cm ovenproof dish.
5 Whisk the eggs, cream and milk together, and season.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread and fennel mixture,
and place in the oven.
6 Cook for 20 minutes and sprinkle the cheese on top.
Place back in the oven until the cheese has melted and
the eggs have set.
7 Scatter micro herbs or basil on top and serve
immediately.
86
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

DISCOVER NATURALLY
OUR CHEESE COUNTER:
A LARGE SELECTION OF SPECIALTIES AND
A PERSONAL ADVICE FOR ALL TASTES.

DO IT YOURSELF
HEIKE’S
TASTY TREATS
“The memories of wonderful moments learning to cook
with my mother and grandmother are probably the
reason for my passion for cooking. These days, cooking
for the people I love brings me great joy. Setting the table
nicely and lovingly preparing handwritten menus for my guests, choosing seasonal
table decorations with fresh flowers, and finding the best, preferably regional,
ingredients for my menu... it’s pure joy for me.”
In order to share this happiness with even more people, Heike Meyers created
“Pfeffer macht glücklich” (“Pepper makes you happy”). Here at KACHEN, on
her blog, on Instagram or at one of her food camps she invites you to share this
happiness with her, with the promise “Pfeffer macht glücklich” (“Pepper makes
you happy”).
@pfeffermachtglücklich
88
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

DO IT YOURSELF
CANTUCCINI
WITH FIGS
about 45 pieces
25 minutes
25 minutes
GOAT CHEESE
IN CINNAMON
OIL
1 jar
10 minutes
ONION
CONFIT
2 jars
15 minutes
30 minutes
› 140 g spelt flour (type 630)
› ½ tsp cream of tartar
› 2 tsp gingerbread spice
› Some salt
› 1 egg
› 100 g raw cane sugar
› 30 g butter
› 80 g whole almonds
› 100 g dried soft figs, finely diced
1 Put all the ingredients, except
the almonds and figs, in a bowl and
knead.
2 Add the almonds and figs as well
and knead briefly.
3 Preheat oven to 180°C top/bottom
heat.
4 Divide the dough into three pieces
and form a roll from each. Flatten a
little and place on a baking tray lined
with baking paper. Bake on the middle
shelf for about 15 minutes until
golden brown.
5 Remove, leave to cool and cut into
1-cm thick slices.
6 Put the slices back flat on the
baking tray and bake for another 10
minutes.
TIP
The cantuccini will keep for about 3
weeks in a metal box.
As a gift or souvenir, put them in a
pretty box lined with tissue paper.
Decorate with a bow and a handwritten
label or a personalised Christmas
greeting.
› 150 ml finest olive oil
› 2 cinnamon sticks
› 1 star anise
› 4 rounds goat’s cream cheese, e.g.
Berdorfer goat’s cream cheese
› Zest of a organic lemon
› 1 tsp pink pepper berries
› A few sprigs of fresh thyme
› 1 small green chilli pepper
› 3 small, preferably fresh bay
leaves
1 Warm the olive oil slightly, add the
cinnamon sticks and let it cool down
again.
2 Put one third of the spices and
herbs in a nice glass, put goat’s
cheese on top, then add the spices
and herbs and repeat the process.
3 Position the star anise in a way
that you can see it from the outside,
which looks very nice.
4 Pour the cinnamon oil over the top
– the cheese should be completely
covered with the oil.
5 Close the glass well and put it in
the fridge. There, the cheese will
keep for 1 – 2 weeks.
TIP
To give away as a present, add a bow
and decorate with a hand-written
label or a few cut-out paper stars.
› 2 tbsp of olive oil
› 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
› 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
› 1 red chilli pepper, pitted, finely
diced
› 6 onions, finely diced
› 3 tbsp raw cane sugar
› 1 pinch of turmeric
› 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
› 200 g water
› ½ tsp black cumin
› Salt, fresh pepper from the mill
1 Heat the oil. Add garlic, thyme and
chilli and fry for 2 minutes.
2 Mince the onions finely and add
them to the pan, sauté for 2 minutes
and season with sugar, turmeric, salt
and pepper. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Deglaze with vinegar and water.
3 Add black cumin and let everything
simmer until the liquid has almost
evaporated. The onions should now
be soft.
4 Fill jam into pretty jars, seal them
airtight and store in the fridge when
cooled down. They will keep there for
4 – 6 weeks.
TIP
The jam goes very well with cheese,
simply spread on fresh bread or with
a juicy steak.
To give away as a present, decorate
with a ribbon and a hand-written label.
89
Heike Meyers
Ramunas Astrauskas
RECIPES
PHOTOS
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

90
R E C I P E
PHOTOS
René Mathieu
Xxx
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

PORTRAIT OF A CHEF
RENÉ MATHIEU
THE PATH TO THE TOP IS LINED WITH PLANTS
“We eat too much,” says René Mathieu. And people visit
restaurants too often, he adds. “It’s better to go to a restaurant
once a month than every day.” Perhaps unusual
words coming from a chef with a Michelin Star. But the
59-year-old Belgian likes to be unusual – and that is also
the secret to his success. His restaurant, “Distillerie” in
Bourglinster, was just crowned the best vegetarian restaurant
in the world in 2020 by the “Guide Vert” of the “We’re
Smart” organisation. “Hopefully, there will be many others
who will find success in this way,” says René Mathieu.
He is the chef of “Distillerie” since 2005, as well as the accompanying,
slightly simpler brasserie. Previously, René
Mathieu was a cook in the Grand Ducal Palace for three
years. The fact that he has become one of the big names
in the world of vegetarian cuisine is also connected to
his way of cooking as a moral commitment for the next
generation. “We have become a generation of meat-eaters,”
he says. The balance between animals and plants is
disturbed. Intensive farming, destroyed soil, genetically
modified plants, climate change: “It’s crazy,
all the stuff that’s happening.” Now is the
time to rethink your own diet. “It’s dawning
on us that we’re driving into a wall.”
René Mathieu is not a vegetarian (“I eat
meat from time to time”), and he can
also not really do much with the idea of
a vegetarian restaurant. “We follow the
path of a plant-based cuisine to the end,”
he says. That means that they don’t simply avoid meat.
“The problem with a vegetarian or vegan kitchen is that
they often try to replace things.” For him, that’s not what
a plant-based cuisine is about. Following the path to the
end means for René Mathieu: to cook strictly locally and
seasonally.
Thus, almost every morning, he goes for a 2-hour walk
around Bourglinster through the forest and across fields
looking for plants. “I don’t go far. For example, you can
find mallows everywhere around here. I put those in
dishes.” Occasionally, when he shows customers all the
things that grow around the castle, such as wild celery, for
example, he is often told: “But I have that in my garden. I
get rid of it because I thought it’s a weed.” René Mathieu
learnt nature’s secrets from his grandfather, a gamekeeper
in the Ardennes. “I forgot about that knowledge for a long
time, but then I remembered.”
Naturally, he doesn’t collect everything for the kitchen
himself. René Mathieu buys much of his ingredients from
“We want to be
a restaurant
of leisure and
relaxation, not one
people visit every
single day.”
Paniers de Sandrine and other things from LetsGrow in
Gonderange. “We don’t want to control everything, do
everything ourselves. We want to encourage the vegetable
producers to continue.” Every year, he invites the
suppliers to a dinner, to show them what their produce
becomes: “Often, they are very surprised.”
The art is to combine plants and vegetables so that they
taste really good. “Plants are delicious,” he says – and
feels confirmed through his guests. A carrot, wrapped in
the leaf of a lime tree, tastes amazing. And it works without
spices from India. Or take the leaf of the mallow, deepfried
in dough like tempura, and the flower filled with a
cream of fermented nuts. “We want to be a restaurant of
leisure and relaxation, not one people visit every single
day,” says René Mathieu.
The “Distillerie” offers a complete plant-based cuisine.
The Brasserie also serves fish if you don’t trust the taste
of vegetables (yet). Otherwise, the rules are clear: with the
exception of coffee, chocolate, and citrus fruit, everything
served is in tune with locality and season.
“You don’t have to eat tomatoes, strawberries,
and asparagus all year round,” says
René Mathieu.
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown some
people that you can easily eat at home or
make a packed lunch for work. “Many people
don’t eat enough at home these days,
because there are too many options. But it
really isn’t that complicated making your own meals.” He
also has the impression that, on account of the pandemic,
his guests are now, on average, clearly younger. “Young
people come on account of our values. They are more interested
in their own health.” But it’s not only they who are
enthusiastic, says René Mathieu. Recently, a very old lady
told him, with tears in her eyes, that she was very touched:
She was reminded of a specific meal from a long time ago
– cooked by her grandmother.
LA DISTILLERIE
8, rue du Château — L-6162 Bourglinster
Tel. +352 / 78 78 78 1
bourglinster.lu
91
Dieter Ebeling
Ramunas Astrauskas
TEXT
PHOTO
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHEF'S MASTER CLASS
BEETROOT & HOGWEED ROOT
Fermented milk, amaranth & plums
THE PLUM PICKLES SHOULD BE
PREPARED 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE
AND THE BEETROOT OIL 21
DAYS IN ADVANCE!
Serves 8
3 hours + time to marinate
2 hours 30 minutes
For the beetroots
› 2 beautiful beetroots
(about 2 x 250 g)
› 2 kg coarse grey salt
For the sushi rice
› 150 g sushi rice
› 4 tbsp rice vinegar
› 1 tbsp ginger, very finely chopped,
or fermented hogweed root
› 3 tbsp Tamari
› 1 tbsp horseradish cream
› 1 tsp salt
For the pickled plums
› 4 – 5 plums
› Ginger, 3-cm piece
› 1/2 red onion
› 200 ml red wine vinegar
› 200 ml apple vinegar
› 100 g brown sugar
› 1 tsp salt
› 3 bay leaves
› 1 tbsp Jamaican peppercorns
› 1 tbsp juniper berries
For the amaranth seeds
› 50 g amaranth seed grains
› 2 cl lemon-olive oil
› 1 tbsp beet juice
For the fermented milk
› 250 ml buttermilk
› 2 limes
For the beetroot oil
› ½ l lemon-olive oil
› 150 g grated beetroot
› 1 bunch of curry herb
For the serving
› 1 mallow blossom
› Dry amaranth leaves
› Hogweed root or ginger
92
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHEF'S MASTER CLASS
THE BEETS
1Gently rinse the beetroot under
clear water and clean with a
soft brush.
2In a drip tray, create a very
thick base of grey salt to give
the beets a good base. Cover
the beetroots completely with coarse
grey salt. They must be fully covered,
do not hesitate to be generous with
the salt cover.
3Cook the beetroot in an oven
preheated to 160°C (th.5) for
2 hours. When they come out
of the oven, let them cool in their salt
crust for 2 hours.
THE SUSHI RICE
4Cut the beetroot lengthwise
into thin slices, brush the
slices with lemon oil and store
in a cool place.
1Rinse the rice thoroughly in a
sieve.
2Cook over a low heat for 18
minutes (one teacup of rice to
one teacup of water). The rice
should have a milky smell.
THE PICKLED PLUMS
93
René Mathieu
Ramunas Astrauskas
3Season with Tamari, horseradish
and rice vinegar and
fermented hogweed or ginger.
1Cut all the ingredients into small
pieces and place in a saucepan.
Bring to the boil. Stir until the
sugar dissolves.
2Pour into the glass with the
plums. Leave to cool. Close the
jar and chill. Wait 2 – 3 days before
serving.
RECIPE
PHOTOS
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHEF'S MASTER CLASS
THE AMARANTH SEEDS
THE FERMENTED MILK
1Cook for 10 minutes in salted
water, then drain.
2Add the oil and beet juice and
set aside.
1Mix the milk, lemon, salt and
pepper in a bowl.
THE BEETROOT OIL
THE SERVING
1Leave the grated beetroot and
the bouquet of curried cabbage
to soak in the sun for 21 days
or 3 days on the radiator in ½ litre of
olive oil with lemon.
2Filter and set aside.
TIP
Instead of the grated beetroot, you
can use the peel.
1On a large plate, place a nice
rice dumpling, on top of it the
plums and 3 slices of beetroot.
2Add a dash of lemon oil with
a dried amaranth leaf and a
spoonful of amaranth seeds.
3Finish with a nice mallow
flower, then add two spoonfuls
of fermented milk and a few
dashes of beetroot oil to the plate.
4Serve immediately and grate
some hogweed root over the
plate in front of your guests.
94
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

Do not
open before
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

DOSSIER
TEXTE Susanne Jaspers
2
2
KACHEN No.25 | HIVER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
THE CHRISTMAS
SPIRIT
Jingle Bells, jingle bells… That‘s right, here in Luxembourg we all know the lovely
little carol. As soon as we‘ve celebrated Halloween, we happily dive headlong
into the lengthy marathon that will soon take us into the lavish holiday season.
Yet, distracted by baubles and glitter, we often forget that Christmas (as it is
celebrated here) is a religious, or rather, a Christian festival. Some places don‘t
celebrate Christmas on December 25th, and, of course, some places don‘t
celebrate it at all.
Since 2020 has been a weird year and forced us to turn our
gaze inwards, how about we learn about other traditions for
a change? Especially as they‘re packed with foodie traditions.
Fancy it?
AT THE START, CHRISTMAS WAS...
A pagan festival! That‘s right, contrary to popular belief,
there was a time when people celebrated the winter solstice
on December 25th with a huge festival in honour of
nature and the sun. A few hundred years later in the 2nd
century, the Church used Christianity‘s rising popularity
to celebrate the birth of Christ and eclipsed the small pagan
festival. Bye-bye winter solstice, hello Baby Jesus! It
wasn‘t until 330AD that Constantine the Great officially
made Christ‘s birthday December 25th. And like magic,
Christmas was born.
CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
December 25th may be widespread throughout the world
but it isn‘t the preserve of Christmas. You just have to take a
look at our neighbours in Europe – and a little further away
– to see that not everyone dresses up with a beard and red
fat suit to celebrate the birth of Christ.
➊ For example, there are two stages to Christmas in
Dublin (in the Republic of Ireland if you‘re as good at
geography as me). First there‘s Little Christmas from
December 12th to 24th when people get on with all the
preparations. The second and final part happens on
December 25th: before mass, good little children leave
a glass of whisky out for Saint Nick in return for their
presents. If our local Father Christmas hears about that
then he‘ll feel short-changed with his glass of milk,
3
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

TRADITIONS
4
biscuits and a carrot for his donkey! On the table there‘s
no Yule log glossy with buttercream, but instead the
legendary – and unusual for us – Christmas pudding
made from raisins, sugar, orange and lemon. It‘s often
cooked with a few spoons of alcohol such as Irish whisky
or brandy: they certainly know how to party in Ireland.
➋ Celebrations last nine days in Mexico: you‘d best be in
your in-laws‘ good books if you want a good Christmas.
Festivities retrace Mary and Joseph‘s pilgrimage from
when they left Nazareth to when they arrived in Bethlehem
from December 16th to 24th. During these nine days
– called Posadas – you get together with family and close
friends every night just like Mary and Joseph did when
they stopped at Posadas (inns) on their journey. It‘s a great
excuse to tuck into Buñuelos, delicious, sweet doughnuts.
Guatemala has the same food traditions as Mexico, but the
festivities start on December 7th with the Quema Del Diablo
(Burning the Devil). The idea is to banish any bad vibes
by burning the devil before Christmas...
➌ Christmas is less important than Thanksgiving in
America but it‘s still a big thing. (Just look at the countless
American Christmas TV films!) It starts with illuminations
flooding small towns and big cities with light (and hello
WHY DO WE EAT TURKEY
AT CHRISTMAS?
Legend has it that Christopher Columbus brought
the bird back from the Americas in 1492. He thought
he‘d discovered it in India (Inde in French), the bird
was called „poule d‘inde“ (Indian chicken) before becoming
„dinde“ (turkey in French). Goose was more
popular (a solar bird that guaranteed protection and
prosperity to whoever ate it) but turkey soon took
pride of place on wealthy tables as it was less expensive
than its cousin. Its supposedly exotic origins also
meant turkey was seen as a premium foodstuff.
carbon footprint). The menu often features turkey with a
green bean casserole (green beans, creamed mushrooms
and fried onions), sweet potato mash and cranberry sauce.
➍ The Swedes don‘t mess with tradition. The celebrations
begin in early December as soon as night falls (early
afternoon!). Star-shaped lamps and upside-down V-shaped
candles glow in every window. The Christmas meal even
has its own name: Julbord. The dining table is laden
with Sill (marinated herring), Sillsallad (beetroot, potato,
egg and herring salad), Gravad lax (marinated cured
salmon), Janssons frestelse (potato, onion and anchovy
gratin), Swedish bread and cheese as well as pork ribs
(Revbensspjäll), meat and the star of the show: Julkinka
(Christmas ham). Every family has their own secret too!
WHY DO WE GIFT POINSETTIAS
AT CHRISTMAS?
These winter flowers come from
South Mexico. Legend has it that
a very poor young Mexican woman
had nothing but a bunch of
weeds to give to Baby Jesus at
midnight mass. When she knelt
down to lay them by the crib,
they turned into a bright red
bouquet of flowers. Poinsettias, whose leaves look
like the star of Bethlehem, have been given at Christmas
ever since.
➎ The Ethiopians are the last to celebrate Christmas. The
festivities, called Ganna, are held on January 7th. The Christmas
story tells us that three wise men, the Three Kings,
followed a star from the East to Bethlehem to pay their respects
to the Baby Jesus. The kings are widely believed to
come from Asia, Europe and Ethiopia but many Ethiopians
believe the three wise men (some even think there were 12)
were Ethiopians. To celebrate, Ethiopians dress in white and
wear a traditional netela, a light strip of white cotton fabric
with brightly coloured stripes at each end.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
➊
➋
➊
➌
➍
➎
5
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

TRADITIONS
WHAT IF YOU DON‘T
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS?
Catholics, protestants and orthodox
people may see Christmas as an
important festival but other religions
don’t.
The Islamic holy book, the Quran,
depicts Jesus as a prophet. That
said, celebrating his birth is out of
the question.
DID YOU
KNOW?
Santaphobia
is a fear of Father
Christmas!
Jews celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival
of Lights. Every night children light up their
Menorah, a seven-branched candelabrum. People
exchange gifts and gelt (German for ‘money’) chocolate
coins over Hanukkah. There’s a feast: all the dishes
are fried in oil to commemorate the miracle of the Chanukah
oil: Latkes, potato pancakes fried in olive oil; Sufganiyot,
jam-filled doughnuts fried in oil (obviously); Kugel, the
perfect combination of rich egg noodles, sour cream, cinnamon,
raisins and sugar. Not forgetting
Hallot, bread to commemorate
Shabbat.
In India they celebrate Divali. The
Festival of Lights lasts five days
and begins every year on November
14th. Houses and streets are
adorned with decorations - little
terracotta lights are lit in windows -
whilst Hindus wear new clothes to take
part in religious ceremonies. The highlight
is the third day, Bari Divali, devoted
to the goddess Laskshmi, Vishnu’s wife. People
eat Kachori, vegetarian soya fritters (vegetarianism is
very important in Hinduism), Gulab Jamun dough balls
fried in oil and served with thick rosewater-scented syrup.
The dough is scented with cardamom. Gulab Jamun is
sometimes served with yoghurt.
So, fancy trying something different this year?
DIFFERENT NAMES FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS
IN EUROPE AND IN THE WORLD
The fat man in red has a different nickname depending on
where you are! The British call him Father Christmas, the
Americans call him Santa Claus and the Mongolians call him
Grandpa of Winter (Uvlin Uvgun). Baba Noël brings gifts to Lebanon.
Thatha does the same in India (Mister Noë). Brazilians
call him Bom Velhinho, the Good Old Man, and Russians call
him Ded Moroz (Grandpa Frost)! There‘s no Father Christmas
in Sweden: an elf living in the Swedish forests is in charge of
bringing good children their gifts.
6
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
NATURALLY DESIGNED
FASHION - DECO - TOYS - RESTAURANT - SUPERMARKET
7
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

WORKSHOP
THE ELVES
TINKER!
This autumn, we had the pleasure of sharing moments of conviviality and
craftsmanship with a lovely troupe of well-behaved children during a workshop
brilliantly organised by the inventive Heike Meyers (who has already delighted
you in this magazine with her gourmet gift ideas and festive tables). Here are a
multitude of creations to be reproduced with or without children... a multitude
of creations to brighten up your festivities!
Bertrand Duchamps
Ramunas Astrauskas
R E C E T T E S
PHOTOS
8
8
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Firstname Lastname
Firstname Lastname
R E C I P E
PHOTO
9
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

WORKSHOP
BOXEMÄNNCHEN
8 brioches
30 minutes + 1 hour
15 minutes
› 525 g flour
› 125 sugar
› ½ yeast cube
› 210 ml lukewarm milk
› 1 egg
› 1 sachet vanilla sugar
› A pinch of salt
› 75 g soft butter
› 1 egg yolk
› 1 tbsp milk
› A few raisins
1 Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Press into a
mould.
2 Dissolve the yeast in some of the lukewarm milk, add
two tablespoons of the sugar, pour this mixture into the
bowl and dust with some flour from the rim.
Cover and leave to rise for 15 minutes.
3 Add the rest of the sugar, the remaining lukewarm milk,
egg, vanilla sugar, salt and butter and knead everything,
preferably in a food processor, until you have a shiny,
smooth dough. This takes 6 – 8 minutes.
4 Cover with a linen cloth and leave to rise in a warm
place for a good hour. The volume should have doubled.
5 Depending on how big the Boxemännchen and Boxemeedercher
should be, divide the dough into 6 – 8 portions.
6 Now it’s time to shape the dough. It is wonderful to let
the children’s creativity run free and see the result later.
A cheerful Boxemännercher family, promised!
Heike Meyers
Dominika Montonen-Koivisto
R E C I P E S
PHOTOS
10
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
CHRISTMAS TREE ON A STICK
8 - 12 Christmas trees
35 minutes
35 minutes
› 4 eggs
› 200 g of sugar
› 1 sachet vanilla sugar
› 200 g of flour
› ½ a sachet of baking powder
› 1 a sachet of custard powder
› A few drops of green food colouring
For the sugar icing
› 1 egg white
› 250 g of icing sugar
› Possibly 1 tsp water
› A little liquid green food colouring
› Colourful sugar pearls and sugar stars
Sugar icing
1 Lightly whisk the egg white.
2 Mix icing sugar & food colouring and add the egg
white, then continue stirring for three minutes. If the icing
is too firm, add a little water.
Cookies
1 Preheat oven to 180°C top/bottom heat.
2 Beat the eggs for about 5 minutes until fluffy. Add sugar
and vanilla sugar and continue stirring vigorously until
the sugar has dissolved. Stir in food colouring.
3 Mix the flour, vanilla custard powder & baking powder
and sieve over the egg cream. Fold in.
4 Pour into a springform pan lined with baking paper (do
not grease the rim; otherwise the fluffy sponge cake cannot
“climb up” the sides) and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
Test with a wooden stick.
5 Carefully loosen the cake from the edge with a knife,
turn over onto a cake rack and let it cool down. Cut into
8 – 12 triangles.
6 Carefully insert a wooden stick as a trunk. Spread a
thin layer of green icing on the dough trees and decorate
them with pearls and stars as you like.
7 The Christmas tree on a stick is also a nice welcome
for your guests at Christmas, arranged on the plates of a
beautifully laid table.
11
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

WORKSHOP
WINTER WONDERLAND
1 cake
1 hour 30 minutes
30 minutes
For the sponge cake
› 250 g butter + a little for the mould
› 150 g sugar
› 4 eggs
› 500 g flour
› 1 sachet baking powder
› 125 ml milk
› Some sparkling water
For the sugar icing
› 1 egg white
› 250 g icing sugar
For the butter biscuits
› 200 g butter
› 100 g icing sugar
› Vanilla of a vanilla pod
› A pinch of salt
› 1 egg
› 300 g flour
For the sugar icing
› 1 egg white
› 250 g icing sugar
› One drop each of different liquid food colours
› Possibly 1 tsp water
The sponge cake
(Forms the background of the winter landscape)
1 Preheat oven to 180°C top/bottom heat. Cream butter
with sugar, this takes about 5 minutes. Stir in the eggs
one at a time for 30 seconds.
2 Mix the flour with the baking powder and slowly stir in
the milk. Finally, gently add sparkling water. Spread the
dough onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and
bake for about 30 minutes. Let the cake cool down.
3 Whisk the egg whites a little, stir with icing sugar for 3
minutes until smooth, add water if necessary & brush the
cake with it. Leave to dry.
The butter biscuits
1 Knead all the ingredients into a dough, wrap in cling
film to form a ball and chill for one hour. Preheat oven to
180°C top/bottom heat.
2 Roll out the dough thinly on a lightly floured work surface
and cut out various shapes, such as animals, trees,
stars, etc. You will use these to assemble a pretty winter
wonderland landscape. Place on a baking tray lined with
baking paper and bake for approximately 8 minutes until
light brown. Let the biscuits cool down.
3 Whisk the egg whites a little, stir with icing sugar for 3
minutes until smooth, add water if necessary and divide
into small bowls.
4 Colour the icing in each bowl with a drop of food colouring.
Use it to “paint” the biscuits. Glue the rest of the
elements onto the cake plate with the leftover icing, creating
a winter wonderland landscape.
12
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
13
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

WORKSHOP
WIND LIGHT WITH
PUNCHED OUT STARS
1 wind light takes 20 minutes
Material
› Jam jars or preserving jars
› Metal foil or stamping foil
› Scissors, pick-needle, 1 piece of felt
› A beautiful ribbon of 1 cm
› 1 tealight per glass
› Possibly some sand
1 Cut out stars from the metal foil, matching the size of the glass, or
shape them from the felt with the pick-needle. Make 3 – 5 stars for
each glass.
2 Make several holes in the middle of the stars with the pick-needle
so that the light shines through beautifully.
3 Punch a slightly larger hole on each of two opposite points of the
stars, possibly using a hole punch.
4 Pull the cord or ribbon through the larger holes. Wrap the ribbon
with the star around the glass, tie it in a knot and a bow. Pour a little
sand into the glass and place the tea light on top.
5 This candle is a nice Christmas present for your grandmother, a nice
souvenir for your advent tea parties, or a great table decoration for
your home.
RIBBON TREE
1 Christmas tree takes 15 minutes
Material
› Thin twigs (maximum finger thickness), from the forest or
garden
› Various thick gift ribbons or fabric remnants in many
shades of green
› Leftover craft paper in gold
› Thin cord for suspending
14
Crafting process
1 Cut branches to 14 – 16 cm.
2 Cut ribbons into 14 – 19 cm long pieces.
3 Knot the pieces with a simple knot from top to bottom onto
the twig. The shorter pieces at the top, the longer ones at the
bottom. Always tie the knots at the front.
4 When all the ribbons are in place, cut them again to create a
fir tree shape. Cut two stars from the craft paper and glue them
to the top of the fir tree on both sides.
5 Attach a thin cord or string to suspend the fir tree. These fir
trees look incredibly beautiful if you hang several of them together,
for example in a window.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
1 star takes 30 minutes
POINSETTIA MADE
FROM SANDWICH BAGS
Material
› 8 – 9 sandwich bags with bottom fold,
in white or natural
› Glue stick
› Scissors
› Thin cord for suspending
These stars are child’s play, so they are a huge success to
make with children, even for those who do not have the
greatest stamina when doing crafts.
1 Place all bags on top of each other with the fold upwards.
2 Spread the first bag out completely, covering with glue on
the upper side, place the second bag on top and press firmly
all over. Coat the top of the second bag with glue, place the
next bag on top and press down firmly. Repeat this process
until all the bags are used up. Leave to dry for 10 minutes.
3 With your scissors, cut out the triangles on both the long
sides of the stack. Cut the top edge to form the triangle.
4 Coat the top of the last bag with glue as well, open the
stack and stick the last bag firmly to the first bag to form
a star.
5 Cut a hole in one place and pull the cord through to suspend
it.
< FOLD
15
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GIFTS
FOR HER
2
1
3
1 Warmly wrapped up, a walk in the snow is guaranteed to be a real pleasure.
Bogner at www.zalando.be
2 Which part of the face can you see most at the moment? Correct! Beautiful eyes
guaranteed with this shimmering make-up palette. www.maccosmetics.fr
3 Listen to music, make phone calls and keep your ears warm in style, Bluetooth cap
with integrated headphones. www.monsterzeug.de
4 Stylish, rockable and a big trend this winter, a belt to show off your waist.
www.ikks.com
5 Can you ever have enough handbags? A simple but always much appreciated
gift: a leather bag with brand emblem. www.patriziapepe.com
6 A mysterious look - thanks to these refined and original sunglasses that turn the
world a shade of in pink. www.chloe.com
6
4
5
16
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
2 3
1
FOR
1 Free and independent and with a subtly updated design that pleases! The
Beolit Bluetooth speaker, mobile and powerful. www.bang-olufsen.com
2 Because we like him best when he is clean-shaven, and a nice bottle
always looks good in the bathroom... www.acquadiparma.com
3 Precious spices, opulent wood notes and a hint of musk. A unisex perfume
that your partner will borrow without hesitation. Comme des garçons
4 The new BR 05 from a traditional brand, with chronograph, is a truly
exceptional gift. www.bellross.com
5 Everything is good with these sports shoes that combine aesthetics with
sustainability: Vegan leather made from apples, natural recycled rubber,
organic cotton, made in Portugal. www.caval.fr
6 Stones that keep your favourite tipple cool, the perfect gift for whisky
lovers. www.monsterzeug.de
HIM
4
6
5
17
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GIFTS
THE LITTLE
ONES
2
1
3
1 A cheerfully illustrated place mat made of eco-bamboo, so you can
refresh your vocabulary even during dinner! www.curatedpieces.com
2 The perfect kit for prospective young detectives to spy on domestic and
forest animals, camouflage suit included. www.thedenkitco.com
3 A teddy bear is always the best companion for a cuddly night, especially
if they wear a personalised jumper with their little owner's name on it.
www.thats-mine.co.uk
4 A fun pillowcase printed with dinosaurs, which you can colour in yourself
with matching colouring pencils! One hot wash and the colour disappears,
and you can let your creativity run wild again. www.eatsleepdoodle.com
5 For future cooks, a wooden play set that could not be more genuine.
www.takatomo.de
6 With this bed in the shape of a minibus, going to bed becomes a real
adventure! www.circu.net
6
4
5
18
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
1
2
GRANDMA & GRANDPA
3
1 Tradition and pleasure. 21 cuberdons to commemorate the historic 21
July 1831, the day on which King Leopold I took the oath as the first Belgian
king. www.cuberdonsleopold.com
2 A whole little family on the living room table. Funny little tins reminiscent
of Russian dolls. www.arket.com
3 There's nostalgia in this, because the limited edition Beogram 4000c was
created from restored and technically improved Beogram 4000 devices.
www.bang-olufsen.com
4 To share, for him and her, and to lend to the rest of the family... an elegant
camel-coloured Stetson. www.zalando.be
5 Your Majes-Tea! As kitchy as can be, have a totally wicked cup of goodmood
tea by the fireplace. www.redcandy.co.uk
6 A porcelain humidifier that simultaneously purifies the air and emits the
fragrance of your favourite essential oils. www.limelace.co.uk
4
5
6
19
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GIFTS
HOME
SWEET HOME 1
2 3
1 An emblematic design that attracts all eyes, a festive decoration and, what's more, practical: a
table set with 7 elements. www.villeroy-boch.fr
PRIZE DRAW: 1 set! Send an e-mail with your name and address and the keyword LA BOULE to
gewinnen@luxetastestyle.com before 31.01.2021.
2 Mini LED light box with interchangeable letters, for loving messages at any time.
www.monsterzeug.de
3 What could be better than a nice sofa made of faux fur to snuggle up on and read a good book...
www.jardiland.com
4 Miniature designer hut for the garden... beautiful to look at and with a view for the hungry visitor.
Bird hut with a view and outlook. www.redcandy.co.uk
5 Another cuddly gift for cold winter evenings, whether alone or with others, this plaid made of pure
sheep's wool leaves nobody cold. www.heating-and-plumbing.com
6 A nod to a well-designed interior, with these CEELINGS porcelain lamp sockets interior decoration
is fun. www.fiftyeight.com
PRIZE DRAW: 5 sets with two frames each! Send an e-mail with your name and address and the
keyword CEELINGS to gewinnen@luxetastestyle.com before 31.01.2021.
4
6
5
20
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL
FAMILYMATIC.LU
CLEVER DESIGN,
MORE FUN!
Familymatic.lu is a new Luxembourgish
online lifestyle shop for people who like
smart solutions that make life easier, better
and more fun.
Familymatic's credo is simple: create smart solutions to
enjoy more time and great moments with the people we
love.
The products are innovative, exclusive and useful, and of
course "Made in Europe". Made from high-quality materials,
they are cleverly designed for a more sustainable
lifestyle.
• SKOTTI, the ultra-portable gas grill and Red Dot Design
Award winner fits in your backpack or on a small balcony.
SKOTTI can be assembled and stowed away again in under
a minute, for a culinary barbecue wherever you are.
• DOULTON, the smart water filter made from highquality
stainless steel for a safe and reliable supply of
clean drinking water. Two ceramic filter elements last 6
months and produce purely filtered water without bacteria,
chlorine, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, microplastics
or chemicals, while preserving all the healthy
minerals. Drink pure and tasty water.
The water filters pay for themselves
within a few months compared to the
cost of buying bottled water, save you
the hassle of carrying heavy bottles
and spare the environment hundreds
of plastic bottles every year.
• GOCTA, the patented water-saving shower head,
Made in Germany, reduces your energy and water consumption
by up to 40% with no compromise on comfort.
All the products can be found online on familymatic.lu
and delivery is free on all orders over 99€.
Alternatively, you can contact the Familymatic customer
service team over the phone or visit their holiday
season pop-up store. More information on Familymatic's
Facebook page or on familymatic.lu.
So if you're looking for exclusive, innovative
and meaningful gifts for the whole family,
look no further!
www.familymatic.lu
21
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

INSPIRATION
FESTIVE TABLES
In a few weeks’ time the end of year festivities will begin... A beautifully laid table
is a must for a successful Christmas or New Year’s Eve! In need of inspiration?
Afraid of being caught off guard? We have just what you need! Here are
3 charming variations by Heike Meyers from @pfeffermachtglücklich
you can copy without a hint of guilt!
22
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Tradition dictates that the green, red, and white trio is a classic that’s still going strong. It is
easy to set up. Just invest in small garnet napkins and decorate your candles with blood-red
velvet ribbons adorned with small paper stars. Try place markers in the shape of crowns made
from rolled sage leaves, stitched in a circle on wire with a small checked ribbon, a few wild
apples, a few fir tree twigs and you’re done!
23
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

INSPIRATION
24
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
For a marriage of audacity and the desire for wild decoration, here is a surprising
combination of natural wood elements, a linen tablecloth, tinted glasses and towels
in a blue-grey variation. Simple matching wooden trays and cutlery create the
contrast, a peanut crown to be made on the same principle as on the previous page,
a hint of gold leaf on fresh figs, a few stars...
25
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

INSPIRATION
26
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
Norwegian style comes to your table! Here, the choice of the plates is essential, create pure
elegance: choose a white porcelain set, whichever model which is appropriate to your style...
Some pinecones in a vase or as nametags placed on a light bed of snow, glasses tinted in
the colours of autumn, some gingerbread stolen from your biscuit tin...
27
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
TEXT Juliette Passerpoix
28
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
CHAMPAGNE!
“’I could not live without Champagne. In victory I deserve it. In defeat I need it.”
This quote by Winston Churchill perfectly encapsulates the power of this sacred
wine that is still associated with celebrating important events. From wetting the
baby’s head to winning a car race and launching a new boat, dare we say that
Champagne is the perfect accompaniment to magical moments? Let’s find out.
THE ORIGINS OF A SACRED WINE
Champagne comes from the perfect balance of history
and geography which went onto seal its extraordinary fate.
Monks tended the vineyards until the Middle Ages in Christian
countries. The city of Reims hosted the French King’s
coronation ceremony and its festivities were celebrated
with this wine that is famous for its finesse and unique flavour.
It soon became famous outside the kingdom, where
it gained prestige and was served at wealthy tables to celebrate
treaties, royal weddings or universal exhibitions.
It became forever associated with exceptional events and
its status hasn’t changed as it still reigns as a “marker for
milestones”, especially over Christmas. The Champagne
wine production area is in a demarcated zone within the region
and the grapes that go into it have very specific attributes
related to the soil type and climate. It covers 34,000
hectares with around 281,000 plots on 12,000 m 2 . The 319
“crus” (towns and villages) are spread over 4 regions: Mon-
tagne de Reims, Vallée de la Marne, Côte des Blancs and
Côte des Bar at an altitude of 90 to 300 metres. Champagne
is made by natural fermentation in the bottle, and must
meet very precise specifications to gain the designation.
What are the rules? Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Meunier
grape varieties alone can be used. Yields are restricted by
hectare; a minimum amount is set every year and natural
procedures known as the “traditional method” are required.
We should mention that Champagne must be stored in a
warehouse separate from other wines and must be bottled
for at least 15 months before shipment.
THE MAGIC OF BUBBLES
Specialists often talk of “effervescence” which is no invention
but a completely natural occurrence caused by yeast.
These living organisms turn the sugar in grapes into alcohol
and carbon dioxide during fermentation. The grape
must used to be stored in barrels but the gas produced dur-
29
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
30
ing fermentation would escape, making significant
differences in the fizz depending on weather conditions
and conservation methods. Producers also
preferred bottling it immediately to make it easier to
transport and store in the late 17th century. The difficulty
lies in controlling the fizz in solid bottles. People
are still working on it today but that’s what makes
the magic happen in our glasses! First, you get the
cork that “pops” before the bubbles crackle as they
hit the glass. Can you hear them? Then come the ripe
fruit flavours and fruity, woody or floral notes. It’s
time to choose the right Champagne for your Christmas
banquets.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHAMPAGNE
Your mother-in-law might decide on the Christmas
menu but has tasked you with choosing the fizz.
To avoid getting lost in the wine shop, let’s learn to
decipher the labels first. They tell you everything
you need to know about the designation, brand and
key information so you can be sure not to go wrong.
There’s no need to take an oenology class to choose
the right bottle, just wrap your head around the terms
“brut”, “demi-sec” and “grape variety.” A “millésimé”
PROTECTING A DESIGNATION
If the major Champagne brands hadn’t taken action
in the 19th century, champagne would have become
a generic term, just like Savon de Marseille! The
term is now protected and will never be applied to
describe just any sparkling wine. It can’t even be
used for other products. Just take the Yves Saint
Laurent perfume Champagne which was renamed
after a decision by the Paris Court of Appeal in
1993. The same thing happened to the Perrier brand
in Germany with its “the Champagne of table water”
slogan. The Comité Champagne legal department
is in charge of protecting the designation on a dayto-day
basis.
CHAMPAGNE, FRIEND
TO THE WORLD’S GREATS
Marlène Dietrich adored Champagne because
“Champagne makes you feel like it’s Sunday and
better days are just around the corner.” Amélie
Nothomb devoted countless pages of her novels
to it as did Ernest Hemingway, Honoré de Balzac
and Françoise Sagan. Let’s not forget George Sand
who said, “Champagne helps our sense of wonder.”
It’s also celebrated in paintings, just take a closer
look at “A Bar at the Folies-Bergère” by Édouard
Manet where champagne bottles appear in the
foreground.
or vintage is a Champagne made using wine from a
single exceptional year and aged for at least 3 years.
The term “cuvée spéciale” indicates a subtle wine
ideal for starting off a meal. Brut Champagne is perfect
for sophisticated dishes or pre-dinner drinks. It
contains less sugar, so it has a sharp taste. “Demisec”
means “medium-sweet” and is the sweetest
Champagne. Some love serving it with foie gras, others
see it more as a dessert tipple. Rosé Champagne
tastes stronger, which is very trendy at the moment,
but just remember that it’s still brut Champagne. Create
sparkles during the festive season and serve with
cheese! Blanc de Blancs comes solely from Chardonnay
grape varieties. It’s the perfect match for caviar,
seafood and freshwater fish. What do the acronyms
RC, CM, RM or NM mean on the bottle? RC stands
for “récoltant coopérateur” or cooperative grower
meaning the grapes are harvested by a grower and
then processed by a cooperative. CM stands for
“coopérative de manipulation” which is a cooperative
that makes and sells its champagne in its own
name and in the name of its growers. RM stands for
“récoltant manipulateur” which means the grower
makes and bottles it for sale. Connoisseurs look out
for this code on the label. NM stands for Champagne
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
31
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
no more! So? Flutes or saucers? It’s a hot potato and
everyone has a preference. We prefer serving in a
saucer over a flute even though the latter is better for
keeping the Champagne fizzy and forcing us to sip
it. Saucers belong to the past and their retro feel only
amplifies their charm but save them for desserts and
fruit salad then use flutes to enjoy your Champagne.
A tasting-style wine glass (tulip shape) is ideal for
hosting the bubbles so they can unleash their aromas
and elevate the pleasure of tasting. But in the end,
who cares what it’s in, as long as you’re tipsy.
House meaning this is where the drink is made but
the grapes are purchased off growers. Once you’ve
made your choice, it’s best to store the bottles in a cellar
at 10 degrees if possible (watch out for changes in
temperature), away from sunlight and high humidity.
The cork should always touch the liquid so it’s best to
lay the bottles on their side.
SERVE CHAMPAGNE WITH GRACE
Before pouring it into your flute or saucer (we’ll discuss
this one later), get your Champagne out of the
fridge and not the freezer (the thermal shock kills
the fizz) and pop it in an ice bucket. Slightly tilt the
bottle to remove the muselet (wire cage). Naturally,
for safety reasons, avoid doing it too close to your
guests. Twist the cork slightly to control the pressure
before delicately pouring glasses two-thirds full and
5 REASONS TO DRINK CHAMPAGNE (WITHIN REASON)
Are your eyes sparkling? Can’t wait to pop your cork? Serious studies have found that Champagne helps combat
dementia because of the Pinot noir and Meunier used to make it. That’s not all... it’s one of the lowest-calorie
alcoholic drinks, so drinking it in moderation won’t affect your weight. It also takes care of your heart by protecting
it from heart disease and lowering bad cholesterol. Last but not least, it makes you feel good and fuels
your libido... fancy a cheeky glass?
32
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FARMER'S RECIPE
BEEF BROTH
WITH BONE MARROW DUMPLINGS
Serves 4-6
40 minutes
1 hour 10 minutes
For the beef broth
› 2 onions, medium size
› 1 leek
› 1 piece of celery
› 2 carrots
› 3 beef bones
› 750 g soup meat, e.g. a slice
of beef
› 2 bay leaves
› 15 – 20 peppercorns
› 2 cloves
› 1 – 1 ½ tbsp salt
› 2 ½ – 3 l water
› Parsley
Simone Schmit-Krack
Ramunas Astrauskas
For the dumplings
› 90 g bone marrow (about 3 –4
bone marrow bones)
› 400 g breadcrumbs
› 6 – 7 eggs
› 1 – 2 shallots, very finely chopped
› Parsley, very finely chopped
› Salt, pepper, nutmeg
› 200 g vermicelli
96
R E C I P E
PHOTOS
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FARMER'S RECIPE
Married for 30 years, Simone SCHMIT-KRACK takes
care of the administrative side of the farming
business she owns with her husband. The pork their
farm produces guarantees meat that meets the requirements
of the national label “Marque Nationale.“ Always looking
for innovation, Simone and her husband have equipped the
farm with a bio gas installation which has enabled the farm
to be self-sufficient in electricity and heating. On the livestock side, they started
producing suckling pigs in 2019 that are sold directly from the farm.
For this dynamic mother of 4 children, and now a happy grandmother, cooking has
always been part of her daily life. Here, Simone shares the secrets of a family recipe
with us, inherited from her mother. A tasty broth that was served on Sundays and
on special occasions...
The beef broth
1 Peel and halve the onions. Place the halves of the onions
in a large pot with the cut surfaces facing down and fry over
medium heat without fat until the cut surfaces are golden
brown, then add water. Place the meat and bones in the
broth. Slowly bring to the boil and skim the foam several
times to keep the stock clear. After half the cooking time
with the lid closed, cook very gently for about 1 hour over
a low heat.
2 In the meantime, wash and clean the vegetables and cut
them into large pieces. Add vegetables, bay leaves, spices,
and herbs to the meat and cook gently for another hour.
3 Remove the meat and pour the stock through a fine sieve
into a second pan. Season the stock if necessary.
4 Depending on further use, cut the meat into small pieces
and add to the stock, or serve with tomato sauce, or prepare
a “Feierstengszalot”!
The bone marrow dumplings
1 Separate the marrow from the bones and let it melt in a
saucepan over a low heat, then pass the fat through a sieve
and let it cool down a little.
2 Add the shallots and parsley and season with pepper,
salt and nutmeg.
3 Then mix in the eggs and breadcrumbs with a fork until a
firm mixture is obtained.
4 Shape a dumpling and cook briefly in some stock or
salted water to check the taste and consistency.
5 Let the very small balls simmer in the no longer boiling
broth. They must not boil in the soup.
The completion
1 Bring about 1 ½ to 2 litres of stock to the boil and cook the
vermicelli or other small soup noodles.
2 Add the prepared marrow dumplings (about 2 handfuls,
as desired) and cook over a low heat. The soup should not
boil anymore! Then garnish with parsley and enjoy hot.
3 If you want the soup to be even more hearty, you can
add finely chopped soup meat, a whipped or hard-boiled
egg. However, in my opinion, bone marrow balls should be
enough, and the special aroma should not be masked.
TIP
Bone marrow dumplings can be frozen individually and used later. Freezing is very convenient, because
preparation takes time, especially when making very fine balls. The marrow dumpling ingredients for this
recipe are enough to make 2 – 3 good soups.
97
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

TYPICALLY LUXEMBOURGISH
EEËR AM JELLI
EGGS IN ASPIC
BY MARIANNE WINTERSDORF
This traditional dish will certainly be familiar to many Luxembourgers from
their childhood. It used to be a popular starter on festive days and is very easy
to prepare. Our variant of the recipe was created by Marianne Wintersdorf
from Mondercange, mother
of KACHEN’s founder
Bibi Wintersdorf.
Serves 4
20 minutes
5 minutes
› 2 bags of Knorr aspic (or another
brand of your choice)
› 500 ml Elbling from the Luxembourgish
Moselle
› 4 eggs
› 4 slices of cooked ham, cut into
squares
› 4 gherkins (and more to serve)
1 Prepare the broth according to the instructions. For a more intense flavour, use Luxembourgish
Elbling instead of water.
2 Set the boiled aspic aside to cool and, in the meantime, hard boil the eggs or poach them, depending
on your preference. Here, the eggs are poached in plenty of salted water with a dash
of vinegar for 2 – 4 minutes. The water should not boil, but be just before simmering, otherwise
the eggs will set too quickly. Beat the eggs one by one into a cup and form a whirl in the water
with a spoon before adding the egg. The swirl of water holds the egg whites together. After 2 to
4 minutes, the egg is ready and can be fished out of the water and placed onto a sheet of kitchen
paper to drain.
3 Lay out 4 small bowls with the ham (it is best to “drape” the ham into the bowls), then place an
egg on each one, cover with a fan-shaped sliced pickle and cover with the slightly cooled aspic.
Place in the fridge to set. Serve with more gherkins and a dash of Luxembourgish mustard.
99
Marianne Wintersdorf
Ramunas Astrauskas
R E C I P E
PHOTO
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GRANNY'S RECIPE
NO FLOUR CHOCOLATE
GATEAU
BY BETTINA JAMEK-STEMBERGER
100
RECIPE
PHOTO
Bettina Jamek-Stemberger
Ramunas Astrauskas
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GRANNY'S RECIPE
This recipe has a long history. My
grandmother (Margarete Stemberger)
always made this cake for the birthdays
of family members. My mother always tried,
unsuccessfully, to get the recipe from her. “As
long as I live, I’ll make the cake and then you’ll get the recipe”, my grandmother used
to say. But only by chance, years after her death, did the recipe reappear between
old letters and documents. At my cousin’s wedding, who lives in Luxembourg, it
became part of a book to which all relatives and friends contributed. This way, the
memory of my grandmother will be preserved as a family tradition. The name of
the cake may sound a bit exotic, but it is very simple and can be explained with the
“original Viennese” words: “ka Mehl” (Austrian for “no flour”)!
1 cake
30 minutes
45 minutes
› 250 g butter
› 200 g granulated sugar
› 250 g melted dark chocolate, minimum 50%.
› 8 eggs
Decoration
› Sprinkles of white and dark chocolate
1 Cream the butter, gradually add 8 egg yolks and half the sugar, then stir
in the chocolate.
2 Beat the other half of the sugar with the egg whites until stiff and fold in.
3 Bake half of the mixture in a greased and floured (or lined with baking paper)
round springform for 45 minutes at 180°C.
4 Allow to cool and then spread with the second half of the chocolate mixture.
5 Decorate as desired; e.g. as shown here with white and dark chocolate
shavings. Place in the fridge.
101
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MY LUXEMBOURG
WÄINZOOSSISS,
TRUFFLED CHICKEN GRAVY,
JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES
REVISITED BY FRANÇOIS XAVIER FERROL
For the milk infusion
› 300 ml whole milk
› 40 g onion
› 3 sprigs of thyme
› 20 g button mushrooms
› 20 g leek (white part)
› 25 g carrot
› 3 garlic cloves
› 3 parsley stalks
› 1 bay leaf
› 2 cloves
› 5 juniper berries
› 1 pinch of black peppercorns
› 1/3 tsp nutmeg
For the Wäinzoossiss
› 320 g pork loin
› 80 g neck of pork
› 40 g onion
› 5 g of salt
› 1 pinch of freshly ground black
pepper
› ¼ bunch of chopped flat parsley
› 2 fresh organic eggs
› 20 g potato starch
For the crust
› 150 g butter (stirred until
slightly frothy)
› 50 g breadcrumbs
› 40 g Bayonne ham
› 40 g fried onion
› 20 g mixed Parmesan cheese
François Xavier Ferrol
Dominika Montonen-Koivisto
R E C I P E
PHOTOS
102
For the Jerusalem artichokes
› 160 g Jerusalem artichoke
For the truffle gravy
› 200 ml chicken gravy
› 40 g of black truffle shavings
› 10 g black truffle oil
› 1 tsp ristretto coffee
› Sprouts
› Radishes
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MY LUXEMBOURG
This Normandy-born chef arrived in Luxembourg
last summer after having worked at the Bristol,
3 macaroons in the Michelin guide, at the Lazare
alongside the famous chef Eric Frechon for 7 years, then
at the Pavillon Ledoyen, 3 macaroons in the Michelin
guide, alongside chef Yannick Alléno. Looking for a quieter
lifestyle for his family, he now contributes to the relaunch of an emblematic
restaurant in Luxembourg: the Rôtisserie Ardennaise. He wants to serve the
local cuisine in a Parisian bistro-rotisserie atmosphere. In this edition of
KACHEN, he shares an elegant revisitation of the traditional dish of bangers
and mash with us, as imagined by his father and his grandfather, a butcher.
Serves 4 30 minutes + 1 h day before 30 minutes
The sausage
1 Chop the loin, neck and onion very, very finely.
Add salt, pepper, eggs and starch. Mix well.
2 Infuse the milk with all the coarsely chopped
ingredients. After boiling for 15 minutes let
it come to a simmer, then strain through a
cheesecloth.
3 Mix the two for about 10 minutes (be careful
not to let the milk get too hot). Let cool in the
fridge overnight.
4 The next day, roll the sausage into rolls with a
diameter of about 3.5 cm using cling film. Cook
the sausage rolls in simmering water for 20
minutes. Cut the sausages into 3.5-cm pieces.
Set aside.
The crust
1 The day before, turn the oven up to 200°C,
put the ham in, then turn the oven off and leave
the ham to dehydrate overnight. The next day,
blend the ham into a powder.
2 Fry the onions at 170°C and let them dry in
the oven at 120°C for 2 hours, then blend them
into a powder.
3 Prepare the crust according to the indicated
measurements. Mix everything together,
spread it out (3.5-mm thick) and refrigerate to
let it set, then cut it out with a cookie cutter (Ø
3 cm). Set aside.
The Jerusalem artichokes
Peel the Jerusalem artichokes and cut into
small squares. Fry them at 180°C, set them
aside (in order for the artichokes to absorb the
gravy, they must be fried until crispy).
The gravy
1 Heat the chicken gravy with the truffle
shavings and oil for 10 minutes to obtain a
homogeneous, spreadable consistency, add a
knob of butter and the coffee, mix.
2 Glaze the Jerusalem artichokes with the
gravy.
Assembly
1 Wash the sprouts to be used for decorating.
Prune the radishes using a mandolin and cut
them out with a cherry-blossom cookie cutter
(Ø 2 cm).
2 Place the Jerusalem artichoke squares in a
circle (Ø 7.5 cm).
3 Spread a dollop of crust on each sausage
circle and reheat them in the oven. Place them
on the bed of artichokes.
4 Garnish with sprouts and radishes.
103
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RESTAURANT PORTRAIT
L‘ANNEXE
THE PROJECT OF A COMMITTED WOMAN
Dieter Ebeling
Ramunas Astrauskas
104
T E X T
PHOTOS
Everything was going so well. In early 2019 Kim
Mathekowitsch took over the restaurant L’Annexe
in the centre of Luxembourg City. She fixed up the
menu to make it more refined, spruced up the service,
strengthened the kitchen personnel, and won a whole
host of new clients. But the winning streak of this culinary
start-up ended suddenly: “With Covid-19,” so Kim
Mathekowitsch. She looks towards the well-filled terrace
that some describe as the nicest in town. “We were flying
high, but we got shot down like a bird,” she says.
The 35-year-old has experienced too much to wallow in
self-pity. She started with a masters in Finance, Accounting
and Controlling. She studied “Tax Structuring”, and
after leaving university her career progressed fast. Then,
seven years ago, she decided to quit. With
a partner she founded a firm renting out
luxury yachts on Mallorca. She came up
with the business plan. She designed the
interior of the five yachts – also called
“swimming boutique hotels” – and organised
the offered dishes. In 2018, she did the
Bachelor Art de Table at the Institute Paul Bocuse – in
record time: “It was not as if I needed to show them that I
could do math.”
It’s not only the yachts who have had a bad time of it in
2020 (“I lost quite a bit of money.”), but L’Annexe is also
fighting for its existence. “Here we are fighting too. But I
think we will make it.” Practically everyone in the Luxembourgish
gastronomy is fighting for survival. However,
Mathekowitsch’s place is new on the market: “We don’t
have a large bank propping us up.” The high rent has to be
paid and the personnel too; even in the months in which
practically no turnover was made. “We don’t know when
the government aid will arrive.” The challenge is real: “It’s
all mine. All my responsibility.”
In June 2007, Arnaud Magnier opened the restaurant as
an “annexe” to his classy Clairefontaine. Daily menus
were served for 11.50 (later 13 euros), including the classics
Bouchée à la reine, Cordon bleu or Tartare de bœuf. A
few years later, he parted ways with the annexe. But, until
the takeover of Kim Mathekowitsch, the daily menu for 13
euros continued. Besides Tartare (“You can’t simply get
rid of that.”), the classics are only served in the “week of
classics”, every three months. “It just doesn’t work out to
“I wanted to
create a restaurant
where you find
enjoyment.”
offer a day menu for 13 or 15 euros here,” she says, “There
are plenty of bistros in the area where you can grab a
quick bite.”
According to Kim Mathekowitsch, L’Annexe is a “special
address”. Which is why the cuisine has to be special too. “I
wanted to create a restaurant where you find enjoyment.”
The two-course midday menu now costs 27 euros – but,
to the surprise of the proprietor, that’s not discussed
anymore. These days, her guests want to eat à la carte
at lunchtime too, not just in the evenings. “It’s crazy but
nice,” says Kim Mathekowitsch. Chef Cristi Badea, former
second-in-command of Lea Linsters’ kitchen, is responsible
for the ambitious main courses at 29 to 42 euros, as
well as a Menu Découverte for 65 euros.
The proprietor likes to bring tomatoes,
pumpkins, plums, and Mirabelle from
her father’s garden on Kirchberg into the
kitchen. In her own garden she grows
apples, from friends’ gardens cherries: “We
really try to make use of growing our own.
If Covid had not come along, then my business plan would
have come to fruition brilliantly,” says Kim Mathekowitsch.
“Before the crisis, you could feel the excitement, we
had people from all over the world here.” In January, her
schedule recorded 5,000 bookings following an agreement
with a tour operator for groups of South Koreans for
2020: “The financial consequences are obvious.”
“But, a crisis can also offer new opportunities and
chances,” she says, trying to stay positive. “I’m happy to
be back home and able to speak Luxembourgish on a daily
basis. You have to be in tune with the market.” There is
no trace of resignation: Kim Mathekowitsch would like
to start a new restaurant project with a new partner. Not
right in the centre of the city. “I’m an entrepreneur. And I
want more.”
L‘ANNEXE
7, rue du St Esprit — L-1475 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 / 26 26 25 07
lannexe.lu
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RESTAURANT PORTRAIT
105
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
LOGO PARIS 8 BLANC 1 06/01/2020 09:27
BLOG AWARD
BLOG AWARD 2020
2020
We are happy to announce the new date for the Blog Award Ceremony!
Save the date for March 17th, 2021 when we will officially celebrate and announce the winners
of the Blog Award at Hotel Le Royal!
Though we had to postpone the award ceremony by almost one year due to COVID-19,
our excitement and anticipation for this event has grown proportionally.
We will take all safety measures and precautions to guarantee an event that is fun but also safe.
More information about the event will follow soon.
To stay up to date with the Blog Award, make sure you visit our newly redesigned website
www.blogaward.lu.
MAIN PARTNERS
PARTNERS
106
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
30 YEARS ON THE ROAD
TO SUCCESS
IN 1991, THE FIRST LUXEMBOURGISH
CRÉMANT-CUVÉES ARRIVED ON THE MARKET.
The “Crémant de Luxembourg” is a true success story and a vital product
for the Luxembourgish wine scene.
108
TEXT Claude François
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
The success was such a surprise
that at New Year’s Eve 1991 hardly
a bottle was still to be had. And that
even though the Crémant had only
entered the market six weeks earlier,
on November 15th. The “Crémant de
Luxembourg,” the new sparkling wine
from the Luxembourgish Moselle, was
an immediate hit. After the opening of
the Grand-Duchal decree on January
4th 1991 that officially sealed the
introduction of the Crémants, five
producers decided to create Cuvées
from the 1990 vintage. Already at
that point, the fermentation in bottles
and the yeast storage had to be set
at nine months at least, and a date to
deliver was set for November. The
five pioneers were Domaines Vinsmoselle,
Caves Desom, Caves Krier,
Caves Mathes, Kohll-Reuland (today,
Keyser-Kohll) and Caves Kox-Risch
(today, Domaine L.& R. Kox).
The production of Crémant is subject
to strict stipulations that are collected
in a specification sheet. Thus, only
grapes from the Luxembourgish
Moselle can be pressed, the harvest
must be done by hand, and from 150
kg grapes a maximum of 100 litres can
be won.
An alternative to the “méthode
champenoise”
The Crémant was a necessity. The
producers of Champagne had, a
few years previously, obtained the
decision from Brussels that the designation
“Méthode champenoise” was
only valid for the region around Reims, Aÿ, and Epernay and not for producers
elsewhere anymore. That’s why various French winegrowing areas lobbied for
the “Crémant” license: Alsace, Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Die, Jura, Limoux, and
Loire. Luxembourg joined in 1991. Meanwhile, the Savoie and other European
vineyards also started to produce Crémants, and lastly Wallonia. In the birth
year of the “Crémants de Luxembourg” the five pioneering businesses produced
exactly 227,850 bottles. It was assumed that this number would easily suffice for
the festivities. But that was far from the case: Not least thanks to the excellent,
coolly modern marketing campaign in which the Domaines Vinsmoselle had
invested heavily – the public pounced on the new product. The collective of
winegrowers had six different Cuvées on offer, a strategy that worked. Even the
former Vinmoselle director, Constant Infalt, who was involved in the decision to
introduce the Crémant, was positively surprised.
The Crémant was a hit and so the production was increased year on year. The
decision of the winegrowers to bet on the Crémant was logical and the real
109
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
beginning of a general raising of quality in Luxembourgish
sparkling and still wines. The Crémant was to be the
figurehead and motor of the Luxembourgish winegrowing
business.
It did not take long until more and more winegrowers joined
the new trend and produced at least one Crémant-Cuvée.
These days, no business can afford to be without one, the
Crémant is arguably the most dependable earnings guarantee.
Meanwhile, the yearly total production has remained
stable at around three million bottles.
Countless special Cuvées
Classic Crémant-Cuvées are predominantly made from
Auxerrois and Pinot blanc varieties. They are excellent for
sparkling wines and after the land consolidation in the early
1990s, there was a lot to go around. With time, the assemblages
became more complex, often a Riesling was added,
at times also Chardonnay Pinot noir, and also Pinot gris.
The range is broad. Many winegrowers don’t only produce
a Cuvée but also blends made from Pinot noir and Chardonnay
for example, or so-called “Monocépage-Crémants
from a single variety. Rosé-Crèmants made completely
from Pinot noir are also popular. A new trend is very dry
champagne-like Crémants, that lie for years on yeast before
they are disgorged. Far less liqueur is added to these deep,
concentrated sparkling wines than to normal Brut-Cuvées,
and, at times, a dosage is completely left out: “Brut nature”
(or “dosage zero”) signifies a Crémant with a sugar content
of maximal six grams per litre. The liqueur content of a
normal “Cuvée brut” lies between six and twelve grams, by
the way, and a “demi-sec” is quite sweet with around 32 to
50 grams per litre. The categories “extra dry (12 to 17 grams
per litre) and “sec” /17 to 32 g/l) are hardly offered in Luxembourg.
Especially classy and complex are the vintage
cuvées. 85 percent of base wines – blends or only from one
variety – must be produced from one single vintage that is
noted on the label. Since the 2016 vintage, Luxembourgish
“Crémants millésimés” must lie for 24 months on yeast in
order to comply with the regulations of the “Appellation
d’origine protégée (AOP)”.
110
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

You can’t
moskito.lu
buy happiness
but you can
enjoy
Luxembourg
wine and
bubbles
(AND THAT’S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME THING)
Consume with passion and moderation.

FEATURE
112
TEXT Susanne Jaspers
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
RON MIEL
A CURE FOR
ITCHY FEET
A delicious liqueur from the Canary Islands that can
sweeten the dreariest of evenings: Ron Miel.
The thing with travelling these days…
If you manage to get to the sunny
South in the first place, or rather, if
you are brave enough to attempt the
journey, your longed awaited enjoyment
of the balmy sea breeze is somewhat
ruined by the wearing of a mask
in most places. Not to think of what
might happen to your holiday tan
when the lower half of your face only
gets to see the sun on the beach. No
wonder, really, that many of us decide
to stay at home in these times. But for
all those who miss the sand and the
heat in our miserable winter weather,
look to the soul-warming beverage
from those distant shores often visited
by the average European during
a “normal” cold season: Ron Miel, or
honey rum from the Canary Islands.
A sweet beverage
The sweetie from the South is more
like a gentle teen. With its twenty
to thirty per cent, the drink counts
to those spirits that don’t knock the
socks off you, even when consumed
by less practised drinkers. Ron Miel,
therefore, counts as a liqueur rather
than a really hard spirit. Its typical
sweetness derives not so much from
the sugar cane from which it is distilled, but rather from the ingredient that
is added to the oak barrel of the rum, which is ripened, on average, for seven
years. Namely, miel, also Spanish for “honey”, and the reason for the name of
the “national drink of the Canaries”. Ron Miel means nothing other than “rum
with honey”.
113
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FEATURE
The Caribbean? As if!
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest – Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
This popular pirate song from Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island”
is immediately conjured when thinking of rum. Or perhaps the beverage
makes you think of Johnny Depp in his rum-loving parade of a role as Captain
Jack Sparrow in “The Curse of the Caribbean.” For those of you who
are not enamoured of the romanticism of the buccaneers and are perhaps
more peace-minded, the equally famous “Bacardi Feeling” might ensue. Either
way, the fact is that rum generally conjures faraway countries, tropical
weather, and, naturally, the Caribbean. Now, there are those, who claim that
rum is not, in fact, a Caribbean or Latin-American invention but in reality
comes from… exactly, the Canaries.
The thing about Columbus
Apparently, in 1489 in the region of the town of Arucas in the North of Gran
Canaria, sugar cane was already being cultivated and made into rum. It was
said to be none other than Christopher Columbus who exported the sugar
cane seedlings from the Canary Islands into the Caribbean. As is known, it
was 1492 when he landed in the so-called “New World.” Further, it was apparently
not until the 17th century that people there had the idea to make a spirit
from the residual product of making sugar. As is often the case with legends,
none of this can be substantiated.
A few kicks in your dessert
These days, Ron Miel is, besides on
the Canaries, produced on Majorca
and in Córdoba Province. But the
oldest and most famous – and according
to the above legends the mother
of all rums – still comes from the region
of Arucas, from the Distillery
Arehucas. By the way, the distillery
can be visited while on holiday on
Gran Canaria… if, that is, a relaxing
holiday in the Canary Islands is, one
day, in the realms of possibility again
… While you are waiting for this day,
hopefully in the not too distant future,
why not console yourself with a
bottle at home. Drink it pure, on ice,
or even served with your fruit salad.
Dream of a warm, southern clime
while consuming your beverage,
even if the weather outside your window
is anything but tropical.
114
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

NEWS
GUIDE VINSLUX
2020/2021
A NEW REFERENCE FOR WINES,
WINE GROWERS, AND VINICULTURE
ON THE LUXEMBOURGISH
MOSELLE RIVER.
With over 260 pages the Guide
VinsLux 2020/2021 features
the wineries and vineyards on
the Luxembourgish Moselle – a
guide in pocket size – and introduces
a selection of wines and
Crémants.
The book is a wonderfully detailed source about everything to do with
wine-growing between Schengen and Wasserbillig (and the Sauertal),
the amazing Terroirs and pretty villages of the area, as well as the
countless grape varieties. The guide is illustrated with magnificent photos
taken by Guy Krier, the winner of numerous international prizes.
Published by Claude François, former journalist (editor-in-chief at
Télécran), wine experts and staff at KACHEN, the guide goes hand in
hand with the smartphone app VinsLux, which can be downloaded for
free from app-stores at Apple (iPhone) and Google Play (Android). The
app is essential to enter into the big prize draw introduced in the Guide
VinsLux 2020/2021. As part of the draw, numerous prizes are drawn in
monthly rounds from December 2020 to June 2021. The main prize, a
climatised wine cabinet from Liebherr, will be drawn in June 2021 from
all contestants who participated in one or several of the monthly draws.
The Guide VinsLux 2020/2021 was distributed to Cactus supermarkets
in a first phase and is now also available in the online shop of VinsLux/
prima.lu. The price of the guide, € 19.50, contains VAT and free postal
delivery to an address in Luxembourg. Delivery to other countries is also
available for an extra cost of two euros per book.
PRIZE DRAW
KACHEN RAFFLES 10 COPIES OF
THE GUIDE VINSLUX 2020/2021...
Send an e-mail with your name,
address and the subject
GUIDE to gewinnen@luxetastestyle.com
Winners will be drawn at random.
Closing date for entries is
30.01.2021
Legal process is excluded.
Order via the online shop
VinsLux/prima.lu under
www.prima.lu
Download the smartphone
app VinsLux in app stores
from Apple (iOS) and Google
(Android).
115
TEXT Claude François
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VINTNER FAMILY
ORGANIC WINEGROWING PIONEER
DOMAINE SUNNEN-HOFFMANN IN REMERSCHEN
Twenty years ago, Yves Sunnen decided to convert his company into an ecological
winegrowing business. His success proved the organic pioneer right.
Claude François
Ramunas Astrauskas
T E X T
PHOTOS
“I had already decided to study viniculture early on,”
Yves Sunnen says. To that time, Geisenheim was
the place to be for would-be-wine growers, and after
a work placement at the episcopalian vineyards in Trier
and the Domaine Klipfel in Alsace, Yves Sunnen joined
the family business, which was founded in 1872.
At that point, organic winegrowing was not a thing; certainly
not a concrete project. Yet, the restoration of the
terraced vineyards in Canach by a group of nature lovers
together with the “Stëftung Hëllef fir d’Natur,” as well as
the production of the first Luxembourgish organic wine,
aroused Sunnen’s interest. After the death of their father
in 1999 and the division of the lots among the family, Yves
Sunnen and his sister Corinne Kox-Sunnen purposefully
looked for vineyards that could easily
be converted to organic farming. They
did not get a lot of support at that time.
“Many thought that the change would
not work,” Sunnen smiles.
The first two wines that he farmed
organically was the Pinot noir from
Op Fuussen, and the Auxerrois from
Schengener Fels in 2003. “Bit by bit
winegrowers offered to take over various
lots or wanted to exchange them
for others – even those colleagues who
said that it wouldn’t work a few years ago.” Over time,
the plot grew to 9.3 hectare. The lots are situated in the
best places in Schengen (Markusberg, Fels), Remerschen
(Jongeberg, Hiischeberg), Wintringen (Felsberg, Hommelsberg),
and in Schwebsingen (Kolteschberg).
Yves Sunnen’s pioneering work was distinguished with a
special mention at the “Bio-Agrar-Präis” from the Ministry
of Agriculture in November 2009. The same year saw
the vineyard become “Demonstrationsbetrieb Biologischer
Landbau” (showcase business for organic agriculture),
one of eight others in Luxembourg. Since 2005, the
business is recognised as a pedagogic farm.
Organic winegrowing is strictly regulated and controlled
regularly. Only organic manure is used, pests are dealt
with preventatively. The criticism that organic winegrowing
puts a strain on the ground on account of its use of
copper, is countered by the experienced winegrower by
saying that the amounts are very low, and there are, by
now, “alternative products, such as those made from rock
flour, that are even more environmentally friendly.”
“The market is
interesting because the
clients are sensitised and
even more interested in
organic wines in the time
of the pandemic. People
buy regional and organic
produce even more
regularly now.”
Despite all the experience, certain vintages create bad
headaches, such as the 2016 vintage, which was “a very
critical year for organic winegrowing.” In contrast, 2018
was the kind of vintage that only comes around every
hundred years, with a good harvest and super healthy,
extremely rich grapes. As part of this vintage Sunnen
produced a special series for the first time: “Insolite”. The
2018 series comprises an extremely rich, lightly tinted Pinot
gris, as well as a shimmering red Pino gris; while the
Muscat-Ottonel and the Cabernet Blanc have now sold
out.
Organic wines are in vogue, especially now. “The market
is interesting because the clients are sensitised and even
more interested in organic wines in the time of the pandemic.
People buy regional and organic
produce even more regularly now,” Yves
Sunnen emphasises.
These are good conditions for his niece
Marie Kox who joined the company in
March. “I love science, I love being in
nature, and we have a good business –
why should I not become a wine grower?”
Marie studied viniculture, winery,
and oenology in Vienna and worked for
the family business for a while, before
she studied for a Masters in Montpellier.
2020 will be her first vintage for which she takes responsibility,
together with her uncle. Marie will, certainly, continue
the organic path: “I think that we have reached a
very high level with our white wines, but we will possibly
still experiment with one or the other larger barrel. And
we want to get even more out of the Pinot noir,” the wine
grower announces. In a close working relationship with
some university colleagues from Vienna, who have built
up a small business, Marie is currently creating a special
Crémant – only using the 2020 Pinot noir grapes from the
Domaine Sunnen-Hoffmann!
116
DOMAINE SUNNEN HOFFMANN
6, Wisswee — L-5441 Remerschen
Tel. +352 / 23 66 40 07
www.caves-sunnen.lu
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VINTNER FAMILY
117
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

NOBLE DROPS
KOX
Cuvée Privilège Extra Brut
Crémant de Luxembourg
Médaille d’Or, Concours des Crémants
de France et de Luxembourg 2020
The Cuvée Privilège is the big winner in the category
"Cuvées spéciales" of this year's edition of the Concours
des Crémants.
An expressive crémant that captivates with its notes of
white fruits, brioche and toasted aromas. On the palate,
a full-bodied, fresh yet ripe structure with aromas of
candied fruit and white flowers. A noble crémant that is
an excellent accompaniment to various dishes !
Available in the winery and in the e-shop
25 € / 0.75 l
www.domainekox.lu
PRIZE DR AW
WE'RE GIVING AWAY ONE BOX CONTAINING
ALL THE BOTTLES DEPICTED ABOVE
Answer the following question:
How many bottles are we giving away on this page?
Send an email with your name and address under the heading
NOBLE DROPS to gewinnen@luxetastestyle.com
Submission deadline is 30.01.2021
OPYOS
Pastis de Luxembourg
Opyos Pastis de Luxembourg is a
hand-crafted anise apéritif, inspired
by the French tradition and refined
by an experimental craft distilling.
It is an assemblage of 11 different
aromatic plants, herbs and spices,
carefully selected from both local
and distant places around the world
in order to create a refreshingly
smooth and yet complex spirit.
DOMAINES
VINSMOSELLE
VIGNUM Riesling
Wormeldange
Koeppchen Grand
Premier Cru 2019
For the festive season,
Domaines Vinsmoselle have
completed their VIGNUM
premium range with wines
from the most exclusive
localities.
On the nose, this classic
Riesling reveals notes of
citrus fruit and orange zest.
On the palate it is elegant,
racy and particularly wellbalanced.
Peachy notes are
present and it convinces
with a remarkably long
finish. It is the ideal
accompaniment for your
festive meals.
This and other wines from
this range are available on
shop.vinsmoselle.lu
29.90 € / 0.75 l / 45% VOL.
opyosbeverages.lu
12.82 € / 0.75 l
shop.vinsmoselle.lu
118
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

PASSIONATE
THE SPIRIT OF
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING
It’s the season of gift giving. While we mostly
focus on what we can give our loved ones
for Christmas, the question of sustainability
becomes ever more important. After all, with
each euro we spend we vote for our future
world.. So, what do we want it to be? By
reducing the use of unsustainable materials
and focusing on local, fair, and transparent
brands, we can play a small part in creating
a change in the way we consume, and the
direction our consumption will take in the
future. Myriam from BYOO STORE tells us why
sustainable products are important, and what
some of the important factors are that we
need to pay attention to before we choose
to buy the next item.
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
120
Myriam, tell us a little bit
about yourself. How did you
come up with the idea for the
store?
I am Myriam and I am 28 years old.
I created Byoo Store in December
2018 with my brother. I have always
been passionate about fashion. When
I realised that it was one of the most
polluting industries in the world,
and where social inequalities were
the highest, I started planning a new
entrepreneurial adventure with my
brother.
That awareness triggered the idea
to create Byoo Store: I started to
search – at first for myself – for ethical
fashion brands that met my taste and
allowed me to consume in a more
responsible way. I quickly identified
dozens and then hundreds of ethical
brands, realising that there were in fact a multitude of
beautiful, responsible brands that offered trendy and
stylish pieces using a production process that respected
people and the environment. Following on from that, I
found that there was no online store with the best ethical
brands, so I decided to start one. Our vision was clear:
create a benchmark of the best committed designers
across the contemporary universe where those most keen
on style and fashion would recognise themselves. This is
how Byoo Store was born.
Where do you think Luxembourg stands in
terms of offering more sustainable products and
educating consumers on their importance?
Nowadays, it is very difficult in Luxembourg to find
ecological and responsible alternatives for the “pleasure”
products in our daily life: fashion, beauty, home. When
you do your shopping, the store landscape includes
either big fast fashion brands or luxury brands that aren’t
affordable to everyone, and that’s a shame. I think it is very
important, today more than ever before, to develop the
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

PASSIONATE
commercial offer of a place like Luxembourg by proposing
creators who deserve to be known and recognised for the
work they do and for their sincere and authentic approach.
Changing the world is teamwork that takes time. But we
all have the potential to contribute and change things at
our level, and governments have a role to play as well.
What does sustainability mean to you?
A sustainable brand is a brand that places the environment
and people at the heart of its strategy and its production
process, in order to have a positive impact on society. But
there is not just one definition of eco-responsibility and
sustainability. I think everyone gives it a definition that
matches their own values. It’s very personal. Be conscious
that as a consumer we have a real power to change the
world, just by being careful about what we buy. For every
euro spend, we vote for the world we want.
What criteria do you employ when selecting
products?
The selection of brands we offer on Byoo Store is subject
to careful research to ensure that all our criteria are met.
Thus, each brand that we select meets our ethical charter,
which includes specific requirements in terms of social
and environmental values. They must meet the following
criteria: respect for the environment, respect for people,
transparency.
In short, all the brands that we select for Byoo Store guarantee
products with ecological components, a responsible
and fair production process, and total transparency on their
production chain. But that’s not all! In our ethics charter,
we have established criteria for social and environmental
commitments that are based on factual elements. To join
us, a brand must meet at least two of these criteria: Natural
components, biological components, recycled / upcycled
components, vegan products, local production, European
production, artisanal production, eco-responsible initiatives,
social engagement.
What should we pay attention to when we shop
for clothes, household products, etc?
I think the first rule is to make wise choices by learning about
the products you buy and asking yourself basic questions:
What are the components of these products? Where was this
product made? Was it made in good working conditions?
Have the people who participated in its manufacture and
production been properly remunerated? Do not hesitate to
ask yourself questions and challenge brands about their
products. If a brand is transparent about its approach, it is
often a good sign – however be careful with greenwashing!
You have to keep in mind that there is no such thing as
a perfect brand, there are just brands that do their best, a
brand cannot take all the battles and be flawless at all levels.
Can you give a few examples for Christmas
that are sustainable?
On our platform, we exclusively offer sustainable and
eco-responsible products. Buying on our e-platform Byoo
Store, our customers are guaranteed to make a purchase
that makes sense and respects the environment and the
people. We offer a comprehensive range of products for men
and women: ready-to-wear, leather goods, underwear, shoes,
jewellery, beauty and even decor and lifestyle. We also offer
sets and products for a zero-waste bathroom and kitchen
– they could easily be a beautiful and original Christmas
present. Generally speaking, making a purchase from the
Byoo Store selection means you are choosing good quality
and sustainable products that can last a lifetime.
For the holiday season, BYOO STORE is delighted
to offer our readers a 10% discount with the code
"KACHEN", valid on their entire website
until the 30.01.2021.
www.byoostore.com.
121
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

INFO INTOX
CHRISTMAS
IN NUMBERS
How much money does the
average person spend on
Christmas gifts? And when did
certain Christmas traditions
start? Here are some fun facts
and numbers about the most
wonderful time of the year.
Read on and impress your
family and friends with these
interesting facts about your
favourite holiday.
122
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

INFO INTOX
193€
THE AVERAGE BUDGET
FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS
IN EUROPE 2019:
WHILE IN GERMANY THEY SPEND THE MOST WITH
ABOUT 470 €, IN GREAT BRITAIN IT IS ABOUT 336 €
& IN THE NETHERLANDS 122 €.
NUMBER OF
CHRISTMAS CARDS
PURCHASED ANNUALLY
1.6
BILLION
1billion
CHRISTMAS CARDS
END UP IN THE BIN
EACH YEAR.
FIRST RECORDED
CHRISTMAS TREE:
1576
IN TURCKHEIM, ALSACE.
NUMBER OF CHRISTMAS
TREES SOLD IN EUROPE:
50 million
PER YEAR.
THE CHANCE TO
EXPERIENCE A
WHITE CHRISTMAS
IN LUXEMBOURG:
24%
3000-
5000
IS THE TYPICAL
NUMBER OF CALORIES
IN YOUR AVERAGE
CHRISTMAS DINNER.
THE AMOUNT OF
WRAPPING PAPER
USED FOR PRESENTS AT
CHRISTMAS IS ENOUGH
TO WRAP AROUND
THE GLOBE
TIMES 9
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF
YEARS A CHRISTMAS TREE
IS GROWN BEFORE IT IS
SOLD:
4-15
YEARS
EVERY YEAR, THE
GERMANS DRINK
ABOUT
350.000
BATHTUBS OF MULLED
WINE.
81 million
UNWANTED PRESENTS
ARE RECEIVED
EACH YEAR.
230,000
TONS IS THE AMOUNT
OF WASTED CHRISTMAS
FOOD THAT IS THROWN
AWAY EACH YEAR.
US SCIENTISTS
CALCULATED THAT
SANTA WOULD
HAVE TO VISIT
822
HOMES A SECOND
TO DELIVER ALL THE
WORLD’S PRESENTS
ON CHRISTMAS EVE,
TRAVELLING AT
1046
KM A SECOND.
Sources: www.asustainablelife.co.uk - www.augsburger-allgemeine.de - www.merkur.de
123
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CONSUME DIFFERENTLY
SUSTAINABLE
CHRISTMAS
IDEAS
It is the most wonderful time of the
year, yet also the most wasteful one.
It is estimated that an extra 20 to 30%
of waste is produced and discarded
throughout the festive period, compared
to the combined amount of the previous
years. When all this holiday material
is thrown away, it fills up landfills and
damages the environment. Far from
merry and bright! Here are some ideas
on how we can avoid making this season
the most wasteful one, while still
enjoying the joyful essence of
Christmas traditions.
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
124
THE CHRISTMAS TREE
Let’s face it, Christmas just wouldn’t be the same without a
Christmas tree. Unfortunately, both artificial and natural
Christmas trees come at a cost to the environment.
Artificial trees are usually the cheaper option. As you
can reuse them year after year, they are more economical
than buying a freshly cut tree every year. Unfortunately,
the materials used to make most artificial trees are not
sustainable or environmentally friendly, and their carbon
footprint is really high. Most trees are made from plastic
– most often PVC film. PVC is made from fossil fuels, a
process that emits high levels of greenhouse gases. The
fact that the majority of artificial trees are made in China
additionally increases their carbon footprint. And while
it might be a good idea to use your old plastic tree for as
long as possible, it might not be so great for your health.
As PVC degrades it can lead to dangerous levels of lead
contamination, which occur after about nine years.
Most people buy a real, cut tree. This is a better option in
terms of carbon footprint and sustainability compared to
an artificial one. Choose a locally grown tree if you can
but know that this option also comes with its disadvantages.
Christmas tree plantations are not an ecologically
sensitive use of land and are not like natural forests. As
they are mono crops, they oftentimes require the use of
herbicides and pesticides (such as glyphosate).
Your best bet? Choose a living tree instead! You can buy or
even rent a potted Christmas tree. Even if you don’t have
a garden in which to plant it, you could check the options
in your area and donate it to your commune. If you want
to rent a tree in Luxembourg, you can visit Baumshoul
Becker (beckered.lu) and select a potted tree that you can
rent year after year.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CONSUME DIFFERENTLY
GIFT WRAPPING
Let’s face it – most gift-wrapping paper is not recyclable
and ends up in landfills. If you want to make your Christmas
celebrations more sustainable and greener, here are a
few great gift wrap ideas:
› Get inspired by Japan’s Furoshiki wraps
› Use scarves, towels and ornaments
› Newspaper
› Go natural for the gift decoration (use Christmas tree
sprigs, flowers, etc.)
› Reuse old gift bags
› Stock up on eco-friendly basics from the art store (plain
paper, plain cloth and ribbons)
› Use your children’s artwork
› Re-use containers, jars and bottles
PRESENTS
Trying to do things differently this year and offer more
sustainable and eco-friendly gifts to your loved ones?
Here are some ideas of what you might want to consider:
› DIY gifts (homemade candles, jam, tea, body lotion, etc.)
› If buying clothes or scarves – go for natural materials,
such as cotton, hemp, linen, silk, etc.
› Think about the packaging – avoid excessive use of
plastic
› Shop at local, sustainable shops for your gifts
› Go for an experience. Gift your loved ones tickets to a
concert, the theatre, or a vacation. They will surely appreciate
it.
› Give time not stuff. You can package this gift in creative
and funny ways too. Some ideas for the parents of young
children would be babysitting vouchers or holding clothes
swap-and-share parties.
DECORATION
Avoid buying new plastic decorations, such as tree ornaments,
and focus on DIY decorations instead. It makes for
a great family activity and the family will treasure them
for a long time. Some ideas:
› Painted nut ornaments
› Dried citrus ornaments
› Sugar cookies or salt dough ornaments
› Painted glass or wooden ornaments, etc.
125
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FASHION
SECOND-HAND
NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT OPTION!
Some statistics: Fast fashion is the reason large retailers are able to
mass-produce the newest trends as quickly as possible for a cheap
price. The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter in the world,
topped only by the oil industry, and also contributes to 5% of the
world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Has our desire for new, trendy and
affordable items finally gone too far?
TEXT Hannah Charlton
126
With the holidays around the corner,
the shopping sprees have begun!
Where we choose to shop is based on
product selection, price and quality.
But how often do we make buying
decisions based on a company’s
approach to sustainability and ethics?
Online searches for “sustainable
fashion” tripled between 2016 – 2019,
showing that there is a new era of
savvy shoppers eager to know more
about a brand’s ethics than just relying
on a flashy logo and window displays.
The social media effect
The rise of social media and social media influencers has
created a dangerous pattern: buy it, post it, bin it. The
incessant need to be on the trend and have a new wardrobe
each season is fuelled by large companies, high-budget
campaigns, plus our social media feeds. But fashion is
simply a cycle of repetition. The styles of 10 or 15 years ago
suddenly come back, and this will continue to happen again
and again. Rather than buying an item because of a trend,
create a capsule wardrobe: a collection of essential items
that will never go out of style and can be paired together no
matter the season.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

FASHION
Environmental impact
As fast fashion developed, affordable textiles became
accessible to a wide array of retailers. If you look at a
handful of your clothes, roughly 85% will be made from
polyester, nylon or cotton. While these textiles may be
cheap, they have a detrimental impact on the environment.
Polyester takes roughly 200 years to fully decompose
while nylon releases microplastics into the soil as it
decomposes, inevitably polluting the surrounding areas.
To be able to create a vast amount of styles and colours,
large amounts of water are needed for manufacturing in
order to meet this demand. For example, it takes 2700
litres of water to produce a simple cotton t-shirt!
The rise in textile waste ending up in landfill is due to
over production from retailers and people throwing away
clothing they no longer want. Luckily, there are easy ways
to reduce the large-scale damage that has been done and
it’s simpler than you think!
“Globally 20% of textiles are recycled, meaning the other
80% are lost to landfill or incineration.” - Alden Wicker,
Fashion Revolution
Why second-hand?
As party season approaches, the search for new clothing as
well as gift ideas will ensue. Luxembourg has a wonderful
selection of second-hand shops, a great way to discover a
few gems that would make a perfect gift or addition to your
home. The shops are beautifully warm, cosy and welcoming,
plus there is the occasional coffee shop tucked way
nearby when you are in need of a mid-shopping pick-me-up.
Alternatively, choosing to rent or hire dresses & gowns is
becoming more and more popular, as it is a fantastic way to
not only save money but also save space in your wardrobe.
Dress rental services enable you to choose a handful of
dresses and select the one you love! Upon returning, they
typically take care of the washing for you so all you have to
do is look stunning.
Buying second-hand is a chance to reignite a love for style
& design unique to you, as opposed to copying what you
see on social media. Owning something that has already
been produced prevents a new item from having to be
manufactured and put into circulation. It may be seen as a
simple, small change but it can create an enormous impact
that we will be thankful for down the line.
127
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MADE IN LUXEMBOURG
HOOTLI
STYLISH IN
KNITWEAR
Autumn is here, bringing shorter and cooler days. All
you trendy people will probably delight in the warmer
clothes and accessories. One thing makes the cold
season more fun than anything else: knitwear! And
what could be better than handknitted jumpers, hats,
and scarves? For “Made in Luxembourg” versions with
definite favourite potential, look no further than Hootli
– with versions for the entire family. Other offerings
are fabric masks in the classic cut, as well as the scarf
variety, e.g. cut like a neck chief made from silk or satin.
The fashion label is the brainchild of Nicole Pauline
Hansen, the founder, owner and also creative director
of the brand, which has been on the market for eight
years. But the ethical, slow-fashion brand – which creates
exceptionally well-made and fair products – is
not only known here but also present in Berlin. Last
year, a pop-up store in the “Bikini Berlin” mall in the
west of the city advertised the wares of the Luxembourgish
designer.
“I am especially happy that our clients value Hootli
products and recommend them to others. That shows
that we are on the right path with our philosophy. I
am endlessly thankful and proud of that,” says Nicole
Hansen. She studied interior design at the Lycée Technique
des Arts et Métiers in Luxembourg. She has
always been creative, and thanks to her family, is familiar
with entrepreneurship. When in July 2000 her
daughter was born, she designed her child’s clothing
and accessories herself. A few years later she founded
Hootli.
TEXT Jessika Maria Rauch
128
MORE INFORMATION & POINTS OF SALE
Atelier Verraille
51, Avenue de la Gare
L-4130 Esch-Alzette
Fromet-und-Moses-Mendelssohn-Platz 2
D-10969 Berlin
www.hootli.lu
Since sustainability and well-being start with the materials
and not only when production begins, Nicky
and her team choose the best threads from small,
European manufacturing companies. In addition, the
safety of her workers is paramount, and environmentally
friendly is not only a marketing ploy. “Our Webpelzbommel
(fur pompons) are 100 % animal-free and
officially PETA ‘vegan approved’. We use polyester to
make them, which we cut by hand and make into pompons,”
says the entrepreneur. But those who are this
successful don’t get a break. “We recently opened a
concept store in Berlin-Kreuzberg, IUNIK Luxembourg,
that carries a variety of Luxembourgish fashion and
lifestyle labels. What a hoot(li)!
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

HOW TO ENJOY THE FESTIVE
SEASON WITHOUT GUILT
As soon as Halloween is over, the shops are filled with Christmas decorations, the
pressure to buy gifts for everyone is on, and your calendar quickly fills up with
events and parties, while your to-do list keeps growing and growing. No wonder
so many people feel anxious and guilty as the Christmas season approaches. Have
you told yourself that this year will be different? The first step to a more enjoyable
festive season is to deal with the feeling of guilt.
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
130
How can you recognise Christmas guilt?
It is often this feeling you get when you feel pressured
to buy, decorate more, and do more in order to get into a
“Christmas spirit.” It can also manifest itself as feeling
pressured to attend certain events and parties, do certain
activities with your family, or simply starting to compare
yourself with other people.
Here are some of the most common reasons that can cause
feelings of guilt during this time of the year and some
suggestions that might help you dissipate these negative
feelings. After all, Christmas is really not about making
you feel bad!
Pressure about being in the “Christmas spirit”
If you’re worried whether you’ve done “enough” for Christmas,
or if you’ve bought enough presents or decorations,
and whether your Christmas tree is big enough – the source
of guilt might simply be the pressure you put on yourself to
get in the “Christmas spirit.” We can get carried away by
the superficiality of things sometimes, the way our house
looks, or how many cookies we’ve baked. But the reality is
that the true Christmas spirit resides in our own attitude to
others. And if we’re consumed with worry and guilt, there’ll
be less place for love, true bonding and connection. To
avoid guilt seeping in deciding early on what you’ll focus
during the festive season. If you made the decision to go
for sustainable, handmade gifts and decorations, explain
to your family why you think this is important and make
sure they are on board with you. Involve family members in
some festive DIY projects DIY that can create a wholesome
festive atmosphere that is filled with laughter and love.
Whenever you experience any doubt about your decision,
remind yourself gently why you chose to go this way this
year and stick with it.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MOOD
Pressure about matching up to others
You might start doubting yourself when you see
how others choose to celebrate. Avoid comparisons
and being sucked into subtle marketing
strategies. Always know your “why” and the
reason you chose to do certain things and what
the consequences of your decisions will be – the
good and the bad. Communicate these openly
with your family and children, so that you are
all on the same page as much as possible. You
don’t have to do things in a certain way. Find
alternative ways of decorating, gift giving and
party hosting that are more aligned with your
viewpoint or current situation. Remember that
you can create traditions that are unique to
your family.
Family pressures
With the festive season come the expectations.
While for most, spending time with extended
family is a source of joy, sense of belonging and
warmth, for others it may be a source of anxiety,
guilt and pressure. If you feel you’re being pressured
to do things you don’t like or get anxious
about going back to old family dynamics, it is
important to be able to set some firm boundaries.
Some may involve just saying “thanks, but
not this year” and simply stating what you’re
planning to do instead. You don’t always have
to provide a reason for your decision. Recognise
that guilt can be used as a manipulation
tool as well. If there are family members who
try to make you feel guilty about your choices,
listen to them, but avoid engaging further in
the discussion.
Recognise that you can’t be all things to all
people. If you find yourself doing too many
things that you don’t actually enjoy, stop and
ask yourself why you’re doing them. Learning
to say “no” can surprisingly help improve your
relationships with others too.
Overindulgence & dietary choices
during the festive period
If the holidays become a constant test of your
willpower and challenge your wellbeing, causing
obsessions about what you “should” and
“should not” have eaten, you might need to
reconsider your relationship with food.
Rich, sugary and indulgent foods shouldn’t be
labelled as forbidden. Rather, enjoy them with
your fullest attention. Mindful eating can be a
great approach to tackle the numerous temptations that we’re presented
with during the festive season.
Remember, this holiday happens once a year. It is meant to be celebrated
with the people you love most, and we all universally celebrate with
food!
Instead, put your focus on what you eat on every other day of the year
and make sure it is balanced, healthy and nutritious. When you indulge
during the holidays and want to prevent guilt or bad physical reactions
later on – practice mindfulness and moderation. Consider sampling
your food rather than indulging in it.
Make sure there are healthy options alongside the classic or traditional
recipes everyone is expecting.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. If you choose to indulge, do so without
guilt, knowing you can go back to eating healthily the next day.
You can’t completely avoid the Christmas guilt, but remind yourself
of the reasons why you’re doing certain things. Remember that
doing things that are authentic for you and your family is better than
succumbing to social pressure and expectations.
131
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGAN, VEGETARIAN
OR FLEXI
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian – all limit meat consumption, but what exactly is the
difference between these diets? And do we need all of them? While the trend to reduce meat
consumption is gaining in popularity, thanks to initiatives such as “meat-free Mondays” and
alternative diets becoming more widespread, per capita meat consumption in Western Europe
has been increasing in the last years. European agriculture is drifting towards a destructive
model, with more than 70% of EU farmland being used to produce food for livestock, according
to Greenpeace. Reducing our meat consumption can have positive effects not just for our
planet, but also for our health and wellbeing.
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
132
If you love a juicy cheeseburger, you may wonder why
anyone would choose to go meat-free. Some of the reasons
include, but are not limited to:
› Numerous health benefits of a plant-based diet (reversing
the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and some
cancers)
› The environmental impacts of factory farming
› Animal-rights advocacy
› The high cost of a meat-based diet
Learn about the differences between the various plantbased
diets, so you don’t accidentally and embarrassingly
offer a vegan a buttery pastry with cheese instead of steak
because they “don’t eat meat”.
VEGETARIAN DIET
A vegetarian is someone who refrains from eating all types
of meat, whether it be poultry, red meat or fish. This may also
include abstention of by-products of animals processed for
food. There are several sub-types of vegetarians:
› Lacto-ovo vegetarian: eliminates meat, fish and poultry
but allows eggs and dairy products.
› Lacto-vegetarian: eliminates meat, fish, poultry and eggs
but allows dairy products.
› Ovo-vegetarian: eliminates meat, fish, poultry and dairy
products but allows eggs.
The vegetarian diet is the most common one that avoids
meat products.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

HEALTH & NUTRITION
VEGAN DIET
A vegan diet eliminates meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy
products, as well as other animal-derived products, such
as honey (though this one is somewhat controversial).
Vegans also avoid products containing rennet, gelatine,
collagen and other types of animal proteins as well as
stocks and fats derived from animals.
Veganism also goes further than just dietary choices.
Strict vegans avoid any products that involve the use of
animals. These include leather goods, wool, silk, beeswax,
cosmetics tested on animals, latex products that contain
casein (a protein derived from milk), and certain soaps
and candles derived from animal fats.
FLEXITARIAN DIET
A flexitarian diet is probably best defined as a part-time
vegetarian. People on a flexitarian diet eat mostly vegetarian
but occasionally also eat meat, which can include
fish, poultry or red meat. If a flexitarian does decide to
consume meat, they will oftentimes choose free-range,
organic or grass-fed animal products. The definition of a
flexitarian diet is somewhat problematic because “occasional”
animal food consumption could mean once a
month, once a week or more, but the main premise is the
reduction of animal products. The flexitarian diet is the
most flexible of diets (that’s where the name comes from)
and you get the best of both worlds if you are not ready
to make a full commitment to one diet. There are also no
hard rules about what you’re allowed to eat and what you
can’t, which some people feel more comfortable with as it
doesn’t put them in a box.
Moving away from meat
It is important to remember that just because you’re
vegan or vegetarian doesn’t automatically mean
that you eat a “healthy” diet. In fact, one of the most
important aspects of any diet is for it to be balanced.
Replacing meat with high-carbohydrate foods or
high-sugar foods won’t provide you with the health
benefits of a meat-free lifestyle. If you’re interested
in starting to eat less meat, here are some easy ways
on how to do it:
› Prioritise fresh and colourful fruits and vegetables.
Add some fruits or veggies to your breakfast
and load up on the vegetables for your lunch and
dinner. Don’t forget that fruits and veggies make for
great snacks too that are quick to prepare and easy
to carry with you.
› Focus on the foods you’re adding, instead of what
you’re avoiding. A simple mental shift can help us
view our new choices as more including and less
limiting. Think of all the foods that you are probably
not eating enough of. These may include beans,
legumes, nuts and seeds. They are great ways to get
protein and are filling too. Try some chili sin carne,
or homemade hummus instead of meat or ham.
› Don’t forget the grains. Whole grains like quinoa,
brown rice or amaranth pack a lot of nutrients and
help keep your blood sugar stable.
› Consider meat a side, rather than the main part
of the meal. Keep meal portions small and let the
plant-based food be the star on your plate.
Reducing meat consumption has many benefits, and
you don’t necessarily need to go for an all-or-nothing
approach to reap these benefits. Making small
steps towards a more plant-based diet might be a
better strategy than going cold-turkey if you’re not
sure you can keep up with it. Think of your food
choices as plant-forward and go from there.
133
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

GREEN KITCHEN
CHRISTMAS
WITHOUT STRESS
IN THE KITCHEN
Already feeling overwhelmed with your
growing to-do list for Christmas? The pressure
to prepare the perfect dinner for multiple
guests, to decorate the table and make sure
nothing is missing can grow larger and larger
the closer we get to Christmas. Christmas is all
about spending quality time with the people
you love, so slaving tirelessly in the kitchen may
not really fit your expectation.
TEXT Vesela Savova Drews
The good news is you can still prepare the perfect dinner minus the added stress or a day filled with nothing but cooking.
The key lies in the planning and preparation. Getting ahead with planning weeks before Christmas can save you lots
of stress and last-minute extra work. Here are some ideas
that can help you enjoy a stress-free Christmas this year.
1PLAN AHEAD
Know what you’re going to serve weeks ahead of
time. Make sure you order any special ingredients ahead
of time to avoid the last-minute stress of having to secure
them from somewhere. Plan your menu and highlight the
items that you can prepare in advance. Organise the two
days before Christmas by planning the big moments you
need to keep an eye out for.
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GREEN KITCHEN
2BE REALISTIC
You might want to roast a big turkey, but your oven
is too small? Remain realistic about the limitations of both
your kitchen equipment, the time you have on your hands
and your skills. It is usually not a good idea to experiment
with new recipes when you’re hosting a big gathering.
Rather, stick with your known and tested dishes. And if
there’s something special you’d like to make, make sure
you test the recipe ahead of time, to see if it is what you
expected.
3PREP AHEAD
Make a list of the items that are ok to be prepared
in advance. Prepare the ingredients you’ll need for your
big day of cooking the day before. Pre-chop and peel
the vegetables you’ll need and store them in an air-tight
container in the fridge. Preparing as much as you can in
advance, will save you lots of time and make the cooking
more enjoyable too.
4DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE
SHORTCUTS
Sometimes it is simply not possible that every single item
you serve is homemade. Think of where you’d most need
a shortcut and which items are not going to be the star
of your dinner – these can be bought ready-made. If you
don’t have time to make cranberry jam, store-bought will
do, and if you need additional appetisers – you’ll find some
good ready-made options too.
5ASK FOR HELP
As your family members to lend you a helping hand.
They can help you with preparing the food or decorating
the table. Doing things together don’t just have to be a
chore, but can be a bonding experience. And if you are
on good terms with your extended family, feel free to ask
them to bring some of the food as well. This way the load
of preparing the perfect Christmas dinner will not lie
solely on you.
135
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

LIVING BETTER
GOOD ADVICE
IS VALUABLE!
AN INTERVIEW ON COVID-19
WITH STEFAN SCHRÖDER,
THE COACH AND OWNER
OF SELFENERGY
We’re living in worrying times. While we thought
we had overstood the worst of the pandemic this
summer, now a second wave is dawning, and many
say it will be even worse than the first. We don’t have
a vaccine yet, and the economy – already on its knees
– will have to endure more blows. For, the recommended (and sooner or later probably prescribed) safety
measures will cause many professions to come to a stop for a while once more.
Stefan Schröder is a health coach and has worked for more than 20 years with people who want to have a say
in their own health. His focus lies in the transmittance of personal health competence and the development
of the necessary individual responsibility of his clients. These topics interest people more than ever at this
time, and he and his team have – according to him – “never had as much to do as now.” The times in which the
personal coach or psychiatrist was smiled down upon as a typical American phenomenon are long over. Here
too, people have understood that it makes sense to ask the help of professionals in a time of great insecurity.
Arguably, especially now, when such a range of health topics demand our attention.
INTERVIEW Bibi Wintersdorf
136
What worries people the most?
In our work we have, for a few years now, experienced
an enormous spectrum of questions from our clients.
Stress-caused afflictions, chronic illnesses, the need for
a comprehensive approach to personal topics, negative
experiences within the medical system, the search for
sustainable strategies of prevention, or the wish for longterm,
individual, and personal accompaniment – all these
lead people to us.
Over the last few months, the topic of stress has taken
on a new meaning. On the one hand, there is the worry
about the inability to plan one’s own future, which leads to
a great, internal uncertainty and continuous tension. The
feeling of dependency and heteronomy at this level is for
many people a new experience and personal strategies on
how to deal with it are often lacking. The fear of falling ill
also plays a major role, and, lastly, for some this has led to
a kind of inner focus on catastrophe that slowly consumes
their entire sense of being.
What is the “collateral damage” of the virus?
From a health perspective, I’m afraid only time will tell.
At the moment we should all concentrate more on what we
can do for ourselves, in order to get through this time wit-
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

LIVING BETTER
hout negative consequences to our health. Currently, that
means for me, that we have to learn to live with the virus.
The best personal protection (besides masks and other
hygiene measures, of course) is a healthy and capable immune
system. Sadly, we are currently seeing that the rise
of personal stress leads to a lowering of immune competence
and the door to a never-ending cycle is opened.
Who are your clients and how do you work with
them?
The spectrum of our clients is very large; questions
concerning health are individual to every person. We
work with people who have decided to take their health
into their own hands and to take this as a learning and
experiencing process that leads to a more personal health
competence. For us this also means a network of various
areas of expertise for, and within the scope of, our clients.
As part of our work, we collect all relevant information
and so create transparency and a robust basis for personal
decisions.
What makes sense in relation to my health and why? That
is the central question and should be able to be answered
by every individual in the end. The structuring of this
process and the accompaniment of it – that’s the key of
our work.
What can every individual do in order to
physically and mentally survive this situation
and perhaps even emerge stronger?
I see a strong immune system as a deciding factor. Every
individual can have a strategy that must be orientated by
their personal situation. In our experience there are a few
points that have shown to be reliable and are also easier to
implement than they might seem at first:
· Make sure you move frequently in fresh air, if possible,
in nature.
· Abstain from a meal every once in a while. That helps
your digestion to regenerate. The immune system profits
enormously from this, for 80% of our immune cells are in
our digestive tract. Learn not to give into hunger immediately,
and more importantly, to distinguish hunger from
appetite. This way you promote the regenerative process
on all levels.
· Experiment with cold water in the shower.
· Learn to be aware of your tension levels and to regulate
them; for example, through your breathing. Become an
observer of yourself!
· Question and regulate your media and news consummation.
Mental hygiene has never been more important;
your awareness and your personal reality, are strongly influenced
by it.
· Rely on your own judgment. Have your own opinions
but stay curious.
· Take care of social contacts that are really important.
In the end, we should be aware that everything in life
passes. That is also true for the COVID pandemic with
which we have to deal as individuals and as a society. We
can do this from a victim perspective of insecurity, worry,
and fear, or be an active participant in our possibilities.
The choice belongs to every individual and shapes how
we live in these times.
What do you advise someone who does
not know how to continue out of fear and
insecurity?
Look for help! The sooner you disrupt the cycle of fear
and worry, the sooner your ability to act returns. You are
not alone; many people currently feel overwhelmed. Be
open with your thoughts and emotions and try to find new
perspectives. Cultivate a lenient, sympathetic, and loving
interaction with yourself. A professional and individual
accompaniment that gives you the time you need, can be
a valuable help.
selfenergy.lu
137
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

COLUMN
COVID-19 &
THE DIVERSE SCIENTIFIC
OPINION
"Knowledge keeps no better than fish" (Alfred N. Whitehead, 1861-1947)
The British mathematician believed that scientific expertise
has a similar expiry date to fish.
DR. MARC KEIPES
Director
ZithaGesondheetsZentrum
gesondheetszentrum.lu/blog/
138
TEXT Marc Keipes
You’re bound to wonder why scientists
often have such wide-ranging
views. Views that can change over
time and sometimes see the same
expert or even institution (such as
the Robert Koch Institute) change
their opinion: COVID-19 was simply
seen as a new form of flu in January
and there was no cause for concern at
that point. 2 months later, the world
saw the dawn of an epidemic that put
healthcare to the test everywhere and
could have been straight out of a sci-fi
film. I didn’t envy the Italian doctors
who, facing countless victims, had to
choose which patient would receive
the last available ventilator …
One of the main reasons for the above confusion in
opinion, was that nobody knew much about the virus
in the beginning – research (the first factual data) was
conducted on small numbers of patients and published
as quickly as possible without peer reviews as we
had so little reliable evidence to go on! Experts and
politicians were caught short. Could we have predicted
and planned for it? Yes but how many people will blow
the whistle? Nobody listened to the visionaries after
SARS and MERS, previous viruses that did not cause
pandemics.
Healthcare messages come across badly as the situation
is never black and white: some healthcare professionals
focused on the fact that 80% of victims would have a mild
form of COVID, not unsimilar to a cold, while those more
concerned discussed the 20% who get seriously ill and the
2% who die. How we see the facts depends on the perspective
of the person reporting them. The same set of data
provided to different teams can lead to different analyses
of the same situation. Even facts can be influenced by
unknown factors.
Different populations and different healthcare systems
influenced results, which in turn influenced how (inter)
national guidelines were expressed. Without wishing to
suggest any ill-will among specific authors who intentionally
falsify results to have something to publish, a certain
amount of error is natural, especially given the urgency
of the situation. I doff my cap to the experts who not only
contradicted their colleagues/rivals but also changed
their own opinions in the face of new revelations – it is
always hard to question your own beliefs.
Disparity in expert opinion only increased with all this
information which the media “digested,” not to say adapted
(let’s be nice), for the general public. It’s the perfect
hotbed for creating conspiracy theories and losing trust
in the authorities.
Debates surrounding the use of a seat belt over 40 years
ago, following by discussions of airbags, gave rise to studies
and contradictory expert opinion then too – perhaps,
a little like the debate we’re having about wearing a mask
now… But honestly: would you buy a car without these
safety features?
After the first wave ended and new cases/deaths fell, people
became less afraid and less disciplined. But as Ranga
Yogeshwar said, “We don’t stop employing firemen just
because there hasn’t been a fire in a while. The epidemic
isn’t over just because we don’t want it to be around anymore.
It will end when it ends.”
Now, we should approach our sources of information with
as much caution as if it were April 1st. It’s the only day of
the year when everyone wonders about (or questions) the
information they hear. I vote for 2021 to be made up solely
of April Fool’s Days. The more the experts agree and can
come to a consensus, the more we’ll trust them.
N.B.
This doesn’t just apply to medicine but also other issues
such as global warming, artificial intelligence, energy
policy, etc.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MUST HAVES
CHRISTMAS IN
STYLE
140
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
www.lights4fun.co.uk

MUST HAVES
www.beaumonde.co.uk
Soon it will be December and
you if you are wondering how
to spice up your living room,
give it a magical aura and
bring the Christmas spirit
to every corner of the house,
choose blue!
www.sophieallport.com
www.ellajames.co.uk
shop.westminster-abbey.org/
www.penelopehope.com
www.ellajames.co.uk
www.jardiland.com
141
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MUST HAVES
142
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MUST HAVES
A UNIQUE
LIVING SPACE…
As the holidays approach, we invite you to
discover a dream interior full of magic and
creativity. This project was created by the
studio of interior designer Yuriy Zimenko for
a young family living in the heart of Kiev.
Marble, onyx, wood – a choice of materials
that respects the environment while giving
a luxurious distinction to the space. An
elegant combination of gold and white
details in the living room and the use of
carefully handcrafted, modern elements
give the place an even more original style.
The refined living room remains a very
warm place where natural light enhances
the elegance of the details.
Yet, when a house project includes a room for
children, it is always difficult to satisfy both
the parents and the little stars of the show.
Children’s expectations are always high, and
they hope that the impossible will become
reality and the child of the family dreamed of
a space created especially for him.
For this very special project, the designer
chose the Rocky Rocket chair to make this
little boy’s dream come true and transform
the room into a truly magical space...
© circu.net
143
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

MUST HAVES
144
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

Cooking in
Perfection
MUST HAVES
R E C I P E
PHOTO
Firstname Lastname
Firstname Lastname
www.kitchenaid.lu
145
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

DESIGN IN LUXEMBOURG
DANIELLE
GROSBUSCH
TRACING NATURE
Member of the CAL (Cercle Artistique du
Luxembourg), of the Atelier Empreinte, Danielle
Grosbusch is a deeply human and benevolent
painter, engraver and illustrator. She has opened
the doors of her universe to us to discover the
backstage of her work.
Theodora Mutel
Danielle Grosbusch
TEXT
PAINTING
146
What made you want to be an artist? How did
you get into etching?
My father was an artist. Our living room was his studio –
to my mother’s great dismay (laughs)! He’s who inspired
me first. Then my teacher, Roger Bertemes, became my
mentor. He made me believe in myself and got me interested
in this ancient art. That said, I couldn’t have lived
out my dream without my husband Claude’s support. We
lived off his salary while I raised our three children before
reinventing myself and exhibiting my work.
Was it hard getting back into practising art?
Did you not miss it for those
two decades?
It’s like riding a bike, you never
forget (laughs)! I have no regrets...
Being a mum was a given for me,
everything happened in good time.
But not everything’s black and
white and one part of me was under
pressure; I often felt “torn”!
What is it about nature that
inspires you so much? How
do you manage to reinvent
yourself every time?
Me and my two sisters, who are
also artists, grew up surrounded by
nature; our house stands on a hill
tucked away from civilisation.
I’ve spent a long time teaching myself to observe what’s
around me. Every season has its own gems and light. A
friend once told me I’m better at drawing slugs and mushrooms
than portraits (laughs). She’s right. I like the precision
in botanical patterns. There’s also the message I’m
trying to convey: look at the simple things, protect our life
force, biodiversity. And etching lends itself wonderfully
to this exercise, it gives a sense of depth, it enables you
to adjust the effects... My work always evolves too: the 70s
were all about abstract art but I had an obvious penchant
for the figurative. The latter has now made a comeback
but I’m moving more and more towards minimalism. I’m
always going against the trend (laughs).
Has 2020 and its unique context been a new
form of inspiration or has it hampered your
creativity?
My husband and I spent two months completely locked
down. Usually I look after my
grandchildren, I teach... The lockdown
with its enforced time to rest
was truly magical. Living life in the
fast lane means we don’t notice the
little things anymore. The world
has become very complicated and
we’re all a little lost. We baked
bread, went on walks, did the
gardening, took our time. I won’t
lie, I’m lazy (laughs)! But what a
joy! I know I’m lucky and I’ve been
very fortunate to have had this
lockdown experience! Lockdown
was the bubble I needed to refocus.
What are your plans?
I’ve got too many! I’d like to have
a go at other techniques, especially combining them with
etching, such as bookbinding. I’ve wanted to create a beautiful
recipe book for the last 10 years. I have lovely handwriting
and I’d like to use it. First and foremost, I’d like this
book to be a way to share: readers can include their own
recipes. The book should be personal and feel alive.
daniellegrosbusch.com
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

LUXEMBOURG
ROBBESSCHEIER
MUCH MORE THAN A VILLAGE MUSEUM
The nature discovery centre Robbesscheier
in Munshausen focuses on the history and
diversity of the rural culture of northern
Luxembourg. Yet, Robbesscheier is more
than a village museum detailing
the living and working conditions in
the Luxembourgish Ardennes. The centre
undertakes pioneering work for sustainable
tourism with countless workshops for
young and old, regional cooking, nature
conservation, and sustainable
future projects.
148
Barbara Fischer-Fürwentsches
Alena Dex
T E X T
PHOTOS
Around 30 years ago, the local youth revitalised the
old tradition of the Hubertusmarkt (Hubertus market)
on a disused farm. A tourism society, created for
this purpose, carried on the development of the market and expanded future events. Today,
this has led to a tourist centre of 6 hectares that employs fifty people. The nature discovery
centre Robbesscheier encompasses a leisure park with animal enclosures, playgrounds, and
parks and gardens where local vegetable and fruit varieties are grown and used in the onsite
restaurant. Beekeepers introduce keeping bees and making honey. Historical equipment and
machines bare evidence of a former farming life. A blacksmith shows their skills – and all
projects are open to participation from children and adults.
HORSEPOWER – FOUR-LEGGED POWER PACKS
From the beginning, working with horses from the Ardennes was the focus of the centre. The
breed, so closely connected to the region, provided people in rural Luxembourg for hundreds
of years with working animals. Today, the breed plays a part in the comeback of sustainable
farming and forestry practises. In contrast to heavy machinery, the gentle and strong animals
do not destroy the ground, they feed on renewable plants, and their dung is valuable manure.
Robesscheier sees itself as a centre of excellence for these work horses with their eleven
Ardennes draught horses. They aim to give them back their former task: supporting humans
in sustainable practices in forest and field. Naturally, they are also available for buggy rides
and playful teambuilding practises.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

LUXEMBOURG
A BUSY QUEEN AND HER COURT
Learn all about the fascinating world of bees through the
onsite bee keeping production. Bee populations are highly
complex communities, in which every bee knows exactly
what their task is. Here you will learn how many bees live
in one hive, why the male bees are expelled from the hive
in autumn, and how you get at the honey. In the bee-keeping
workshops, you can also try your hand at turning your
own beeswax candles.
ONE DAY OR SEVERAL IN ROBBESSCHEIER
So many choices to make – the variety of activities and
workshops for all ages at Robbesscheier is enormous: Bake
apple turnovers like they used to be made, turn candles,
make ceramic figures, build an insect hotel, work in the
forge, saw tree trunks – learn old crafts in a playful and
knowledgeable way. Your creativity need to know no
bounds. A programme is created for every occasion: halfday,
full day, a night’s stay, as a family, group, or a team.
Children’s birthday parties and family festivities are just
as skilfully put together as teambuilding sessions for companies.
You can also simply stop by and visit the animals
in the mini farm, walk through the gardens, and gorge on
the delicacies on offer. You will be surprised how quickly
all the attractions make a day go by at Robbesscheier.
Even in winter Robbesscheier is worth a visit. After all, our
ancestors used the winter months to get all the artisanal
activities in the house and on the farm done. Thus, from
February onwards, you can play at being a woodcutter, or
spend a day working with the Ardennes horses. A secret
tip is certainly the toy museum situated in the former
barn; a real journey into the past that will enthral children
and perhaps awaken nostalgic reminiscences in adults.
With its location at the heart of the Our nature park, Robbesscheier
is ideal as the starting point for a winter walk,
a buggy ride, or a ride on the back of a donkey. The cherry
on the cake is a good meal, or coffee and cake prepared
according to typical Éislek gastronomy: generous and
made with local produce.
GOOD TO KNOW
All information about what’s on offer and the
workshops held in the nature discovery centre
Robbesscheier can be found at www.robbesscheier.lu.
The animators speak all national languages and are
available on seven days of the week all year round.
149
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ON TOUR WITH CFL
THE GUTTLAND REGION
PEACE & RELAXATION IN THE HEART
OF LUXEMBOURG
27 municipalities, 6 rivers, 10 train stations, 10 castles, around 1,000 walkways,
over 130 km cycling paths, and a plethora of unscathed nature – all of that makes
out the region of Guttland.
T E X T Barbara Fischer-Fürwentsches
150
Geographically, the region lies in the
centre of the country and borders the
holiday destinations of Moselle Valley
and the Mullerthal in the east, the
Land of the Red Rock in the south and
the Ardennes in the north. Situated
within a stone’s throw of the capital,
the Guttland region is the perfect
close destination for recuperation
with a wide variety of attractions and
traditions. The historical heritage is
present everywhere. Celts, Romans,
Franks have all left their mark, as
well as the medieval feudal lords.
Nowhere in Luxembourg does one
find such a high concentration of
medieval buildings like here. Today,
the old walls are regularly filled with
life as festivities and markets are held
within them.
Discover the Guttland region
with CFL
Discovering the highlights of the
Guttland region with the CFL is also
possible in winter. CFL Evasion has
created packages for an escape from
your hectic everyday life – starting
from the 10 train stations throughout
the region – no long journeys, perfectly
organised, choose from sporty
or relaxing, for two or for friends,
or a family trip; there is an offer for
everybody.
Find an oasis of peace right in front
of the gates of the city of Munsbach,
where you can dine and stay the night
in the Hotel Legére. For the hike the
next day a lunch pack will be pro-
vided. Near the train station lies the nature reserve Schlammwiss where you
can discover the bird ringing station and the astonishing biodiversity of the
largest connected reed bed in Luxembourg. The wide river valley of the Syre
offers several walking paths from station to station through green wetlands
and woods; customisable as a simple family tour or an ambitious hike.
For all of you who harbour hiking and/or cycling ambitions, you will find several
offers around Mersch for a short active holiday. If you want to stop along
the way, the family hotel Martha can provide you with lunch packs and spoil
you with culinary delicacies in the evening. Alternatively, you can embark on
a three-day cycling tour from Kleinbettingen to Mersch, inclusive of luggage
transport and wellness. These are just a few of the suggestions – let yourself be
inspired and discover the Guttland region.
Good to know:
All offers are subject to availability of hotel rooms. The rates are not alterable
and inquiries concerning reservations must be made through the travel agency
of the CFL at least three working days before the start of your trip. Your € 50
hotel voucher can, of course, be used for all offers of CFL Evasion. Leave your
car at home – all destinations can easily be reached by train.
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

Explore
ON TOUR WITH
Luxembourg
with the cfl
Attractive
travel packages
available at
More information:
www.cflevasion.lu
or
+352 4990 4845
T E X T
FOTOS
Xxxx
Xxxx
cfl mobile
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20
151
www.cfl.lu
Call Center +352 2489 2489

ADVERTORIAL
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panoramic trains
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From city to city
B The journey is the reward. The journey on the Lucerne-
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T E X T
PHOTOS
All panoramic stretches on one route - even in winter.
Discover the highlights of the cold season on the “Winter
Magic” tour.
152
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B
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

ADVERTORIAL
With one click to winter
Visit Switzerland. In the country where winter sports were invented
in 1864, the mountains are higher and the fun on the slopes is
greater. Experience the Swiss winter in all its facets.
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Something new
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153
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

EUROPE
JENS RITTMEYER
NO JOY WITHOUT SAUCE
It’s a picture book perfect career:
At only 26 years old, Jens Rittmeyer
is promoted to kitchen chef and,
shortly after in Portugal, gains his
first Michelin star. A title, he still holds
today. His great passion for excellent
sauces earned him the nickname
“God of Sauces.” Because more and
more guests asked him for them, he
produced different sauces in little
glass containers on the side, to great
success. These days, he prefers to
listen only to his guests on culinary
matters and loves to cook in the John
Wayne-style. Hear more about that in
our interview, which took place in his
restaurant No. 4 in Buxtehude
near Hamburg.
Ann-Christin Baßin
Götz Wrage
T E X T
PHOTOS
154
For some it might not be anything special but for Jens
Rittmeyer it was heaven on earth as a child when his mum
made baked camembert with a spicy tomato sauce. “For
me and my sister there was nothing better!” the starred
chef gushes to this day. He learned his love of cooking
through his mother and grandmother. Even back then, he
had a penchant for sauces. And so it was the best when he
was allowed to make the tomato sauce himself.
That he would do an apprenticeship to become a cook after
the tenth grade was crystal clear. Jens Rittmeyer is grateful
for the many happy circumstances that fate provided
for him. Thanks to the fall of the Berlin Wall, he was able
to train in Baden-Baden, 750 km away from Halle an der
Saale. “That opened up completely new opportunities,”
the 45-year-old remembers. After various placements,
he made his way to Xanten (North Rhine-Westphalia)
in 2000, into the country house Köpp, where he learnt
how to aromatise sauces. A year later, he moved to Dieter
Müller’s restaurant in the castle hotel Lerbach in Bergisch
Gladbach as a saucier. Alongside Eckart Witzigmann,
Dieter Müller significantly advanced the development
of the German elite gastronomy. In 1997, he achieved his
third Michelin star. Early one, he concentrated on the art
of classic sauces. So exactly the right place for Jens Rittmeyer!
The young cook was ambitious and was not afraid
of hard work or long days.
“Dieter Müller probably saw my hand in sauce cooking,”
says Rittmeyer. “He gave me a lot of confidence. It was
like a knighthood.” As a leaving present, the saucier was
given an excellent report and an apron that read: “Thank
you for the wonderful sauces, also from all our guests.”
In 2002, Jens Rittmeyer made his way to Albufeira on the
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

EUROPE
Portuguese coast on the Atlantic. There, he was sous-chef
in the “Vila Joya” and, a year later, was offered the position
of chef in the “Sao Gabriel”, only fourty kilometres
away. Eckart Witzigmann told the then 22-year old: “Boy,
you can cook. If you think you can make guests happy and
lead a team, go for it!” Jens Rittmeyer went for it – and got
his first Michelin star.
Jens Rittmeyer spent nearly eight years on the Algarve.
The enthusiastic hobby diver calls it “the time of my life.”
“When you’re only a minute from the sea, that just gives
you a great quality of life. With all the
knowledge I learned in Portugal my cooking
got quite a different style.”
His next destination, the restaurant Kai3
(Hotel Budersand) on Sylt, profited from
his new knowledge in 2010. With his team,
he once more achieved a Michelin star.
Four years ago, Jens Rittmeyer moved
into new territory again: as the chef and
gastronomic head of the restaurant No.4
of the Navigare NSBhotel in Buxtehude near Hamburg.
But Buxtehude? People were at first astonished that such
a renowned starred chef had moved into the provinces.
But Rittmeyer was delighted with the environment. He
was instantly taken with the old country with its amazing
fruit and vegetables. Especially, because his new boss
let him do whatever he wanted. In 2017, he got a Michelin
star here too. With his artful but uncomplicated and vegbased
kitchen, as well as his first-rate sauces, he was able
to win the hearts of many gourmets.
Furthermore, he continuously surprises his guests with
new ideas: For the past three years, for example, the Farmto-Table
Dinner has taken place right at the edge of a field.
The idea: On a few days in summer, a menu is cooked and
served right there where the ingredients grow. Jens Ritmeyer
found the perfect provider of his food in the farmer
Kerstin Hintz and her organic farm Biohof Ottilie. From
the veg patch directly onto the plate – it can hardly get
any fresher.
In Buxtehude, Jens Rittmeyer has specialised more and
more on specific veg dishes – even with old varieties such
as salsify – and he cooks regionally and seasonally. His
guests thank him for it. On request by many a visitor,
there is especially an intermediary course with only bread
and sauce. Not for nothing is he called the God of Sauces
here.
“Boy, you can cook.
If you think you can
make guests happy
and lead a team,
go for it!”
One too many times, Jens Rittmeyer heard people say:
“What a shame that one can’t buy your sauces here!” On
Sylt, his guests could take them away filled in provisional
glasses without a label. In Buxtehude he could finally take
the opportunity to create his delicacies on a larger scale.
In the meantime, you can buy more than a dozen sauces
online. “Over the last few weeks, I’ve filled 1200 glasses
with 200 ml each,” he explains. His cooking courses, too,
are very popular, and book out fast. The man is a workaholic
and works around the clock. But you don’t really
notice that when you meet him. On the
contrary: he is relaxed, easy-going, and
humorous.
“I am happy when our regular customers
continue their visits even in these difficult
times,” he says. Because of the crisis, the
restaurant’s concept has been changed.
“We only open on a few days at a time and
try to make the evening even more personal
for our guests. That also means information
about produce or their preparation. And the people
are thankful for it.”
At the beginning of 2019, Jens Rittmeyer and his team decided
that there would not be a pre-decided menu online,
that the menu is not sent out to his guests. The regulars
loved the Farm-to-Table concept with its surprise menu
so much that they asked to receive that in the restaurant
itself too. “At the moment we only serve surprise menus,”
the starred chef explains. “We would never have thought
that the idea would find so much enthusiasm. The guests
have a completely different expectation. This way, they
learn about new products and meals without prejudice.”
A further bonus: the kitchen can be very flexible and
exchange one vegetable for another. That’s something
that Rittmeyer learnt in Portugal. “I love to cook in John
Wayne-style. This can stress my colleagues a bit. I like
to improvise and say: “Relax, we’ll make something delicious,
just you wait.”
What do his plans look like? “One day, I’d like to have my
own place. A kind of shop with delicatessen in the foreground,
perhaps also a snack to go, and then a backroom
with a glass kitchen, three tables, where you can enjoy
Rittmeyer’s cooking. But, at the moment, I’m very happy.”
www.jens-rittmeyer.de
155
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CHESTNUT RAVIOLI
WITH ELDERBERRIES &
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Serves 4
45 – 60 minutes
3 hours
Ravioli dough
› 225 g gluten-free flour › 75 g chestnut flour
› 8 g salt › 3 tsp vegan “egg white” powder
› 15 tbsp of lukewarm water › 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
› 1.5 g xanthan gum
Black salsify filling
› 300 g black salsify › 100 ml white wine
› 200 ml oat milk › 50 ml grape seed oil
› Salt, nutmeg
Chestnut purée
› 400 g chestnuts, peeled and cooked › 1 shallot
› 300 ml Madeira › 250 ml red port wine
› ¼ piece of fennel › 80 ml grape seed oil
› Salt, white pepper
Brussels sprout leaves
› 150 g Brussels sprouts › 15 ml rape oil
› Salt, pepper, nutmeg
Preserved elderberries
› 200 g elderberries › 1 bay leaf
› 60 ml red port wine › 45 g gelling sugar (3:1)
Elderberry vinegar sauce
› 3 onions › 3 sticks of celery › 2 leeks
› ½ head celeriac › 1 tbsp allspice › 3 bay leaves
› 70 ml grape seed oil › 100 ml hazelnut oil
› 300 ml dry white wine › 150 ml red wine
› 15 ml red port wine › 100 ml Noilly Prat
› 4 l root vegetable stock
› 2 l freshly squeezed celery juice
› 100 ml raspberry vinegar › 30 ml red wine vinegar
› 1 kg elderberries › Salt, pepper, raw cane sugar
156

EUROPE
The ravioli dough
1 Mix the two flours well. Mix the lukewarm water, salt,
rapeseed oil, xanthan gum and the vegan “egg white”
powder with a whisk or with a mixer. Knead flour and
liquid until a smooth dough is formed. Wrap in cling film.
The dough must be processed immediately as it dries out
very quickly.
2 When the fillings are ready, quickly roll out the dough
thinly; it is advisable to use a pasta machine for this.
Brush the dough sheets with a little vegan “egg white”,
then press out circles using the back of a ring cutter for
the ravioli, but do not cut out the dough yet!
3 Spray the black salsify filling and a small part of the
chestnut filling onto the circles. Only now cut out the
ravioli circles with the ring cutter and press the circles
together to form a half-moon. Then place the crescents
directly onto baking paper and later, shortly before serving,
gently boil them in salted water for about 4 minutes.
Alternatively, you could prepare a regular ravioli dough
and then fill it with the two purées.
The black salsify filling
Peel and chop the black salsify. Bring the oat milk to the
boil and simmer the black salsify in it for 20 minutes. At
the same time reduce the white wine by half. When the
black salsifies are soft, finely purée them in a mixer together
with the reduced white wine, salt, nutmeg and
grape seed oil. Then pass through a sieve and chill. Alternatively,
cow’s milk can also be used.
The chestnut purée
Cut the fennel and shallot very finely and sauté lightly in
some grape seed oil. Add the peeled and cooked chestnuts
and gradually deglaze with Madeira and port wine.
Loosen the sediment again and again and stir in. When
all the alcohol has evaporated, pour the mixture into a
blender with the rest of the grape seed oil and mix it into
a fine purée. Then pass through a sieve, cover with cling
film and chill.
The brussels sprout leaves
Remove the 2 –3 outer, dark and discoloured leaves of
the Brussels sprouts. Then carefully peel off the most
beautiful other green leaves from the sprouts and sauté
briefly in some rapeseed oil, and season with salt, pepper
and nutmeg. The leaves can be slightly crunchy when
dressing.
The preserved elderberries
1 Wash the elderberries and bring the port wine with the
bay leaf to the boil once. (Use a fresh bay leaf!).
2 Then add the elderberries and the gelling sugar and
bring to the boil again. Pour into a glass, close it tightly
with a lid and put aside. Alternatively, use black currants,
but then add 1 tablespoon of brown sugar while cooking.
The elderberry vinegar sauce
1 Wash and peel the vegetables (onions, celery, leek, celeriac)
and cut them into cubes of about 1x1 cm. Sauté
them lightly in grape seed oil. Now add pimento and bay
leaves and deglaze with white wine, red port, red wine,
Noilly Prat, raspberry vinegar and red wine vinegar. Reduce
this by half. Fill up with the root vegetable stock and
reduce by about 70%.
2 Now add the elderberries and the celery juice and let
the stock ripen on the edge of the hearth for about 3
hours. Then pass through a very fine sieve and season to
taste with salt, white pepper from the mill and possibly a
pinch of raw cane sugar (alternatively agave syrup) and,
finally, lightly top with the hazelnut oil.
Serving
1 While the ravioli are boiling in salted water, stir the remaining
chestnut purée until warm and draw it onto the
plate using a dessert comb, then add the elderberries.
2 Now fry the Brussels sprouts until crisp and then alternate
them with the ravioli.
3 Serve the elderberry vinegar sauce separately.
4 If you like, add either fine black truffles or finely sliced
black walnuts.
157
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

VEGETARIAN
36 41
Butter (tomato, citrus,
chocolateraspberry)
Fried shallot with
turmeric
43
Chioggia roll
56
Nutty beetroot &
berry cobb
58
Tofu version ”Feta”
88 88
Goat cheese in
cinnamon oil
Onion confit
92
Beetroot & hogweed
root
156
Chestnut ravioli
with elderberries &
Brussels sprouts
ME AT
17
Roast chicken in a
bacon dress
96
Beef broth with bone
marrow dumplings
98
Eggs in aspic
102
Wäinzoossiss
FISH &
SE AFOOD
15
Corn salad with
surimi & rice
16
Mixed niçoise salad
85 18 20
Grilled salmon in a
creamy fennel broth
Orange & chocolate
cake
Red & white
Christmas cake
24
Mini spice cakes
26
Napoléon cake
34 44 48 54 60 74
Gingerbread
Linzer Torte
Chewy, fudgy
brownies
Chocolate log
Chia crêpes, banana
& black sesame
Orange curd
88
Cantuccini with figs
Boxemännchen
11
Christmas tree on
a stick
12
Winter
wonderland
100
No flour chocolate
cake
158
SWEETS
10
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

RECIPE DIRECTORY & IMPRINT
59
Vegan roast with
gravy
62
Creamy soup with
parsnip, pear &
hazelnuts
71
Chioggia beetroot
papillote
73
Curried pumpkin
soup
74
Tamarind & orange
dressing
84
Gratinéed fennel
70
Chicken fillets with
green coconut curry
75
Sweet’n sour chicken
76
Barbecue ribs
83
Chicken burgers with
hummus & fennel
84 86
Fennel, pork &
tomato stew
Savoury fennel &
bacon bread
52 63
Spicy crab
Caramelised
monkfish tail
68
Salmon rice noodles
& caramel soy
WP
ERRATUM: We hereby apologise for the erroneous
use of the MyClimate logo in the last issue.
Edition Luxe Taste & Style Publishing Sàrl,
4a, rue de Consdorf L-6230 Bech
28
Stollen wreath for
Christmas
77
Poached oranges
31
Florentines with
Tonka bean & white
chocolate
78
Orange & poppy
seed cake
32
Royal shortbread
79
Celebrations dessert
brownie-tiramisu
Publisher
Bibi Wintersdorf
Editor-in-Chief Bibi Wintersdorf
Head Editor
Patricia Sciotti
Editor
Vesela Savova Drews
Copy-editors Myriam Welschbillig (DE),
Cara Bland (EN),
Fabrice Barbian (FR)
Art Director
Philippe Saliba
Graphic Designer Enia Haeck
Social Media Manager Yannick Burrows
Offiice Manager Vanessa Schmit
Sales Manager Sandrine Kupiec
Printer
WePrint
Contact
Editorial Dept.
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ISSN EAN 977-2535-8820-14
The publication accepts no liability for unsolicited articles, photos and drawings.
Reproduction, inclusion in online services or the Internet, or duplication onto data
carriers such as CD-ROM etc. shall only be permitted with prior written consent
from the publisher.
All rights reserved. All information has been carefully reviewed. We accept no
liability for the accuracy of information included.
159
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

THE SPRING ISSUE OF
WILL BE PUBLISHED ON
MARCH 3 RD , 2021
160
KACHEN No.25 | WINTER 20

CMCM, THE CHEF‘S RECIPE FOR
PERFECT HEALTH COVERAGE.
The best health coverage
Number of people: the whole family
Ingredients :
1/3 of foresight
1/3 of solidarity
1/3 of non-exclusion
Combine all ingredients in a large
bowl of serenity.
Cover with a protective film and
enjoy if necessary.
The chef’s recipe can be kept
throughout the year.
1 pinch of anticipation
Follow us
More information at : www.cmcm.lu
App

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